A kind benefactor had once more made it possible for our Congregation to send a small group of sisters to promote religious life in general and to make our own Congregation better known in another corner of the vast continent of the US, who has been generous so far in sending us eight candidates to religious life. Three of these candidates have made temporary profession, three are novices and two are postulants. They represent eight of the fifty states namely: Arizona, Texas, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin, Colorado and New York!
“The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few.” (Mat 9:37)
And what good could not be done if only we had another 42 sisters! Everywhere we went, we were met with cries of: “We need religious to teach in our schools”. How happy would we be to address such a need if only we had a few sisters to spare! Now more than ever do we need generous souls to work for Our Lord. It was the Church, through the aid of religious serving as her hands and feet, who build civilisation and who now is needed once more to restore Christian Order. Our Lord still calls for ready volunteers – but it seems as if fewer of our youth are able to distinguish His voice from among the noise of the modern world. And so our advice to the young ladies whom we met trying to discern their call were:
- to first of all remain open to the possibility of a religious vocation and
- to pray that God will make His will known to them and give them the strength to correspond.
“Whatever you want of me Lord, I will do” should be their prayer of offering. Where possible guidance form a spiritual director/ Parish priest should be sought. And how will they know God’s will? Most likely not through extraordinary manifestations but three basic signs, which leaves the individual free to respond or not:
This is an actual grace of God that enlightens the intellect to understand the value of His call and inflames the will to respond/ strengthens the heart for the sacrifice.
2. The right motivation to enter the life
3. Fitness for the life
If these three signs are all present then, DON’T DELAY! Do something constructive to make sure if this is God’s will for you, or rather where He wishes to make use of your services. Talk to a Priest who knows you, read about and write to different religious orders. A visit is by far the best means to discern if you are meant to enter any specific congregation. Mother General’s e-mail is listed under the side tab on this page: “Religious Enquiries”. On receiving your letter, Mother will respond in sending you a questionnaire to determine if there are any formal impediments (debt, for example) to your entering the convent. It is possible to get a dispensation from some impediments and candidates are encouraged to answer the questions truthfully and in confidence. Once you return the completed questionnaire, arrangements can be made for a visit!
We pray for all the girls who attended the talks to remain open, honest and generous with Our Lord. He truly can never be outdone in generosity as the sisters attested to with little examples from their own lives and the joy they experience in His service.
A day of games in the local park with approximately 130 girls,
Next on the agenda was Our Lady of Sorrows Priory in Phoenix. The sisters were
edified to join in the celebrations for Sister Imelda’s (OSF) 65th anniversary of remaining faithful to her religious vows.
1. We are both Dominican Teaching Congregations but have different roots. We can in fact trace our roots back to the very first convent founded by St Dominic in Prouille, 1206. This means that we stem from a fully contemplative, second order. When foundations were made in Ireland, the persecutions eventually forced the sisters to take up teaching; they always kept as far as possible to their second order customs. From Ireland, foundations were made in New Zealand, and our Mother General comes from such a foundation. This explains why we say the full Divine Office and teach in school. Other customs that reflect our second order roots are the silent refectory (sisters never talk during meals – except for Christmas Day, St Dominic’s Day and Easter), monastic grace, weekly chapter of faults, kissing of the scapular when making mistakes in office etc.
2. We work more closely with the Society of Saint Pius X, teaching in their schools.
Leaving Phoenix the Sisters ventured back to San Jose for three days of catechism classes and talks to the parish and yound girls who may be interested in religous life. Once again we wish to encourage all the young ladies we met – to come and visit – and taste to see how sweet the Lord is!
The sisters were privileged to be able to visit some of the old Franciscan Missions which stand as constant and visible reminders to the inhabitant of the call of the Master to work in His vineyard. The efforts of these early missionaries bring to mind the words of the Imitation of Christ (Book 3, Chapter 5): “Love knows no limits, but is fervent above all measure. It feels no burden, makes light of labour, desires to do more than it is able. Nothing is impossible for love, for it thinks that it can and may do all things for the Beloved. Therefore it does and effects many things, while those who do not love falter and fail.” We pray the Mission Priests that they may help us to increase our charity and to be generous as they.
These early Missionaries left home and fatherland to labour for the Salvation of souls, may we all be edified by their example but more than that may they inspire within us a zeal to follow in the work of Divine Love. It is true that nothing is sweeter than love, nothing higher, nothing stronger, nothing larger, nothing more joyful, nothing fuller, nothing better in heaven or earth, for love is born of God and can find its rest only in God above all He has created. Such lovers fly high, run swiftly and rejoice. Their souls are free, they give all for all and have all in all.
May our hearts expand in God’s love…that we may know how sweet it is to serve Him, how joyful it is to praise Him, and to be dissolved in His love. May there be some generous souls who respond to the graces Our Lord has given during this mission, may some say YES to the call of Divine Love. May Our Lord also reward all those benefactors who contributed and helped the Sisters during their visit.
Dear Sisters
This is a truly inspiring and edifying account of your trip to the United States. Thank God for the eight vocations which have come from there and for the many young ladies, anxious to learn about religious life. The United States is leading the way in the restoration of the traditions of Our True Faith. Thank God for those conservative American families who bring up their children, especially their daughters, in a spirit of sacrifice. We thank God also for the wonderful homeschooling families in the United States and in particular, the homeschooling mothers.God Bless America and all the traditional Catholic families who keep the light of Catholic civilisation alive in the world.