Celebrating National
Religious Sisters Week

Many people today find it difficult to wrap their minds around the idea that a woman would want to commit her whole life as a religious sister (for cloistered women think nun.)  While much has been written about the “graying” of religious life as well as how few women are entering, perhaps there is another side to the story.

This “graying” also points to women of wisdom and experience.  This year my community will be celebrating the dedicated service of three of our sisters; two with 50-years under their belt and another with 60.  Next year we will have a larger group of six sisters: one with 25-years, two with 60-years and three with 70-years.   We even have one sister who is 103, three sisters in their 90s and 10 sisters in their 80s.  And I am told every so often I am a mere child at 68. 

My take away message to young people who feel that a life-long commitment is not possible, their lives say otherwise. 

What do these older sisters do all day besides pray?  It may surprise you to learn they have ministries like the rest of us.  One sister in her 90s is our house treasurer; another in her 80s is our house superior.  Other sisters help out in the kitchen, take phone duty, as well as all the invisible jobs that help keep our house the home that it is.  They are especially needed when we prepare for our community celebrations as well as being role models of what it means to be faithful.

I made the decision to enter the convent due to my friendship with a young sister.  I remember thinking, “I can be a friend to others as she has been to me.”   That insight has been a compass needle pointing me to God for the last 47 years.  During that time, I have discovered prayer is high on the to-do list of the people I meet. 

So, if you are considering religious life, society will expect you to be a woman of prayer. Yet far and above that expectation, society needs you to be a person of prayer as well as someone who can convey to them they are not alone in their struggles.  In other words, they need to know God does care and you will embody that concern. 

As a spiritual director, I have walked with several people who have and are considering religious life.  One question I have asked each is, “What is the one thing you cannot not do?”  While it may sound more like a tongue twister, it is meant to focus the directee on what matters most.  That is, the statement aims the person’s prayer life towards becoming single-hearted. 

I have also found a wonderful quote by, of all people, Pablo Picasso that I have also shared with them.  He said, “The meaning in life is to find your gift.  The purpose of life is to give it away.”  St. Ignatius of Loyola put it this way:  “What have I done for Christ?  What am I doing for Christ?  What am I willing to do for Christ?”

I have often experienced young people’s great spirit of generosity as volunteers.  And each time I have wanted to ask, “Have you ever thought about volunteering for a lifetime?”  I also want to tell them this is a preview of what you could be doing to ease the deep hunger of the world during that lifetime.  I want to ask those questions as I have been privileged to work with God in nourishing that hunger one person at a time for 47 years. 

Some people climb Mt. Everest seeking adventure.  Mine is giving God away.  I have to ask, what greater adventure is there than that? 

During this National Religious Sisters Week, pray for all of us.  Pray for an increase of vocations.  Thank you.  Also if you or anyone you know is interested in religious life, give our vocation director a call at (361) 882-5413 or Sister Gloria Rodriguez at (361) 882-6191.