Their Vocations Stories
HEAR THEIR STORIES
When did our Sisters first discern God’s call? What inspired them to choose the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist? Let’s hear it from the Sisters themselves!
Sister Peter Joseph, O.P.
I was baptized in a non-denominational church when I was ten years old, and I was so excited to witness to the love of Jesus through my baptism! After high school, I attended Baylor University, a Baptist school, as a piano performance major. But I was injured during my freshman year, and forced to change my major. My new professors gave me many of the great Catholic writers to read, such as Thomas Aquinas, Augustine, Anselm and Bonaventure. I realized that these great Catholics knew Scripture better than I did, and I was drawn to learn more about their understanding of the faith.
After much study and prayer, I became Catholic at the end of my sophomore year of college. I was so excited about my newfound Catholicism that I arranged my work and school schedule to include both Mass and adoration on a regular basis. While sitting in adoration one night, I thought I heard the Lord calling me to become a Sister. I told Him that He was wrong. But my curiosity was piqued, and when I got home, I googled religious sisters and discovered that they still existed!
While studying Catholicism, I had been inspired by St. Dominic’s deep love for those who do not yet know Jesus and his love of study as a means of learning to know Jesus better. Dominic led me rather quickly to our Sisters, and I was able to come on a retreat during my senior year of college. I saw that not only did Jesus want to give me the gift of the sacraments, but He also wanted to give me the gift of a vocation – all to bring me to the joy of loving Him. I entered after I graduated from college in 2010, and made final vows in 2018.
Here are a few videos telling our Sisters' vocations stories:
Sister Hyacinth, O.P.
As a teenager, growing up in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, I had one goal: to become prime minister of Canada. Although I went to Church and to youth group, I did not think much about my faith until I attended university. As a first-year student at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, I soon found a home at Newman House, the Catholic chaplaincy on campus, attending various events. The community at Newman was such a gift, and at least four of us from that time are now priests or religious sisters!
My second year began in September of 2001. I was now living at Newman House, and my life began to change. As a politics major, the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks made me question if politics was really what I wanted to do with my life. At the same time, I had started going to daily Mass at Newman House—it was about 10 feet from my bedroom door—and found myself being drawn to spend more time in prayer. I remember pulling out my first communion rosary one day, kneeling down by my bed and re-learning how to pray it. Something was tugging on my heart, saying “I want you for myself.” Through the guidance of Fr. Shawn Hughes, the chaplain at Queen’s, I realized God might be calling me to religious life.
By the end of that year, I knew I had a religious vocation, but did not know where. Fr. Shawn suggested looking at our sisters, whom he had met at the continental vocations congress in Montreal. I came on retreat in February of 2003 and knew this was where God wanted me. That August I walked through the doors of the Motherhouse and began the great adventure which is religious life!
Sister Mary Bethany, O.P.
I can think of few gifts more precious than my religious vocation. This “pearl of great price” lay buried in my heart as God gradually drew me to respond to His gift with a full and free “yes” born from trust in His infinite love.
Growing up in a large family in northern California, I was blessed to experience the Faith as an organic part of everyday life. However, I had little exposure to religious life and even less interest; consequently, at an early age, I decided that – since I did not want to be a Sister – God would certainly never call me to that life!
Through patient steps, God revealed my vocation. In 8th grade I started accompanying my mom to a weekly hour of Eucharistic Adoration. What began as an obligation turned into a life-giving encounter of Christ’s love for me and the start of a deepening friendship with Him. As a high school sophomore, I attended the Profession Mass of the Missionaries of Charity. There I saw for the first time that Sisters were brides of Christ and realized that I also desired to belong totally to Him. At the same time, I was not ready to surrender control and trust God with my happiness.
As I continued pursuing my own plans, I was filled with emptiness and unhappiness. Gradually, I started to pray: “Lord, whatever You want that’s what I want, too.” This surrender filled me with peace. When I attended a discernment retreat with the Sisters of Mary, I knew that His will for me had become the deepest desire of my heart, too. Since entering in 2013, I am awed daily by God’s generosity. He pours out His love in abundance; it is ours only to receive!
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Sr. Mary Jacinta, O.P.
