Sister Maria Iannuccillo is a vocation minister for the School Sisters of Notre Dame. She gave the following remarks during the annual diocesan Mass in Honor of Consecrated
Life, celebrated by Father Ernest Esposito on May 15 at Saint Luke Parish in Westport, Connecticut.
I have had the opportunity to serve in vocation ministry for a little less than five years. It certainly is a privilege…promoting something I love-religious life and my congregation, educating others about our life, and journeying with women as they discern God’s call to them. And certainly it is challenging…finding ways to get the word out there, to tell the good news about our life, journeying with women as they choose others paths, and so few calls from women seeking our lifestyle.
As I reflected on what I wanted to share, the same quote kept coming to mind. I am sure many of you know it. It’s attributed to Pedro Arrupe, the former Superior General of the Society of Jesus.
Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than Falling in Love, in a quite absolute and final way.
What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything.
It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning,
What you do with your evenings,
How you spend your weekends,
What you read, who you know,
What breaks your heart,
And what amazes you with joy and gratitude.
Fall in love, stay in love,
And it will decide everything.
Isn’t this true for us, this love, this deep love has and will affect everything.
On May 5, almost 300 of my sisters, the School Sisters of Notre Dame, gathered at our large residence in Wilton to celebrate jubilee…25, 50, 60, 65, 70, and 75 years of religious profession, much like we do today as we honor our jubilarians. Since I entered my congregation, jubilee day has been one of my favorite gatherings. I am always so touched as the sister jubilarians process into our chapel. They represent years and years of commitment, of faithfulness, of sacrifice, of struggle, of joy. Lifetimes of call, of choices, of gifts, of challenges. Something about their witness strengthens my own commitment.
I continue to reflect on what we can do to promote vocations, each of us…of course we have to keep up with the latest technology…you know, where are the young people…so often it’s the internet. Chat rooms are out and blogs are in. We just catch on and there is something new. We have to advertise, have exciting websites, keep up on emails, and so on. But I am convinced that nothing, nothing, ever replaces the witness of our lives and the personal contact with others.
I am sure that 99% of you are here because of the witness of a sister or brother or priest. And that is true for me. The challenge is finding ways to connect with young people but I really believe the witness of our everyday faithfulness to our call is what is most attractive.
A few months ago, one of our sisters who works in a parish brought a few young women to our residence in Wilton. I asked some of the sisters to speak with them. One sister, who is in our nursing home, was a missionary for years, and is now in a wheelchair dealing with illness, had a great impact on them. She shared her journey, how she felt called by God along the way, how illness called her back to the states even though her heart is that of a missionary. She talked about her call now to receive the care of the sisters. Then she paused, looked at the girls with tears in her eyes, and said…you be my hands and my feet now. I could hardly take it in and those girls, they talked about it that night, the next morning, they want to come back… the witness of our lives…it’s what matters.
It does not matter how young or how old or how active or if we have slowed down…it doesn’t matter. It just matters that we share our lives with others, that we find ways to do so. It just matters that I and we let others see that Love that caught us, called us, keeps calling us, and that it has made all the difference.
