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October 13, 2023As a child I traveled with my mother on the train from Far Rockaway, New York, into Manhattan for her work and for me to attend St. Michael’s High School. It was at St. Michael’s that I discovered I was called to religious life and I entered in 1948.
Throughout my years as I Presentation sister, I have encountered much support and encouragement. Mother Jerome, my novice mistress, believed in my vocation and was able to nurture this call and guide me through the adversities and challenges I found along the way.
I have ministered in various places, but my years of ministry in Louisiana at St. David’s in New Orleans and St. Lucy’s in Houma opened my vision and heart to social justice: to the work with the poor, the marginalized and the underserved. I came to understand discrimination, racism and white privilege. The people called us the “black sisters” because we worked in the black parishes.
Many changes were happening in the church after the Second Vatican Council. I was serving in Louisiana during this time of renewal in the church. At the same time, society was changing after the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, and desegregation in schools was beginning. These were exciting, yet challenging, times. There were also painful moments and moments of deep, soul searching to know God’s will for me and where was I being called to serve.
I returned to work in Houma to minister in St. Lucy’s Parish with lay missioners on a pastoral team. It is here my zeal for parish ministry and collaboration with the laity for social justice and human promotion grew and deepened.
In the midst of difficulties, challenges and uncertainties, God pulled me through. I found myself working in St. Teresa’s Parish on the lower East Side of New York City, where I stayed 29 years. To this day I am blessed to call Father Donald Johnston and Father Dennis Sullivan, both of whom served as pastors during my time there, my friends.
At St. Teresa’s Parish the parish ministry skills I learned in Houma were further developed. The ministries (parish, community outreach, work for housing and neighborhood promotion) the sisters, priests and laity carried out were truly examples of synodality.
The greatest blessing of community life is the sense of belonging somewhere. My last years in St. Teresa’s, I was living alone in the Henry Street convent, so the community at St. Michael’s welcomed me as part of their community. All I would do is call and say, “throw another carrot in the pot, I’m on my way.” I was always welcomed and always felt this is where I belong.
I have 75 years of experience as a vowed religious. My advice to a newly vowed sister is that she have courage to live her religious life with audacity, strength, faithfulness and openness to the Spirit of God. In addition, I would ask her to have patience with her elder sisters and to be compassionate in understanding how difficult it is at an advanced age to live with and tolerate change. Also, we elder religious cannot crush the younger members and their vision for the future. We must be open to the younger religious’ dreams for mission and community living.
I pray day and night. It is simple conversation with God as I prepare for my next journey. I pray and I say, “Yes, Lord,” to the aches and pains, to the pinpricks, misunderstandings. I say, “Yes, Lord,” to the joys, the blessings, the friendships and encounters of each day. Yes, Lord. Digo Sí, Señor.
