The Communion of Saints Surround Us
Who has left a lasting impact on your life?  Whose legacy offers you hope for the journey and a set of footprints to follow in charting your course for a well-lived life?  Whose vision for living a life dedicated to God still echoes in you and that you desire to emulate in your life?

November is All Souls Month, a time to remember and pray for the souls of those who have departed from this earthly life, especially our loved ones. Besides praying for the deceased, I often think of the legacies or footprints of those whose lives impacted mine.

Before entering religious life, I was scared and uptight when visiting dead people or a cemetery. I could not sleep well the first few days after attending a wake. After entering religious life, I once stayed in a house next to a cemetery for deceased sisters. My room window faced the cemetery, and every night, when approaching the window to close the shade, I had to close my eyes. Being able to reflect prayerfully on the loss of a deceased one was a slow, difficult process for me, but one that eventually came to be a transformative experience that brought me closer to God.

Now, when I visit a cemetery for our religious sisters, I often find peace and feel connected to them.  Many sisters I knew or lived with gradually went to God as the years passed. Losing them, no matter the circumstance, has not been easy. However, reading their stories and listening to others share their experiences of the deceased at wakes or funerals, I now feel impelled to praise God for their life of mission here on earth. So many of these deceased sisters inspire me to continue their legacies, to fulfill their visions and hopes, and to trust in God’s providence.  In remembering their lives, I see their pioneering spirit for social justice, education, interfaith connection, spiritual mentoring, and so much more. Here are some examples of legacies I hold reverently:

• Sr. Hue Le's life taught me about being gentle, humble, and joyful when interacting with people. She also reminded me that I am a rock—a rock for the church, a rock for this American society, and a rock for the Vietnamese people. Sr. Hue encouraged me always to remember my responsibilities and my roles as a church member, within this society, and with my birth country, Vietnam.  
  
  
• Sr. Ann Dominic Roach's memory card was inscribed with the quote, “the purpose of my life is to melt into God.”  Although I knew her just a little bit, this quote touched me because of her devotion to God and her desire to be aware of God’s presence always.  At her wake and funeral, I learned that her passion for union with God inspired her to live a life fully dedicated to teaching children and showing them how to collaborate with others to carry out God’s mission here on earth. She once asked a priest friend, “Do we believe that we are all here for the mission of God, not to compete but to collaborate?” Her question invites me to live collaboratively also.  

• Sr. Lillian Geghlen’s last farewell conversation with some Nigerian Sisters was one of thanksgiving to God and the sisters there for their missionary work in Nigeria. She promised these sisters that she would continue to pray for them with God in heaven after she died. Sr. Lillian reminds me that each of us has a mission and that this mission continues even after we die. Her faith in God and her pioneering and missionary spirit empowers me in my ministry and helps me believe in the community of faith of both living and deceased persons. I believe that Sr. Lillian continues to pray for me and others in heaven, just as she did when she was alive.

• Sr. Maxine Shonk’s two books of blessings are indeed blessings that emerged from the fruits of her contemplation and her experience of walking with others as a spiritual companion.  Her blessings of affirmation, assurance, healing, and inspiration continue to be a source of comfort, reminding us always of God’s loving presence in our lives. Sr. Maxine’s blessings enkindle in me the desire to listen unceasingly for God’s daily blessings in my ministry. Her blessings offer me so much wisdom in integrating the fruits of my contemplation with the experiences gained from my ministries.

As I reflect on the legacy of our deceased sisters, I find that these sisters were not looking for an easy, settled life when they joined religious life. They sought a life of union with God as they carried out their mission of following God’s will, even amid many challenges and uncertainties. I draw strength and faith from their lives to live out my call to religious life with newfound courage and trust for my mission. I also recognize that they have passed on the torch of their faith and mission to us. I feel blessed to receive this torch from them. And just as God walked faithfully with our deceased sisters, I believe that God will continue to walk with me and our sisters as we live into the future of our call and discover what treasures await us in this way of life as religious sisters.

If you want to explore religious life's treasures and learn more about this life, contact us or register to join our Zoom and See Discernment Retreat in February. Also, click here to view the video of Sr. Ellen Coates’ perpetual profession of vows ceremony as she affirms her desire to embrace a life dedicated to God and God’s people.