Sister André Marie
of Divine Mercy

“It is never too late,” my cousin gently said.  It was October 7th, the feast of our Lady of the Rosary, and also my earthly engagement day.  As a devout pray-er of the Rosary, my beloved mother reminded me of the importance of commending myself to our Lady’s protections and so I did, but not with much thought.

I grew up in a loving Catholic family and as devoted as my family was, I never gave much thought to becoming a religious.  This slowly changed after I attended a Charismatic Renewal Conference.  After the conference, I began to attend daily mass and spent time in adoration.  Those precious moments before the Blessed Sacrament ignited my thirst for something beyond the life I was living.  I had everything the world defined as “successful,” but in my heart I felt a yearning.

As I reflected on what my cousin had told me, I realized with the Lord, it is never too late.  With every death, there is a resurrection and only the Lord can heal our broken-hearts and bind our wounds. I ended my engagement with my fiancee and after that, I prayed for direction and started going on medical missions and pilgrimages. Then I realized, instead of going all around the world and rhetorically praying, “Oh Lord, are you calling me?” I prayed for the courage to truly discern by visiting communities.  I did not know that the Dominicans had a cloistered community, but after my first visit, I felt a sense of peace and entered Corpus Christi Monastery on our Lady’s feast, October 7th.

With the clothing of the Dominican habit on our Lady’s feast of the Visitation, I began my second engagement, but with the Lord. My first engagement started in time and ended in time. But with the grace of God and the intercession of Our Lady and St. Joseph, my engagement with the Lord will end in eternal life.

“And this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one Whom you sent, Jesus Christ.” (Jn. 17:3)

Thanks be to God now and forever!