Sr. Andrea
Buffalo, NY
24 years old
When Cardinal Pell of Sydney proclaimed this during his homily at the opening Mass of World Youth Day (WYD), I felt that he was speaking directly to me. I knew I had to stop running from what I felt God had been patiently calling me to for the past 4 years.
I grew up in an active Catholic family, going to Catholic schools run by religious sisters, witnessing my dad’s call to the permanent deaconate, and participating in youth ministry activities. Despite this, I never actively thought about a vocation to religious life. I just assumed I would be a “normal” Catholic—get married and have a few kids all while living in my dream house, working an awesome engineering job, and traveling the world.
God began to poke holes in my plan and shed some light during my college years. I can point to several instances where I know God called me to religious life, but I either thought it wasn’t the “cool” thing to do or went about my own plan instead. In all these situations, however, I was always left wanting something more.
Once, while running from God, I found myself on a WYD pilgrimage dedicated to the Sacred Heart led by Fr. Will Prospero, SJ, with Sr. Joseph Andrew, OP as my small group leader! Traveling to the many sacred sites, attending Eucharistic adoration and Mass daily, and surrounded by several young religious and numerous young people who were discerning, I could not help but think and pray about the possibility of religious life. I did not speak of these thoughts, instead returning to college intent on continuing my plans, thinking that a career in civil engineering, designing systems to help others would be enough.
That desire to serve God exclusively in a religious vocation never died, though. When I had fulfilled my plans, I was still left wanting. As I attended WYD last year and again heard the call, I decided to spend the following six months seriously discerning religious life. November found me in Ann Arbor again for a retreat that just confirmed my instincts. Although I continued to struggle with this calling, through prayer, particularly during Eucharistic Adoration, guidance from Fr. Will Prospero, SJ, and the support of my parents and friends, I was able to fill out my application and was accepted during Holy Week.
Now during the Year for Priests, which began on the Feast of His Most Sacred Heart, I have given my “Yes” to serve Him through entering the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist!