Ask each vowed member of the Society how God drew her to make such a commitment and she will give a unique answer. Still, there would be some common elements:

• Some personal awareness, in and through the events of her life, of being drawn by and further into the mystery of a loving God, expressed in a personal, joyful commitment to Christ;
• An aptitude for generous service in a changing world and church, a desire to meet what our founder Cornelia Connelly described as “the wants of the age”;
• An attraction to the SHCJ story and spirit – summed up in Cornelian words and phrases like joy, simplicity, zeal, accepted suffering and the hidden life.

A person must be able to flourish as a vowed member, maturing in grace and wisdom (cf. Luke 2:40) and contributing to God’s reign.

Support and encouragement is needed for anyone wanting to make an informed choice about this way of life. Sisters are available who have the commitment, skill and time to help a person in her discernment.

Visit our African, American, and European province vocation pages for more information.