My name is Elizabeth, and I am a triplet (one sister, Lauren, and one brother, Michael). We grew up in Waterloo, Iowa with three older half-siblings and my two loving parents. We went to Mass every Sunday and attended Catholic school from preschool through high school. I found out about abortion when I was a sophomore in high school and remember being in disbelief that some parents did not want their children. A zeal and passion for pro-life work awoke in me and I helped to start a pro-life club at our high school.
My trip-sibs and I were always involved in Church choir and youth group and when it came time to go to college, the three of us split up. My siblings went to state schools in Iowa, and I went to the University of St. Thomas in St Paul, MN with plans to major in Political Science and Journalism and minor in Catholic Studies and long-term hopes of working for the National Right to Life Committee in Washington, D.C.
My freshman year of college was full of excitement, joy, and re-prioritizing. I lived on the Catholic Women’s floor in the dorms with a bunch of other Catholic young women and it was my first experience of true sisterhood and friendship in the Lord. I was introduced to daily Mass (of which I became a frequent attendee) and the concept of taking personal prayer time. I was also introduced to Saint Therese of Lisieux, who has been a faithful companion, dear friend, and wise teacher ever since. While I was falling in love with Jesus and His Church, I heard about religious life because some of my friends were discerning. I had never seen any Sisters in habits and, though I was vaguely familiar with the concept of religious life, I always desired to get married and have a family. I simply never thought about the possibility of being called to religious life. I went on my first convent visit to the Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus in New Ulm, Minnesota, and loved being around the Sisters. They were so funny and joyful, and I loved how focused they were on God. The desire to learn more about religious life grew in my heart and not long after that, I heard about an order called the Sisters of Life from one of my friends. I looked up their website and couldn’t believe such a thing could exist. I filled out a vocation inquiry form and spoke with the Vocations Director in the spring of my freshman year, and we kept in touch over the next couple of years. I decided to major in Catholic studies and Political Science with a minor in Philosophy and couldn’t have chosen better areas of study for both intellectual and spiritual formation. I was also involved in the university’s Liturgical Choir and pro-life club, as well as a Catholic college outreach group called Saint Paul’s Outreach. These experiences really shaped me as a young Catholic and helped me to order my life around God in a vibrant and supportive community.
Some of the things that attracted me to religious life were the great joy of all of the Sisters I met, their deep devotion to Jesus, and pretty much everything about how they lived their lives—from the hours of prayer to the outward witness to the way they, especially the Sisters of Life, opened their motherly hearts to walk with some of God’s most vulnerable children. I was also very drawn to how religious see the world, as a battle between the kingdoms of darkness and of Light, and I found that analogy especially true in all things pro-life since Satan is the father of death. I visited the Sisters of Life for the first time in March of 2013 and went back for a few more visits over the next year and a half. With the help of a really wise and holy spiritual director, I found great joy and peace and a steady burning in my heart whenever I was with the Sisters of Life. I spoke with the Vocations Director about applying for entrance right after graduation, but we found that I felt the most peace with waiting a year to keep discerning, experience getting a job, and pay off some student loans. At first, this really freaked me out because I hadn’t been planning on any of that. But I looked at my life and how God had provided and knew He would not fail me now. Jesus invited me to take a leap of faith, and I have to say, I’ve loved Him even more for it ever since. During my final semester of college, He provided me with a good job, a place to live, great community and volunteer activities, and a lot of happiness in getting to stay in St. Paul for another year.
I went back to the Sisters of Life in August of 2014 for their vows ceremony and got to stay with the community for a few days. I had no thoughts of the application process or future plans in my mind the entire time (which was unusual for me) but when I met with the Vocations Director just to catch up, I found myself asserting that I felt called to religious life with this community. A few hours later, I was meeting with Mother, trying to summarize this story of grace. She entrusted me with an application. St. John of the Cross has a saying something to the effect of, “All things were given to me from the moment I no longer sought them” and that has been the story of my discernment. I stepped back and the Holy Spirit swept me off my feet. I began the application process in August 2014 and, if accepted, will enter postulancy in September 2015. The deepest desire of my heart is to love God, to know Him more fully, and to love His people, especially the most vulnerable. Each person, with all his or her little ways and quirks and traits, is a unique gift and oftentimes we forget that we are so infinitely loved by such a tender Father! The thought of serving Jesus in such a total way with my whole life for my whole life brings abundant joy and deep peace. He has poured out His love and mercy upon me and I seek to love Him and serve Him with childlike faith.
2015 Grant Recipient
