Thanks to Sister Cecilia LaPietra, who shared this reflection on February 2, 2025, at St. Francis of Assisi Church in West Nyack for the celebration of Vita Consecrata on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.
We are happy to be here with you, Parishioners of St. Francis of Assisi Church and with you Fr. Matt and Sister Pat who have kindly welcomed us here to celebrate the Feast of the Presentation on this the World Day of Consecrated Life.
As a Dominican Sister of Sparkill and Director of “One to One Learning”, I am not a stranger to you and as I look out I see some familiar faces of friends, former teachers of One to One and Tea Party organizers and attendees.
So much good is done by you in the outreach that you do in so many ways for so many of the needs of God’s people. We celebrate this day in the context of the Jubilee Year of Hope. And as a parish, reflecting on hope, you have been people of hope to so many.
I want to reflect on Consecrated Life in the context of your lives of dedication as lay women and men in the Church. As religious Sisters and Brothers we have dedicated our lives in many ways to the needs of the people of God. If you think about our ministries of education, care of the sick and aged, religious education, parish work, you, our lay sisters and brothers have been working with us in these ministries or supporting them financially for many years. In many cases the torch has been passed on and you are now the directors of these ministries.
As religious in living the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, we have a freedom and a grace that helps us to reach out in hope to God’s people. Within the context of community, we care for our physical and emotional needs and together, we discern the ways in which we reach out to those we serve. Through your single commitment or marriage vows within your family life, you support the needs of each other, involving your children in the ways in which you reach out to others.
It is not easy to be a pilgrim, there are unknown turns in the journey, we need to go slowly and we need someone to direct and guide us. Through the power and grace of God we are able to continue on our pilgrim path together being messengers of God’s love and peace to all we meet. We are in a circle of relationship, lay, religious, and through our priests in the sacramental life of the Church, we are ministers of hope through our actions on behalf of peace and justice. Our world is so need of our presence and together God works in us and through us, spreading the mission of love.
There is a song by the Monks of Weston Priory, the refrain says it well,
“Life is a journey we travel together, Walking hand in hand with our sisters and brothers. Our lives, though different, are interwoven, creating a beautiful weaving of love in our world.”
Here is the YouTube link for the song, 'Life is a Journey'.
– Sister Cecilia LaPietra, OP
Sister Cecilia is the founder and Executive Director of One to One Learning, a literacy program for immigrants.