Skip to main content

"Daughter of Light"

        A few weeks have passed by since I received my habit, veil, and religious name. I still remember being excited, nervous, but mostly joyful as I walked down the aisle in the beginning of Mass. It was beautiful to see all our families, friends, priests, and Sisters together to join us in celebrating our next step in religious life. A moment I will always remember was when Bishop Paprocki said: “You received the name Krystle on the day of your Baptism. Becoming a member of this community you receive the name Sister Mary Philomena.” When he said those words I saw him as my Beloved Jesus Christ smiling, thanking me for trusting Him with my life, and being a light for the world.
          Saint Philomena, the saint I took my religious name after, actually means “Daughter of Light.” Her perseverance and fidelity to God while in the hands of the Emperor Diocletian struck me. Though she was imprisoned for thirty-seven days, stripped, scourged, thrown into the Tiber River with an anchor around her neck, shot with flaming arrows, and finally beheaded, she never wavered from her faith in God. Like Saint Philomena, I pray that I may be a witness of God’s light in these dark times in which we live. Through the intercession of my patroness, may I remain steadfast and faithful to God’s will.

 Sister M. Philomena, FSGM

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Veni Si Amas

Our Veni Si Amas Spring Retreat held March 20-22nd was a weekend blessed with many graces! Please pray for the young women who came to seek God's will for their lives. As we celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation today, may they respond like Mary with complete surrender and a resounding 'yes' to follow the Lord wherever He leads. You can check out more pictures on our website !
Post a Comment
Read more

Welcome to our Family, Postulants!!!

Today, on the Feast of the Birth of Mary, our new postulants entered the postulancy of our American Province of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George! We thank God for the gift of these vocations. Pictured above - on their very first full day in the convent - are (from left) Ashley Vola, Samantha Goodson, Miranda Edgar, Jennifer Clark and Erin Leis. Welcome, Postulants! We Sisters are grateful that you have accepted Christ's invitation to belong totally to Him in our Franciscan community, and we support you wholeheartedly with our prayers and help! If you would like to send a word of welcome and encouragement to these new postulants, we will pass the greetings along to them. Just leave them as a "comment"!
9 comments
Read more

Journey with Mary: Sacrificial Love of Spiritual Motherhood

                Recently, I found a reflection I had written during my first retreat as a postulant. The last conference that had been given was on Spiritual Motherhood. As I approached the 4 th Station where Jesus meets His Sorrowful Mother, this is what struck my heart:                 What is the sacrificial love of a mother? It is the self-sacrifice made to love her children. Mary’s self-sacrifice to be there with Christ, her Son, in His passion was the selfless love that united her with Him. Her heart was pierced with 7 swords in the agony of watching her beloved Son endure a cross that He did not deserve, but which He embraced for the love of the Father and mankind. Could she not have said to Jesus, “You don’t have to do this, there are other ways. Do you know how much pain You are causing me and those who love you?” She knew He could have chosen any other way t...
Post a Comment
Read more