If I were to give a title for my vocation story, I’d call it “From Joke to JOY”. It all started with a joke, but now it is my deepest JOY.
I was preparing before Mass to serve as an altar server and my pastor, seminarian, and our music directress were talking in the sacristy. Out of nowhere, I inserted myself in and said, “I want to be a sister!”. Fr. Joe said, “Are you sure?” and I said “Yes”. During his homily, I sat there and said to myself, “I JUST LIED TO A PRIEST!” Since then, Fr. Joe kept pursuing me about it; all the while in my head I was just joking about being a sister.
Months passed and our Young Adult Group at St. Aloysius Parish, Jersey City went for a hike with Mass. Fr. Joe came and invited sisters to join us too. It was a very good hike with spring weather, good company, mixed with spirituality. As we were enjoying our lunch sandwiches, Fr. Joe approached me and said, “You’re talking to the sisters after lunch”. In my head, I said “no” but, if you’re hiking with a group, there’s really no place else to escape! So I yielded, which led to an invitation to come attend a discernment weekend in October.
Coming back from the discernment retreat, I smilingly told Fr. Joe that being a sister wasn’t for me. I thought this was my way out of what started as a joke! Around December, I peacefully laid the matter into rest and told God that I would not think of it anymore…until I got a Facebook message from Fr. Joe saying he met a Filipina sister and that there’s an upcoming discernment retreat. I groaned, “here we go again!”
I attended the discernment weekend that January with the SCCs. While praying at the labyrinth, I obnoxiously told God my conditions to becoming a sister, of which He answered most of it that same day! I also remembered sitting across a sister and seeing authentic Joy in her eyes; that deep JOY no one can fake.
Between the months of January to April, I still contended with God and tried to escape His call. One day, I spent time with the Blessed Sacrament after work. And through the Scriptures God spoke to me so clearly. Immediately, I called the SCCs expressing my desire to enter. I flew to Philippines in August to break the news to my family members and when I got back, I entered the convent. Ten years now with the SCCs, with God’s grace, I professed my Perpetual Vows last August 15, 2022.
I look at my ring and kiss it so often vowing as “I place ALL in union with and fidelity to Your Most Sacred Heart”. Every time I recount my vocation story, it leaves my heart with such joy and peace. All I could say is that, what started as a joke is now my deepest JOY.