Lord, you called me, ‘here i am.’
(A day of Thanksgiving)
“Our Srs. Naema, Leini, and Julie will vow POVERTY not because they want to be miserable and destitute and hungry; without roof over their head or clothes on their bag… They choose the poverty that frees them to be ready to drop everything and to go anywhere in order to be of service. They will vow CHASTITY not because they don’t want to get married, but they freely choose chastity because they want to be available not just for few, but to the whole community, the Congregation, and indeed to the whole Church because they know in their hearts that there is depth of happiness in a life of a complete self- giving. They will vow OBEDIENCE not because they cannot make their own decision in life. They choose obedience because they know there is strength in doing things with others. Sr. Naema, Sr. Leini, and Sr. Julie, with your profession of vows, you affirm in your lives that we all beggars… always poor, always incomplete, needing and humbly begging for what we need, always realizing that in the end only God can satisfy our deepest longings. Remember Sisters, you are called to be holy. You are chosen to be a holy religious... Jesus will help you persevere; He will make you holy... Only Jesus, always Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Amen”- Fr. Rey, OCD
On the occasion of the Solemnity of Sts. Peter and Paul, we have made our First Religious Profession. With the inspiring homily of our Spiritual Director and Mass Presider, Rev. Fr. Reynaldo V. Sotelo Jr.,OCD, we, Srs. Naema, Leini and Julie are full of gratitude to the Triune God for the gift of our vocation, for the gift of our families, friends, benefactors and Sisters from different communities who were present physically and spiritually, those who journeyed with us up to this point of our lives, for the gift of the evangelical counsels that we oath to live, for the gift of the Congregation who helped us nurture and deepen our ‘Yes’ to the Lord.
Our journey isn’t a perfect one nor a smooth sailing one. The three of us have a lot of loopholes, limitations and weaknesses yet, God lovingly called us and we generously responded, ‘Here I am!’ This is the unspoken theme during our eight- day Spiritual Exercises held on June 19 to 26, 2022 at the Novitiate House in Quezon City with Sr. Purisima L. Tañedo as our facilitator.
As we now wear the official habit and the Emblem of the Congregation, a lot of changes happen in our lives. Through the prayers of the Sisters and our love ones, the intercession of Blessed James Alberione and the maternal care of Mary, Mother of the Good Shepherd, may Jesus Good Shepherd always lead us and protect us to become holy and faithful Pastorelle.
Srs. Naema, Leini and Julie