My name is Sr Esther Marie of Mary Mother of the Redeemer. I joined the Poor Clares in September 1994 at 21 years old. For me my vocation was directly tied to my conversion, or maybe I should say ‘reversion’ back to the Faith when I was 19 years old. Even though my family lived right behind Our Lady of the Angels Monastery, a religious vocation was not on my radar AT ALL. Ironically, prior to my return to the Faith, I used to pass the Monastery I would one day end up joining, and think to myself, ‘Whoever lives there must be really weird!!’.

I was working and a part-time student when more and more I began to feel dissatisfied with my life, with a growing feeling that there must be MORE to life. I would be out with my friends and look around and know I was not where I was supposed to be. So I spoke to my mom, one of the most faith-filled women I have ever known, and she told me that I should start to pray for guidance and wisdom. I looked at her in disbelief...”Pray? Pray? Really Mom, how novel, what good is that going to do for me?” Well, Our Lord knows how to turn the heat on, and that He did. Faced with my helplessness over a very painful situation, I began to pray the rosary.

And through Our Lady, I returned to Jesus, the Sacraments and went to confession for the first time in my life at the age of 19. Well, it was like the scales fell not only from my eyes, but also my heart. And the Monastery, the place I used to scoff at became my Heaven on earth.

Through spiritual direction and the example of so many faithful people He put in my path, I began to look into different religious communities. As beautiful as they were, none had the devotion to Jesus In the Blessed Sacrament that I felt called to except, you guessed it, The Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration.I had no visions, no bright lights from Heaven, just a growing desire to belong wholly to God, to be His Spouse and return Him praise and gratitude with my little life.

God is generous beyond our wildest dreams, He is so fantastic! On October 1, 1996, my older sister (only by 11 months) joined the Poor Clares. Her name is Sr Marie St John of the Obedient Heart of Mary, and is another proof of God returning a hundred-fold to those who leave all to follow Him.
 
 

BACK