Sr. Mariah

Walled Lake, MI
18 years old
I cannot point out the exact time I realized my religious vocation; it happened so gradually and naturally. I guess one could relate it to the planting of a seed and how it slowly grows into a flower. You can see that something is there and discern that it is growing, but you can’t point out the exact moment it blooms, for it happens secretly, unobserved by everyone but the One who causes the flower to grow.

From childhood I was blessed with an innate love for Jesus and everything that had to do with Him. However, I wasn't very familiar with the religious vocation, and my childhood was filled with the usual girlish chatter about boys and princes and happily ever after. As I grew older I still retained that love for Jesus in my heart, but I became much more concerned with fitting in and being “cool” than I was with being a good Catholic young girl. However, when I reached the fourth grade my parents decided to home school me and my siblings. It was during those years that I started to develop a prayer life and deepen my relationship with Jesus. God slowly began to draw me nearer to Himself, and as my knowledge of Him grew, so did my love for Him, until the desire to give myself to God alone was something that came very naturally to me. I wanted to give my heart to Him alone and I knew that was what He wanted as well.

When I was 13, one of the Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist came to my parish and told us about the weekend retreat. I have been going on the retreats ever since. I have looked at other religious communities but have not been attracted to any of them as I am to the Sisters of Mary. I was initially concerned about the teaching aspect of the Community, for I never had the desire to earn a teaching degree, but Sister Joseph Andrew encouraged me to stop worrying and just surrender to the Lord. My prayer from then on and during the Postulant week was “Jesus, whatever you want, I will do, just make sure I can hear your voice.” So I prayed and I listened, and by the end of the week I was at peace, knowing that it was God’s will that I enter the Sisters of Mary this year.

Looking back, I marvel at the gentleness and patience of God. How gently He drew me, how patiently He bore with me, and at last He has captured my heart… I am forever taken by Him.