By KARAN MINNIS, Guardian Lifestyles Reporter, karan@nasguard.com

As most young girls are likely to do, Sister Ena Albury dreamed of becoming a bride and having a family. She later found herself married to religious life, and has been a nun for approximately 54 years. This from a woman who as a child was unfamiliar with the church.

Born Feb. 24, 1937, in Lower Bogue, Eleuthera, the same year that the Saint Martin Religious Community was formed, Sister Ena grew up unfamiliar with the church, having never attended Sunday Mass during those formative years, but still managed to find religion later in life.

"We didn't attend Sunday Mass, however, I still managed to come in contact with many of the priests of the church because my older sister was the housekeeper for Father Leander Roerig, O.S.B., at the rectory on Harbour Island."

Surprisingly, it was another Benedictine monk, Father Elias Achatz, who brought the idea of a religious vocation to her attention.

"From speaking with him, I decided that I might have a vocation, but I was afraid to ask my father's permission to enter the convent," she explained. "But, when I did ask he said yes."

Sister Ena entered the convent on Mar. 19, 1953 and took the religious name Mary Joseph. She pronounced her final vows on Aug. 6, 1960, and was able to continue her education at Aquinas College, New Providence, where she developed a love of teaching. Her first classroom assignment was at St. Joseph's School in 1958, where she taught art and craft, English, physical education and needlework.

She also taught at St Bede's, New Providence, St. Vincent de Paul in Grand Bahama and later at Holy Name School in Bimini, rising as high as deputy principal of St. Vincent de Paul. In 1990, she was named principal of Holy Name.

Reflecting on the fateful step she took 54 years ago, Sister Ena says that as a young girl she always dreamt of becoming a bride and of having a family. However, she claims to have never regretted becoming a nun.

"I have been so privileged to have been given the grace to face the difficulties encountered in life in a religious community," she said. "God has been good, is now, and always will be."

Sister Ena's development in religious life and education over the years was impressive. She completed a two-year program in teacher education at the Bahamas Teachers College. Subsequently, she received an Endorsed Teaching Certificate from the University of the West Indies (UWI), which qualified her to teach in any school in The Bahamas and the West Indies.

Following this, she attended Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she studied family, group and individual counseling. She did a practicum at Lydia's Place in the same city and got the opportunity to counsel a group of women in Allegheny State Prison.