How many siblings do you have?
I am the sixth of seven children. We all grew up in a very loving home with devout Catholic parents and grandparents.

 

What made you begin to consider a religious vocation? 
I was questioning and somebody told me one time: “Why don’t you pray about it. So, I went to the chapel before the Blessed Sacrament and prayed and prayed. It started to occur to me that my mind started shifting. This is what God was calling me to do.

 

How did you education influence your decision to dedicate your life to a religious vocation?
Higher education is very important for the Dominican Sisters. It is one of our “five pillars.” You have to be educated .Also, the Dominican Sisters preach the healing gospel of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. That’s most of what Jesus did: healing. And I am bringing that healing every time I go to work with people in my profession; I bring that compassion and love.

 

What is the most difficult part about adjusting to religious life?
It is trying to balance my work and ministry. I still work as a nurse, and I am trying to visit all my clients every day and balance that with my vocation.

 

What do you hope to be doing in 10 years? 20?
I am thinking that I am going to continue with my ministry of healing and working with the sick and the suffering. I do a good job, and I love what I am doing. I think God called me to do this. 

 

If you met the Pope today and could ask him one question, what would it be?
I would ask him: How does he balance his busy life? How does he balance that with his prayer life?

 

What is your favorite prayer?
I pray the rosary every day. I pray  Psalm 23: “The Lord is my shepherd” a lot.

 

What would you like to say to the Hilton Foundation, who made this grant possible?
I would like to thank them so much for this grant, which will help me continue my vocation because my student loans were one of the issues I had when I entered religious life. I worried I wouldn’t get in. They helped me make that dream come true, so I could continue in discernment.