In celebration of the World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life on Feb. 2, the Catholic Star Herald spoke with three religious sisters who serve in the Diocese of Camden. Sister Mary Matthew Labunski, MSBT, Sister Stacie Marie Gagnon, FMIHM, and Sister Fidelis Marie Kriss, CFR, discuss their ministries and misconceptions about religious life.
How long have you been a religious? Why did you choose your order?
SISTER MARY MATTHEW: I have been a sister for 65 years. I grew up in Rockford, Ill., and the Missionary Servants of the Most Blessed Trinity sisters lived a few blocks away. They had a great influence on me.
SISTER STACIE: I have been a religious since I was 23. I switched orders, and took my first vows in this order in 2006.
SISTER FIDELIS: I’m originally from Austria, and I entered the convent four-and-a-half years ago. I recently professed my religious vows and moved from our convent in New York City to Atlantic City. What drew me to our order was first and foremost our life of prayer – we spend about five hours in prayer each day – but also our life in community that is characterized by a very joyful and familial spirit. I felt right at home with our sisters.
What is your ministry work? Did you get to choose?
SISTER MARY MATTHEW: I work with Catholic Charities, Diocese of Camden, in the Salem County office. I help the poor, make referrals [for additional services] and distribute food, clothing and housing. Maybe in the 1960s we were assigned places, but now there is a dialogue to see what we want to do.
SISTER STACIE: I am a teaching assistant in Guardian Angels Regional School, Paulsboro, and for Gloucester County Special Services. I am also the superior of my order in the United States. The community looks at your gifts and talents and the needs of the order [for assignment.]
SISTER FIDELIS: We do hands-on work with the poor and works of evangelization. In our convent in Atlantic City, we run a drop-in center and an overnight winter shelter and we all take turns serving there, so we really get to spend time with the poor every day. We also choose to live in poor neighborhoods ourselves. For our works of evangelization, since I am the musician in our convent, I lead music for youth ministry, retreat days and other occasions, and in this way, I’m able to share God’s great love with others. We typically receive our charges from our superior, but there is always room for dialogue.
Why not do this same ministry as a lay person?
SISTER MARY MATTHEW: My vocation is a call from God.
SISTER STACIE: I had a background in mental health and theology, but the Lord called me. I explain it like the Lord is my husband, and a wife moves with her husband for his work. You do what needs to be done.
SISTER FIDELIS: The work itself could probably be accomplished by any lay person. But for us as sisters, our relationship with our spouse, Jesus Christ, is the source of all that we do – and the effectiveness of our work flows from that relationship. That we belong to God is more important than all our works. Our consecration allows us to serve the poor as spiritual mothers, and our life of prayer and our community protects us from getting burned out.
What may the laity misunderstand about being a religious?
SISTER MARY MATTHEW: I have heard some laity say that the religious life is dead, the numbers are down and nobody is joining. To me, that is a misconception because I think the Lord is still calling people. [Though it is] difficult to live in religious life, I am sure they say that in their own lives.
SISTER STACIE: Unmarried people make decisions on their own, but sisters, married to the Lord, make decisions in community. These are people you didn’t choose to be with, but you are now together.
SISTER FIDELIS: Seeing our work can lead people to think that we are social workers, which is beautiful, but not our calling. Also, some people might think that women enter the convent because they are afraid of getting married – the truth is, however, that we all know the beauty of marriage, but we gave it up for the sake of Christ, who called us to belong to Him alone with an undivided heart.
How would you advise those who are questioning whether they should be a religious?
SISTER MARY MATTHEW: If you think God is calling you, sit down with a spiritual director. It has to come from within.
SISTER STACIE: There should be a lot of prayer, listen to the Lord, visit the Blessed Sacrament. The community will be family; it should feel right to you.
SISTER FIDELIS: Do not be afraid to take concrete steps. You will discover if God is calling you by actually visiting communities and seeing the life. Another great help in discernment is to find a spiritual director who you can trust, who can help you see how God is leading you.
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