Before joining the convent, my sister demonstrated a great faith both in her prayer life and works of faith. My sister was heavily involved at the campus center in college. Later in her post-college life, she donated a significant amount of time leading the Catholic youth group at our local parish. It was obvious that she enjoyed her faith and enjoyed sharing that faith with others. Even though she was the first in our extended family to enter religious life and was quite shocked when God pulled at her heart to enter religious life, I was not surprised when she announced her discernment. The decision to explore religious life was not an easy one for my sister. After all, no one in my extended family has ever entered religious life. I applaud her courage in being a trend setter in our family.
During her postulant and novice years, I could tell my sister was going through some difficult transitions as she adjusted to living religious life with the Franciscan Sisters, TOR of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother. But by the time she decided to make her temporary vows, she was bursting with joy. It was like a bride on her wedding day! I could tell she was answering God's call to religious life. Five years later, she is at total peace with her decision to explore religious life and ultimately take her final vows as a fully professed sister!
I truly believe that my sister was called to the religious life. Living her life through the vows of poverty, obedience, and chastity brings her incredible joy. My wife and I have visited her several times at the Motherhouse in Toronto, OH. During these visits, we slept on the hard beds and attempted to live the simple life as the sisters do and we can honestly say that we are NOT called to religious life. Marriage is our vocation. How beautiful it is that God has an individualized plan for each of our lives. I am so glad that my sister answered her call to enter religious life.
The biggest challenge for me has been the geographical distance between my sister and my family. It is a challenge for my wife, kids, and I to only see her once a year. Granted, I am grateful for the opportunity for the sisters to come home for an extended 2 week time-frame (other religious orders have much more stringent visiting rules), but it is a challenge nonetheless. The greatest joy has been seeing my sister grow in her faith and passing that faith on to the rest of our family.
