Sister Leah

I grew up in a family where there was a strong sense of our Catholic faith and a lot of love.

My Mom and Dad really wanted me and my brother and my two sisters to be happy. They taught us that being happy wasn’t a matter of being the best at something, or being the cutest or being the most popular.

By the way we lived as a family, they taught us that being happy was all about love: giving part of yourself to help others, giving in the way that Jesus teaches us. When you do that, Jesus brings you into the happiness and joy of His love.

I didn’t know many Sisters when I was growing up, but the ones I met and was able to be around seemed to me to understand what being happy was really all about.

It wasn’t like they had a sign on them that said, “I am a happy person.” It was just that they were so obviously being who they really were – women who loved Jesus and who were living in the happiness and joy of His love.

So, my story is that when I was in high school my parish youth group had invited a Sister to come to one of our retreats to talk about the “vocation” of being a Sister. This Sister was sharing stories of how Sisters have been so important in the history of our country – Sisters who had become saints. St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. St. Frances Cabrini. St. Katherine Drexel.

Their stories are incredible! What they accomplished will knock you out!

Anyway, when the Sister showed us a photograph of Blessed Mother Teresa comforting a dying person, something so strange and wonderful happened inside me.

I could see in Mother Teresa’s face what love is – the love that Jesus is.

Yes, I know about the other wonderful ways that love happens in people’s lives. I knew it in the way my parents loved each other. I knew it every time when I fell “in love” during grade school and high school.

But I really saw it – really knew it – in the way Mother Theresa looked at that dying person.

One last and very important thing to tell you about: We take vows.

Wow! Vows! Like forever.

Our vow of chastity gives us the freedom to love everyone. I am so loved by God, and His love is not for me to hold onto, but for me to share willingly with others.

Our vow of obedience helps us to listen to God’s will within us individually and in our community of Sisters.

Our vow of poverty is less about not owning things and more about knowing that God fills the most important needs in our lives.

You can find out more about my life as a Sister by getting in touch with Sister Rina Cappellazzo at the Diocese of Tucson. Give her a call at 520-838-2524, e-mail her at srrc@diocesetucson.org or visit her Web page here.