Embracing religious life - two stories of a journey to serve the Lord

When Bishop John C. Nienstedt became the third bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm, he pledged to "work for priestly, religious, diaconal and missionary vocations." In his very first monthly column in The Prairie Catholic, he asked that a prayer for vocations be included at every parish or diocesan meeting, at every family meal and that an intercession for vocations be included at every Mass or Scripture Service. He asked that prayers be accompanied with fasting, specifically abstaining from meat on Fridays. "Imagine how pleased God will be when we all do this together. I am con-vinced that He will not refuse such an earnest request," stated the bishop.

Good News! - This year, three women from this diocese have entered three different women’s religious communities. Two of them share their story of discernment........

Claire Roufs grew up in Winsted, MN where she attended Holy Trinity School and was a member of Holy Trinity Parish. She received her degree in Catholic Studies from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. It was at St. Thomas that she began to learn about and love the Lord and the Catholic Church. "The more I came to understand Christ and His ways, the more I was drawn to seek His will for my life," commented Claire.

During Claire’s freshman year she began to pray about her vocation and sought God’s will in her life through daily prayer, Mass, the Rosary, and the Divine Office. As her college years continued she allowed the Lord to take one step at a time with her.

During Claire’s Junior year, while studying in Rome, a priest friend of hers suggested that she discern religious life by visiting religious communities. She visited two communities but felt called to neither one of them. Assuming this meant she wasn’t being called to religious life, she focused back on marriage, finished her degree, and served a year evangelizing on the St. Thomas Campus. During this time she felt the Lord wanted her to dedicate this year in single-hearted devotion and decided not to date during this time. At the conclusion of this year of service, she felt that her vocation was about to unfold shortly (mind you, she was still thinking that her vocation was to marriage.)

Claire made a trip with friends to the East Coast and visited friends along the way. One of the stops was to New York for a Yankees game which just happened to be down the street from the Community of Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal. She had a friend who was a Brother in that community, and she arranged to visit him. They went to Mass with the Franciscan Sisters that Saturday evening, the Feast of Pentecost. As the Mass began, so did Claire’s tears. "I was so filled with joy and a desire to be part of the Franciscan Sisters community!"

The Franciscan Sisters are a humble community who live poverty and charity as St. Francis and St. Clare had lived. Claire returned to Mass on Sunday morning and sat behind the Sisters. "The minute I saw them the tears began again. I was filled with great joy at the thought that I too, was being invited to leave all and be Christ’s bride."

Soon after, Claire met with her spiritual director who helped her to see the supernatural nature of a vocation. She is now a postulant with the Franciscan Sisters of Renewal living in the Bronx, NY and working with the poor as she tries to live the first rule of St. Francis as he and his followers did.

Marian Bach grew up on a farm near Canby and St. Leo, MN, as the oldest of eight children. She attended St. Peter School and was a member of St. Peter Parish. Marian credits her vocation to religious life to the nurturing by her parents’ love and strong faith. "I have known ever since I was a small child that I had a calling to religious life," comments Marian.

In 1975 Marian entered the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary and was a member of the Schoenstatt Sisters until 1993. During those years she was very involved in retreat and catechetical ministries. After leaving the Schoenstatt Sisters, Marian returned to the New Ulm diocese where she served as the director of religious education and youth ministry at St. Mary Parish in New Ulm. She continued in a similar position at St. Anastasia Parish in Hutchinson for one year before serving for 2 1/2 years as the principal and religious education director at St. Peter Parish in Canby. Throughout her time spent in the New Ulm diocese, Marian never lost sight of her desire to become a religious sister.

During the years she lived in Wisconsin, she came to know the Sisters of St. Agnes from Fond du Lac and she now realized that she felt drawn to them to fulfill her dream of living religious life. On January 23, 2002, Marian entered the Sisters of St. Agnes.

As she reflects on the meaning of her own vocation and that of all who are baptized in Christ she says, "Each of us has a definite vocation, a definite calling. Whatever that is, we are called to be ‘passionate’ about what we are called by God to do. I am grateful for the opportunities given to me and for the gift of working with wonderful mentors along the way."

World Day of Prayer for Vocations - Sunday, May 11

Please continue to pray for those contemplating vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life. We never know what the support of our prayer can mean for those called to serve God by taking these paths.