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Young sisters describe vocation journeys BY ANGELA CAVE STAFF WRITER At a time when most religious orders are aging, two young women en route to professing vows in local religious commu- nities exemplify the hopes and challenges involved in renewing vocations: • Sara Marie Schepis, a 28- year-old Wappingers Falls native, became an affiliate of the Resurrection Sisters in Castle- ton after earning Master’s degrees in English and library science. The idea of becoming a nun surfaced in her mind at age 14, but she wasn’t always sure. • Debra Comins, a 26-year-old native of central New York, entered the Little Sisters of the Poor last summer after facing years of family opposition and student loan obstacles. She hopes to be placed in Latham next summer after she com- pletes her postulancy in Washington. Both women were attracted to their orders’ adherence to tradi- tions like wearing habits as a vis- ible sign of identity; praying and living in community; praying the Rosary and prayer before the Blessed Sacrament; and being faithful to the Church. They’re not alone. Nation- wide, religious communities fol- lowing more traditional practices have better success attracting younger mem- bers, accord- ing to a 2009 vocations study by the Center for Applied Re- search in the Apostolate (CARA) and the National Religious Vo- cation Conference. The study found that religious born in the “Millennial Genera- tion” (between 1981 and 2000) are more likely than those born in ear- lier generations to be attracted to their religious order’s fidelity to the Church and the example of its members. Though 91 percent of women who had taken final vows in reli- gious orders were age 60 and over in 2009, new members do not see this as a deterrent from entering. Ms. Schepis called religious life “a way to focus my attention, my awareness on God.” One sis- ter she knew when she was attending a Catholic high school downstate told her that religious life is a “sanctification of time.” “That always stuck in my mind: to make this day holy and to do work that is fulfilling,” Ms. Schepis noted. The future sister grew up admiring saints — particularly St. John Bosco and St. Clare Montefalco — and nuns, but noticed that American culture didn’t foster a sense of commu- nity. Many people, she said, falsely believed that entering a reli- gious community meant locking yourself away. “If people see vibrancy,” she countered, “they will catch on” to the reality of religious life. The sisters who led the voca- tion group at Ms. Schepis’ alma mater, the University of Illinois at Urbana, helped her search for a community. She recalled visit- ing an order founded in the late 1990s that has successfully attracted young women, but feel- ing out of place because they were all younger than her. The Resurrection Sisters, Ms. Schepis said, fit her preferences for a prayerful and intellectual community. Barriers hurdled Ms. Comins hit even more obstacles during her journey. Though she didn’t meet a nun until her freshman year of high school, she began considering religious life in Kindergarten: “In JANUARY 13, 2011 Volume LXXXV • Number 10 www.evangelist.org $1.00 BUSING CATHOLIC KIDS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE DIOCESE OF ALBANY Proposed state legislation would give Catholic students a ride to school: Page 3 Official Announcement Bishop Howard J. Hubbard has assigned priests to three parishes in the Albany Diocese: Page 10 DEBRA COMINS, CENTER, POSES WITH FELLOW FUTURE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR IN THE NATION’S CAPITOL. SNOWBOYS VOCATIONS Religious life today: Who’s called and how? SEE OUR SPECIAL SECTION ON VOCATIONS, PAGES 8-11 RELIGIOUS LIFE TODAY: WHO’S CALLED AND HOW?, SEE PAGE 11 RAY DONLEY LEADS his son, Dillon, back up the hill for another sledding run during what St. Joseph the Worker parish in West Winfield/Richfield Springs called its “Boyz Snowball Party” last weekend. For more photos, see page 20. (Nate Whitchurch photo) BY DENNIS SADOWSKI CATHOLIC NEWS SERVICE Washington Frustration and aggravation are simmering across Haiti a year after a terrify- ing earthquake ripped apart the country’s most densely populat- ed region and as a persistent cholera epidemic endangers the health of virtually everyone in the impoverished nation. Life in a tattered tent in a crowded makeshift camp with no alternative on the horizon, threats to personal safety and the need to scramble for food and clean water are fueling the growing anger, said Archbishop Louis Kebreau of Cap-Haitien, president of the Haitian bish- ops’ conference. “The people of Haiti are tired of misery,” Archbishop Kebreau said during a visit to the Washington headquarters of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. “They are tired of living QUAKE AND CHOLERA Haitians feel abandoned amid ongoing disasters HAITIANS FEEL ABANDONED AMID ONGO- ING DISASTERS, SEE PAGE 13 SUBSCRIBE 453-6688

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Young sisters describe vocation journeys Volume LXXXV • Number 10 www.evangelist.org Barriers hurdled SEE OUR SPECIAL SECTION ON VOCATIONS, PAGES 8-11 Proposed state legislation would give Catholic students a ride to school: Page 3 DEBRA COMINS, CENTER, POSES WITH FELLOW FUTURE LITTLE SISTERS OF THE POOR IN THE NATION’S CAPITOL. Bishop Howard J. Hubbard has assigned priests to three parishes in the Albany Diocese: Page 10 $1.00 HAITIANS FEEL ABANDONED AMID ONGO- ING DISASTERS, SEE PAGE 13

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Page 1: Evangelist N9c #3

Young sisters describevocation journeysBY ANGELA CAVES T A F F W R I T E R

At a time when most religiousorders are aging, two youngwomen en route to professingvows in local religious commu-nities exemplify the hopes andchallenges involved in renewingvocations:

• Sara Marie Schepis, a 28-year-old Wappingers Fallsnative, became an affiliate of theResurrection Sisters in Castle-ton after earning Master’sdegrees in English and libraryscience. The idea of becoming anun surfaced in her mind at age14, but she wasn’t always sure.

• Debra Comins, a 26-year-oldnative of central New York,entered the Little Sisters of thePoor last summer after facingyears of family opposition andstudent loan obstacles. Shehopes to be placed in Lathamnext summer after she com-pletes her postulancy inWashington.

Both women were attracted totheir orders’ adherence to tradi-tions like wearing habits as a vis-ible sign of identity; praying andliving in community; praying theRosary and prayer before theBlessed Sacrament; and beingfaithful to the Church.

They’re not alone. Nation-wide, religious communities fol-

lowing moret r a d i t i o n a lpractices havebetter successa t t r a c t i n gyounger mem-bers, accord-

ing to a 2009 vocations study bythe Center for Applied Re-search in the Apostolate (CARA)and the National Religious Vo-cation Conference.

The study found that religiousborn in the “Millennial Genera-tion” (between 1981 and 2000) aremore likely than those born in ear-lier generations to be attracted totheir religious order’s fidelity tothe Church and the example ofits members.

Though 91 percent of womenwho had taken final vows in reli-gious orders were age 60 andover in 2009, new members donot see this as a deterrent fromentering.

Ms. Schepis called religiouslife “a way to focus my attention,

my awareness on God.” One sis-ter she knew when she wasattending a Catholic high schooldownstate told her that religiouslife is a “sanctification of time.”

“That always stuck in mymind: to make this day holy andto do work that is fulfilling,” Ms.Schepis noted.

The future sister grew upadmiring saints — particularlySt. John Bosco and St. ClareMontefalco — and nuns, butnoticed that American culturedidn’t foster a sense of commu-nity.

Many people, she said, falselybelieved that entering a reli-gious community meant lockingyourself away.

“If people see vibrancy,” shecountered, “they will catch on” tothe reality of religious life.

The sisters who led the voca-tion group at Ms. Schepis’ almamater, the University of Illinoisat Urbana, helped her search fora community. She recalled visit-ing an order founded in the late1990s that has successfullyattracted young women, but feel-ing out of place because theywere all younger than her.

The Resurrection Sisters, Ms.Schepis said, fit her preferencesfor a prayerful and intellectualcommunity.

Barriers hurdledMs. Comins hit even more

obstacles during her journey. Though she didn’t meet a nun

until her freshman year of highschool, she began consideringreligious life in Kindergarten: “In

JANUARY 13, 2011Volume LXXXV • Number 10

www.evangelist.org

$1.00

BUSING CATHOLIC KIDS

T H E O F F I C I A L P U B L I C A T I O N O F T H E D I O C E S E O F A L B A N Y

Proposed state legislation would give Catholicstudents a ride to school: Page 3

Official AnnouncementBishop Howard J. Hubbard has assigned priests tothree parishes in the Albany Diocese: Page 10

DEBRA COMINS, CENTER, POSESWITH FELLOW FUTURE LITTLESISTERS OF THE POOR IN THE

NATION’S CAPITOL.

SNOWBOYSVOCATIONS

Religious life today:Who’s called and how?

SEE OURSPECIALSECTION ONVOCATIONS,PAGES 8-11 RELIGIOUS LIFE TODAY: WHO’S CALLED

AND HOW?, SEE PAGE 11

RAY DONLEY LEADS his son, Dillon, back up the hill for another sledding runduring what St. Joseph the Worker parish in West Winfield/Richfield Springscalled its “Boyz Snowball Party” last weekend. For more photos, see page20. (Nate Whitchurch photo)

BY DENNIS SADOWSKIC A T H O L I C N E W S S E R V I C E

Washington — Frustrationand aggravation are simmeringacross Haiti a year after a terrify-ing earthquake ripped apart thecountry’s most densely populat-ed region and as a persistentcholera epidemic endangers thehealth of virtually everyone inthe impoverished nation.

Life in a tattered tent in acrowded makeshift camp withno alternative on the horizon,threats to personal safety and

the need to scramble for foodand clean water are fueling thegrowing anger, said ArchbishopLouis Kebreau of Cap-Haitien,president of the Haitian bish-ops’ conference.

“The people of Haiti are tiredof misery,” Archbishop Kebreausaid during a visit to theWashington headquarters of theU.S. Conference of CatholicBishops. “They are tired of living

QUAKE AND CHOLERA

Haitians feel abandoned amid ongoing disasters

HAITIANS FEEL ABANDONED AMID ONGO-ING DISASTERS, SEE PAGE 13

SUBSCRIBE453-6688

Page 2: Evangelist N9c #3

recess, I was always telling Biblestories on the swing sets,” shetold The Evangelist, adding thatshe attended a rural parish ofabout 300 parishioners.

“I soaked up everything fromchurch school. I was the kid whowent up to the priest and askedwhy we didn’t have churchschool over the summer,” shesaid.

Ms. Comins talked to a priestabout her vocation in middleschool and requested to meet anun in high school. She wasoverwhelmed by the variety oforders, but forged ahead by writ-ing to different communities,particularly those with a teach-ing focus.

But her family didn’t think shecould be happy in a convent anddenounced her vocation as awaste of time. She began to feellike a hypocrite at churchbecause she was “saying no toGod.”

So she stopped going.

Rerouted homeBut when Ms. Comins started

college at the State University ofNew York at Geneseo, a newfriend convinced her to go tochurch again. Soon, she wasattending Mass and prayingbefore the Blessed Sacramentdaily and receiving the sacra-ment of reconciliation regularly.

She dressed modestly and con-sulted with a spiritual director.

But Ms. Comins’ family stillopposed religious life for her. “Itwas very hard at first because itbecame this break from my fam-ily,” she said.

She became a youth ministerand religious education director.When she brought the youth ofher parish to see Pope BenedictXVI in his New York City visit in2006, a representative from theLittle Sisters of the Poorapproached her about becom-ing a nun.

She stopped by their Bronxconvent. “It immediately felt likehome,” Ms. Comins said.

Her career plans at that pointinvolved teaching, not workingwith the elderly and disabled, apopulation that terrified her. Buton the second day of her visit, “Istopped seeing the disabilitiesand I saw the people,” she said.“By the time I got to the thirdday, I stopped seeing the people.All I saw was love.”

She felt the same when shewent for a longer visit to theLittle Sisters’ Our Lady of HopeResidence for seniors in Latham.Then she received a grant tocover her student loans.

“God provided,” she said. “Hemade the order come in His

time, in the way that He wantedit to happen.”

Youthful drawMs. Comins said that seeing a

spiritual director, praying andlistening to God also helped hercommit herself to religious lifeand find a community. Meetingother sisters was also helpful.

To recruit new people, shesuggests members of religiousorders visit youth groups: “Theyhave to see that you’re real.”

Ms. Comins believes thatnuns who wear habits are moreattractive to young womenbecause they signify a vow ofpoverty and “authentic living.”

The CARA/NRVC vocationsstudy found that younger newmembers of religious orderswere more likely than older newmembers to have participated in“come and see” experiences ordiscernment retreats and tohave heard about the order

through a friend. Conversely, younger respon-

dents were more likely to havebecome acquainted with theorder through print or onlinepromotional materials.

The Carmelite Sisters for theAged and Infirm in German-town recruit girls to stay withthem and shadow members ofthe order. Sisters attendCatholic school retreats andanswer questions on the order’swebsite.

A group of graduates fromFranciscan University ofSteubenville, Ohio, plans todevelop a mission program withthe community. Sister MariaTherese Healy, vocations direc-tor, is currently in touch withabout 30 young women interest-ed in religious life.

Sister Rosemary Cuneo, CR,of the Albany Diocese’s voca-tions team, is not disheartened

by the decline in religious life. “God is with us. For some rea-

son, this is the way God wants itto happen,” she said, describingthe Diocese’s poster and pres-ence campaigns.

Referring to Jesus’ resurrec-tion, she added: “After threedays, there’s always new life.”

Ms. Schepis hopes to find alibrary-related position in herreligious community. For peoplediscerning a vocation now, shesuggested: “Really pray. Pray forpeace and trust. It can be confus-ing and difficult sometimes tofind a way — but, either way,God’s always there already.”

As a member of an orderdevoted to caring for the elderly,Ms. Comins will miss workingwith children, but admits therewas something missing from herformer lifestyle.

“I don’t have that void here,”she concluded.

11January 13, 2011 T H E E VA N G E L I S T

VOCATIONS

Sponsored by the Vocation Office, Diocesan School Office, Office of Evangelization, Catechesis and

Family Life and the Vocation Awareness Council of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY.

RUN 4 VOCATIONS!SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, May 14, 2011

Location: The Crossings in Colonie

Walkers Welcome Too!

The Vocation Office of the Diocese of Albany invites you to our RUN 4 VOCATIONS

and to “raise your prayers” for friends and loved ones, called to holiness through

the life commitments of marriage, priesthood, diaconate, single or religious life.

Registration to RUN OR WALK 4 VOCATIONS will be available

beginning April 1, 2011 at www.albanyvocations.org.

Religious life today:Who’s called and how?RELIGIOUS LIFE TODAY: WHO’S CALLED AND HOW?, FROM PAGE 1