WHAT ARE YOU

    This is the first question of the ancient formula used for centuries when a young woman, having passed a stipulated time in a cloistered Dominican monastery, desires to continue her formation clothed in the white habit of the Order.  The same question is asked a few years later when she publicly professes her temporary vows, and still later, her final vows.  "Sister, what do you seek?"

    The values of today's world are not the values of yesterday.  Many vocational options are open to the young woman of today which were unimaginable in the past.  Two young members of our community are modern women of today's world, and they may prove helpful to you who may be pondering the values of your present life-style.  One young sister answered very spontaneously: "I am looking for a way to live the gospel values. I could not find this way in our society today, so I came here and am finding it."  This is a good answer because our cloistered monastic life is a triune love story, love of God, love of self and love of neighbor.  We are seeking God and the seeking itself is fruitful in giving his joy to us and to others.

    Another young sister also answered spontaneously: "I am looking for my fulfillment in God.  I am looking for that deep peace and unity within myself which only God can give.  I have asked myself: 'How can I help to better today's world? What are my talents and how may I best use them to fulfill God's command to love him, self and neighbor? What am I looking for?  I am looking for love, I am looking to be loved and to give love'."  This, of course, is the same triune love story, because "community" means love of God, love of self and love of others, interdependent, inseparable realities.