Blessed Holy Week from the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate!
“Say ‘yes’ to the Planner, not the plan.” Recently, on a visit to the University of Mary in North Dakota, a priest was sharing his vocation story. He said there was a moment in prayer when he said to God, “I think You are calling me to the priesthood, but regardless of the answer, I’ll be here with You tomorrow.” This complete surrender to God’s Will and commitment to relationship with God was a decisive moment in His journey.
A complete ‘yes’ to God is part of every journey of faith and is repeated throughout our lives, not just once during a specific period of discernment, but every day, every moment. Our Blessed Mother gave her ‘fiat’ (‘yes’ in Latin) to God at the Annunciation, but she also gave it throughout her life. This week, as we recall and enter into the last week of Christ’s Life, we can recall the many ‘fiats’ that Mary gave along the way, most notably as she stood at the foot of the Cross and then held Christ’s lifeless Body as He was taken down from the Cross.
We are each called to echo her fiat this week. Where is God asking you to say ‘yes’ to Him this week? Taking a little break from the discernment helps we’ve been sending monthly, here are a few examples of some ‘yes’es our Sisters have made this year.
A Walking ‘Yes’
Sister was out taking a walk last fall when she noticed a woman putting out decorations in her yard. Sister felt a tug on her heart to greet the woman, but as she drew nearer the woman went back into her house. Sister kept walking, thinking maybe Jesus just wanted the ‘yes’ in her heart, not in her action. However, after Sister had passed by, the woman came back out and Sister felt the tug again. Sister went back and greeted the woman. After a conversation about the yard decorations, the talk turned to faith and Sister encouraged the woman to come to Church, which she had not been doing since Covid. The woman also shared about her grandchildren and said she would talk to her daughter about getting them Baptized. Sister smiled as she went away, but knew a lot of prayer support was needed for this woman’s interest to become a solid ‘yes’ for her whole family.
Sisters Praying in the Chapel at Our Lady of Providence Convent in Warren, OH
A few weeks later, as Sister approached the mother of a new student to her OCIC class, the woman said, “Yes, this is my daughter, and you know my mom.” Sister was surprised, and said she didn’t know the woman’s mom. Then the story came out that this was the family of the woman Sister met while out on her walk. By this Easter the whole family will be members of the Catholic Church and are eager to live out the ‘yes’ they are making to God. What a giant return on a little ‘yes’ to God!
‘Giving Birth’ in the Convent
Recently, a Sister came to the supper table and said, “I feel like I’ve been giving birth all day!” She sure knew how to get our attention:). Sister had been speaking with a number of people who were in the Inquiry stage of becoming Catholic. At this stage, they are beginning to respond to grace, but there are also struggles, as the implications of their ‘yes’ to God brings up changes that will need to be made in their way of living. Sister desires so strongly for them to continue to respond to grace and to take the necessary steps to live a life of grace, but like a mother longing for the birth of her child, she is not in control. This is spiritual motherhood, as we encourage and walk with those whom Our Divine Spouse is calling to new life in Him.
Sisters in the Dining Room at our Motherhouse
Another day, Sister came to the table and said, “I feel like a matchmaker today!” She had been reaching out to parishioners she hoped would be a good match to help walk with Inquirers, Catechumens, and Candidates to the Catholic Faith. It takes a whole parish to walk with those preparing to become Catholic, and it really helps to have a faith-filled Catholic committed to meet regularly outside of the group meetings, as individual questions come up. Sister was trying to find the right person who could communicate well and had the strong faith to share with those new to the faith. That’s what she meant when she said she felt like a matchmaker.
When Sister said her ‘yes’ to God to be a Parish Visitor of Mary Immaculate, she didn’t think it would include ‘giving birth’ and being a ‘matchmaker!’
A Big Stretch
Our Lord likes to give His followers opportunities for growth. In Religious Life, this happens in many ways, but some of the more common opportunities are in being re-assigned to a different Convent and in being asked to do something we’ve never done before. One Sister experiencing both of these challenges this year said, “Our Lord has reeeeally been stretching me this year!”
A ‘yes’ to Our Lord is a ‘yes’ to all the plans He has for us. Is there a way that Our Lord has been asking you to stretch this year? I would love to hear about it.
Is Our Lord calling you to a more serious discernment, or to take a deliberate opportunity to hear His voice? In a couple weeks (April 18-19), we’ll be hosting a Discernment Retreat at Our Lady of Providence PVMI Convent in Warren, OH. We would be glad to have you join us as we explore the basics of discernment. If you have any questions or need help with transportation, please respond to this newsletter or give me a call.
Registration: https://forms.gle/TFEt86iBz6bTTDXy6 (Limited Space)
We’re also open to Come-and-See visits on a flexible basis, working with your schedule. Please reach out if you have questions or would like to have a conversation about your discernment journey. Just respond to this email or click here to fill out our Vocation Inquiry Form.
Also, could you help us spread the word? Do you know any young Catholic women who would be interested in this retreat or the Vocation Newsletter? Pass the word and please pray for many young women to answer God’s call to grow closer to Him through discernment.
You are tucked in my prayers during this Holy Week as we walk with Jesus in His ‘Yes’ to the Father’s Will, stand with Mary at the foot of the Cross, and rejoice in the new life of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday!
In the hope of Christ,
Sr. Theresa Marie, pvmi
Vocation Director
Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate
845-542-1086
“Oh, it is such a glorious thing to have the use of free-will in order to serve God gladly.” ~Servant of God, Mother Mary Teresa Tallon, PVMI
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