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”.