"Taken, Blessed, Broken, Given"
ALTON, IL -
Flutters of families and friends passed through the wooden doors of St. Mary's Catholic Church on August 3rd, greeted by countless religious sisters carrying variations of instruments, cameras, or booklets.
Back at St. Francis Convent, eight sisters double check their veils and straigten out any creases that have gathered on their jumpers or habits. In less than an hour, they were going to be greeted by a myriad of familiar faces, in the embrace of the Church, singing a song of praise to the Divine Bridegroom. This is their wedding day.
Sister M. Veritas, Sister M. Philomena, and Sr. Mary Joseph have spent the past three months in intensive study, prayer, and apostolic service. As they lived the life of a "probandinnen" (German word), their hearts opened to the providence of God who has guided them throughout their entire lives. All hailing from differing states and even countries, the three sisters were united in their response to loving Him who has first loved them. In their response, their eternal fiat proclaims the fidelity of the Lord who invites each of them to make His merciful love visible in the community of the Sisters of St. Francis of the Martyr St. George. Their solemn profession of poverty, chastity, and obedience marks for them and for the whole world, a light that shines in the midst of any darkness.
Elevating the joy of the day was the First Profession of Vows of Sister M. Magdalena and Sister Mary Kolbe. As they spent the past several years in the novitiate, they came to know the life of the community and more concretely, the voice of the Father's love for them. Guided by Christ the Bridegroom, the two sisters consecrated themselves to the Most Holy Trinity and embraced the narrow way.
Both of these next steps in religious life had to spring from another earlier step- Initiation into the Novitiate. Before the beginning of Mass, Bishop Thomas J. Paprocki, presented the religious habit, veil, breviary, Rule and Constitutions, and individiual religious name to each postulant. Kristen Leaderstorf became Sister Mary Emmanuel, Taylor Smith received the name Sister Mary Grace, and Bridget May embraced the name of Sister Mary Solanus. Together, they returned up the aisle in their black habit and white veil, grinning from ear to ear.
Bishop Paprocki preached on the beauty of being "taken, blessed, broken, and given" as brides of Christ. A small excerpt is as follows,
"Dear Sisters, in just a few moments, the Lord will once again take you for Himself, choosing you, electing you to be drawn deeper into the love of His Sacred Heart. May you be filled with gratitude for the many ways in which He has blessed you, leading you to this place, and with trust in His merciful love, surrender yourself to the many blessings He still has in store for you.
Finally, pray that through the grace of the Eucharist you will receive today and every day, you will be more willing to be given in imitation of the One who has given everything. May your hearts be the sanctuary where His love resides more fully, to the point of overflowing, so that through you, His merciful love will be made visible."
As these sisters made their next steps in religious life, the community is also gratefully celebrating in the gift of God's divine providence as been present through the province's presence in America since 1923. This past year has been a jubilee year and the sisters in the American province has embraced this opportunity of rest, restoration, and reconciliation. For more information about the centennial, please visit altonfranciscans.org/jubilee.
Going forth and witnessing to the world the love which pours forth from the Savior's side, all the sisters are especially grateful for the prayers and support given to us. May we all be inspired by these eight sisters' "yes" to the Lord and seek His face always!
