Refuse God nothing. Do all through love. This quote from Blessed Jeanne Jugan, the foundress of the Little Sisters of the Poor, sums up how I try to live my religious consecration. During the day I seek to imitate Christ in his gift of self to the Father and to others.

I wanted to be a sister since I was young. Having grown up in a Catholic family where the faith was part of daily life, I remember reasoning as a child that I wanted to serve the Lord. As a high school student, a visit to my aunts house introduced me to the Little Sisters. An interview on EWTN between Mother Angelica and a Little Sister stirred my heart, but I felt too embarrassed to write down the telephone number that appeared on the screen. Upon returning home, my father pulled the biography of Blessed Jeanne Jugan off of the family bookshelf! This amazed me and prompted me to read about the Little Sisters foundress.

After high school I studied nursing at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. While praying one day in the chapel I began to think about the Little Sisters. I found a brochure for the congregation in the chapels brochure rack, sent in the postcard and soon began visiting their home in Pittsburgh, PA. My contacts with the community of Pittsburgh, plus a summer spent working at the home in Cleveland, OH gave me the sense that this may be the community in which God desired me to serve him. I wanted to confirm these sentiments, so I made a novena to St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, asking for a rose if I was called to be a Little Sister. I also told God that if I didnt receive a rose, I wouldnt think that it meant that this was not my calling, but that he didnt want to tell me in that way. Within the nine days, I received a rose from a friend as a Christmas gift!

Even after this special event, my desires were further purified during my senior year in college. Having fallen in love with a young man, yet still feeling called to be a religious, I began to question my vocation. I prayed and asked the Lord for guidance, and sought the advice of a sister who lived on campus. Since the call to religious life was not going away, in spite of the relationship with this young man, the sister told me that I needed to break up with my friend. After graduation we each went our own way, but the separation was not complete for me until I heard that he was dating someone else. I spent my first year out of college working to pay off my student loans and entered the Little Sisters of the Poor as a postulant in October 1996. I made my first profession of vows in June 1999, and perpetual profession of vows on September 5, 2004.

My relationship with God in prayer finds its source and summit in the Mass. The Word of God sometimes pierces the heart, reminding me of something I need to do to be more Christ like in my own life, but also giving me hope and joy in the realization of Gods love for me and for all of his children. The offering of self that I make in union with Christ at the presentation of the gifts is renewed throughout the day as I seek to imitate Christ in his gift of self to the Father and to others.

This gift of self is lived out first in the joy of a fraternal community, where I find the support and encouragement of a religious family united in Christ. Nourished together at meals and in conversation, at times of relaxation and times of prayer, each one is mutually enriched by the presence of the others. Community life is not always easy, since everyone is different and doesnt always agree on how to do things. Yet these are the moments when each one is challenged to grow in virtue and humility. Pardon is sought when there are failings in charity, and, individually and as a community, we begin again.

Our mission of humble service of the elderly poor flows from this communion with God and with one another. In caring for the elderly, I feel challenged by the words of Blessed Jeanne Jugan, Never forget that the poor are our Lord. Each day brings new opportunities to learn with the help of others. Realizing I dont have all the answers helps keep me humble and helps me to appreciate the gifts of others. After the example of Jesus in his ministry, I feel constantly invited to forget myself in order to help the elderly I serve and to do all that is asked of me. This journey that began many years ago is a never-ending one, and I try to grow in charity each day, for the love of God and of his poor.

E-mail address for the Little Sisters of the Poor: serenitylsp@netscape.net.