April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
Her home parish site of final vows
When she took her final vows as a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet, she was surrounded by family and friends at St. James Church in Albany -- the church where her parents were married 38 years ago, where she was baptized 36 years ago and where her brother, John, still serves as leader of a contemporary music group.
"St. James is a special place for my family," said Sister Joan Mary, currently the campus minister for the Academy of the Holy Names in Albany.
Memories
Glancing at the church's deep blue and red stained-glass windows, its carved wooden pulpit and the red carpet in the sanctuary, she remembered that her parents' wedding photo was taken on that same carpet."The church hasn't changed at all," she noted. "Maybe the presider's chair has been moved, and the baptismal font was in the back of the church. There's something sentimental about it -- and also symbolic. Where I was baptized, I became a child of God. Now, when I make my perpetual profession, I'm saying I will live on as a daughter of God."
Final vows, she noted, mean that "I will live as a Sister of St. Joseph for the rest of my life, and for all eternity."
Life story
That wasn't always the plan. After her baptism at St. James more than three decades ago, Sister Joan Mary moved to the suburbs with her family and changed parishes. Later, they began attending St. James again, but then Sister Joan Mary went away to Le Moyne College and Yale University. She was "almost engaged to someone" and planned to work in ministry."I suppose there were seeds of the desire [for religious life] even when I was a child, but I sort of flipped them away," she remembered. "Then, in graduate school -- I was probably 23 -- I began to think about becoming a sister."
Part of Sister Joan Mary's examination of a vocation was studying theology. She earned a master of divinity degree and became a catechetical director. In the process, some Sisters of St. Joseph became both professional colleagues and friends.
Call from God
"Somewhere along the line, Christ took possession of my heart," she said with a smile. "I had the desire to live and love for God -- not that any dedicated, committed Christian doesn't do that, but this is the way in which the Lord led me. When I finally admitted I had this yearning, I had this great joy and peace."She entered the Sisters of St. Joseph in 1993 because she wanted to be a part of "a joyful community of women." Three years ago, she took her temporary vows and never looked back -- except to St. James, where she ended up coming back as a parishioner and lector when she moved back into the neighborhood.
Today, Sister Joan Mary is also a student at Iona College, working toward a graduate degree in pastoral counseling. She will be a counseling intern with Catholic Charities in the fall, and hopes to use her new skills in her campus ministry position as well.
"It's a lot of fun. I'm having a ball," she said of her busy schedule.
Back home
The new sister will also be moving out of her present home, away from St. James parish. While she's still deciding which will be her new parish, she noted, "I will get here [to St. James] as often as I can. I love the 7:30 Sunday night liturgy here -- it's very alive, and there are lots of young people."When she took her vows on August 7, Sister Joan Mary wasn't the only one coming full circle. Her parents walked down the aisle together once again -- this time, to bring up the Offertory gifts during the Mass. Her brother provided music for the occasion.
Said Sister Joan Mary: "St. James will always be one of the places where God and I found each other -- and you can never leave that behind."
(08-12-99) [[In-content Ad]]
MORE NEWS STORIES
- As annual NATO summit emphasizes military readiness, local church leaders call for peace
- Our cities must not be freed of the marginalized, but of marginalization, pope says
- Pope: Everyone should root out fake news fueling conflict, focus on real problems
- AI regulation subject of debate as Senate weighs Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
- Justices rule states can deny Planned Parenthood funding from Medicaid
- Catholic immigration advocate decries high court ruling allowing third-country deportations
- Ceasefire brings some relief, but ‘Gaza is bleeding’ and real peace needed, say experts
- Studies show need to increase Catholic mental health support for young women, mothers
- As families mourn victims of Damascus massacre, families, patriarch, blame Syrian government for lack of protection
- Spain: Archbishop calls for unity following outcry over botched restoration of Marian statue
Comments:
You must login to comment.