Ardere et Lucere
FALL
2016
Let us be renewed by God’s
Dear Friends,
mercy; let us be loved by
On December 8, 2015, Pope Francis invited all people to enter into
Jesus; let us enable the power
the Jubilee Year of Mercy. He tells us:
of his love to transform our
exist; it couldn’t exist.” This is a call to make the Year of Mercy a
lives too; and let us become
life-changing experience of receiving God’s mercy and extending
agents of this mercy, channels through which God can water the earth, protect all creation
“Without mercy, without God’s forgiveness, the world would not
mercy to others. I hope you enjoy this issue of Ardere et Lucere. I pray that each one of you experiences the tender mercy of God in your personal journey of faith.
and make justice and peace God bless you,
flourish. - Pope Francis 1
Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
Mother Carla Bertani, OLS Superior General of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
A Saint of Mercy in Heaven During this Year of Mercy, the Holy Father canonized Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She becomes for all of us the model of mercy. Her life points to concrete and tangible examples of mercy and she challenges us to do the same. She reminds us that brothers and sisters are “Hungry not only for bread, but hungry for love. Naked not only for clothing, but naked of human dignity and respect. Homeless not only for want home of bricks, but homeless because of rejection.�
We need to be someone for the naked who not only lack clothing but mercy. We need to be someone for the destitute, who not only lack a roof over their heads, but who are deprived of having someone who cares, someone to belong to. - Saint Teresa of Calcutta www.ols.org
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Missionaries o
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Blessed Elisabetta Renzi (1786 - 1859) By Sister Lina Rossi, OLS
In reflecting on this holy Year of Mercy, I wondered what our foundress, Elisabetta Renzi, had to say to us on the subject, what would be her message of mercy is she were here today. Drawing from her writing and what we know about her I believe is she were here today, she would address her daughters and sisters and brothers in faith with these words : On the door of our house, the poor were not knocking
welcome girls and young women and to educate them
in vain. I was taught that, together with bread, it was
in faith and to accompany them on the journey of life.
important to offer a smile, so that the poor could feel
We have appreciated the women of our time and were
welcomed and their dignity respected and restored. In
tasked wit preparing them for the vital part in their
conversation with my sisters, I often challenged them
role as educators of their family, and consequently,
to offer relief and find remedies to human misery, even
society. I educated the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
to hostile people and enemies. All our gestures and
to transmit the Christian values and to live a life
words should offer a good example and edification for
conformed to the Gospel. For this reason, I said:
all.
“Generosity toward God and neighbor: let us make any sacrifice whatever for the children and young women
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From the beginning, I shared with my sisters the art
entrusted to us, without asking for any other reward
of welcoming the other person by respecting their
than to see God glorified in the perfect realization of
individuality and personal story. I taught them to
His will. “
Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
of Mercy The Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows are called to “repair evil by doing good, loving God and neighbor with the love of a thousands hearts and the work of a thousand hands.” These habits give birth to respecting someone; God continues to love the person despite his/her mistakes. These are the inner attitudes that we desired and experienced in community, which I invite my sisters to live with passion. To each one of you, “If a sister offends another, reproaching her with some faults or hurting her with hard words, she commits a fault herself, and is reminded to correct this fault as quickly as possible, giving satisfaction for it. And the one who was offended is reminded to pardon without arguing about it. If it was a mutual offense, they must forgive each other, and the other sisters must help them with their prayers.” “Don’t argue among yourselves, but if there are quarrels, end them as quickly as possible, so that anger does not grow into hatred and make a beam out of a mere straw. It is useless for one who is unwilling to forgive her sister to hope to receive any benefit from her prayer.” This is why to the sisters of my time, but also to the sisters of today and tomorrow, I confirm that the greatest gift that God offers each one of us is His pardon. Whenever we consider His truth and justice, His wisdom and fidelity, all these traits cannot deny the stripped from the strength of His mercy. For this reason, I recommended to my sisters “to seek out the company of the sister that you do not like by natural inclination, and to be a Good Samaritan to her.” Fundamental instruments for practicing mercy are the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, which the Church reminds and points to as the spiritual compass for obtaining God’s mercy. May Jesus our Lord, crucified and risen, bless your actions of mercy, so that your hearts will be filled with the joy of the Gospel.
Repair evil by doing good, loving God and neighbor with the love of a thousand hearts and the work of a thousand hands. -Blessed Elisabetta Renzi, Foundress of the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
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Jesus I Trust in You “I am love and Mercy Itself. There is no misery that could be a match for My mercy, neither will misery exhaust it, because as it is being granted – it increases. The soul that trusts in My mercy is most fortunate, because I Myself take care of it.”
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Saint Faustina Kowalska (1905 - 1938) By Nicholas Scalfano
In this Year of Mercy, Pope Francis explains, “It is not easy
any convent, but failed, because no one wanted an
to entrust oneself to God’s mercy, because it is an abyss
impoverished young teenager. This is when mercy literally
beyond our comprehension. But we must! Oh, I am a
took over, as God led Sister Faustina to Our Lady of Mercy.
great sinner!’ All the better! Go to Jesus: He likes you to
In 1928, she took her first vows, and later died in 1938 at
tell him these things! He forgets. He has a very special
the age of 33 in the city of Krakow, where her body rests
capacity for forgetting. He kisses you, He embraces you
to this day.
and He simply says to you: ‘Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more’ (Jn 8:11).”
Jesus appeared to Sister Faustina often, as one can read in her Diary, available in about every Catholic bookstore
Many church leaders teach lay people about mercy and
ever. He revealed the message of Divine Mercy to her:
how we can show it, but rarely do we know the origin
“Humanity will never find peace until it turns with trust
of mercy: Sister Maria Faustina Kowalska. Faustina was
to my Mercy.” He revealed the image of Divine Mercy to
born into a family of ten children and felt the calling to
Faustina, with the words, “Jesus, I Trust in You” inscribed
the religious life at age 7. At age 16, she left her home
under the image of Jesus, which she had painted to help
to travel to the city of Warsaw, Poland, and tried to join
spread the message of Mercy to the world.
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Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
Jesus gave Faustina the Chaplet of Divine Mercy to pray:
This summer, I, and a group of 34 other pilgrims, had
“For the Sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on
the privilege to attend World Youth Day with the Sisters
us and on the whole world.” It was not until about 20
of Our Lady of Sorrows in Krakow, Poland, the city of
years after Faustina’s death that the message spread
Mercy. There, we witnessed firsthand what the Polish
throughout the Church. Popes Pius XI and XII helped
people suffered. After walking through Auschwitz, where millions of Poles died, and hearing all about
spread this message. Right before her death, Sister Faustina predicted that “there would be a war, a terrible, terrible war,” and she asked the nuns to pray for Poland. A year later, in 1939, WWII began, and people realized her predictions came true. As the war spread, so did the message of Divine Mercy, especially throughout Poland and the United States, where millions of Divine Mercy prayer cards were made and prayed by the people. But in 1942, the
the persecutions that the Polish people endured, the message of Mercy suddenly became clear to us. God used Sister Faustina at the perfect time in Poland, and as a result, the Poles are now a joyful people! They rejoice, and they love their nation. By fighting through trials and trusting in the Lord’s will, the Polish people emerged victorious, just as Christ did. They truly followed Christ, in that they suffered on their own cross so that they may look forward to eternal life beyond the cross.
Holy Office forbade all images and devotions related to Divine Mercy and Saint Faustina, thus preventing the
Sister Faustina writes, “Our sins are like a drop falling into
spread of the message. This prohibition was a result
an ocean of mercy” (Diary 718). Meditating upon this,
of faulty translations of her diary printed in Italian and
I’ve always perceived my sin as so great, which it is. But,
French. Almost twenty years later, in 1965, a small town
when put into the perspective of God’s ocean of mercy,
actor named Karol Wojtyla (now known as Saint John
it gave me the realization that not only is God bigger, but
Paul II) came along. He removed the ban and helped
His mercy is bigger, and His Love is bigger. Not only can I
tremendously in continuing the mission given to Sister
run to God with my sin, but anyone, anyone, has the right
Faustina, and later canonized her as a saint.
to God’s mercy. Not one of your sins is too big for God to receive in his ocean of mercy.
The Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows with a group of students at the Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Krakow, Poland.
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“Humanity will never find peace until it turns with trust to my Mercy.” Saint Faustina was the perfect saint for her time. With
no matter who is president, no matter what our neighbor
World War II about to ravage humanity, we needed the
does to us, no matter how misunderstood we are, God
message of Divine Mercy. But the mission is not over;
is bigger, and He wants us to surrender our lives, our
God is calling you and me to continue the mission of
families, our friends, and our enemies to His Sacred Heart,
Divine Mercy. We see that today’s world is in distress. Riots the same Heart that bleeds blood and water out upon against those who protect us, discrimination, whether by
us, as a fount of mercy for us. We must grow in our faith,
race, sexuality, or religion, political unrest, the list goes
to build a relationship of trust with the Father, so that we
on and on. Where will everything end? Will it ever stop? I
may continue Saint Faustina’s message of Divine Mercy
feel as if we, as a human race, have grown lackadaisical in
to the entire world. There is no day but today, and as the
our faith. Not the faith that is Catholicism, or Christianity.
Year of Mercy draws to a close, we continue in our prayer,
I am referring to actual faith.
“For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world, both now, and forever. Amen.”
Faith is trusting in the Lord’s will, even when we have
So, brothers and sisters, let us take up our cross, and
no idea what the outcome will be. Faith accepts God as
trust that the Lord, in His Mercy, will lead us through the
truth, instead of letting us create our own truth. Faith is
darkness and into the light of joy and eternal life.
not only believing, but knowing, that God is with us, for us, and he will never forsake us. Faith understands that
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Jesus, I Trust In You !
Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
Nicholas Scalfano
O r g o p l t n n t t e g i e t u o t e D
Saint Faustina’s original grave
Mass at the Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Krakow, Poland
Our group listening to the guided tour of the Divine Mercy Sanctuary
Venerating the relics of St. Faustina in the Chapel of the Miraculous Image Our group walking into the Chapel of the Miraculous Image
Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows with a Sister of Our Lady of Mercy
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Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894 - 1941)
For Jesus Christ I am prepared to suffer still more St. Maximilian Kolbe
By Father Garrett McIntyre When Pope John Paul II held World Youth Day in Denver
St. Maximilian Kolbe was given this unique call. Before
in 1993, I was in third grade. I heard stories about what
he was given his religious name of Maximilian, his
the Pope had said and did there. Ever since then, I have
name was Raymond. From an early age, he pondered
been wanting to experience the vitality of the church in
the question his mother once posed to him, “Raymond,
this way. This past July, I was able to fulfill that desire at
what will become of you?” This question struck him
World Youth Day in Kraków, Poland.
to his soul, and he hoped the answer to that question would be a saint. The Blessed Mother appeared to
I attended World Youth Day with the Sisters of Our Lady
Raymond and offered him two crowns, one white and
of Sorrows and a group of young people from various
one red. She asked him to choose. The white meant he
parts of Louisiana. We were blessed to be able to visit
would excel in the virtue of purity, the red that he would
the home country of such saintly giants of the 20th
die a martyr. Raymond chose to have both. This mystical
century: St. John Paul II, St. Faustina, and St. Maximilian
experience urged Raymond to enter the Fransciscans
Kolbe. Each of these saints furthered the message of
and consecrate his life entirely to the Blessed Mother,
Divine Mercy in the midst of an incredibly merciless
whom he lovingly called the Immaculata.
time. Each of these saints responded to the call from heaven to be missionaries of mercy. 9
Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
A gate that leads into Ashwitz concentration camp
In the turmoil of the Second World War, it became
Mercy. The saint inspires all of us who hear his story to
increasingly evident that no one who opposed
respond to the miseries of the world in a different way.
the fascist regime was safe. After much success
He inspires us to respond in a way that pleases the Lord
evangelizing in Japan and Poland, Maximilian was
and the Immaculata. As disciples of Christ, we have
arrested by the Gestapo in 1941. He was sent to
heard the call countless times to be missionaries of
Auschwitz concentration camp. Knowing Maximilian
mercy to the world in which we live. We have heard the
was a prime target for the Gestapo, many of his
call to extend the mercy of God by responding to the
brothers pleaded with him to go into hiding. Maximilian
evils of the world with charity, patience, kindness, and
refused because of what he knew God wanted to
mercy.
accomplish through him. In his address to the youth in attendance at World Maximilian would see the fulfillment of the Lord’s desire
Youth Day 1993, Pope John Paul II offered these words:
when he performed his final and most courageous
“You must live these days in such a way that, when
act of mercy. Maximilian was condemned to death
the time comes to return home, each one of you will
by starvation when he willingly stepped forward to
have a clearer idea of what Christ expects of you.” For
take the place of another prisoner who cried out in
those of us who were so close to these saints of Divine
desperation for his family. Maximilian was the last to
Mercy at World Youth Day in Poland, it is evident that
succumb to the tortures of starvation, so it was on the
Christ expects us to be nothing less than authentic and
vigil of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary when
effective missionaries of His mercy. May His Divine Will
he received his red crown of martyrdom and died by
be accomplished in our lives!
lethal injection. St. Maximilian Kolbe’s life was a page out of the gospel of Divine Mercy. His patience and strength in the face of evil are signs to the world that God is more powerful. His witness of purity and trust are signs of what God can accomplish with a willing heart. St. Maximilian Kolbe truly was and continues to be a missionary of mercy. Visiting his religious community, the City Immaculata, strengthened us as pilgrims to be witnesses to Divine www.ols.org
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Pilgrimage of Mercy WYD 2016 Krakow, Poland
By Sr. Nina Vincent, OLS
All together, then, we ask the Lord: launch us on the adventure of mercy! Launch us on the adventure
Each World Youth Day has its own character depending on where it’s held… the story of Poland, the resilience of its people because of their faith, and the example of its present day saints is what made this WYD 2016 so unique. Our pilgrimage began with a week of visiting and praying
of building bridges and tearing
at important sites in Poland’s history, as well as following
down walls, barriers and barbed
Krakow for the week of WYD festivities.
wire. Launch us on the adventure
in the footsteps of Saint Pope John Paul II before ending in
Here’s a brief recap of our journey:
of helping the poor, those who feel
Once we arrived in Poland, our first stop was Warsaw, a
lonely and abandoned, or no lon-
Russian Communist regime, a city home to Blessed Jerzy
ger find meaning in their lives.
Communists in 1984 because he supported the Solidarity
city destroyed in WWII by the Nazis and rebuilt during the Popieluszko, a present day martyr, who was killed by the movement for the people, for workers’ rights and human dignity. He lived by the Gospel, modeling to others how to “overcome evil with good.” Warsaw’s Old Town was
- Pope Francis, World Youth Day 2016
a beautiful city, a testament to its people literally rising from the ashes, and our first glimpse at the heartbreaking history of Poland.
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Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
As we continued on our journey, our next stop was Niepokalanow, the town formed around St. Maximilian Kolbe’s monastery of friars, the city of the Immaculate Mother of God. St. Maximilian was a martyr as well, giving his life for another at the concentration camp of Auschwitz. From there, we went to Czestochowa, where we got to experience Poland’s great love for the Blessed Mother. The Jasna Gora Monastery houses the Black Madonna painting,
Grave of Blessed Jerzy Popieluszko in Warsw, Poland.
and it is the most visited shrine in Poland. It reminded me of apparition sites like Lourdes and Fatima, although no apparition happened here. Rather, the great faith of its people is what makes this shrine so special, with crutches and rosaries lining the walls to mark the many healings and miracles attributed to Our Lady. Our Lady of Czestochowa is the protector of Poland. Our Lady has stood by the people of Poland through all of their many trials; she’s been the one constant that kept the people united and gave them hope. By this point in the journey, one could identify the different style of Polish churches compared to those of western Europe. Many exhibited a sharp contrast between darkened walls and golden accents. It was clearly evident that the Church is where the Polish people invested themselves; it was the Church that kept them grounded and carried them through the nation’s many turmoils, always serving as a place of refuge, constantly reminding them that the Lord was always near and real to them, nourishing them in the Blessed Sacrament. He would ultimately bring them victory over evil.
Church of St. Maximilian Kolbe in Nieokalanow,Poland
The next day was the hardest of the journey, as we visited Auschwitz. It is hard to fathom being hated so much for who you are, something you have no control over. The silence was deafening; how do you respond to such atrocities? It was incomprehensible that where we walked millions of people were killed for no reason. At one point along the gravel road of the concentration camp, there lay a small pond with a sign that read: “To the memory of the men, women, and children who fell victim to the Nazi genocide. In this pond lie their ashes. May their souls rest in peace.” Freedom took on a whole new meaning that day. How blessed are we in the United States! And how much do we take our freedoms for granted… filled with gratitude and shame, we continued our
Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa
journey. www.ols.org
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Our next stop was Wadowice, Saint John Paul II’s
Mercy, where Jesus revealed his teaching of Divine
hometown, and thus began our following in his
Mercy to St. Faustina. It was amazing to be able to pray
footsteps. Wadowice was filled with his spirit; it was
in front of the original Divine Mercy painting in the
almost tangible. To be in the place where JPII, a modern-
convent chapel.
day saint, was born out of ordinary beginnings, was so inspiring. To have the opportunity to walk through the
Our walking tour of Krakow led us through the quant
three rooms of his modest home, to see the same views
city center and market square. St. Mary’s Basilica is the
he had of his parish church from his kitchen window, to
focal point of the square, and it contained the same
pray in the pews where he grew up was such a gift. This
architecture and golden accents as the other churches
is where it all began, the life of a man who would lose
we had visited thus far. From the square, it was a short
all of his family members by age 20, who would pursue
walk to Jagiellonian University, where JPII attended
his dream to be a priest by risking his life in attending an
college and then a few steps further to the Archbishop’s
underground seminary during World War II, who would
residence, where JPII used to greet the Polish people in
become Pope and inaugurate the annual gathering
the evening from an upstairs window, first as archbishop,
of youth known as WYD, who would literally help to
and then when he returned to the country as Pope.
change Poland’s history and gain their freedom from
Our final stop was Wawel Hill which housed the Royal
communism, and who would show us how to live and
Castle and the Archcathedral of St. Stanislaus, where JPII
how to die.
celebrated his first Mass in the crypt after being ordained a priest.
After his mother passed away when he was 8, Karol Wojtyla (St. JPII) and his father moved to Krakow, and our
Thus ended our week of pilgrimage and our learning
pilgrimage brought us there, where we would stay for
about Poland and its people. Poland is a nation that
the remainder of our trip. Krakow, the city of Saint John
throughout its history experienced so many trials, but
Paul II and Saint Faustina Kowalska, two great apostles of
it has persevered through the power of faith. A people
mercy in our times. First, we visited the Shrine of Divine
united in faith can withstand any amount of difficulty.
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Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows and a group of students at Aushwitz concentration camp.
What was most impressive was the spirituality of the
apostolic, all of us together, celebrating our faith! This
people; about 90% of Poles are Catholic, and visiting
is what the Catholic Church is all about: “a mosaic of
their churches displayed how much they value their
different faces, from many races, languages, peoples,
Catholic faith, how their faith in Jesus was their rock
and cultures, but all united in the name of Jesus, who is
through all their struggles, how the Church was their
the Face of Mercy” (Pope Francis). Being in the moment,
oasis of peace in a land of war, and how holiness
surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people singing
prevailed.
and praising the Lord, with countless flags waving from all different countries, was a glimpse of heaven and
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy”
perfect joy. The following three days were filled with
(Mt 5:7). The theme of this World Youth Day fell within
catechesis in the mornings and youth festival events in
the Jubilee of Mercy, and as Pope Francis said, “Blessed
the evenings. The English speaking venue was a huge
indeed are they who can forgive, who show heartfelt
arena where we met not only Americans, but other
compassion, who are capable of offering the very best
pilgrims from English speaking countries.
to others: the best, not what is left over: the best!” The Polish people were a reminder to us of how to be
The first evening, we listened to young people
merciful. World Youth Day began with the Opening
from countries today where Christians are suffering
Mass at Blonia Park with Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz as
persecutions, where they lose friends daily due to
the main celebrant, the former secretary of Pope John
violence, places like Syria, Iraq, the Middle East.
Paul II. World Youth Day is always a reminder for me of the universality of our Church, one, holy, catholic, and www.ols.org
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Home and parish of St. John Paul II in Wadowice, Poland
Picture of group taken in front of St. John Paul II’s home which is now a museum
Group picture by the statue of St. John Paul II, Wadowice, Poland
As one person put it, “the age of martyrs isn’t over.”
easy; mercy costs. It cost Jesus his life – living for others
These people live every day in trust of the Lord, without
and dying for others. JPII said, “We are at our best when
a guarantee of tomorrow; they are a living testament
we give ourselves in love to another person.” Do we
to JPII’s most repeated phrase: “Do not be afraid.” The
have the courage to not be afraid and choose mercy?
night ended with a “Night of Mercy”, with praise and worship and adoration.
The third evening, we waited for Pope Francis to greet us outside the Archbishop’s window, and then, the
The second evening we traveled back to Blonia Park to
next morning, we began our 12 kilometer journey
welcome Pope Francis, where he spoke about mercy
to Campus Misericordiae where we set up camp and
and challenged the youth to become that face of
waited for the Evening Prayer Vigil with the Pope.
mercy. “A merciful heart is motivated to move beyond
Again, Pope Francis challenged us: “Our response to a
its comfort zone. A merciful heart can go out and meet others; it is ready to embrace everyone… it knows the meaning of tenderness and compassion.” Mercy is not 15
Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
world at war has a name: its name is fraternity, its name is brotherhood, its name is communion, its name is family. Show the world that it is easier to build bridges than walls!
Following Jesus demands a good dose of courage,
Jesus changed his life, just as it has changed each of our
to blaze trails that open up new horizons capable of
lives during this WYD. He reminded us to remember all
spreading joy, the joy that is born of God’s love and
the good things we received during our time in Krakow
wells up in your hearts with every act of mercy. In all
and to bring those memories and the Lord with us as
the settings in which you find yourselves, God’s love
we returned home.
invites you to bring the Good News, making of your
World Youth Day 2016 was a pilgrimage of faith and
own lives a gift to him and to others. Unless you offer
fellowship for our group of 34, and it was a pilgrimage
the best of yourselves, the world will never be different.
of mercy on many levels. By learning about Poland’s
This is the challenge. Jesus, today, is inviting you,
history and being in the city of Divine Mercy, we were
calling you, to leave your mark on life, to leave a mark
able to see how the merciful love of the Father is able
on history, your own and that of many others as well.”
to overcome all. By participating in the sacrament of reconciliation and gaining the graces of the jubilee year,
After sleeping under the stars, we arose the next day
we were able to experience for ourselves the mercy of
for the Closing Mass with the Holy Father. Celebrating
God. And through the words of Pope Francis and our
Mass with millions of people again was an awesome
catechesis sessions, we were challenged to return to
testament to the universality of the Church. Regardless
our respective countries and hometowns to become
of language or where we came from, we were all there
the face of mercy for others. WYD 2016 was a journey
for the same reason, and were able to worship together
that will not be long forgotten – it evoked awareness,
because the Mass is the Mass is the Mass in every part
gratitude, trust, openness, compassion in all of us.
of the world. The gospel told the story of Zacchaeus,
“Jesus, I trust in You!”
and the Holy Father focused on how his encounter with
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Vocation Spotlight “God Revealed His Plan” By Novice Heather Marie
Throughout my life, religious life was always in the
(cf. 2 Cor 5:7). Her battle with terminal cancer was
back of my mind, and I kept it there thinking that
one of such peace and joy, that anyone who came
God would not call me. What attracted me was the
into contact with her could not help but be inspired.
freedom of living by faith and for God alone. When
From her examples of virtue and holiness, the
I was a child, I encountered a Discalced Carmelite,
prompting of living out my faith radically came back
and I remember thinking, “I want to be what she is.”
to me, and I knew I could not deny it.
Not only did I sense a profound peace through the witness of her life, I experienced the presence of the
Shortly before starting my preparation for the
Living God; and I was deeply inspired to give my life
Sacrament of Confirmation, I had a desire to nourish
in the same way. As I grew older, however, I began
my prayer life more deeply with daily Mass, spiritual
planning my life. I wanted to be a pharmacist, do
reading, and meditation on Scripture. During my
mission work, get married, raise a family, and settle
preparation for the Sacrament, my life changed
somewhere in south Louisiana. In the course of my
completely. I felt drawn like a magnet to soak in all
planning, God began to reveal His plan, and it was
the information we needed to learn as if I were in a
very different from mine.
desert. As an understatement, I had a burning desire to know God more fully and to devote my life to the
In addition to the many inspiring people I have had
mystery and treasure of our faith, Who is Jesus Christ.
and still have in my life, God placed someone in my life who lived from the fiat of her soul. She invited,
This was the moment in my life when I
journeyed with, and challenged me to grow in my
acknowledged, for the first time, the real possibility
Catholic faith. During the few, short years of knowing
of becoming a religious sister. I brought my desire
her, I began to understand the spiritual realities of
from the backburner to the altar, and I prayed for
my faith in the sense of living by faith, not by sight
God’s will to be done in my life.
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Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
Although my parish priest guided me in discerning
my home for the convent on August 24, 2013.
my call to religious life, I was apprehensive from the
I have been in the convent for three years, and I am a
unknown; so I decided to go to college to become
novice with the Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows. I owe
a pharmacist. During my college career, I spent
everything to God Who sustains me in His calling and
most of my time at Our Lady of Wisdom Church and
Who deepens my resolve to follow Him. I share Saint
Catholic Student Center at the University of Louisiana
Paul’s response as he said, “We have come to believe
at Lafayette. As I grew in my faith, participated in
and are convinced that You are the Holy One of God”
the sacraments, and attended the various events
(Jn 6:69); in my conviction of God’s movements in
that Wisdom offered, I knew that I was becoming
my life, I live my vocation. Our Foundress, Blessed
a changed person; I knew that I was rediscovering
Elisabetta Renzi, draws out the beauty of living one’s
who I am in Christ. During this time, I met the
vocation in this quote: “The more God enriches your
Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows at Wisdom. Once
heart, the more sensitive He makes it, but also the
again, I acknowledged my desire, and I finally began
more He demands that it be absolutely detached for
discerning religious life. When I realized that this was
love of Him.” My happiness and peace in my vocation
where God was calling me, I changed my major from
comes from accepting God’s will. I can only imagine
Pre-Pharmacy to Secondary Education and began my
being who I am in doing what I am doing, all for the
application to the convent, all in the same day. I left
love and glory of God. www.ols.org
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A Witness of Fidelity By Sister Anthony Castellani, OLS
I was born in Sogliano, a small town in Italy. I am
where we spent most our time and made healthy
the youngest of three children: two girls and one
and lasting friendships.
boy. Growing up, my parents were very religious,
The Christian environment in my home and contact
so naturally they encouraged us to go to Church
with the sisters provided a very solid spiritual
and they exemplified to us what it meant to be
formation for me. However, religious life was far
Catholic. My mother was educated by the Sisters
from my mind. But God had a surprise for me.
of Our Lady of Sorrows, and even after she married,
My oldest sister was to enter the convent after a
she remained very close to them, and the bond
few years of discernment. A few weeks before her
extended to us children as well.
departure, I asked permission from my parents to accompany my sister to the convent and stay
When I was young, there were no places of
there for a week. I was just curious , I wanted to
entertainment for the youth in my town, so
experience how the sisters lived in the convent.
the convent was the place to go for Christian
Upon arrival at the Convent of the Sisters of Our
education and recreation. The sisters were very
Lady of Sorrows, I was impressed by the large
involved in the life of young girls. On weekends
group of young women in formation. At supper,
they would offer catechism, recreation, and stage
my sister would now and then look at me to make
performances which consisted of Bible stories and
sure I was alright. I was fascinated by the number
the life of the saints. All of this was very appealing
of young sisters who had given their life to the Lord,
and entertaining to the young people of my time.
but most of all by their kindness toward each other,
In those days, the convent and parish were places
the joy they exuded, and a life of prayer.
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Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
This visit to the convent changed my life: it was
Louisiana. It was a time of great segregation and
as if I could not think of anything else except how
there was a great need for sisters in the African-
beautiful it is to be a bride of Christ. As days went
American schools. After much prayer and thought,
by I felt more and more drawn to the religious life.
I wrote a letter letting Mother General know
My time at the convent was filled with so much joy
that I would go to mission in the United States. I
and happiness I had never felt before. I knew in my
asked my sister to help me break the news to my
heart that this was the place I wanted to be. I made
mother. She said to me “You will break mom’s
a decision to stay and not go back home.
heart again.” My mother at this point was used to my unexpected decisions. Being a woman of strong
When my mother came to pick me up after
faith and love for God, she gave me her blessing
spending a week at the convent, I did not know
saying, “I offer this tremendous sacrifice for you that
how to break the news to her that I did not want
you may be the sister God wants you to be. I will
to go back home. I wanted to stay in the convent
never see you again.”
and begin formation to become a Sister of Our Lady of Sorrows like my older sister. I begged my
When I arrived in the United States, I went to
mother to let me stay. She was in shock; after all I
college, got my degree in education, and taught
was only 14 years old. With tears rolling down her
for 50 years. Those many years in the classroom
cheeks she hugged me, she gave me her blessing
have been a humbling privilege that allowed me
and left. Whenever my mother would come to visit,
to bring students closer to Christ. There have been
she would insist that I was entirely too young for
challenges, ups and down, but God has always
such a decision, and not to compare myself with
been with me along the way. I now spend my time
my sister who was twenty years of age. I insisted
in prayer with a sense of gratitude for the Lord’s
that I wanted to become a sister. With tears and a
goodness to me.
broken heart, she provided whatever I needed for the convent. In every conversation, her last words were always, “Are you sure? I want you to be happy, you are too young to leave home and I need you at home.” Years went by, I went through all the required years of formation. I felt that, without a doubt, God wanted me there. I made first and final profession with much happiness in my heart, ready to do whatever God wanted of me. My vocation caused more pain for my mother when our Superior General asked for volunteer sisters to to go to the United States to minister in our apostolate with the mentally disabled children
“I offer this tremendous sacrifice for you that you may be the sister God wants you to be.”
and the African-American elementary students in www.ols.org
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Formator’s Meeting in Rome
21
Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
The sisters held an afternoon ice cream social for families, youth, and young adults. The sisters shared their vocation stories and the history and apostolate of the Congregation.
www.ols.org
22
SilverJubilee
Sister Delnise Silva celebrated 25 years of faithful service to God and His people. We thank Sister Delnise for many years of fidelity to God. 23
Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
Vacation Bible School
Sr. Cristina, Sr. Kalen, and Sr. Porimolla travelled to St. Paul Mission, Montana,
during the summer to help with Vacation Bible School for children of the Nakoda and A’aninin tribe in the Native American Reservation.
www.ols.org
24
BeLoved Retreat In late July, the Sisters along with Fr. Matthew Long, the Vocations Director for the Diocese of Shreve-port helped with a camp retreat for high school girls from North Louisiana. The weekend was filled with talks, adoration, prayer, fun activities, and fellowship among the girls.
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Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows
World Youth Day Krakow, Poland
God expects something from you. Have you understood this? God expects something from you, God wants something from you. God hopes in you. God comes to break down all our fences. He comes to open the doors of our lives, our dreams, our ways of seeing things. God comes to break open everything that keeps you closed in. He is encouraging you to dream. He wants to make you see that, with you, the world can be different. For the fact is, unless you offer the best of yourselves, the world will never be different. This is the challenge. - Pope Francis at World Youth Day vigil
Three of our sisters accompanied a group of 30 youth on a pilgrimage to World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland.
www.ols.org
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Congregation of The Sisters of Our Lady of Sorrows 231 General Gardner Ave Lafayette, LA 70501 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
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“Mercy is the force that reawakens us to new life and instills in us the courage to look to the future with hope.” - Pope Francis on Mercy