Sr. Maria
My religious vocation is a response to God’s love for me. I was born in Vietnam, the youngest of the seven children. I immigrated to the United States in 1990 and lived in California. Throughout my life, my parents and grandparents were the ones who nurtured my faith in God. Every night, we would pray the rosary together. When I was about seven years old, my mother signed me up for the First Holy Communion classes at our parish. It was the first time I had a religious sister for a teacher. All I could remember about First Holy Communion was, I memorized all my prayers, Jesus tasted good in the eucharist, and Sister was very nice.
Even though I was a good kid, I did not like the idea of attending additional Sunday school classes. I preferred to be around my mother at home. Being the youngest of seven children, my mother was probably tired of my complaining, so she kept me at home. However, by junior high, my mother decided it was time for me to go back to Sunday school, like it or not. Surprisingly I found myself wanting to know more about my faith and about being Catholic. I attended Sunday school enthusiastically and my faith in God grew deeper.
Around this time, my older brother was preparing to enter the seminary and my older sister was discerning a religious vocation. Having older siblings considering religious life got me thinking about becoming a Nun. After I was Confirmed in tenth grade, I volunteered, as had my older sister, in our parish’s catechism program. By freshman year of college, I had my own class teaching first grade religion. Even though I was nervous and didn’t know how to make class fun for the kids, my desire and passion was to teach the children about God’s love for them.
Aside from teaching Religious Education, I was also a member of the parish’s Respect Life and the Human Trafficking ministries. After graduating from Cal State Fullerton with a degree in Child and Adolescent Development, I worked for Thomas House Shelter for Homeless Families and the Children’s Bureau. However, deep down, I knew I needed to answer God’s invitation to enter religious life. I had always felt a calling to give my life in the service of the Church. A friend received an invitation to visit the Salesian Sisters and asked if I would like to accompany her. We had a lovely visit and it got me thinking. I knew I wanted to commit my life to the Church, but I didn’t know in what capacity. So, I prayed about it, and took a leap of faith and applied to enter with the Salesian Sisters. After a year of discernment with the Salesian Sisters and working in the schools, it seemed that I did not have the calling to become a Salesian Sister.
About two years later I bumped into my friend at church, the same one who introduced me to the Salesian; this time she told me about the Monastic Weekend Experience with the Carmelite Nuns in Terre Haute, Indiana. I had longed for an opportunity to experience contemplative life, so I signed up for the trip to Terre Haute. The nuns gave the nine attendees a tour of the Monastery, allowed us to dine with them in their simple refectory, taught us about discernment, Carmelite prayers, and the Carmelite charism, and let us pray with them in their choir. The experience left me with a feeling of peace.
After some time of reflection and prayer, I wrote a letter to request a live-in experience to discern further if monastic life is the right fit for me. Once again, I took a leap of faith and did a two-month live-in experience with the community. After that time was over, I knew Carmel was the place for me. This time I struggled with the idea of being far from my family and friends whom I love so dearly. I found it hard to detach from my little nieces and nephews whom I want to see grow up. After much prayer, I took yet another leap of faith and wrote a letter to request to enter Carmel. Thanks be to God, the community accepted me.
On October 14, 2015, I entered the Carmel of Saint Joseph in Terre Haute, Indiana. I believe God gave me the courage I needed to pursue my religious vocation. I was inspired so much by St. Therese of Lisieux, to suffer all things big and small for the love of Jesus. However, now that I am living in Carmel, I find that I am not very good at suffering trials. Nevertheless, I am convinced that God’s grace is with me to help me grow in virtues every time I fail to love others as I should. On the Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, August 6, 2018, I received the holy habit of the Carmelite order and was called by my new name, Sr. Maria of the Holy Family. Three years later, on the Solemnity of the Assumption, August 15, 2021, I made my First Profession. It was a joyful moment for me, and I was blessed to see my whole family and community friends in the chapel praying for me. Finally, I made my Solemn Profession on July 29, 2023, on the Feast of Saints Martha, Mary and Lazarus. I joyfully and wholeheartedly gave myself to the Lord in the service of the Church according to the Carmelite tradition. It was a joyful event. I give thanks to God for the gift of my religious vocation, to all the sisters in the community, for their loving service and witness to the Church. Together we call the monastery our earthly home and we continue to gather to pray unceasingly for all the needs of our world.
Thank you for reading my vocation story and please say a prayer for me and for the sisters.
I thank God for my vocation and I ask him to sustain my religious vocation every day.
Although God did not lead me to Carmel on a straight path,
I am grateful to him for the wonderful detour we took together as I discerned his will for my life.