On October 28, 2021, Sister Mary Grace of the Sisters of Life came to the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas in Storrs for a talk on religious vocation and a panel discussion on discernment with Sister Mary Loreta of the Sisters of Life and Fathers Gabriel and Immanuel of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. It was the second of three lectures in the Metanoia Fall lecture series. I asked Kate Goldstein, a recent high school graduate and convert to the faith and an active member of our Catholic community in Storrs, to reflect on her thoughts and impressions of the evening. Here is what she had to say:
Growing up in a non-Catholic home I certainly had a false idea of people who choose to live out their lives in consecrated vocations. My thought at that point was that they had given up everything good, everything of value to gain nothing. This perspective has changed since my becoming Catholic and journeying on the road of faith growing closer in all things to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The Sisters of Life definitely broke down every prejudicial thought and stereotype I had of those in religious life. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to meet the sisters and listen to what they and the other religious present had to say about their vocations and how they have freely responded to God’s call with generous undivided hearts.
I was amazed at the pure joy and happiness they possess which is obviously a fruit of their own personal encounter with Jesus Christ; and by virtue of that encounter with Him they are very simply able to radiate God’s light and goodness onto others. Listening to the Sisters speak quickly reminded me of our Lord Jesus speaking in reference to the light on the stand: “Let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is heaven.’’(Mt 5:16)
I believe that the light of God shines through them because they have completely emptied themselves, through self-denial and conforming their lives to the life of Christ; becoming completely obedient to the will of God, “Not my will but yours be done’’(Lk 22:42) and through God’s grace growing in lives of holiness and virtue. They are like clean windows which perfectly allow the radiant sun to shine through them. Their witness and perspective is truly profound and beautiful because it is an example given for us in an anticipation of the life to come in the resurrection where, “they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.’’(Mt 22:30)
God has granted them the graces necessary to live in this manner while still in their earthly lives and they are able to be a radical and visible sign of God’s love in the world, offering a pre taste of the wedding feast of heaven. They have truly found the pearl of great price and have with joy gone and sold all that they have to obtain it. I think of what St. Paul speaks about as the folly of the cross and how to the modern world the radical life of chastity, poverty and obedience receives a certain reaction similar to that which the cross received; to the eyes of the world it is useless and complete foolishness however to those of us of faith it is the power of God.
This life embodies the cross, the humility, the selflessness and ability to lay down one's life out of love for another, knowing that when we are at our weakest, when we are being mocked and persecuted for our faith and for the sake of God is when we are nearest to Him.
The sisters’ happiness and utter delight in God is efficacious and has certainly cultivated in me a desire to strive onward with the help of God’s grace to attain that same radiance of happiness and deposition of heart which they have come to receive as gifts from God.
Let’s continue to pray for all of our young people, especially young people like Kate, as they continue to pray and discern God’s personal plan for each of them.
--Father Jonathan Ficara, Director of Vocations
