God granted a lovely day for seven young women to make a
long step forward in their journey to him. Sister Teresa Maria, Sister M.
Caterina and Sister Mary Francis
consecrated themselves to him more profoundly through the vows of
Obedience, Chastity and Poverty. They proclaimed with great joy and
determination their desire to do this
for him and for his Church. They professed their vows with glorious freedom,
knowing the challenge of each, but also knowing, profoundly, the One to whom
they could trust such a radical gift.
And we all got to share in it.
Just before Mass began, four postulants declared their
readiness to learn. They publicly
asked for our Rule and Constitutions; they appealed to the Sisters to teach them this life, to teach them to live
according to the Gospel of Christ in our particular religious family. They
received our religious habit (always a moving experience for everyone present)
and their new religious names: Sister Maria Christi, Sister M. Xavier, Sister M. Veritas, and Sister M. Annuntiata.
It is always beautiful. Every time. Watching young women
with hearts high in joy and expectation, willing to give everything to God for
their whole lives. No, none of them professed final vows – they each took a
step toward it – but in every case, the delight and glory and desire to give
everything shone through their words, their prayers and their entire being.
Of course, it is always a tremendous celebration – families,
friends, long-term friends of our community, priests (by the bucket-load), and
as many Sisters as can manage to finagle their way home all share in the glory
of the day. (And we give thanks for those who made it possible. One Sister told
the story of her principal, who substituted for two of the Sisters, so that their local community might be in Alton
for the feast.) There are a lot of tears; there is a tremendous amount of
laughter. The music hit an all-time high…everything was perfect.
And God granted us weather that looked like May.
People don’t get it. Bishop Paprocki, in his homily, spoke
of the incomprehension of our world and culture for this life: they really
don’t get it. Why would bright,
beautiful, talented young women want to do this? It’s not even efficient! But it touches reality more
deeply; consecration to God in the religious state shows forth clearly what really matters in
life. It shows that God is worth everything. One Sister commented that love is
not efficient. It doesn’t like short cuts and minimal. Bridal love and mother
love is not business-like and streamlined.
It’s all about extravagance.
And these are the brides of God and the spiritual mothers of
the world.
They say that a picture is worth a thousand words (or so). Here
is a photo record of the beauty of the day. It begins early in the morning –
the superiors serve the Sisters breakfast – and continues to the afternoon
festivities.
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