One who is called to live consecrated virginity does not leave behind a vocation of motherhood, but rather lives it on a supernatural level. If a religious does not view her life through the lens of wife and mother she will not be happy and will not bear fruit that will last. One who departs from the world to live a poor, chaste and obedient life does not do so to remove herself from human relationships but rather to perfect her communion with souls. She is called to pour herself out for the Divine Spouse. She is called to receive and be vulnerable to Him. Her “sincere gift of self” takes on a universal scope. Because she is the bride of the Savior of the world, she must be a mother to all those He came to save. She must seek for her Spouse in every person and empty herself for Him.

For the Dominican Sister of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, this takes on a particular expression in the classroom and in the other works of the apostolate. Our spiritual motherhood is also never more manifest than in our care of priests. As our charism is intensely Marian and Eucharistic we take seriously our role in fostering and supporting the priestly vocation through our life of prayer and sacrifice. We hear the words of Christ on the Cross as a call for us: Behold your son. With realistic knowledge of the many temptations and trials that priests encounter, we seek to be spiritual mothers by leading them to the Mother and by encouraging them to carry the Cross as Christ would desire them. Often this means suffering with them in the way Our Lady suffered when she saw those rejecting and crucifying her Son.

Archbishop Fulton Sheen once said that when he got to heaven God would ask him “Where are your children?” This is a question every sister knows will be asked of her. May He grant each of us a real spiritual fruitfulness.