The Evangelizing Power of the Vows
Mother Amata Veritas Ellenbecker, O.P.
Prioress General
Dear Friends,
As so many saints have reminded us, to keep the end in mind is to fix our eyes on God who created and redeemed us. For us, as religious Sisters, God is creator, redeemer, and also spouse, and we marvel at His goodness in calling each of us to Himself!
The vows we profess – poverty, chastity, and obedience – uniquely conform us to Christ. We live in imitation of Jesus’ own life of poverty, chastity, and obedience to the will of the Father. Our contemplative union with Him enables us to be a sign, here and now, of what all people are ultimately called to – union with God forever in Heaven. While we empty ourselves of the goods of this world, God graciously fills us with His joy – a joy that is magnified by what He does in the hearts and minds of those we serve.
In professing our vows, we trust in God to provide for us in all things. He inspires generosity in the hearts of the faithful to make our consecrated life possible, and we rely on that. We hope you will respond with your own “yes” to God’s call to help us bring the evangelizing power of our vows to the world.
Faithfully in Jesus and Mary,
What Are the Vows and Why Do We Profess Them?
As Sisters, we have a unique role in the Church because of the vows we profess. Our countercultural witness is truly one of a kind and it powerfully evangelizes. People we encounter are profoundly moved by the fact that a life of poverty, chastity, and obedience could bring fulfillment and joy. Indeed, it is Christ who fills us with His joy, and our life proclaims boldly to the world that He alone is enough to satisfy the heart.
Through the vows, we pledge to God our continuous worship, understanding that whether we are at prayer, at work, or at rest, we are praising Him.
What Are the Vows and Why Do We Profess Them?
POVERTY
In a culture focused on material possessions, we live a life of simplicity and share all things in common. By this vow, we hope to become poor in spirit. We place our trust in God’s provision, boldly proclaiming that our “treasure is in Heaven” (Matthew 6:20).
CHASTITY
As our culture seeks happiness in self-gratification, we forego the good of earthly marriage and family life to become brides of Christ, bearing fruit as spiritual mothers. Offering ourselves totally to God and those He calls us to serve powerfully preaches “we love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
OBEDIENCE
While our culture calls for freedom without limits, we lay down our preferences and self-determination, imitating Jesus whose will was conformed entirely to the Father’s. We seek God’s will for our lives through the direction of our superiors, declaring that “nothing is impossible for God” (Luke 1:37).
The Impact of the Vows on the next generation in the Words of Our Alumni
Elizabeth Hale, daughter, soon-to-be-wife, and marketer
The Sisters are so joyful, and it is so infectious. It’s their joy that changed my life. The way the love of God just permeates every aspect of their being is refracted and magnified into every person they encounter.
Dr. James Wesley, son, husband, father and physician
The Sisters taught us how to pray, to sit in front of the Eucharist…a habitual way of listening to God. From this foundation, I was led to the vocation of marriage and to model Christ’s ministry by serving others through medicine.
Grace Estey, daughter, wife, mother and homemaker
There’s something about the habit, the veil, and the medal that you can see immediately. They bring a very beautiful spiritual motherhood to their students. Their vows powerfully evangelize the world by making concrete the love they have for God.
The Power of the Vows to Evangelize in the World
- Since our founding in 1997, we’ve grown from 4 to over 100 Final Professed Sisters. Our newest Sisters arrived this August, on the Feast of the Queenship of Mary.
- We serve in 32 schools nationwide, reaching over 10,000 students across all ages and subjects to prepare them for heaven.
- Through our Openlight Media resources, young people are
encouraged in living virtue as a means to their own healthy emotional development and happiness. - Millions are watching our new podcast, Dominican Sisters Open Mic, and many are experiencing God’s call to conversion. Extensive media coverage has expanded our witness to those who would never encounter a religious Sister.
