JANESVILLE — The Sisters of Charity of Our Lady, Mother of the Church are hosting a vocations event on Saturday, Oct. 17, with the theme “Listening with the Heart.”

“Really trying to listen and ponder like Our Blessed Mother,” said Sr. M. Gabriela Maldonado, SCMC, vocation director for the Order. 

“They can just come, learn a little more about what are some things that help us to open our hearts to listen to the Holy Spirit . . .  ‘OK, Lord, You have given me a heart to love with . . . how do You want me, Lord, to give away that love . . . What is my heart made for?’”

The one-day retreat, taking place from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., is aimed at single women ages 18 to 35 and will include prayer, talks, Holy Hour, Confession, and community.

Open to all young women discerning their path, regardless of whether they are interested in the Sisters of Charity specifically, the event is taking place at St. John Vianney Church in Janesville, part of St. Jane Frances de Chantal Parish, 1250 E. Racine St., Janesville.

Lunch will be provided; free will offerings are welcome, but there is no fee to attend. 

To register, click the link at the end of the article. 

For questions, reach out to Sister Gabriela at 860-964-0468 or vocations@sistersofcharity.com

Heartfelt simplicity

The Sisters of Charity of Our Lady, Mother of the Church came to Janesville in 1974, and they serve the elderly at St. Elizabeth Nursing Home.

The charism of the order is to serve the people of God in a spirit of heartfelt simplicity, and they strive to imitate Mary by serving with simplicity in the heart of the Church.

Sister Gabriela, who grew up in Janesville, felt the stirring of a call at her Confirmation Mass, when Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison talked about vocations. 

A year went by, and she was fighting it, but “I couldn’t let myself say no, because my prayer life was growing. And it was also through Our Lady.” She encourages those discerning to pray the Rosary; Our Lady “is the key to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and to peace by knowing His Will.”  

“When I had to let go of what I thought were my dreams . . . the peace that came, that stemmed from just letting go of what I thought was the best plan, and allowing the Lord to speak . . . brought so much joy to me.” 

Now, after 22 years as a Sister, she confidently states that her dreams were fulfilled, though not in the way she expected — the skills she thought she would use as a TV anchor, she now uses as a vocation director.

“Really, really maintain prayer, a real deep prayer life . . . Jesus in the Eucharist, He’s there to heal us, comfort us, guide us, and Mary is the one who helps us to gaze on Him,” she said. 

She encourages young women not to be afraid; God’s plans “are always better than ours, and it always stems out of love, and it’s going to be the best plan ever.”

A history of charity

The order’s history traces back to Holland, where Bishop John Zwijsen founded an order dedicated to educating the young and caring for the elderly. 

He was particularly committed to the education of women, knowing that the formation they received often shaped the Faith of their children and thus generations to come.

The Sisters of Charity of Our Lady, Mother of the Church branched off from this Holland-based order in 1970, with permission from the Church. 

With their Motherhouse now in Connecticut, they remain committed to caring for the elderly and to education, alongside other ministries depending on the needs of the Church. 

They are a congregation of pontifical right, a status granted to them by St. John Paul II.

The saints near and dear to them, besides Our Lady, include St. Joseph, whom they look to as a patron of the interior life, and St. Vincent de Paul, whom they look to as a model of charity. 

In addition to the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, they take a fourth vow to pursue works of charity, according to the needs of the Church, even until death. 

For instance, if there’s a contagious illness that puts them at risk, they would still care for the sick.

To learn more about the sisters, visit sistersofcharity.com.

To register for the retreat, click here.