Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity invited young women whose names were submitted from the Diocese of Green Bay Called By Name Parish Nominations for a recent Mother-Daughter Event at our Motherhouse Holy Family Convent, Manitowoc, Wisconsin. These were young people that others in their parishes felt Jesus might be calling them to be a religious Sister.
The experience began with a meal with some of the Sisters joining each table of guests in our convent cafeteria. Conversation was lively. Next, all toured various parts of our Motherhouse from chapel areas to hallways with artwork done by our Sisters to libraries, kitchen, bakery, recreational places, creative craft areas and conversational spaces for guests. Mothers then had time to talk among themselves and young women focused on our particular community with questions, the reading of a few pages of the novel Buried Wheat written by our Sister Rosamund Nugent on our early days. All checked out the gym and had some moments to freely explore the craft room . The day closed with a candle lit procession to St. Francis Chapel to remember all our loved ones and to be open to God’s call in the daily moments of our day every day.
Here are some comments from the young women themselves.
- “I would want to see the clinic. Maybe I could volunteer down there. I got my CNA this summer. I could see more of what life is like here as Sisters. I’ve met Sisters before, but only in short conversations.”
- “Thank you so much for the beautiful day. It was amazing to learn of the rich history of the place. It’s beautiful.”
- “Thank you for your time.”
- “I am open to what God has planned for me-I can look ahead and see happiness with any vocation. I just don’t know what He has planned for me yet!”
- “Thank you for today. Please keep doing what you are doing for other girls. I will keep an open mind for the Sisterhood, but right now I am feeling called to marriage.”
- ” I loved reading and finding out the Sisters are as crafty as I am. My favorite quote from the book is: “The most loving human heart was pierced.”
- ” I am excited to visit again.”
- “God bless you all and keep you in his dear and loving arms. My aunt is a Sister at the Schoenstatt Convent. I want to join the Carmelite Convent at Denmark.”
- “I hope you can put on a day/overnight weekly retreat.”
Mothers enjoyed their time together and desired to begin their own chat room to help mentor their daughters in being open to all vocations in the days ahead. These comments indicated the time was beneficial for them and their families.
- “Visiting the chapels, hearing the Sisters’ stories”
- “The continuation of discovery about prayer ife and still retaining the person God created my child to be. All of the possibilities to see her shine while married to Christ.”
- “Seeing the living of life and faith. The Sisters doing everyday things. Just being here. It’s very peaceful.”
- “Allowing our girls to shadow a Sister from early morning Mass through dinner. A day in the life.”
- “Getting our girls together with other girls interested in vocations.”
- “Especially knowing the discerning period is also a time to earn a degree.”
- More of these events! We need to have more exposure to Religious Life, so it doesn’t seem ‘uncommon’.”
- “Hearing and seeing the unique ways one can be a Sister, not losing themselves but becoming more of themselves.”
- “Seeing all the opportunities available to the Sisters to work and visit family.”
- “Learning about the process of becoming a Sister”
- “Living out God’s call, but in community with other Sisters. Seeing the joy on the Sisters’ faces…with us and with other Sisters.”
- “The fact that mothers were invited to participate with their daughters and also had time to ask questions and hear from other mothers.”
- “The beauty alongside the simplicity.”
- You present beautifully, joy-filled, welcoming spirit. There was a nice balance of history as well as an explanation of what distinguishes the Franciscan Sisters from other orders.
