The image says it all, Pauline, radiant with joy, as she takes temporary vows in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
The Holy Faith congregation, rejoices with Pauline, her family, and the all the sisters in Trinidad. This is an important step towards her complete consecration to God as a sister of the Holy Faith.
Pauline is a teacher and made her vows on a school day, during Mass in the parish church, so that the students can witness this act of self-giving in response to God’s call. It was a unique occasion for none of the students had witnessed this act – called the profession of vows.
A sister takes a vow, which is a solemn promise to God, to enable her to become more like Jesus who did only what God wanted him to do, who put other people before himself, giving himself in the service of others.
With the vow of poverty the sister promises to live simply, to give all she earns into the community purse as a sign that material things are less and less important for her. This is the outward sign of her dependence on God.
With the vow of chastity, she gladly responds God’s call to live her life of love in deep surrender to his love for her. The Holy Spirit has given this way of love as a gift to God’s People and for God’s People.
With the vow of obedience, the sisters moves away from placing herself at the centre of her life to creating more space for God so that only what God wants in important.
These vows are more than a private relationship between the individual and God. They are lived in a religious community, with and for the people the sister comes in contact with so that she may live our mission ‘to proclaim by word and action the love and truth of Jesus to the people of our day and to collaborate in building a just world.’
We congratulate Pauline and promise to keep praying for her.
