Sisters of St. John The Baptist - page 5


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    "How can one not read in the story of the "servant Jesus"
the story of every vocation: the story that the Creator has
planned for every human being, the story that inevitably passes through the call to serve... In particular, how can one not read
in the parable of the Son, Servant and Lord, the vocational story
of the person who is called by Jesus to follow him more closely: that is, to be a servant in the priestly ministry or in religious consecration? In fact, the priestly vocation or the religious vocation are always, by their very nature, vocations to the generous service of God and of neighbor.
                       ( Pope John Paul II on Vocations, 2003)

Co-Vocations Directors

Sr. Elsa Jeronimo, C.S.JB. - Sr. Liceria Sayon, C.S.JB

Who are the Sisters of St. John the Baptist?

Since their foundation in 1878 the Baptistine Sisters, a Roman Catholic religious community for women, have been "preparing the way of the Lord" in the lives and hearts of God’s people. Empowered by their vowed love for God and strengthened by the bonds of Community life, they seek through education, health care, and pastoral ministry to remove those obstacles which hinder people from freely accepting the Love and Word of God into their lives. Today the Sisters serve God's people in 17 countries on five continents.

To receive a free copy of our DVD and more information about the Sisters of St. John the Baptist, please contact:

        Women living in the United States, please contact

                   Sr Elsa, C.S.JB. or Sr Liceria, C.S.JB.
                   Sisters of St John the Baptist
                   57 Cleveland Place
                   Staten Island, NY 10305
                 Phone: 718-447-4150 Ext. 149
                   E-mail: Baptistinevoc@aol.com

    Women living in Canada, please contact:

                          Sr. Catherine, C.S.JB.
                          Sisters of St John the Baptist
                          329 Mohawk Road W
                          Hamilton, Ontario L9C 1W4
                          Phone: 905-388-1077
                          E-mail: csjbcanada@yahoo.com

PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS

Creator God, Life is Your gift to me. Through baptism You invite me to share the gift of my life in service to others. Be with me as I choose each day to show Your presence in our world. Give me the courage and generosity to respond to Your love, to Your call.

I pray for those who serve You as priests, Sisters, Brothers, deacons, and lay ministers. Keep them close to You. Open the minds and hearts of many other women and men that they may accept Your loving challenge to build the Kingdom. Amen.

PLEASE PRAY FOR RELIGIOUS VOCATIONS

* The support of your prayers is most important to all those who are discerning a call to religious life;

* Please pray that many young women and men will have the generosity of spirit to hear and respond to God's call to the consecrated life.

* If you would like to assist us in the expenses of forming our new members, financial contributions can be sent to:

Sisters of St. John the Baptist
Provincial Residence
3308 Campbell Drive
Bronx, NY 10465

WHO 2 BE?

Each person is created by God out of love and is called to live in relationship with God by loving God, self, others, and all creation. Every baptized person has a responsibility to live a life dedicated to God and to growth in holiness. St. Augustine wrote "the human heart is restless until it rests in God". Through Baptism and Confirmation all Christians are called to follow Jesus Christ and to live out the call to holiness and service by means of one of these vocations:

               single life                                consecrated life
               sacramental marriage         ordination to priesthood / diaconate

     Each of these vocations is a pathway to holiness and offers a way of serving God's Kingdom here on earth.

     Most people understand "a religious vocation" or vocation to the consecrated life to include priests, Brothers and Sisters who are members of religious communities. These women and men further their baptismal commitment by living according to the evangelical counsels, most often known as the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

     Each person who lives a life consecrated to God in poverty, chastity and obedience – no matter what form it takes – is mindful of a God who loves unconditionally and lavishly. Living with an undivided heart, believing that God is the only real treasure, and desiring to do God’s will, are radical ways of living the gospel.

     In this way, consecrated persons maintain a single-minded focus on living the life that Jesus embraced. As Jesus was offered to God in the temple, so too, consecrated women and men present the gift of their lives. They serve God's people in a variety of ways, including but not limited to: work in parishes, education, the medical, social services or legal fields, on the missions. Or they may dedicate themselves to a life of solitude and prayer. Each new day provides an opportunity for deeper awareness of the call to be messengers of and witnesses to God’s love in a world that cries out for meaning.

     Mary of Nazareth, the first disciple, is a great model for women and men who want to share the mission of Christ. "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word," (Lk 1:38). Her willing obedience – or listening – to the movement of the Spirit, and her wholehearted response is the goal of all who live a consecrated life.

What can you do to
increase Vocation Awareness?

* Reflect on what vocation is God's plan for
you and how it leads you to holiness.

* Learn more about consecrated life in
   today's Church. This section of our
   Webpage contains information about
   religious life as lived within the community
   of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist. For
   more general information about vocations
   and religious life we invite you to visit the
   Webpage of the National Coalition for
   Church Vocations:
    www.nccv-vocations.org/glossary.html#vocation

* Consider whether God may be offering
a call to the consecrated life to you.

* Encourage a family member or a friend
who may be expressing interest in the
consecrated life.

* Pray for all young people who have yet to
   determine what is God's vocation for them.
   Pray that many young women and men will
   generously accept God's call to religious
   life and priesthood

   Pray for those women and men who are on
   the journey of discernment in answer to
   God's call.

   Pray for those who have already accepted
   this gift of a vocation to the consecrated
   life.

Membership As A Vowed Sister

My daughters, what do you think you have
come to the Institute for?

You have come here to form a family,
a family of saints.

This is the scope of our lives,
to sanctify ourselves through love."

(Fr. Alfonso Maria Fusco, Founder)

Why Does Anyone Become a Sister?

The choice to become a Sister is really a response to an invitation and a plan - God's loving call and God's unique plan. In almost every religious tradition there are those who are called forth from the community of faith to serve and to lead the community by example in their faith journey. In accepting this call, the individual promises in a public way to put God first. All else follows from this.

What Does a Sister of St John the Baptist Do All Day?

For a religious Sister there are 4 major aspects of her life: * Her relationship to God;
* Her relationship with her Community;
* Her relationship with those to whom she ministers;
* Her personal relationship with family, friends and self.

In deepening these relationships, the Sister spends a part of each day in prayer and worship; in sharing daily routines and responsibilities with her Sisters; in some form of ministry or apostolic work, and in personal time both private and social.

Why Can't Sisters Marry?

A Sister of St. John the Baptist, through her religious congregation, makes solemn promises to God, called vows, to imitate Jesus by living certain Gospel values in a special manner:

Chastity - Acknowledging that God is Love and that every human person is a channel of God’s love, through the vow of chastity the Sister chooses to express her love for others and her relationship with God through prayer and service to a wide circle of God’s family rather than by directing her love to one special person or human family.

Poverty - Acknowledging that all life is dependent on God, through the vow of poverty the Sister strives to free herself from the excesses of material goods and consumption. Each Sister chooses to live a simple life and to share all goods in common, being mindful of each one’s obligation to the poor and to the stewardship of all of God's resources.

Obedience - Acknowledging that the God's will is primary in her life, through the vow of obedience the Sister chooses to live in a community, to participate in its daily life, and to dedicate herself to furthering its goals, its hopes and its mission. To accomplish this the Sister commits herself to listening to and responding to the will of God as expressed by her fellow Sisters, her religious superiors and the signs of the times in society.

How Do I Know If Being a Sister Is For Me?

Coming to know God’s will is a prayerful process of individual and communal reflection combined with personal experience that takes place gradually over a period of time. Before a young woman is fully a member of the Sisters of St John the Baptist there are phases of increasingly greater incorporation into the experience of religious life. Each phase provides an opportunity for the applicant and the Community to come to know each other better

Time of Affiliation - This phase extends from 6 months to two years. During this time the candidate lives and works or studies from home. She meets on a regular basis with the Vocation Directress for prayer and vocational guidance.

Time of Postulancy - This phase extends from 6 months to one year. The "sister-in-formation" lives in a local convent and shares in the Sisters’ apostolic ministry under the direction of an experienced Sister.

Time of Noviceship - The duration of this phase is two years. The novice lives in a formation community. She devotes the first year to prayer, spiritual and theological preparation, and learning the history and mission of the Baptistine Community. In the second year the novice lives in a variety of local communities and engages in periods of apostolic ministry.

Commitment of Temporary Profession - For five years the professed Sister lives and serves as an active member of a Baptistine local community. During each of these years, as the Sister and the Congregation mutually evaluate her call to Baptistine religious life, there is the free choice to renew her vows.

Commitment of Perpetual Vows - Confirmed in God's call to follow Jesus by living in the Church as a religious Sister according to the constitutions of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist, the Sister undertakes a lifetime commitment of vowed love to God in and through the Congregation of the Sisters of St John the Baptist.

Is Anyone Becoming a Sister Anymore?

God still calls many women to follow Jesus
through religious life. In years past it was common
for young girls, often soon after high school, to
"become a Sister". Now, the Holy Spirit is leading
many women who have already completed college
or spent years in a career or who have even raised
a family to consider religious life.

More information can be obtained from our Vocation Office:

                                                                  Sr Elsa C.S.JB. or Sr. Liceria, C.S.JB.
                                                                  Vocation Directress
                                                                  St John Villa Academy
                                                                  26 Landis Avenue
                                                                  Staten Island, NY 10305

                                                                  Phone: 718/447-4150 Ext. 196
                                                                  E-mail: Baptistinevoc@aol.com

MEMBERSHIP IN OUR LAY ASSOCIATE PROGRAM

The Holy Spirit is leading the Church today to rediscover the power, purpose and uniqueness of the gifts given to the laity for the growth of the Kingdom. To facilitate this growing bond between religious and laity, to further our common mission to "prepare the way of the Lord", and to nurture a mutual vision of living in the charism of our Founder, Fr. Alphonso Fusco, the Sisters of St. John the Baptist offer to their friends and colleagues a program of Lay Association

Who Are Baptistine Lay Associates?

Lay Associates of the Sisters of St John the Baptist are:
  - women and men, single or married, 18 years or older,
  - who desire to take a more active role in the life of the Church,
  - through greater union with the Sisters of St. John the Baptist.

     Through the Lay Associate program these women and men grow in the knowledge and love of God while sharing in the charism and mission of the Baptistine Sisters through one or more types of association.

Who Directs the Lay Associate Program?

A Board of Directors consisting of both Sisters and Lay Associates is appointed by the Provincial Superior and her Council. Each Lay Associate serves for a renewable term of 2 years; each Sister serves for a renewable term of 3 years. The current Board members are:
President: Sr. Mary Cecile Swanton, CSJB, Provincial Superior
Director: Sr. Madeleine Werner, CSJB
Co-Director:
Secretary:
Secretary:
Treasurer:

What Are the Requirements of Membership?

The requirements for becoming an Associate on any level are:
   - the wish to deepen one’s own faith;
   - the desire to participate more fully in the life of the Church;
   - and the willingness to promote the mission and charism
      of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist in a manner appropriate
      to one’s life circumstances.

The obligations that a Lay Associate assumes depend on the type of Association selected, ranging from prayer only (Legion of Prayer) to direct involvement with the Sisters’ apostolic works (Associate in Ministry).

I'm Interested. What Should I Do?

First       - Pray that God is leading you to this commitment;
Second - Read below the descriptions of the various forms
                   of Lay Association program;
Third      - Contact the Director of the Lay Associate Program:

Sr. Madeleine Werner, CSJB
St. John Villa Convent
57 Cleveland Place
Staten Island, NY 10305
718-447-4150 Xt161

What are the Types of Association?

Associates in Ministry
- have journeyed with the Sisters of St John the Baptist as
    Associate Friends for at least one year
- have a strong desire to be more formally associated with
    the Sisters while maintaining their own living and working
    situations.

    Women and men choosing this form of affiliation share in
    the charism and spirit of the Sisters of St John the Baptist
    through a commitment to active involvement in the
    apostolic works of the Sisters.

    These Associates meet once a month at a local Baptistine
    convent to:
              - share in faith, prayer and fellowship,
              - receive spiritual guidance
              - deepen their understanding of the mission and
                 charism of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist.

     Additionally, they receive the Community newsletter,
     attend an annual meeting and weekend retreat, and are
     invited to participate in various Baptistine celebrations
     such as Founder’s Day, the annual Mass for Deceased
     Sisters, and selected Provincial meetings. A formal
     commitment to the Associates in Ministry program is
     made and renewed annually on the Feast of the Baptism
     of Jesus.

Associate Friends are united with the Sisters of
    St John the Baptist in a spirit of prayer and mutual
    support. They may assist the Sisters informally in
    various activities but they do not make a formal
    commitment of involvement.

     Like Associates in Ministry these Associates meet
     once a month at a local Baptistine convent to:
         - to share in faith, prayer and fellowship,
         - to receive spiritual guidance
         - to deepen their understanding of the mission
             and charism of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist.

    Additionally, they receive the Community newsletter
    and are invited to attend an annual meeting and
    weekend retreat, as well as such Baptistine
    celebrations as Founder’s Day and the annual Mass
    for Deceased Sisters. A formal commitment for
    Associate Friends is made and renewed annually on
    the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus.

Association Through The Legion Of Prayer

"In all our needs let us pray, for this is the most effective way to obtain the grace of God."
                                       (Fr. Alfonso Maria Fusco, Founder)

For members of the Legion of Prayer the primary mode of association with the Sisters of St John the Baptist is through prayer. Established in 1975 the Legion of Prayer now includes hundreds of people across the country who pray for the Sisters and their ministries as well as for each other. Periodically throughout the year members receive a letter with spiritual reflections. Membership in the Legion of Prayer incurs no obligation other than that of reciting the following prayer each day.

Legion of Prayer - Member's  Daily Prayer

O God, give the Sisters of St. John the Baptist the strength, the courage and
the integrity of your Precursor, St. John the Baptist.

Guide them in a sincere love and concern for the well-being of all peoples.
Let them be selfless in reaching out to those in need and thereby share in the
effort to restore all things in Christ.

Bless their work and may their numbers multiply for your honor and glory.
Bless all the members of the Legion of Prayer and their families.

Guide us in our work; in our family decisions and in all our needs, both spiritual
and material. Give us your peace as you shared it with Mary and Joseph.
Amen.

For more information on the Legion of Prayer please contact:

Sr. Marian Francis, C.S.JB.
Legion of Prayer
Mt. St. John Convent
150 Anderson Hill Rd.
Purchase, NY 10577