Women religious participate in an outdoor prayer service on the feast day of The Exaltation of the Cross. “Even though we cannot join other sisters in person, our desire to connect and participate in the spiritual practice continues. It is in the love of our Triune God that binds us together in prayer and in worship,” says Sister Christine Ma. From left, Sisters Christine Ma, MSBT, Joan Lorraine Kreutz, MSBT, Mary Matthew Labunski, MSBT, and Josefina Mendez, MSBT.
By Sister Christine Ma, MSBT
We are celebrating Easter and gloriously singing Alleluia, Alleluia. During the Easter Vigil, we renewed our baptismal call. The baptismal call invites us to be participating in the fullness of life in the sacramental church. Thereby, every baptized person is an apostle and disciple of our loving Lord. We are being sent out to proclaim and be witnesses to the preaching of the Gospels.
God calls us each by name in the path of life whether as a priest, a religious brother or sister, deacon, married or single. It is God’s initiative to inflame and inspire our hearts to pursue the plan that only the Divine can so magnificently lay out for each of us. We travel this road with the support of family, friends, co-workers, and companions of the faithful community.
My own vocation story began in 2000. I was already working for 10 years. There was an emptiness and loneliness in my heart. I decided to take a year off from work and be a volunteer. During the mid-year, all the volunteers were gathered at Blessed Trinity Shrine Retreat in Alabama for a retreat, and Sister Thomasmari Gore, MSBT, asked: “Have you ever considered religious life?”
My heart was bursting with joy by her invitation and inflamed by the Holy Spirit.
I am forever grateful for her invitation and all the people who continue to invite others to priesthood, religious life and diaconate. Where would the church be without invitation and acceptance to ordained and consecrated life?
Even though we are still in the midst of a pandemic, God continues to call people to religious life even when the whole world is in chaos. What does vocation ministry outreach to discerners look like at this time?
Discernment process sparks some re-imagination, creativity, collaboration and virtual technology. Zoom meetings and practices are in high demand. We already had two discernment retreats and are planning a third one in May 2021, held monthly coffee with the Sisters, Holy Hour for the Catholic Sisters Week and vocation talks in person and in virtual setting with participants ranging in age from 2 to 69.
The accompaniment journey continues even when all of us are in physical isolation. We are still making valuable connections and building relationships. We continue to share our love of the Triune God with the people.
As this pandemic time has gone on, unmet needs surfaced. God beckons us to serve others in different ways as we are sheltering in place. Sandwiches were made and delivered to the soup kitchen. Snacks and freshly picked vegetables were delivered to the workers at one of the COVID 19 testing sites. An outdoor prayer service for Black Lives Matter was held, as our founder, Father Thomas Augustine Judge, reminded us of the importance of “upholding the dignity and rights of all people.” We participated in weekly vegetable and fruit picking with other faith based groups at the South Jersey farms for the food pantry.
My own ministry life has taken me to Florida, Alabama, Jamaica, Delaware, Philadelphia and New Jersey. I have been involved in many ministries, including parish home visitations and teaching religion classes; serving as a Eucharistic minister and in evangelization efforts; visiting women in prisons; being involved in after school programs and Catholic social services; and visiting the sick in homes, hospital and hospice.
There are countless opportunities to meet diverse people and culture. The many ministry experiences have enriched my life and opened my heart in witnessing God’s people, both in joyful celebrations as well as immense suffering.
Just as we cannot count the sands in the seashore, we cannot even begin to comprehend the many ways that God has blessed us. My own response to the generous love that God is sprinkling upon me is a Yes to the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience with Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity. My heartfelt question to you is “Have you ever considered being a priest, religious sister or brother or deacon?” You are not discerning alone on this path, as God is your companion and all the faithful community join you in this journey.
Sister Christine Ma, MSBT, and her community live in Barrington.
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