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Welcome to our vocations section!
It is a delight to serve as the Vocation Director for the Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Church. I have been a sister for over 40 years, have taught high school for 23 of those years, and have worked as Program Manager at our diocesan retreat center as well as in formation within the sisters' community. My vocation to Consecrated Life is a blessing that changes my daily life into a gift that I can give daily to Jesus to help transform the world as I work for God and His Church.
God calls each of us to a particular vocation and state of life. He only wants your happiness, since He has created you to share that with Him. Discerning a vocation to religious life entails deep prayer, spiritual direction, and confidence in God's gracious mercy that He has called you and that He will carry out His Plan in you. Remember that the Holy Spirit will guide you as you ask for help. Your response to Christ's call, “Come, and follow Me” (Mt 4:19), through discernment in prayer, attendance at Holy Mass and the sacraments, working with communities to which you feel drawn, along with the guidance of your spiritual director, will bring you to the place where God has called you.
I think of the call to the charism of a particular community as a kind of homing device the Holy Spirit plants in your heart. Praying at Mass is a particularly powerful way to find what you seek and to discern what action you need to take to respond. I remember asking Jesus every time the Host and Chalice were raised for adoration to show me the way to follow His Will and to help me to do it. This practice has never failed me.
As Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Church, we look to Our Lady as the sublime model of discipleship and trustful surrender, as we "sense with the Church" in our lives of communal charity, flowing out to joyful evangelization in works of faith formation in schools and parishes, retreat ministry and hospital pastoral ministry. As spiritual mothers, we endeavor to bring Christ’s risen presence into the world as a sign of hope and encouragement to all.
If you would like to learn more about our vowed life as Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Church, I welcome you to contact me. Or, perhaps you are still wondering what religious life is all about and have a desire to heighten your understanding of it. If I can answer any of your questions or assist you in any way, let’s do it!
Please let me know how I can help you on your journey to find your home in religious life.
Peace and blessings,
Sister Mary Eucharista, SMMC
vocations[at]sistersofmarymc[dot]org