Consecrated persons bring prophetic witness, light of the Gospel

At different times throughout the year, I receive invitations to speak on vocations to consecrated life to students in elementary schools, high schools, or in parish catechetical programs within the Diocese of Metuchen.  Early in my experience of doing vocation talks, I would put together a PowerPoint presentation to include the latest researched data, photos of religious, some shots of sisters from the congregation of the Sisters of Christian Charity in Mendham, the community to which I belong.

Lastly, I would add music in the background to make the presentation more appealing to my audiences. Many times, I would arm myself with a couple of age-appropriate activities in order to drive home the points I intended to make or to help the students to understand and remember.  Also, for reinforcement, I would have handouts available for take-home.

However, toward the end of each presentation, when it was time for questions and answers, the questions would go something like this:

 

Are you an honest to goodness nun?

What made you go to the nunnery?

Why did you do it?

Do you enjoy being called, “Sister”?

Do you pray all day?

Why would you want to live in poverty?

Can you change your mind and switch

    to getting married? And on and on.

 

All of the questions coming from my audiences would have little to nothing to do with my presentation.  The attention seemed to focus on me as a person and on my daily living out of the vows – how chastity, poverty and obedience work in my life actually.

I learned quickly then from the children I met that these talks were not meant to be ‘presentations.’  But rather they were to be ‘witness talks.’

Saint Pope John Paul II instituted the World Day for Consecrated Life on Feb. 2, 1997, on the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple for the witness value of the consecrated persons.  On the first of this global celebration, He wrote:

“The celebration of the World Day for Consecrated Life, which will be observed for the first time on Feb. 2, is intended to help the entire Church to esteem ever more greatly the witness of those persons who have chosen to follow Christ by means of the practice of the evangelical counsels and, at the same time, is intended to be a suitable occasion for consecrated persons to renew their commitment and rekindle the fervor which should inspire their offering of themselves to the Lord” (John Paul II, Jan. 6, 1997).

Similarly, our Holy Father Pope Francis, in his 2023 message to the consecrated women and men who gathered in the Basilica of Saint Maria Maggiore to commemorate the World Day for Consecrated Life stressed the witness, which was strengthen by the gifts of the Holy Spirit or the charism of their particular congregations, that consecrated persons were called to bring. Pope Francis described this witness as prophetic and as light, that consecrated persons were missioned to bring the light of the Gospel to illuminate all of humanity (Pope Francis, Feb. 10, 2023).

Annually since 1997, especially through the voices of our Holy Fathers, the Church throughout the world acknowledges, thanks and promises prayerful support to religious institutes as well as to all who have chosen the Evangelical Counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience as a pathway to Christ who is the Savior of the world.  The Church also looks to consecrated persons to be a sign of an eternal future of happiness with her Divine Bridegroom.

Bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen, the most Rev. James F. Checchio, echoes the Universal Church in expressing his personal appreciation to our sisters and brothers for their life of witness and for their faithful service to the people of the diocese.

He wrote: “Today is a special day to say thank you to God for you and your witness.  We are so blessed here in the Metuchen Diocese by you, your commitment to your vows and your ministry on behalf of the Church.  You give testimony to the world that Christ is enough in life and deserving of our love.  You remind us that while we live in this world, we are journeying toward another and are called to try to make this world a little more like heaven by your acts of charity and mercy.  Your leading others into deeper friendship with Christ has a significant impact on our diocesan family.  Thank you!”

In 2019, Bishop Checchio led the Diocese of Metuchen in consecration to our Lord, through His Mother, under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Star of the Evangelization.  Bishop created this special time so that the hearts of the faithful be renewed: “That we will be people on fire with the love of God, living as His faithful disciples, right here, in 2019 throughout the 90 parishes of our beautiful counties of Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren.”

This year is the fifth anniversary of this consecration.  It was and is now yet another time for those in consecrated life as well as all of the faithful to be renewed in consecration to the Lord through our Lady, and to be transformed by grace in burning zeal for the Gospel.

Lastly, I would like to take this opportunity to send a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to our sisters and brothers in vow consecration!  You have shown me how to be rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, and be steadfast in prayer in all circumstances.  You have my humble gratitude, deep admiration, and sincere prayer as I count it a unique blessing for me to be at your service.  May God bless you abundantly!

Sister of Christian Charity Anna Hằng-Nga Thị Nguyễn serves as diocesan delegate for Religious and Consecrated Life.