The Vocation of Sr. Anne Marya
I grew up in a Catholic farm family and attended Catholic grade school, even though it meant walking several miles to school each day. Until I was 14 we lived less that a mile from the motherhouse of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, where my younger sister would enter. We would often attend Sunday Mass there and Midnight Mass at Christmas. Sometimes we would see their postulants and novices –30 or 40 of them- taking recreation by walking along our country road. Occasionally some of the Sisters would visit us and have a snack with my mother. My older brother Joseph would use newspapers to dress me as a Sister, much to their amusement.
At 14, I was stricken with polio and it was thought I would never walk again. My consolation was a large picture Jesus in His Agony in the Garden hanging near my bed. Contemplating it made me want to unite my sufferings with His in the three months I spent in bed. Through a kind of miracle, I was able to walk again and return to school.
As I was to begin my junior year of high school, my mother broke her leg and I had to stay home and care for her and our home. Once she had recovered, I sought employment and would walk several miles to work and home. By leaving home early, I was able to attend Mass and receive Communion every day, and would stop at Church for a visit to the Blessed Sacrament before returning home. I would ask Jesus to show me if He wished me to marry by letting me meet my future husband at Church, and I did meet a fine young man who also came to daily Mass and whom I dated briefly. Once, in my visit to the Blessed Sacrament, I felt Jesus was saying to me: “I have been waiting for you to come to Me” and I felt this was a call to religious life.
I entered the Carmel of Loretto, PA as a lay Sister, who cooked and did more of the manual labor in the community and did not pray the Latin Breviary. Then, in 1961 I was one of the sisters who came to Latrobe to begin a new Carmel here.
I grew up in a Catholic farm family and attended Catholic grade school, even though it meant walking several miles to school each day. Until I was 14 we lived less that a mile from the motherhouse of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, where my younger sister would enter. We would often attend Sunday Mass there and Midnight Mass at Christmas. Sometimes we would see their postulants and novices –30 or 40 of them- taking recreation by walking along our country road. Occasionally some of the Sisters would visit us and have a snack with my mother. My older brother Joseph would use newspapers to dress me as a Sister, much to their amusement.
At 14, I was stricken with polio and it was thought I would never walk again. My consolation was a large picture Jesus in His Agony in the Garden hanging near my bed. Contemplating it made me want to unite my sufferings with His in the three months I spent in bed. Through a kind of miracle, I was able to walk again and return to school.
As I was to begin my junior year of high school, my mother broke her leg and I had to stay home and care for her and our home. Once she had recovered, I sought employment and would walk several miles to work and home. By leaving home early, I was able to attend Mass and receive Communion every day, and would stop at Church for a visit to the Blessed Sacrament before returning home. I would ask Jesus to show me if He wished me to marry by letting me meet my future husband at Church, and I did meet a fine young man who also came to daily Mass and whom I dated briefly. Once, in my visit to the Blessed Sacrament, I felt Jesus was saying to me: “I have been waiting for you to come to Me” and I felt this was a call to religious life.
I entered the Carmel of Loretto, PA as a lay Sister, who cooked and did more of the manual labor in the community and did not pray the Latin Breviary. Then, in 1961 I was one of the sisters who came to Latrobe to begin a new Carmel here.
The Vocation of Sr. Ellen Jane
A LOVE STORY
In spite of His best efforts, God did not get through to me about a call to religious life until I was a twenty-three year old kindergarten teacher. When on retreat, a priest asked me if I had ever thought about becoming a religious, I answered that I had never considered it seriously. Through prayerful pondering IT ALL BEGAN TO COME TOGETHER that God had been preparing me for His call all along life’s way. To share with you a few highlights: As a youngster I was impressed by my Sister-teachers along with my Ursuline aunt, and at times would find myself draping a towel over my head to see how I’d look in a veil. The faith-filled example of my parents always reaching out to help those in need was a continual inspiration. My mother loved St Therese and gave me a copy of her Autobiography, which meant much to me. A priest had given my dad Cardinal Mercier’s prayer to the Holy Spirit which became a family favorite. After recollecting oneself for five minutes, one prays:
O Holy Spirit, Beloved of my soul,
I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me,
Strengthen me, console me. Tell me
What I should do; give me Your orders.
I promise to submit myself to all that
You desire of me, and to accept all that
You permit to happen to me.
Let me only know your will. Amen.
When in third grade, a vocation talk given by a religious brother stressing the importance of doing God’s will made quite an impression on me. “Yes, one should really answer God’s call” I later told a friend, “but he wasn’t calling me”. During high school I became devoted to Our Lady through the Sodality, often attending weekday Mass and also continuing my nightly prayer to the Holy Spirit. I attended a vocation tea at the convent one Sunday afternoon, telling my friends I was going just out of curiosity. During college, as I majored in elementary education and later became a teacher, God continued to deepen my relationship with Him, drawing me to make retreats every now and then. By the end of the above-mentioned retreat, I became dead serious about this possibility of having a call to religious life. I wondered if I should give up my plan to go on a Newman Club-Marian tour to Europe, but was advised to go ahead with the tour before entering.
Which order? I thought of a teaching order, known for its excellence, Sisters of the Humility of Mary. Since I was still dragging my feet, I also checked in with a priest from a neighboring parish who concluded I could well have a religious vocation. Then one day while ironing, the Holy Spirit brought me to a STRONG REALIZATION that in light of eternity, nothing in life is worth-while except knowing God’s will and doing it. A phone call put me in touch with an HM sister whom God provided as guide and before long, God gave me the courage to enter the HM Sisters. After my novitiate, I taught elementary school for fifteen years. As time went on I began to desire more time for prayer. When re-reading St. Therese’s Autobiography, I noted especially how she was drawn to offer part of Jesus’ prayer after the Last Supper for priests. While making a short retreat at a Carmelite Monastery, and talking with one of the Nuns who had been a talented teacher, I came to the realization that the gift of following a call to Carmel was more important than using the two degrees I had in education. As she said, “God calls many to be teachers, but fewer to be Carmelites”. “Life begins at Forty” and so on my fortieth birthday, I entered the Carmelite Monastery in Latrobe, PA for a year of further discernment. Carmel’s main apostolate is to pray for the Church, especially for priests, along with the world and its needs. It was there in Carmel that I found the Lord’s niche for me and have been there ever since, offering my every effort to help answer Jesus’ Prayer after the Last Supper, “that all may be ONE”---in His loving Heart forever.
A LOVE STORY
In spite of His best efforts, God did not get through to me about a call to religious life until I was a twenty-three year old kindergarten teacher. When on retreat, a priest asked me if I had ever thought about becoming a religious, I answered that I had never considered it seriously. Through prayerful pondering IT ALL BEGAN TO COME TOGETHER that God had been preparing me for His call all along life’s way. To share with you a few highlights: As a youngster I was impressed by my Sister-teachers along with my Ursuline aunt, and at times would find myself draping a towel over my head to see how I’d look in a veil. The faith-filled example of my parents always reaching out to help those in need was a continual inspiration. My mother loved St Therese and gave me a copy of her Autobiography, which meant much to me. A priest had given my dad Cardinal Mercier’s prayer to the Holy Spirit which became a family favorite. After recollecting oneself for five minutes, one prays:
O Holy Spirit, Beloved of my soul,
I adore You. Enlighten me, guide me,
Strengthen me, console me. Tell me
What I should do; give me Your orders.
I promise to submit myself to all that
You desire of me, and to accept all that
You permit to happen to me.
Let me only know your will. Amen.
When in third grade, a vocation talk given by a religious brother stressing the importance of doing God’s will made quite an impression on me. “Yes, one should really answer God’s call” I later told a friend, “but he wasn’t calling me”. During high school I became devoted to Our Lady through the Sodality, often attending weekday Mass and also continuing my nightly prayer to the Holy Spirit. I attended a vocation tea at the convent one Sunday afternoon, telling my friends I was going just out of curiosity. During college, as I majored in elementary education and later became a teacher, God continued to deepen my relationship with Him, drawing me to make retreats every now and then. By the end of the above-mentioned retreat, I became dead serious about this possibility of having a call to religious life. I wondered if I should give up my plan to go on a Newman Club-Marian tour to Europe, but was advised to go ahead with the tour before entering.
Which order? I thought of a teaching order, known for its excellence, Sisters of the Humility of Mary. Since I was still dragging my feet, I also checked in with a priest from a neighboring parish who concluded I could well have a religious vocation. Then one day while ironing, the Holy Spirit brought me to a STRONG REALIZATION that in light of eternity, nothing in life is worth-while except knowing God’s will and doing it. A phone call put me in touch with an HM sister whom God provided as guide and before long, God gave me the courage to enter the HM Sisters. After my novitiate, I taught elementary school for fifteen years. As time went on I began to desire more time for prayer. When re-reading St. Therese’s Autobiography, I noted especially how she was drawn to offer part of Jesus’ prayer after the Last Supper for priests. While making a short retreat at a Carmelite Monastery, and talking with one of the Nuns who had been a talented teacher, I came to the realization that the gift of following a call to Carmel was more important than using the two degrees I had in education. As she said, “God calls many to be teachers, but fewer to be Carmelites”. “Life begins at Forty” and so on my fortieth birthday, I entered the Carmelite Monastery in Latrobe, PA for a year of further discernment. Carmel’s main apostolate is to pray for the Church, especially for priests, along with the world and its needs. It was there in Carmel that I found the Lord’s niche for me and have been there ever since, offering my every effort to help answer Jesus’ Prayer after the Last Supper, “that all may be ONE”---in His loving Heart forever.
The Vocation of Sr. Marie Elizabeth
I felt attracted to religious life from a very early age, having three aunts who were teaching Sisters and who inundated me with religious material. The Sisters who taught me in grade school had a high school aspirancy at their motherhouse, and I would have gone there if my parents could have spared my help with our large family and farm. In high school, I became interested in a career as a medical doctor and thought I might like to join the Medical Mission Sisters, though the freedom I found in getting my driver’s license and salary from a small job made me wonder if I wouldn’t find any kind of religious life too confining. People who knew me told me I belonged in the Carmelite Monastery, but I assured them that nothing would induce me to give up so much of my freedom that I would be cloistered all my life. So deep was my commitment to God’s will that my chief interest in each religious group of women was to discover who had the longest summer vacation!
Because I won a scholarship to a girls’ Academy at some distance from my home, I went to live during the week with my aunt where she was housekeeper at a rectory nearer the school. The Carmelite Monastery was on the opposite hill across the town, and I could hear the bells from early morning into the night. I was curious as to why those bells were ringing so often and began to go there for some of the Advent hymns that I later found were associated with a daily procession, for Eucharist and for the evening half-hour of Christmas carols during the holidays. Soon I found I couldn’t stay away and on December 8 of my senior year in high school I applied to enter. I chose October 3, then the feast of St. Therese, to go to a place where there is no summer vacation scheduled at all, but I have never regretted a moment of it. I have received so much more than I gave up and have enjoyed the 52 years of spiritual adventure that God has given me in living with and listening to Him. God is good!
I felt attracted to religious life from a very early age, having three aunts who were teaching Sisters and who inundated me with religious material. The Sisters who taught me in grade school had a high school aspirancy at their motherhouse, and I would have gone there if my parents could have spared my help with our large family and farm. In high school, I became interested in a career as a medical doctor and thought I might like to join the Medical Mission Sisters, though the freedom I found in getting my driver’s license and salary from a small job made me wonder if I wouldn’t find any kind of religious life too confining. People who knew me told me I belonged in the Carmelite Monastery, but I assured them that nothing would induce me to give up so much of my freedom that I would be cloistered all my life. So deep was my commitment to God’s will that my chief interest in each religious group of women was to discover who had the longest summer vacation!
Because I won a scholarship to a girls’ Academy at some distance from my home, I went to live during the week with my aunt where she was housekeeper at a rectory nearer the school. The Carmelite Monastery was on the opposite hill across the town, and I could hear the bells from early morning into the night. I was curious as to why those bells were ringing so often and began to go there for some of the Advent hymns that I later found were associated with a daily procession, for Eucharist and for the evening half-hour of Christmas carols during the holidays. Soon I found I couldn’t stay away and on December 8 of my senior year in high school I applied to enter. I chose October 3, then the feast of St. Therese, to go to a place where there is no summer vacation scheduled at all, but I have never regretted a moment of it. I have received so much more than I gave up and have enjoyed the 52 years of spiritual adventure that God has given me in living with and listening to Him. God is good!
The Vocation of Sr. Mary Paul
Having attended public schools until I went to college when, for the first time other than CCD classes, I had religious Sisters teaching me, I had little exposure to religious life. My desire was to have a career, eventually to marry and to have a large family. When I attended Mercyhurst College in Erie , PA , I was impressed by the care, interest and personal concern shown to me by the Sisters of Mercy. The life of faith which was strong in my own family was now visible to me in the educational system. I was in an environment where Catholicism was integral to everyday life.
My classes in religion brought me to greater familiarity with the Scriptures, especially the Epistles of St. Paul. However, an active social life in my college years left little time for pondering a religious vocation and I felt no call other than the hope of marrying one day. The opportunity arrived and I was very close to choosing marriage on more than one occasion. However, a certain sense of unfulfullment hovered over me and the life-question, “Where are you going?” haunted me. What the world had to offer seemed meaningless and so limited. I longed for something more radical and spiritually satisfying. Only later did I realize I was searching for God.
Upon graduation from Mercyhurst College with a BA degree in Biology and a Medical Technologist’s certificate, I began working in the laboratory of St. Vincent Hospital where I met two orderlies who had been former Trappist monks. They introduced me to the writings of St. Teresa of Jesus and I began reading, praying and allowing God to break down my resistance to religious life. One day, alone in prayer and struggling, I surrendered to God who was touching me deeply. “You win!” I said and shed tears of relief, repentance and self-giving when God gave me the certainty of what I had to do. My spiritual director guided me to Carmel in Loretto, PA where I was accepted for entrance into the community on October 16, 1955 . I subsequently came on the foundation to open our Carmel in Latrobe in 1961. God who called me to Carmel continues to fill my days with love, peace and appreciation for this precious contemplative vocation in the Church.
Having attended public schools until I went to college when, for the first time other than CCD classes, I had religious Sisters teaching me, I had little exposure to religious life. My desire was to have a career, eventually to marry and to have a large family. When I attended Mercyhurst College in Erie , PA , I was impressed by the care, interest and personal concern shown to me by the Sisters of Mercy. The life of faith which was strong in my own family was now visible to me in the educational system. I was in an environment where Catholicism was integral to everyday life.
My classes in religion brought me to greater familiarity with the Scriptures, especially the Epistles of St. Paul. However, an active social life in my college years left little time for pondering a religious vocation and I felt no call other than the hope of marrying one day. The opportunity arrived and I was very close to choosing marriage on more than one occasion. However, a certain sense of unfulfullment hovered over me and the life-question, “Where are you going?” haunted me. What the world had to offer seemed meaningless and so limited. I longed for something more radical and spiritually satisfying. Only later did I realize I was searching for God.
Upon graduation from Mercyhurst College with a BA degree in Biology and a Medical Technologist’s certificate, I began working in the laboratory of St. Vincent Hospital where I met two orderlies who had been former Trappist monks. They introduced me to the writings of St. Teresa of Jesus and I began reading, praying and allowing God to break down my resistance to religious life. One day, alone in prayer and struggling, I surrendered to God who was touching me deeply. “You win!” I said and shed tears of relief, repentance and self-giving when God gave me the certainty of what I had to do. My spiritual director guided me to Carmel in Loretto, PA where I was accepted for entrance into the community on October 16, 1955 . I subsequently came on the foundation to open our Carmel in Latrobe in 1961. God who called me to Carmel continues to fill my days with love, peace and appreciation for this precious contemplative vocation in the Church.
The Vocation of Sr. Ann
Becoming a religious was always in the back of my mind as I was growing up, but not in any way that entered into my day-to-day plans.
When I was finishing High School, I wanted to tell the Sisters who taught me, and whom I admired very much, that I felt called to enter their community, but somehow it didn’t seem to be God’s will for me. So I waited for Him to show me what He wanted me to do, and sought employment in my home city.
Several years passed and I was asked by a priest-friend to accompany him and two young ladies who were interested in religious life to visit Carmel . I thoroughly enjoyed the trip into the mountains but considered myself just an older companion to the two girls. I was present when the girls spoke with the Novice Mistress, but stayed in the background. To be honest, I was not much impressed with the way of life the Novice Mistress outlined.
The next morning I got up early for Mass, as I needed to pack for my first airplane flight to New York City.
In the midst of my happy activity, I recognized a stillness within myself and was drawn to kneel by my bed to pray silently. Deep within me I heard the word “ Carmel” as I united myself to Mary at the foot of the Cross. In this brief and simple experience, I knew what God wanted me to do – I was to become a Carmelite. I accepted His wish and know that He has been perfecting that call within me ever since.
Becoming a religious was always in the back of my mind as I was growing up, but not in any way that entered into my day-to-day plans.
When I was finishing High School, I wanted to tell the Sisters who taught me, and whom I admired very much, that I felt called to enter their community, but somehow it didn’t seem to be God’s will for me. So I waited for Him to show me what He wanted me to do, and sought employment in my home city.
Several years passed and I was asked by a priest-friend to accompany him and two young ladies who were interested in religious life to visit Carmel . I thoroughly enjoyed the trip into the mountains but considered myself just an older companion to the two girls. I was present when the girls spoke with the Novice Mistress, but stayed in the background. To be honest, I was not much impressed with the way of life the Novice Mistress outlined.
The next morning I got up early for Mass, as I needed to pack for my first airplane flight to New York City.
In the midst of my happy activity, I recognized a stillness within myself and was drawn to kneel by my bed to pray silently. Deep within me I heard the word “ Carmel” as I united myself to Mary at the foot of the Cross. In this brief and simple experience, I knew what God wanted me to do – I was to become a Carmelite. I accepted His wish and know that He has been perfecting that call within me ever since.
The Vocation of Sr. Barbara
Returning to my place after receiving my First Holy Communion, I heard a gentle voice within my heart saying, “You will be a Sister some day”. There was no doubt in my six-year old mind that Jesus was inviting me and that one day this would come true. In our town there were teaching Sisters and nursing Sisters but as my grade school years passed and the gentle voice would come to mind, I felt drawn to neither of these, Yet, I was sure God would show me how I could fulfill my growing desire to serve Him in religious life. Then at school one October day, our Sister spoke about St. Therese, who became a Carmelite nun at the age of fifteen to pray and sacrifice for souls, especially for priests. Although I spoke of it to no one, I believed that I had found the answer. I would be a Carmelite nun.
One afternoon in high school, our class was treated to a French movie, with English sub-titles, on the life of St. Therese. This experience touched me deeply and led me to read THE STORY OF A SOUL. The love, simplicity and humility of Therese and her “litte Way’ drew me and served to strengthen my resolve. During my senior year, I finally had an interview at Carmel along with my parents, since it was quite a distance away. It was soon decided that I could enter but since my two older brothers were in the service and my older sister was to be married in a few months, it would be better for all concerned, that I wait a year. At first, I was deeply disappointed but soon was also grateful for the special gift of remaining for silent prayer after attending daily Mass, and having quality time at home with my parents and my younger sisters and brothers. So it was at the age of eighteen that the doors of Carmel finally opened for me. That gentle prophetic message heard so long ago, had been fulfilled at last!
And since then?
I could never thank God enough for His call to touch everyone in the world through a life of constant prayer and to desire, like St. Therese, “to be love in the heart of our Mother the Church”.
Returning to my place after receiving my First Holy Communion, I heard a gentle voice within my heart saying, “You will be a Sister some day”. There was no doubt in my six-year old mind that Jesus was inviting me and that one day this would come true. In our town there were teaching Sisters and nursing Sisters but as my grade school years passed and the gentle voice would come to mind, I felt drawn to neither of these, Yet, I was sure God would show me how I could fulfill my growing desire to serve Him in religious life. Then at school one October day, our Sister spoke about St. Therese, who became a Carmelite nun at the age of fifteen to pray and sacrifice for souls, especially for priests. Although I spoke of it to no one, I believed that I had found the answer. I would be a Carmelite nun.
One afternoon in high school, our class was treated to a French movie, with English sub-titles, on the life of St. Therese. This experience touched me deeply and led me to read THE STORY OF A SOUL. The love, simplicity and humility of Therese and her “litte Way’ drew me and served to strengthen my resolve. During my senior year, I finally had an interview at Carmel along with my parents, since it was quite a distance away. It was soon decided that I could enter but since my two older brothers were in the service and my older sister was to be married in a few months, it would be better for all concerned, that I wait a year. At first, I was deeply disappointed but soon was also grateful for the special gift of remaining for silent prayer after attending daily Mass, and having quality time at home with my parents and my younger sisters and brothers. So it was at the age of eighteen that the doors of Carmel finally opened for me. That gentle prophetic message heard so long ago, had been fulfilled at last!
And since then?
I could never thank God enough for His call to touch everyone in the world through a life of constant prayer and to desire, like St. Therese, “to be love in the heart of our Mother the Church”.
The Vocation of Sr. Maria
Attending the dedication of the Carmelite Monastery in Guam led me on my quest to religious life as a Carmelite. The Sodality from my village looked forward to this event. Our visit with the Carmelite nuns was very joyous and enjoyable. I returned home filled with desires to further explore that life.
Two weeks later, while driving back to my village, a gentle movement of grace from God urged me to make a turn up the hilly road to the Monastery. The Prioress welcomed my unexpected visit and inquiries about Carmel. She gave me St. Therese’s Story of a Soul to read, and encouraged me to meet the five other local girls who had expressed interest in Carmel. We did meet and shared our desires to serve God through a life of prayer.
With strong resolve and God’s gentle call within, I asked to enter Carmel and was accepted into the Monastery. I still continue to hear this call every day in my heart: "Come follow Me.”
Attending the dedication of the Carmelite Monastery in Guam led me on my quest to religious life as a Carmelite. The Sodality from my village looked forward to this event. Our visit with the Carmelite nuns was very joyous and enjoyable. I returned home filled with desires to further explore that life.
Two weeks later, while driving back to my village, a gentle movement of grace from God urged me to make a turn up the hilly road to the Monastery. The Prioress welcomed my unexpected visit and inquiries about Carmel. She gave me St. Therese’s Story of a Soul to read, and encouraged me to meet the five other local girls who had expressed interest in Carmel. We did meet and shared our desires to serve God through a life of prayer.
With strong resolve and God’s gentle call within, I asked to enter Carmel and was accepted into the Monastery. I still continue to hear this call every day in my heart: "Come follow Me.”
The Vocation of Sr. Wanda
I grew up in a very large Catholic family where religious activities were a part of every-day life. I was privileged to attend Catholic schools where my faith was deepened and strengthened from what I learned there. An older brother and sister entered religious life when I was small, and they supplied me with lives of the saints which I enjoyed and found inspiring. I also loved to visit the Church and pray before the Blessed Sacrament.
It wasn’t until I was in high school that I felt God was calling me to sanctity in religious life. I was not attracted to the nursing/teaching congregation my sister had entered, nor to any of the religious groups that taught me in school, though I made three week-end retreats in various motherhouses. I felt called to a poor, humble, simple lifestyle that mirrored the life of the Holy Family at Nazareth. I wanted live with others who focused on loving God and giving themselves to Him in silence and prayer. Around this time, my brother gave me a copy of the autobiography of St. Therese, The Story of a Soul. What I read there resonated with the call I felt I had. Soon after, I entered Carmel, and thank God every day for the gift of my vocation, where the needs of the Church, the intentions of our Holy Father, the sanctity of priests and sufferings of the world are part of my daily prayer and sacrifice.
I grew up in a very large Catholic family where religious activities were a part of every-day life. I was privileged to attend Catholic schools where my faith was deepened and strengthened from what I learned there. An older brother and sister entered religious life when I was small, and they supplied me with lives of the saints which I enjoyed and found inspiring. I also loved to visit the Church and pray before the Blessed Sacrament.
It wasn’t until I was in high school that I felt God was calling me to sanctity in religious life. I was not attracted to the nursing/teaching congregation my sister had entered, nor to any of the religious groups that taught me in school, though I made three week-end retreats in various motherhouses. I felt called to a poor, humble, simple lifestyle that mirrored the life of the Holy Family at Nazareth. I wanted live with others who focused on loving God and giving themselves to Him in silence and prayer. Around this time, my brother gave me a copy of the autobiography of St. Therese, The Story of a Soul. What I read there resonated with the call I felt I had. Soon after, I entered Carmel, and thank God every day for the gift of my vocation, where the needs of the Church, the intentions of our Holy Father, the sanctity of priests and sufferings of the world are part of my daily prayer and sacrifice.