her bachelor and master’s in science, which prepared her for a teaching career. Her years in the classroom caused her to reflect on her small charges. “I saw the goodness and love my little students had, they wanted to be good and loving. That is a gift from God,” Sister Angela said. “Some came from families with a strong spiritual foundation, others, not so much. I wanted to pray for all of them and eventually realized that through a life of prayer I could focus on it all of the time and also pray for the world.” Essential to a contemplative life is silence, which is often mysterious to the outside world. “We learn to maintain our inner silence and to quiet the chatter both external and internal. I used to have a lot of chatter going on,” Sister Angela said, with a small laugh. The order of Pink Sisters, which is strictly contemplative and cloistered, maintains 21 convents around the world, including one in Corpus Christi. Nine sisters live in the local convent. Once she is professed, the order will decide where Sister Angela will be assigned. Asked about the rewards she expected after choosing a contemplative life, Sister Angela said, “Joyful freedom in
doing God’s will as it manifests itself in my daily life.” “Even in difficult moments, Jesus is ever ready to help us,” she said. “In following God’s will, in my case, particularly as a cloistered contemplative nun, God helps me be aware of grace in a way I had not been before and gives me joy where I did not know would come. I am finding a beautiful peace here at the convent thus far at this point in my vocation process. The rewards of such a life are being able to rejoice in God’s goodness in being able to assist in the salvation of priceless souls helped through our prayers.” Her advice to other young woman considering a consecrated contemplative life is not to be afraid. “If she is afraid or if any challenges present themselves as she works to discover God’s will for her vocation, bring her fears to Jesus and allow him to solve them for you. Find a novena to pray, I recommend the Infant Child Jesus of Prague,” Sister Angela said. She also suggested going to Mass more than once a week if able, visiting the Adoration chapel and reading Scripture. “Just whatever you can to listen more closely to Jesus and spend more time with him. Pope Benedict XVI said, ‘Do not be afraid to open wide the doors to Christ. He takes nothing away and gives back a hundred fold’.”
Grill separates Sister Angela from her mother Ernestina, as the two enjoy some time together before family returned home from Missouri. Esteban Hiracheta for South Texas Catholic
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FEBRUARY 2013 | SOUTH TEX AS CATHOLIC
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