Shadowing Practice: She Never Planned to Be a Sister - Learn English Speaking with Video

It is always a great day at Lights Catholic Action when there is a sister on set.

And today, I even tried to match the colors of her habit, if you ignored the oranges.

Sister Catherine Marie Nguyen is a Dominican sister who serves at St. Maria Goretti Catholic School.

Dominicans are the order of preachers, but she shares how she uniquely preaches in her role as school nurse.

Let's get into it.

Sister Catherine Marie, thank you so much for joining us today.

Thank you so much for having me here.

You are the second sister that we've had on the podcast.

The other one is someone you know well.

And so it's exciting to have you.

And I think you win for the best commute to the studio.

It's a very long, long commute.

You know, depending on what time of the summer it is, it could feel really long and how hot it is.

But we're really blessed to have you.

And I think it's always a joy to be able to talk to some of our religious in the area

and talk about, you know, vocation stories and just introduce people to a life maybe they're not familiar with.

So, again, thank you for joining us.

So tell us a little bit about your upbringing.

And was it ever your dream to be a Dominican sister?

Oh, so I was actually born and raised here in Arlington, Texas.

So I'm home in the diocese of Fort Worth.

I never actually dreamt of becoming a sister.

Never thought of it, considered it.

It's funny because I have an aunt who is a religious sister.

She's a Dominican sister of my community.

And I saw her every now and then, but not so much because she had her ministry and a life of a sister.

and every time the sisters would come and visit my family, which was every now and then,

I would run away because they would always ask me the same question, like, do you want to become a Dominican sister?

And as a kid, you're like, no, no, no, no. But as I got older and they kept asking me that, I just avoid them altogether.

So I was running away from religious life.

It wasn't until I was in high school.

My aunt became the vocation director and she asked me one summer, hey, what are you doing for the summer?

And I just casually answered her, oh, I'm not doing anything, you know?

And she's like, great.

You can go to come and see.

And I was tricked.

I felt I was tricked.

She was a smart lady.

She was because I could not back out.

I already told her I wasn't doing anything.

So I was like, okay, fine.

I will go just to support you though, just to be clear.

And I went and I had the most wonderful time.

I felt so much peace there, but at the end of it, I was, I was still stuck in my mindset.

Like it's not for me.

Like it was nice, peaceful.

The sisters were great, but I have my own life.

Um, I went to a few more come and seize with impure intentions, just to meet with friends, to have a good time, have a good summer, and to just regain that peace.

But I was still set on my own plans for my life, what I wanted to be, what I wanted to do.

I desired greatness, and I thought that was to be a surgeon, to have my own bakery and sweet shop because I like to bake, to travel the world.

And that's just what I wanted for my life.

And so unbeknownst to me, God was, you know, working in my life, as he always does with all of us.

And he was patient and kind.

He planted that seed in my heart, but as much as I pushed it away, it slowly grew in me,

that desire for him, that desire to commit and consecrate my life to him.

and you know in my life it was kind of it manifested in a way of like emptiness

or like something I was longing for but I couldn't find in the world

and it wasn't until um it wasn't until I visited my aunt one day for lunch

and I was in this waiting room I felt like I was waiting forever kind of like

when you're at the doctor's office and you felt like you've been there for hours

it was just this moment where I picked up a pamphlet

and I didn't actually read it or anything

but as soon as I opened it I suddenly felt God's overwhelming love for me

and it was just really weird experience where all of time

and space just stopped

and I felt deep in my heart for the first time in my life this deep conviction

that this is what I was looking for this is it

and this is where belonged where god was calling me to

and so from then on i was like okay lord i don't know what this is

but i'll follow you and so

that gave me the courage to leave my life um here in arlington

and move down to houston um enter the enter the dominican sisters of merriamagli province

and um become a sister wow so

and going back to you know your aunt inviting you on

that first come and see in her very sneaky manner of finding out your summer plans first

when she invited you i don't know

if you've ever talked to her about it was she just

truly just thinking oh this might be something good for her maybe she does have a vocation

or did she you know think no i think she might

and this might help her did she have any particular mindset on

that she didn't share too much with me

but i looking back now i do feel like god was prompting her um

because she saw something in me before I knew that was in myself then.

So she saw something and she acted upon it.

Perhaps it was the Holy Spirit, but she was patient and she persevered and she was just a gentle guide for me when I needed her.

For other people who, you know, maybe in the same place of they don't necessarily maybe think they have a vocation, maybe they've not a religious vocation,

maybe they've not ever discerned that, felt the call.

Would you recommend like going on to come and see your vocations retreat, even if like, you know, yeah, because it worked out obviously in the way that God eventually did lead you down that path.

And for many, maybe it won't, but there's still some, maybe some benefit to going.

Yes, of course, I wholeheartedly encouraged that actually, because all throughout my life and up until my final profession,

which was two years ago when I got my ring, I always asked God, like, why me?

Like, I did not deem myself worthy i did not see myself as a sister

if you knew me in my past like i like to play sports i played rugby even

and i just never thought myself as that typical sister but

if anyone any young woman has that little nudge or that curiosity i encourage them to just consider the religious

religious life and consider that god might be calling them because vocations are this

god has a vocation for all of us that call to holiness

and our particular vocation to married life religious life we have to discern

that to see where god is wanting us to be happy and holy

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i find especially so like in my generation you know the young adults of the world right now

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that there is a lot of fear of you know

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if i do this one thing i've committed to something like

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oh no even with dating you know like i go on

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this one date am i prepared to marry this person's like okay you're not gonna know

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that until you go like you're not even one day it's probably not gonna be enough for you to determine

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if this person's the one that you're gonna marry um and

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so just saying that maybe the little yes is to lead to something else

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and maybe it won't

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but at least you you followed what god was wanting you to do in

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that moment but there's a little bit of of a fear, I think, behind it sometimes.

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So it's good to get the encouragement to go.

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And I think people forget that it's a discernment process.

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That's why our formation is so long.

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It's about 10 years.

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So you're constantly building your relationship with God, but also discerning like, God, this is truly what you're calling me to, because it's a lifelong commitment,

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which we don't take very lightly.

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You know, it's a very serious thing, such as marriage.

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So we have all of that time to discern like, oh, God, is this truly what you're calling me to?

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Going back a little bit to what your, you know, original goals and dreams were for your life, like what, what did you want to do?

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You said you wanted to be great.

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Well, what did that look like to you?

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What were you studying and hoping to be?

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Yeah, I thought greatness for me was being a successful and rich cardiothoracic surgeon.

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Wow.

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And, you know, for my own pleasure to have a bakery.

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I really liked Harry Potter.

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So just like having a Harry Potter themed sweet shop, candy shop.

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While being a cardiovascular surgeon, that was going to be a crazy schedule for you.

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As a kid, it didn't occur to me.

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I mean, it's okay.

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My sister wanted to be a ballerina firefighter.

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So also kind of competing schedules, I think.

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I wanted all the things and just traveling the world and just having it all in the world, in the way the world was presenting it.

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So where were you on that path

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when you finally were sitting in the waiting room to visit your aunt and felt the call?

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Where were you studying at that point?

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Were you in college?

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What was the time of your life were you in?

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It was actually right after I had graduated from college.

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I went to the University of Texas at Dallas with a degree in biology.

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And so it's just like that transitional moment where I was studying for optometry school.

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And God decided that was the perfect time to call me.

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That's amazing.

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So when you felt that call and this is something you're going to pursue, what is the first step look like?

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I mean, you, I guess, conveniently, you had your aunt who I don't know if she was still the vocational director at that point in time, but she at least had had the experience in that role.

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So was your first step to talk to her?

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Yes.

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So just reaching out.

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She was not the vocation director anymore, but it was just reaching out to the sister who was the vocation director.

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And of course, before that you would pray, but reaching out and they would guide you like, okay, perhaps you want to consider going to come and see.

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And I told her I already went, but they're like, no, they encouraged to go again.

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And there's nothing wrong with that.

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Just going to see like, oh, like I had that experience before.

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Has it changed now?

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Or where's God?

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Where am I encountering God now?

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And then from then on, just filling out the application process and being led through that.

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Was the come and see you went on after you actually kind of felt a call?

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Was it very different from the ones that you went on where you're just like, I enjoyed that.

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I felt peaceful.

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Was it a very big difference?

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I would say so in terms of my own spiritual maturity and my intentions.

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It's very funny because the other come and see retreatants, which I occasionally encounter now and then, they would tell me like, oh, you were really serious.

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We knew you were going to join.

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But I still felt that same peace.

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But my intentions there were like was more a confirmation of, yes, Lord, this is where you want me to be.

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And it was just an affirmation of where God was calling me to.

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It's amazing.

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Talked about the 10 years, you know, journey that takes to before you take the final vows.

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Can you talk about what that looks like breaking down?

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What are you doing for 10 years besides continuing to grow in your relationship with Jesus and making sure, you know, Lord, this is what you're calling me to do.

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What are you doing during those 10 years of formation?

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So for our years of formation, we have our first two, three years as postulants.

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And so as a postulant, you are introduced into our way of life, the religious life, the Dominican sisters.

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You learn how to pray, the liturgy of the hours, and just the routine of the community.

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You take introductory courses such as introduction of sacred scripture, Dominican history, and the such.

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After those two or three years, you become a novice, and that's when you receive the habit.

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And you'll see the white veils that indicates that they are novices.

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that is also when you receive your religious name.

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So you really received your religious name by the superior.

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The superior ultimately chooses your religious names, even though you get a little input on which saints inspire you.

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But after that, you receive the habit, your religious name.

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You're in the novitiate for two years.

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You're studying you are those are sacred years where you get to pray more

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and develop that relationship with god in silence

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so as a novice you don't really get to interact much with the world

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or with other sisters just amongst yourself and that's just to really solidify

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that foundation you have with god because ultimately a religious call is between you

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and god but also in the community after those two years

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you make your a petition to do temporary vows

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so our temporary professional vows is a six-year process each year you would renew your vows

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but those student sisters are now sent out to study

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whether it's at the university or classes online classes at home

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or classes where the professors come to the convent they are voting up their professional degrees

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so that they can go out in ministry once they are finally professed

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so 10 years yes i mean it's an important like you

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said it's a big decision it's important to to know

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and you know take time with it for sure

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when uh with the name sister catherine marie we have you

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know we have a few different saints with those names is there a particular saint catherine of siena

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that that saint catherine is for or do you know Yes, it was Saint Catherine of Siena.

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And it's very interesting because she was actually my third choice.

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I just thought the name Catherine was nice.

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And I hope she doesn't rebuke me, hopefully, once I get to heaven.

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I tell people, like, I just thought she was the weirdest saint.

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Have you ever heard some of her stories?

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She's got some interesting stories a great saint

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but i just thought she was really weird um little did i know i found out afterwards

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that she's actually the patron saint of nurses and that's what i am

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so um she's a wonderful intercessor that god had chosen for me through my superior

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and i'm very grateful for it that's amazing

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and the marie prize is for the blessed mother

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or blessed mother awesome now you've got some great people backing you

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that is awesome um and

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so once you completed you did all your formation was in Houston uh is

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that where it was and then at

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that point how is does the mother superior you know choose then from where you will go

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and how from that house in particular how far would you all go out sisters

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that come from there how far could they be spread out

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or sent to go work so potentially our um our provincial superior she assigns us each year

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um not necessarily meaning that we move each year

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but um we receive we can receive our assignments each year

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and we have a total of eight houses six in texas

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and two in california

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so we didn't go as far as california our uh newest convent is actually in san jose

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so saint for saudi convent over there that's awesome very cool and then

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so for your first few years what what was your role what were your first you know assignments

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that you were sent to do um after i made my

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final profession of religious fellows i was assigned here to diocese of fort worth I've been here.

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This is my third year here.

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I am very blessed and glad to be here.

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I have been a school nurse.

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I'm the first one in my province to become a school nurse.

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We have other nurses, but we usually do home health or other positions.

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And I've fallen in love with school nursing.

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So praise God.

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I think it's amazing that, you know, the Lord found a way for you to use your passion of wanting to,

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you know, heal people bodily that you originally were intending to do within your vocation now, which is really cool.

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At what point was, were you always aware when you entered

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that that might be something

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that you end up doing within the Dominicans is being doing nursing of some form because of your background with biology?

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Or when was that decided?

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I've always had an interest in healthcare, hence my first degree in biology.

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But as a Dominican sister, when I was in formation, I did open myself up to education as well, because we are an order of preachers,

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and most of our sisters preach through education.

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So we do have a handful of nurses, but not too many.

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And I asked the Lord, like, Lord, where do you want me to serve?

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Like, is it an education where I'm not very familiar with, but I'm open if that's where you're wanting me to serve?

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Or is it through health care?

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And ultimately, it was defaulting back to health care each and every time.

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And I think my superior recognized that and she allowed me to pursue nursing.

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That's awesome.

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I want to talk a little bit more about what you're doing here in the diocese and with your new role, especially at St. Maria Grady.

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um but before that i think it would be interesting to talk a little bit about the dominicans

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and specifically that you know your order the the house that you come from and its history um

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and maybe if you don't mind actually to start explaining a little bit

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when people are like okay dominicans are dominicans i know them i see them around i get

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that but explaining how you can come from different houses different areas

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and you know i'm really not using the right terminology

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but you know what i mean like how that comes to be

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and how there can be different ones uh

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and be sent out to different places versus like it's not like dominicans is like all coming from one place

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that makes sense oddly worded question okay

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so um with the dominicans um we were founded by saint dominic de guzman back in 1216 um

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so back in europe um i mean there are

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so many different religious orders in the church and with different charisms

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and that's just the work of the holy spirit how are we called to serve the church

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or the needs of the church during that time and

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so with the dominicans we preach for the salvation of souls and for the glorification of god

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back then in 12 the 13th century it was to combat heresy now it's more just to preach the truth

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for the salvation of souls in general.

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The Dominicans made their presence in Southeast Asia and Vietnam in the, I'd say, the 16th, 17th century.

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But my congregation, the congregation of St. Catherine of Siena,

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or the congregation of the Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena was not established until 1958.

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And so that's how our mother house was established in Vietnam.

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Sorry, what was your question?

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That's okay.

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So yeah, so the history, so they started in Vietnam.

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So how did it end up in Houston?

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How did we end up in America?

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How did that all happen?

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Okay, so from 1958, when we were established in Vietnam, we had two sisters who were sent, I'd say about 1970.

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They were sent to the US to study.

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And at first, the intention there was to bring back that knowledge whether in nursing or whatever area,

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so to promote the growth of our congregation in Vietnam.

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And then in 1975, with the Vietnam War, there were sisters who were missioned along the coastline of Vietnam, and they were forced to escape with the other refugees.

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And through God's providence, they made their way to the U.S.

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They were at the refugee camps at Arkansas and Florida,

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and they were able to reunite with the sisters who were already studying here in Connecticut.

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Unfortunately, in Connecticut, the temperatures were a little bit too cold for our sisters.

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So they migrated down to Texas where we have nice and warm weather down here.

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And in Houston, the Archdiocese of Galveston, Houston is where they had made their home.

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It was amazing.

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That's awesome.

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And I meant to ask you this earlier, but when you were going through the discernment process, obviously you'd had exposure to Dominican sisters through your aunt.

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Did you ever look into other orders?

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Because like you mentioned, every order has a different charism.

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Or did you always feel very called to join the Dominicans?

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I think personally for me, I just joined the Dominicans because I was familiar.

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And it was just where I felt God was calling me.

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So with that in mind, I just never thought to seek anywhere else.

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But I do encourage young ladies, like if they are in that discernment process and they want to research the different orders,

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the different communities, because each community serves in a different way, different aspect.

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Those are the different charisms.

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I encourage them to do so so

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that they know where maybe God is using their gifts and talents to serve the church.

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Whenever I think about the different orders that our church has, I think it's really beautiful because like you mentioned, using our gifts and talents is that sometimes maybe people get an idea of like,

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oh, I could never be a sister because I don't have, I'm not like this or I'm not a teacher.

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I'm not, you know, there's various things are like, oh, I'm too much of this kind of person.

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I'm like, I think there's a place, you know, if God is calling you into a religious vocation, I think there is an order and a place for you

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that you can find for all types of personalities and strengths that we have.

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With our community, we have 106 members this year.

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And can you imagine 106 very different personalities, very different people.

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And yet God calls you to that certain place where you belong.

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I joke with my own self sometimes in prayer

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that I never thought I would be like the other sisters where they're very gentle and sweet.

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I mean, I try my best to be, But I'm known in my comments to actually have a reputation to be the prankster and jokester.

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So I kind of break that mold a little bit.

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But just, you know, spreading joy and laughter among my sisters.

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I think that's where God's love is.

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And, you know, God uses our personalities, our, you know, who we are to brand the world a little bit more.

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Yeah.

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Yeah, it's amazing.

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I remember a couple years ago, my sister and I volunteered for the same retreat two years in a row.

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And one year, she had one particular role that had a lot to do with, like, leading everyone spiritually in prayer and preparing for the retreat.

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And she, you know, did it so beautifully.

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And then the next year, I and another woman were called to do that role.

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And I just remember thinking for a second going, like, do they really want me after seeing her?

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Because, like, we are – it's going to be very different.

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And I just was like, you know what?

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It's okay.

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That's okay every retreat is going to be a little bit different in how we do it.

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The Lord will work it out and that how we lead things

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and do things are going to be just a little bit different.

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And I think that's the beauty of it too.

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Yeah.

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We just have to trust that God is working in us and through us.

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We don't have to be like anyone else.

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God created us to be unique and that's who he wants us to be.

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I'm curious, you know, kind of going on this idea

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that people have an idea in their head of maybe what a religious sister is going to be like

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when they meet them, if they meet them a certain personality.

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When you are out and about in habit, you know, like this, like, what are the reactions you get?

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Like, have you gotten any interesting questions or people just being absolutely confused?

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Like, what do you get?

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It's the funniest thing because when I go out to Walmart to grab something

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or the worst time to go is in October because people will come up to me and they will ask me, are you a real sister?

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Like, are you a nun? like is this a costume and

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and it's it's very shocking at first but after a

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while it's a very beautiful way

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because that's the way for people to be evangelized i'm glad they have the courage to come up to me

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and ask because it starts a conversation

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and um that's you know you can evangelize at walmart yeah

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honestly that's what we needed to be doing all the time wherever we go

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which is awesome that's one thing i've always thought i'm like man it's

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so great you know if you be religious

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because you're just everyone's always gonna kind of know like wherever

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you go it's where i'm like i'm like right now i'm wearing maybe something

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that maybe non-catholics wouldn't immediately recognize just like the sacred heart the immaculate heart

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and the most shaped heart you know um on my necklace

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so someone comments like oh nice necklace they may not be saying nice necklace

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because they know the meaning behind it that's why like wearing a crucifix something is kind of nice

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because it does also lend that opportunity uh for the lay people that's what we can do.

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But going back to, you know, your story of you got sent here to the Diocese of Fort Worth, got to return home, which is really, you know, a blessing for us.

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Talk about your first assignments and how that went.

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Okay.

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So my first year at the Diocese of Fort Worth, I was a school nurse for two schools, actually, St. George Catholic School and St. Rita.

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And they have been so wonderful.

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I I've learned so much.

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I'm so grateful for those opportunities and just meeting the children there, the people there, and learning how to minister to them in the best way that I can,

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not just in healthcare, but just as a religious sister and just as a person, a follower of Christ and just being present among them.

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At those schools, are there other Dominican sisters at those or were you the only one?

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We have a teaching sister at St. George Catholic School.

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She currently still is there.

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She's teaching third grade at St. George.

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Nice.

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That's awesome.

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I was always curious because, you know, sometimes, especially for the kids to get there, you know, get that interaction with a sister and, you know, have their eyes open to other vocations and things like that,

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I think is really special.

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So even if you're not having to, you know, put a bandaid or heal, you know, heal something for them, it is something beautiful, like you said, having the interactions with the kids.

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And then just in the last few days at the time of this recording,

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you started a new role at St. Maria Gretti Catholic School as the school nurse there.

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So talk about your first few days.

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You survived.

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You're here on the couch.

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You made it.

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So talk about that transition and what it's been like at St. Maria Gretti.

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Everyone there has been so welcoming, from Father Maul to the principal, the staff, and the children.

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They are just so pure and happy.

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And it's very funny because a second grader was walking down the hallway with me during dismissal.

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And she was like, hi, Sister Catherine.

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She already knew my name.

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And she's like, so how many were there any kids who came into the clinic today?

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And she just had the most pure giggle.

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And it was just so heartwarming because, you know, the kids care.

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They're beautiful they're they're they just i know

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that they want me to be there as as well as any of the schools

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and i am just glad that god has placed me wherever i am

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and i give my whole heart um all of my energy

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and time to be there to serve god at where i am

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so i'll admit i was homeschooled

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so i didn't have a school nurse my school nurse was

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my mom like go open the medicine cabinet let's see um

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so apart from like obviously

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if a child is in need of something they're feeling ill they've gotten hurt

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and they come to you what does a day-to-day look like as a school nurse at a catholic school

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what is that well these past few days have been a little bit more hectic just

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because we're at the beginning of the school year getting into routine

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but um a routine of a school nurse as in my

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position i i get there um i help with carline if parents have questions or concerns they can

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meet me at the car line if, you know, I know that they are busy going to work.

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So that would be the perfect time for them to ask me questions.

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And then after that, you know, just going through the routines of the school,

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monitoring children who need certain healthcare needs throughout the whole day, depending on their health conditions,

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giving medication, all of all, you know, just having my walkie-talkies and devices where teachers can communicate with me

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that they need me here or there at the playground, whether it's like a head injury or a scraped knee.

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I'm just going around the campus or in my clinic, just depending on the day.

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If I can find a quiet time where there are no students, I can finally do paperwork.

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I think people tend to forget that each student that comes in.

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We still have to do paperwork, but just finding time to get that in between.

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At lunchtime, I'm on lunch duty, so I get to see the children, interact with them, and hopefully they're all, everyone gets a good healthy meal,

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no accidents or injuries or anything, incidents at lunch.

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The whole, the rest of the day is still caring for the needs of children, just depending if they're coming in from recess or PE.

424

So just a lot of running around, being a nurse.

425

Being a nurse.

426

Yes, making sure everyone's happy and healthy.

427

And being as the Dominicans are, as you mentioned, the order of preachers, right?

428

How do, does your role as a nurse, how are you able to live out

429

that part of the vocation of being a preacher in the role where you're maybe not standing in front of the classroom, teaching the kids or, you know,

430

or in that realm, how do you see your role fitting into this?

431

Yeah.

432

So my sisters, they get the privilege of, you know, standing in front of the classrooms, preaching and teaching the truth to the students.

433

For my unique role as a school nurse, it's a different way of preaching, I would say.

434

I think of it as a participation in Christ's healing ministry

435

so christ when he was here he had session times

436

when he preached and other times when he was healing people and

437

if you look back at those miracle stories each healing was

438

associated with an act of faith like people were praising god after they were healed or it increased their faith and

439

And as a school nurse, I get to do that in the sense that I preach with my life, my care, my compassion with the kids.

440

They preach God's love to the children.

441

I interact with parents, with the staff, just being God's love and presence to them in their days.

442

There was actually a time when, in my nursing experience, where I thought I wasn't helping a child much because as a school nurse, you know, when a student has a fever,

443

all you can do pretty much is call the parents to take them home.

444

And I was just caring for the child as much as I can, making sure they're comfortable while they waited.

445

And I didn't know that I was doing very much until, you know, the weeks afterwards, every time that the student saw me,

446

they would run up to me and hug me and say, sister, because they remembered that act of care and compassion.

447

And I think it spoke to them much more than anything else that I said or did.

448

Yeah, I remember you as a person who comforted them while they were not feeling well, that you were, yeah, like the hands of Peter Jesus for them that moment.

449

That's so beautiful.

450

And I think that must be such a fun role to be in, in that you do get to be in amongst the children, but you're still getting to do you know something

451

that god had put on your heart

452

which is to be be a nurse be working in

453

that industry which it's so cool i love

454

when i hear vocation stories where you know there's a strong desire to do something

455

and it's honestly a bad desire or anything like that

456

but then you maybe go down the vocation that god's calling you to

457

and you're thinking there's no way

458

that could be you know intersected i i don't know if you've heard the um story of sister claire Crockett.

459

I think her cause for canonization was just opened, but she was a sister from Ireland who I don't think had a faith background at all, really wanted to be famous,

460

like really wanted to be a famous movie star.

461

And she ended up accidentally ending up on a pilgrimage.

462

It's a great documentary if anyone wants to watch it.

463

But she, on that pilgrimage, felt the call to a religious vocation

464

and ended up in somewhere in South America

465

and did a beautiful job like using her energy

466

and her acting abilities to engage children when she couldn't didn't know the language

467

and she unfortunately you know tragically died in an earthquake back in 2015

468

but then if you think about it now like

469

so many people know who she is and are you know

470

and she's like Catholic famous in

471

that like we you know a lot of people are asking for intercession

472

and calls for canonization is open

473

and I think it's just really cool how God can work

474

and I don't know open doors that you would never would have seen

475

and that's why you have to trust him in the process of it

476

so yeah that's amazing um

477

and is there has there been is there a particular time in your work day

478

that is one of your favorites whether it's a time where you get to stop

479

and pray time where you get to be with the children

480

or be with your your fellow sisters like what is your

481

favorite part of your day daily life um personally i love my mornings

482

so as in my community as a dominican sister we begin

483

our day with um prayer with the liturgy of the hours we have meditation

484

and mass so i get to begin my day being united to christ

485

and then my second sorry i'm gonna squeeze this in my

486

second favorite thing of the day is just welcoming the children at school.

487

They're so glad to be there.

488

And some of my fondest memories are in the morning because the children will be like, hey, sis, how are you?

489

Or like, hi, sister Catherine.

490

They're so joyful.

491

And it fills my heart with a lot of joy.

492

That is amazing.

493

Yeah.

494

Especially the first part of the day is when they got exceptional energy, I bet too.

495

They're like, let's go.

496

That's awesome.

497

Parents are probably like, oh, let's go.

498

That's amazing.

499

Going back to, you know, community life with you and the sisters, you live here on the Nolan campus,

500

again, the longest commute that we have to get over to our studio.

501

Talk a little bit about what that is like.

502

You mentioned that you have a bit of a reputation as the prankster.

503

Talk about, you know, living in community with your sisters

504

and what that is like

505

so um it's such a blessing to be in community um we grow

506

and we get to know each other

507

because each year there may be a new sister who's assigned

508

or a sister who leaves and that changes the the dynamic of the community

509

but you're constantly learning about the people god has placed in your life

510

and first and foremost just like in a family my sisters are my family um and and I get to know them.

511

Of course, we are busy in our ministry, so we're gone most of the day, but once we come back, we have prayer together, so we're united spiritually.

512

And then we have dinner.

513

We have meals together and recreation or gospel sharing.

514

And that's when we really get to build our relationships.

515

We get to build those relationships with each other and find Christ in our lives.

516

So we're always encouraging each other to grow in holiness.

517

And have some joy if it's pulling a prank.

518

Oh, yes, it does.

519

That's amazing.

520

um and i'm curious uh with all the other sisters

521

and all the different you know jobs that they go out to

522

and stuff like that do you all get to carpool at times

523

because obviously you're going off i don't know you have another there are other sisters

524

that go to saint marie gretti too is

525

that no not the only one oh no i would have to

526

but we do have a few sisters where they're assigned to the same school

527

so they'll commute with each other um i envy them a little bit because they'll take turns driving.

528

Yeah, that's so nice.

529

So that's very nice.

530

So someone can have breakfast one morning and the other one can have breakfast on other days.

531

That is very cool.

532

And it must be a blessing too.

533

I mean, even though you're not working here at Nolan, I know some of the sisters are, but being on the campus must be kind of interesting too, because when you come back, they're probably extracurricular activities too.

534

And if you go on an afternoon walk, you're probably walking by the football field and stuff like that.

535

Do you ever get to interact with nolan students too oh yes

536

so i mean the most interesting um thing is sometimes we'll be in adoration where it's complete silence

537

and right before football games the marching band comes by um

538

and so before we had our little stained glass windows you would see the band kids playing on their drums

539

and instruments and it it makes me laugh and giggle

540

because i feel like god has a sense of humor

541

and those are the times when perhaps if a sister was sleeping it would wake her up or

542

Or just a reminder that God is saying, hey, this is where I am.

543

And it's in the midst of his people.

544

Other times, it's a privilege to be so close on campus because we get to walk by the field, watch football games.

545

The students and families, they always love when we're there.

546

They're always like, sister, hi, come.

547

Always come and be with us.

548

And they're very joyful so i keep

549

because it keeps catching the light you talked earlier about

550

when you get your ring in formation can you talk a

551

little bit about um you know the significance of having the ring

552

and also you know is it everyone has the same design

553

does it look all the same maybe can you explain a little bit about that okay

554

so uh with my ring here um yeah it's it's basically all the same it's very simple there's a heart

555

and a cross on it and it just simplifies you know we have consecrated our lives to the Lord completely.

556

Just like married couples have their rings to signify their vows.

557

Well, this is my vow to the Lord.

558

And something, you're not required to do this, but just something personal that I do is after I receive Holy Communion each and every day,

559

I kiss my ring as a sign of a reminder that I am truly consecrated and united to Him.

560

So a reminder for my own vows.

561

It's nice to have that little tangible reminder.

562

I know that whenever I've talked to other women about, you know, discerning a religious vocation or been on various retreats and things like that, that there's a bit of,

563

you know, kind of coming back into the fear thing of like, well, if I became a sister, like, but I really feel, you know, I want to be a mom or I want to,

564

you know, I want to be able to be a mother to someone or, and, you know, be a spouse.

565

like how would you explain like how being a sister you

566

can fulfill those things in a different way too like how

567

what would you say to the girl who's like maybe thinks

568

that she might be called

569

but she has those hesitations i i think we're all like as women we're embedded with

570

that natural desire for family um if not there might be some concerns

571

but it's it's a beautiful thing actually and it doesn't negate the fact

572

that god might be calling you um you're called to become a spiritual mother

573

to have many spiritual children to minister to them to love

574

and care for them but in a different capacity right um with the non-attached

575

but unconditional love in which god loves each and every one of us

576

so just receiving everybody and loving and just you know finding god present in each

577

and every person so uh and then i wonder

578

if for any of those maybe especially some the those who are lay people in the workforce

579

or in family life do you have any words of encouragement

580

of how to integrate you know um walking with their faith every day into their daily life

581

because i think you know sometimes people could be like oh man

582

if i was in religious life i'd have all these times where I get to pray.

583

It's part of my schedule.

584

Like it's, it's all set up.

585

I know there's sometimes can be a little bit of that.

586

Like, oh, it's not the same being, you know, in a lady, you know, I can't, I don't have these time for these things.

587

Would you have any encouragement for how to live out the faith in, for the lay faithful?

588

Like, is there any tips that you might give?

589

I would say prioritize because if we truly recognize the truth that God is first and foremost,

590

the most important aspect of our lives.

591

He's just not like a part, but like he's at the center of it.

592

Then we will recognize like, oh, our life should revolve around that.

593

And I know that sounds very difficult, especially if you have family and young children, but that's the truth.

594

Now, the way we see and practice that can vary and it's flexible because God is with us and among us.

595

But it can be as short or as practical as when you're driving.

596

And we're always driving somewhere, especially when we're in Texas.

597

Yes.

598

But, you know, just offering that prayer like, God, be with me today.

599

Or say an Our Father, a decade of the rosary.

600

It doesn't have to be anything strenuous or long where you block out time and, no, no one disturbed me during this time.

601

But you incorporate that prayer, that relationship and communication with God throughout your day.

602

as it could be a few seconds when you wake up before you go to bed.

603

But just, I encourage, like, practice.

604

And if you find yourself failing or forgetting, don't be discouraged, but continue, flame that fire.

605

And if it's at all possible, go to Mass, not just on Sundays, but daily Mass.

606

And that really nourishes your spiritual life.

607

So I'm hearing, Sister, since the time that you were going through the formation, a discernment process, you know, taking your final vows and living your day to day.

608

Have you ever had a time where you just felt like spiritually off?

609

Like you were like, oh man, my prayer life's not where it is.

610

I'm not really feeling connected to the Lord.

611

Has that ever, have you had a dry season before in the last like 10, 15 years?

612

Oh yes.

613

I think a lot of people forget that as religious, like we are normal and we go through those cycles of times too,

614

with cycles of desolation where we feel prayers dry.

615

God is absent like you know Saint Teresa of Calcutta where she felt

616

that dryness and that darkness

617

but there are also times of consolation where God is very near

618

and dear to us and you know I do experience

619

that from time to time but it's I've learned

620

that it's an opportunity for growth because that's

621

when our faith is tested right how willing am I to hold on to Christ like in the Bible passage

622

when St. Peter was walking on the water and he's thinking like, am I quick to call out to Jesus to save me?

623

Or am I trying to swim by myself and save myself?

624

Right?

625

So those times of desolation are just opportunities for me to look up and not inward at myself, but look up at God and say,

626

God, where are you to seek him more?

627

It's a good reminder because yeah, it is easy to look and see you know priests

628

and sisters and brothers and be like oh they can't go through the same things they do

629

but again we're all we're all on the same path to

630

holiness oh sister it's been a delight to have you today

631

before we you know close out uh i'd like to ask

632

you some questions from our rapidish uh catholic uh fire rapidish

633

quick fire catholic questions i think i messed it up

634

but um you the dominicans have a lot of amazing saints uh in there you as you mentioned St. Dominic, the founder, St. Thomas Aquinas is a Dominican.

635

But I'm curious, is there a particular saint in your day-to-day that you maybe call on for intercession the most?

636

Oh, wow, there's so many.

637

I love them all.

638

It's so hard.

639

I guess as a school nurse, I would call on St. Catherine of Siena, she's the patient saint of nurses, and my own personal patron saint.

640

But she also encourages me, you know, she's quoted to say, be who God meant you to be, and you will set the world on fire.

641

And that's the fire of God's love, the fire of Holy Spirit.

642

And that's what encourages me on a day-to-day basis.

643

And Romy, was St. Gatissian, is she a lay Dominican?

644

She is a tertiary, so third order Dominican.

645

Gotcha.

646

Okay.

647

That's what I thought.

648

I couldn't remember.

649

I was trying to imagine her habit in my head.

650

I was like, oh no. And then is there a particular prayer,

651

whether it's a spontaneous prayer that you might do or one of our memorized prayers that you also rely on heavily?

652

I actually, it's nothing new, but it's something I came up with.

653

When something good is happening, I say to myself to give God a high five.

654

And what I do is, like with my five fingers, I pray, Our Father, the three Hail Marys, and the Glory Be, just to give God a high five.

655

And then in times of desolation or needing God's help, well, I think and meditate on St. Peter when he was sinking in the Sea of Galilee,

656

reaching out to Christ.

657

And again, just those five prayers, our Father, three Hail Marys and Glory Be.

658

Nothing new, but the intention there is reaching out to Christ and asking him to save me.

659

And then finally, is there someone in your life, whether it's another sister or someone else, who really inspires you to grow in holiness?

660

My mom.

661

So in religious life, we leave our families, but my mom has always been that person in my life who has influenced my life.

662

my life of faith the most.

663

She's very humble.

664

She's very sweet.

665

And she always, even as a religious, encourages me to pray and pray often.

666

That's such a mom thing to do.

667

Like you're in, you're, you're living in the convent with a bunch of sisters are praying together.

668

She's like, pray often, make sure.

669

She's like, I'm still doing my role here.

670

That's awesome.

671

That's amazing.

672

Well, sister, thank you so much for joining us today

673

and for all that you do for our little ones at St. Maria Greti and, you know, the other schools that you help with in our diocese. And

674

I know I'm just so happy

675

that our kids in our diocese get to have exposure to

676

a sister on their campus just to be introduced to another vocation

677

and to see the love that God has for them through other people.

678

Thank you so much, Cicel, for having me here.

679

Of course, and thank you to everyone who has been watching or listening every single week here on Lights Catholic Action.

680

We bring you some interesting people from our diocese who are doing beautiful things, who are working for the Lord, and we'd love you to be a part of our community

681

every week by following us on our social media platforms

682

that includes facebook x instagram and youtube

683

and you can also follow us wherever you find your favorite podcasts

684

and make sure that you never miss an episode we're a production of the diocese of fort worth

685

and we are so glad that you're here until next time have a wonderful rest of your day

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What is the Shadowing Technique?