“Before God, it seems to me that the Institute needs: Sisters who are imbued with the spirit of self-denial and sacrifice which fills them with the desire to work and suffer for Jesus Christ and for the good of their neighbor; Sisters who are firmly convinced that exact obedience, without any criticism or complaint, is the path they must courageously tread in order to attain perfection and holiness; Sisters who are able to master their own affections and keep their hearts fixed on God alone in order to be able to say together with Saint Francis of Sales: ‘If I were to know that one fibre of my heart was not for God, I would tear it out’; Sisters who neither regret having left the world, nor long for the possessions and conveniences they have renounced; Sisters who deem it a privilege to live in a condition of poverty and privation in imitation of their divine spouse Jesus who, being rich became poor in order to enrich men with His grace and to make them heirs of Heaven; Sisters who have no other ambition on earth than to follow Jesus Christ who was humiliated, crowned with thorns, and nailed to the cross so that they may, thus, praise Him surrounded by the angels and saints in the glory of heaven.
We have need of Sisters who have a strong physical constitution, a good character, and a reasonably cheerful disposition, who desire above all else to become saints, not by doing anything extraordinary but only what is normal, thus becoming an inspiration to their fellow-men, especially the young, attracting them to the practice of the Christian virtues; finally Sisters who are, or at least can become effective instruments for promoting the glory of God in the fulfillment of those responsibilities, and the accomplishment of those activities which are proper to the Institute.”
Lord, make me THIS kind of Sister!
“reasonably cheerful disposition”?? I have seen you and your fellow nuns. I would put all of your dispositions well above reasonable. Never have I seen such a happier group of women who strive to make all the lives that they touch better. I hope that God blesses you all with continued success.
I totally agree with Dennis. I, too, have never seen such happy Sisters as the Salesian Sisters. God loves them and so do I.
Irene