Dear Family, Friends, and Benefactors,
We wish you all a most blessed and grace-filled Easter! The weeks and months have flown by since our last newsletter and, very soon, another Summer will be upon us. So much has happened since our last communication, but our greatest and most joyful news to share is our profession of vows which took place on March 19th, the feast of St. Joseph. Our Lord, now rightly called our divine Spouse, provided above and beyond all expectations for this long awaited day. Along with a large group of friends and family members from several states, we were blessed with the great honor to have three priests and two seminarians in attendance. Our Father Director, Fr. Fray Leon Speroni, OFMcap, came from Colorado to receive our vows after having preached our retreat the week before. Also in attendance were Fr. Francis Miller, OFM, and Fr. Stephen Sandquist, to whom we owe a debt of gratitude for allowing us to use his beautiful chapel for the ceremony and for leading the singing at both the Mass and the profession. Adding to our joy was the blessing of His Excellency, Bishop Pivarunas, upon the occasion. He and the seminary graciously provided the food for the occasion. The priests and seminarians made great sacrifices in order to assist us, and it goes without saying that they will be remembered perpetually in our prayers.
Sometimes, people ask us what qualities a young lady must possess to follow a religious vocation. We tell them that one of the most important qualities is a strong and unwavering hope. To make religious profession is to surrender your life and everything about it, not to another person, not to a worldly pursuit (however great and noble), but back into the hands of the One Who created it: Almighty God Himself. It is to keep nothing for oneself and to rely on no one or nothing but Him. It is to give up everything, even and especially one’s own will, and to place one’s hope entirely and irrevocably in God. To do that, one must trust Him with her whole heart. Unlike the hope of the world, which is based on fallible and passing things, this hope is stable and unfailing, since it rests on God, Who is all-powerful, all-good, and never breaks His promises.
More recently, now that the white veil has been exchanged for the black with the profession of vows, we are asked what these things symbolize. Striving for perfection and holiness, implicit in the taking of vows, is the first obligation of every religious consecrated to God and His Church. The holy veil represents renouncement of the world’s attractions and of her own past sins, of her will and of any selfish ambitions; humble admission of her own weakness and inability to live justly without the grace of God; gratitude for God’s mercy; desire to converse with God alone; expectation of a merciful judgment and anticipation of the happiness and purity of eternal life in Heaven. The black of the veil does indeed represent death: death to the world – but be most assured – vibrant life to God and His interests. In professing vows and binding ourselves to Our Lord Jesus Christ, we are not running away from or losing anything but, rather, we are running towards and gaining everything in Him.
Finally, we are asked particulars about life as a Capuchin Sister of St. Joseph. Our congregation is semi-contemplative. Following the customs of the Capuchins, it is in our constitutions to jealously guard the contemplative aspect of this mixed life. While the Rule does allow for a limited and part-time apostolate in teaching, assisting the priests with sacristy work, or visiting the sick and dying, we also have two periods of mental prayer and maintain silence and cloister when not engaged in these works. Our schedule is full with the chanting of the entire Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Spiritual Reading, Rosary, and devotions to the Stations of the Cross and the Franciscan Crown. We do, of course, have a daily recreation, and this time is always one of great joy. In fact, in the spirit of St. Francis and all of the friends of God, despite sufferings and daily crosses, our entire life is one of great joy. What has brought us together under one roof and keeps us here, despite our different temperaments and characters, is the ultimate goal that we share in common: union with Our Lord Jesus Christ. All of our preferences fall aside as we strive with one mind and one heart after this goal and its fruit: the glory of God and the salvation of souls. We encourage one another, inspire one another, and aid one another in the steep climb of the mountain of perfection. How fitting it is, in the ceremony of profession, to close with the hymn, “Ecce Quam Bonum” (Psalm 132): “How good it is, and how pleasant, where brethren dwell as one.”
With the assurance of our prayers,
The Capuchin Sisters of St. Joseph
OUR NEW CHALLENGE… CAN YOU HELP US?
Following the profession ceremony, we have begun to receive inquiries from young ladies around the country, and even abroad, who wish to discern their vocation as a Capuchin Sister. Up until now, we have lived in a very small garage apartment, our little “Rivo Torto”, on the land of generous benefactors who have made great sacrifices to help our convent. However, as God has begun to send these vocations our way, it is necessary that we obtain a proper home, suitable for the Sisters to expand and live retired from the world. We are in great need of help to make this possible, and we are relying on the Providence of God and your generosity for the accomplishment of this work.
Capuchin Sisters of St Joseph 