From December 5 to 7, at the Vedrunamérica Novitiate Community in Campinas, we had a vocational triduum in preparation for my first vows, which were celebrated on December 8 at St. Monica Parish.
The first day of the triduum was centered on the prayer of the Rosary and the call to Mary, who allowed herself to be questioned by God and said “Let it be done to me according to your word”. It was the moment to express my own vocation and call to Religious Life in the Vedruna family.
The second day was a time to contemplate, to adore and to meet the Lord who is faithful. We did this through the letters of St. Joaquina and the text of Mt. 6:21: “Where your treasure is, there is your heart”.
On the third day we directly involved the young people, who were able to hear from my own voice the meaning of the vows I was going to profess, they did it in a symbolic way by lighting a candle each time.
The long awaited day, December 8th, finally arrived, the day of the Immaculate Conception, where I would publicly express my YES to the God of life. We gathered to celebrate life, faith and vocation. We had a very beautiful and moving Eucharist, where we could all remember our vocation and give thanks to the Lord who makes us sisters. The songs, the liturgy and the setting, the Rite of First Vows, everything helped us to pray. At the end of the mass we shared a breakfast with all the attendees.
On this day, so important for me, I was accompanied by sisters from different communities of Brazil, Alicia Zanichelli and Clara Schilickmann, provincial and delegate respectively, my aunt and cousin, sisters from other congregations and the Christian community. For me it was very important to celebrate with the community the YES to the call that God is making to me.
Both the days of the triduum and the 8th itself were days that I lived with great depth and fruitfulness where we were able to celebrate the joy of the encounter between us as a Congregation and with other people. I give special thanks to those who were involved in preparing everything with great affection.
The celebration awakened in other young people the curiosity to learn about Consecrated Religious Life, I leave them these words:
“The Lord is faithful to us, he continues to knock on our door and wants us to be faithful and happy. Consecrated life is a means that helps us to follow Christ more closely and that demands a lot from us, so we are encouraged.
Maria Júlia da Conceição Souza, ccv
