Come and See

I was given another amazing opportunity to live with the Sisters again, but this time it was for two weeks and it was a chance to really experience their daily routine. Every prospective candidate is required to live with the Sisters for fifteen days if they feel the call to become a nun. I am still not quite sure about God’s will for me yet, in case you’re wondering. The whole experience was amazing and it will not be forgotten anytime soon. I stayed with the postulants and their mistresses (the Sisters in charge of guiding them) at Prem Dan. I was under Sister Veronica’s charge and she had five postulants in her group. One of the postulants, Sister Cicilia, was assigned to be my angel. She was the one who guided me throughout my stay and reminded me what I was supposed to do every hour. They have a detailed schedule for every hour since they are still in formation. When I arrived, I was given a tour of their simple living area. They all sleep in the same room, so there is no privacy whatsoever. I had my own little room right next to their room though. Sister Cicilia and all the other Sisters went out and beyond to help me adjust to their way of living and made me feel right at home. I was treated so well by all of them; needless to say we all got along incredibly well.
 

The Sisters I lived with.

A typical day was usually filled with prayers, taking care of the patients, and house chores. We began our day at four-forty in the morning every day, expect Thursday. Thursday is a day of rest and extra prayer time for the sisters, so we got to sleep in until five. We were given twenty minutes to get ready for Morning Prayer. After an hour of Morning Prayer and meditation we had thirty-minutes to clean the whole house. I helped with the sweeping and dusting every morning. Since Kolkata is a dusty city and most people leave their windows open, dusting is a must. By six-thirty we ceased our house work and attended Mass in the big chapel downstairs. Whenever it was time for prayer, Mass, or other announcements a bell was rung a certain number of times to kindly inform us since it’s the easiest way to communicate without using any technologies. Once Mass was over we all ate together. We normally had a simple breakfast of chipotles, bananas and chai. On Thursdays, Sundays and on Feast days the meals are better though. After breakfast, we went back to our unfinished house chores and washed our clothes before we went out for apostolate at eight. We washed everything by hand, which made me really appreciate all the washing machines we take for granted. 

Prem Dan

Right before we went out to work (apostolate), we all gathered together and prayed. I worked with the female patients at Prem Dan mostly. After the general cleaning of the ward, I was free to spend time with the lovely ladies. They all enjoyed being pampered, especially getting their nails painted and having lotion massaged into their dry skin. I also helped them to the bathroom, cut their nails, and gave them water if they were thirsty. My absolute favorite part was seeing their smiles light up their faces after I greeted them each time. Making someone happy doesn’t always have to involve gifts; what’s more important is taking the time to talk to them and to be with them. 

At ten-thirty we took a break and had a small snack before mid-morning prayer. Then we returned to the female ward and helped serve lunch and fed the ones who couldn’t feed themselves. After we helped the ladies to bed and all the dishes were washed and put away, we returned to our building and had lunch. The lunch was usually simple as well. We had rice, vegetables, dal, and fruit for lunch and dinner every day. And chicken and fish two or three times a week. Following lunch, we retrieved our dried clothes from the rooftop and prayed the Stations of the Cross if we had time before our afternoon nap at one-thirty. The thirty minute power nap was usually just enough to help me get through the rest of the day without feeling too exhausted. We then had a small snack and tea before we began our spiritual reading and personal study. Since my group stayed home and worked on their homework, I went with the other group to the ward in the afternoon at three-thirty. The afternoon was more relaxing than the morning because we had more time to be with the patients. The first thing I generally did was crush the pills and made sure the patients consumed the whole cup. Then I was free to spend time with them until five-thirty. From five-thirty to seven-thirty we had adoration and personal prayer. After adoration we had a simple dinner and recreation until nine. The Sister usually mended their sarees and worked on crafts during this time, but sometimes we had time to play cards. I taught them how to play Uno one night and we all had a blast. At nine sharp we had night prayers and then we were free to take a bath and go to bed after that. 

 

 

On Sundays, I helped the Sisters with catechism at St. Mary's church. I worked with the little children and helped them with the many activities the Sisters prepared. After teaching, I went with the Sisters and paid home visits to the families they are assigned to. They check on the families and make sure they are doing well. If their salary was not enough to pay for food or their bills for the month, the Sisters gave rations to them and helped pay the bills. 

This tiny house belongs to a family of five.

I was able to adjust to their way of living quite easily. Sister Veronica even mentioned several times how well I blended in with the postulants.  I can honestly say being in the presence of Jesus every day for hours on end has been wonderfully enriching for me and I have unquestionably grown closer to Him more than ever. It's amazing how much time we have for Jesus when all the distractions from the outside world are removed from the equation. It's so inspiring to witness the joy they spread to others because of their closeness to Jesus. Everything they do is for Jesus and to Jesus.

I always thought the life of a nun was not for me, until I came to India. I guess I never really considerate it because I didn't want to give up my personal dreams and I didn’t fully understand what they really did. I was told numerous times by different Sisters that God will give me the grace to live the life of a MC if I am called to be a nun and if I stay faithful to Him. They all were so supportive and their kindness was just beyond wonderful. Even though vocations are decreasing they never pressured me to join their congregation, but always told me if it's truly God's will I will never truly be satisfied with any other life except the one He wants me to live. And since my greatest desire is to live a holy life and to become a saint, the surest way is to surrender my life to Him completely and let Him live through me. 

 

I know I will have to give up a lot if I join the Missionaries of Charity (MC), but I will be gaining a lot as well. By giving my whole life to Jesus alone, I will have the chance to dedicate every minute to bring the light and love of Jesus to the very souls in need of Him. I will be allowed to go home once every ten years for three weeks to visit my family, but they are allowed to come and visit me anytime though. And once a month I can write a letter to my family and receive a call from them. I will also have to give up every material item I own, which won’t be too difficult. Not every religious congregation is as strict as the Missionaries of Charity. They live like that because if they truly want to help the poor and identify with the people they serve they have to live like them. Anything that can distract them from Jesus and His work is not worth the sacrifices they make each day.

The days after Camp

The Sisters were kind enough to let us stay with them for three more days after camp ended. They wanted us to see their community and visit the people they serve. We visited one of the centers run by the Brothers about two hours away. Since the center is rather far from Mother House, the Brothers don’t usually receive any help from volunteers. One of the ladies who cooked lunch for the children during camp lived nearby, so we crossed the river on a boat and her son picked us up and took us to their house. Their little village was so beautiful and quite peaceful. There were lush, green coconut trees scattered everywhere and small ponds next to every house and around every corner. I especially loved seeing all the greenery and it made me wish I could see it every day. I really enjoy marveling at God’s beautiful nature, but living in a huge city does make it hard to appreciate His wonderful creations. 

When we arrived at their house they immediately offered us fresh coconut juice. Her family even cooked a scrumptious Indian lunch for us and I used my hand to eat for the first time in India. It was a little hard eating rice with my fingers, but I managed quiet well after a while. Their house was quiet cozy. They had two bedrooms next to each other and a small room in front of the bedrooms. The kitchen was attached to the front of the house off to the right. They also had a small garden and they raised their own chickens and ducks. After lunch, we took a ride on a small motorized trailer around their village. The road was narrow, wet and unpaved so it was quite a bumpy ride. The ride was really fun expect for the part where I almost fell off. We also had to avoid running over all the loose goats and cows roaming around lazily.

The next day, the sisters took us to visit some of the children that attended the Bible camp. The families we visited live in a small Catholic community and most of them are related. It was so neat to see a very strong Catholic community despite the fact that they are surrounded by so many unbelievers in their village. The children were so excited to see us when we arrived and they happily showed us their homes and introduced their parents to us. The design of their houses was very similar to the one we visited the day before. Although they live in a small house and the whole family share one bed in most cases, they still radiate joy and I particularly love the fact that they don’t let their economic situation determine their happiness whatsoever. They know God is watching over them and will never forsake them.

 

 

Living with the Sisters was such a wonderful experience and I will always remember my time there. I can’t even begin to describe how amazing the Sisters treated us. They were always thinking about our needs; asking us if we ate or if we were hungry all the time. Sister Minoti even thought of bringing two forks and spoons for us when we had the picnic. We totally forgot about the fact that most Indians eat with their hands, so whoever packed the lunch wouldn’t have thought about bringing any utensils. On our last day there, they dedicated the morning Mass to me and Sonia. They are truly the most thoughtful people I have ever encountered. It was so interesting to hear about their lives and where God has taken them over the years. Since they are missionaries, most of them have lived in several countries and have cheerfully served God wherever they were assigned by their superior. I loved hearing about their exciting journeys and witnessing the joy they radiate to everyone they come in contact with. It’s so amazing what Jesus can do through us when we are willing to let Him lead us.

Sister Minoti, Sister Cyria, and Sister Ananda. Three of my favorite nuns!

Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

Zoe Laboure was born at Fain-lès-Moutiers, Burgundy, France to the farmer Pierre Labouré and Louise Laboure as the ninth of eleven children on May 2, 1806. From an early age felt a call to the religious life. When Catherine was nine years old, her saintly mother died on October 9, 1815. After the burial service, little Catherine retired to her room, stood on a chair, took our Lady's statue from the wall, kissed it, and said: "Now, dear Lady, you are to be my mother." On January 25, 1818, Catherine made her First Communion. One day she had a dream in which a priest said to her: "My daughter, you may flee me now, but one day you will to come to me. Do not forget that God has plans for you." Sometime later, while visiting a hospital of the Daughters of Charity at Chatillon-sur-Seine, she noticed a priest's picture on the wall. She asked a sister who he might be, and was told: "Our Holy Founder Saint Vincent de Paul." This was the same priest Catherine had seen in the dream. Catherine knew she was in the right place. 

Later, on January 1830, Catherine began her postulancy at Chatillon. On Wednesday, April 21, 1830, Catherine Labouré entered the novitiate of the Daughters of Charity, located at their motherhouse, Rue du Bac 140, Paris, taking the name Catherine. On the eve of the Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul, July 19, the Sister Superior spoke to the novices about the virtues of their Holy Founder and gave each of the novices a piece of cloth from the holy founder's surplice. Because of her extreme love, Catherine split her piece down the middle, swallowing half and placing the rest in her prayer book. She earnestly prayed to Saint Vincent that she might, with her own eyes, see the Mother of God. 

1^st apparition of the Blessed Virgin: 19th July, 1830 Chapel Rue du Bac 140, Paris

It is 11.30 pm; Sister Catherine Laboure (24 years old) wakes up as she hears her name called three times. She opens the curtains of her cell and sees her Guardian Angel in the form of a 5 year old child. He says: "follow me to the chapel, where the Virgin Mary awaits you". Catherine Laboure hastily dresses herself and follows him to the chapel. The chapel is lit as for midnight-Mass, but she can't see the Blessed Virgin. She then kneels and prays. After half an hour her guardian angel says: "there is the Blessed Virgin Mary". Catherine Laboure hears a rustle like that of silk and to the left of St. Joseph she sees the Blessed Virgin Mary descend and sit herself on the chair of the Priest. Within a moment she is on her knees in front of the Blessed Virgin, with her hands confidently folded on Mary's knees. This is the beginning of a two hour long conversation. The Blessed Virgin Mary tells her that God will charge her with a mission. In the process she will experience many difficulties. The Blessed Virgin already speaks of bad times ahead. The whole world will be plunged into confusion through all sorts of incidents. The Cross will be treated with contempt; it will be cast to earth. The side of our Lord will be pierced again. The Blessed Virgin says this with a very sorrowful look on her face. Encouragingly though, she adds: “but come to the foot of this altar and here graces will be bestowed upon all, who ask with confidence and fervor, they will be given to the rich and to the poor"

2^nd apparition of the Blessed Virgin: 27th November, 1830 Chapel Rue du Bac 140, Paris

It is 5.30pm, and the Sisters are in the chapel for the hour of Meditation. Suddenly Catherine Laboure hears, to her right, the same rustle as before; it is the Blessed Virgin Mary. She stops to the left near the painting of St. Joseph. This whole apparition is conducted in scenes and sign-language. The Blessed Virgin "standing in space". She was dressed in white, standing on a globe and holding a golden ball, with rings on her fingers flashing with light. An inner voice told her that the ball represented the whole world and that the rays coming from Mary's fingers represented graces for individuals. Then, a second phase: The golden ball then vanished as this apparition changed to represent Mary with her arms outstretched, inside an oval frame with golden lettering: O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.

 

Mary gave her this instruction: "have a medal struck on this model. All those who carry this will receive Grace in abundance, especially if they wear the medal around their neck and say this prayer confidently, they will receive special protection from the Mother of God and abundant graces". Then it is although the whole scene turns around and Catherine Laboure can see the back of the medal: in the centre is the letter M, from where a Cross ascends with at its base a cross-beam which passes through the letter M and below this the two hearts of Jesus and Mary, one crowned with thorns the other pierced by the sword of sorrow. The whole is surrounded with a crown of 12 stars recalling the vision of St. John in the twelfth chapter of the Apocalypse or Book of Revelation. Catherine Laboure hears: "the M with the Cross and the two hearts say enough".

During the next year this apparition occurred five times and each time with the same instructions: "have a medal struck on this model, and all those who wear it will receive great graces, especially when worn around the neck". Sister Catherine endured many humiliations, but she persevered. It took two years before her confessor, Father Aladel, a Vicentian priest, had the medal struck. The original name of the medal is that of holy Mary’s Immaculate Conception; only after 7 years was the name changed to the “Miraculous Medal”. Because of the many answered prayers, the conversions and the cures, some 10 million medals were sold during the first 5 years. The short prayer: "O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee", has since been prayed innumerable times by believers, so that the entire Christianity became familiar with Mary's "Immaculate Conception". It was Pope Pius IX who made it a rule of faith. This was received with great joy by the entire Church. Four years later, Mary came as though to confirm this, when She said to Bernadette at Lourdes: “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

Catherine Laboure died on 31^st December 1876.  When her body was exhumed, after fifty-seven years of burial, it was found to be completely incorrupt and supple. Her eyes were as blue as the day she died. On 28th May, 1933 she was beatified by Pope Pius XI. This occasion was witnessed by 50,000 people, of which there were 8,000 children of Mary, veiled in white, all wearing the Miraculous Medal. On 27th July, 1947 Catherine Laboure was canonized by Pope Pius XII. Here again many believers were present, including more than 10,000 children of Mary, veiled in white.

Of all the countless conver­sions effected by the wearing of the Miraculous Medal, perhaps the most famous, because it was the object of an official canonical investigation, was that of Alphonse Ratisbonne in 1842. The heir of a wealthy Jewish bank­ing family, Alphonse was a cynic with no faith whatsoever, and an abiding hatred for the Cath­olic Religion. Due to a unique circumstance, Alphonse found himself wearing around his neck one of the medals and reciting daily the Memorare of Saint Bernard — for the explicit pur­pose of proving to a Catholic acquaintance that it would not bring about his conversion.

The event of Ratisbonne’s con­version, nearly as sudden and dramatic as that of Saint Paul, is worth retelling here. We shall quote from the account of Baron de Bussieres, the acquaintance who induced Alphonse to wear the medal. De Bussieres, having business with some monks, had left a disdainful Alphonse in the chapel of a church in Rome. After about ten minutes’ ab­sence, the baron returned to the chapel: “When I came back into the church I saw nothing of Ratis­bonne for a moment; then I caught sight of him on his knees, in front of the chapel of S. Mi­chel. I went up to him, and touched him three or four times before he became aware of my presence. At length he turned towards me, his face bathed in tears; joined his hands, and said, with an expression no words will render: ‘Oh, how this gentleman has prayed for me!’ “I was quite petrified with as­tonishment; I felt what people feel in the presence of a miracle. 1 raised Ratisbonne, I led him, or rather almost carried him, out of the church; I asked him what was the matter, and where he wished to go. ‘Lead me where you please,’ cried he; ‘after what I have seen, I obey.’ I urged him to explain his meaning, but he could not; his emotion was too mighty and profound. He drew forth from his bosom the mirac­ulous medal, and covered it with kisses and tears. I could get from him nothing but exclama­tions, broken by deep sobs: ‘Oh, what bliss is mine! how good is the Lord! what a grace of ful­ness and happiness! how pitiable the lot of those who know not!’ Then he burst into tears at the thought of heretics and misbe­lievers. . . .
“This wild emotion became gradually more calm. He begged me to take him to a confessor; wanted to know when he might receive holy baptism, for now he could not live without it; yearned for the blessedness of the martyrs…. He told me that he could give me no explanation of his state until he had received permission from a priest to do so; ‘For what I have to say,’ he added, ‘is something I can say only on my knees.’
“I took him immediately to the Gesu to see Father de Ville­fort, who begged him to explain himself. Then Ratisbonne drew forth his medal, kissed it, showed it to us, and exclaimed: ‘I have seen her! I have seen her!’ and his emotion again choked his ut­terance. But soon he regained his calmness, and made his statement.
“I had been but a few mo­ments in the church when I was suddenly seized with an unutter­able agitation of mind. I raised my eyes; the building had disap­peared from before me; one single chapel had, so to speak, gathered and concentrated all the light; and in the midst of this radiance I saw standing on the altar, lofty, clothed with splendour, full of majesty and sweetness, the Virgin Mary, just as she is represented on my medal. An irresistible force drew me towards her; the Virgin made a sign with her hand that I should kneel down; and then she seemed to say, That will do! She spoke not a word, but I understood all!'”
She had spoken not a word, yet this hardened unbeliever of just moments before now under­stood all! He understood far more than those who take the faith for granted — even to a “profound understanding of the mystery of the Crucifixion.” De Bussieres wrote: “The Catholic Faith exhaled from his heart like a precious perfume from a casket, which contains it indeed, but cannot confine it. He spoke of the Real Presence like a man who believed it with all the energy of his whole being; but the expression is far too weak, he spoke like one to whom it was the object of di­rect perception.”
Alphonse continued to grow in sanctity and zeal. He was or­dained a priest in 1847, and devoted the rest of his life to converting others of his race to the Catholic Faith. His conver­sion, although a spectacular and widely publicized event, was but a sample of the many thou­sands of lesser known wonders wrought by the wearing of Our Lady’s great sacramental. Nor was its use meant to be limited to another place and former time.