Profiles in Courage
This section of the Vocations Ireland website offers stories of those who discerned their vocation and answered God's call. We hope you'll find it will be both informative and inspiring. We are always looking out for vocation stories to add to this section and will add new ones on a regular basis. If you you know a person in the Religious life who has inspired you, perhaps suggest to them to offer their story here.
Sr. Mary Emmanuel Jeanne's Story
During World Youth Day in Rome in 2000, in one of his homilies, Blessed John Paul II, talking about Our Lady's Fiat, said "Say Yes to God". That night as I was lying in bed, I found myself wondering on this phrase and thought, "How would I feel if I imagined myself becoming a nun?" and something deep inside me said Yes to God - suddenly I was overcome with an immense joy....
Sr. Mary's Story
While studying speech therapy in university, Donegal woman, Sr Mary Barron found a balance between her desire to work in Africa and her interest in religious life, when she joined the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) in 1992....
Sr. Emer's Vocation Story
When I was in secondary school I had it all planned out. I was going to be a teacher, get married have 5 or 6 kids and live in a house at the foot of a mountain near a lake, (because I love hill walking and nature.) This was no pipe dream; it was really my vision for the future. So here I am today, a Sister of Mercy and a nurse!!!! At least I got the mountain bit right as I am currently living 10,000ft up in the Andes Mountains in Peru!!!! What happened? Well I suppose, life did – God did.
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Sr. Niamh's Vocation Story
Today’s world and Church need people who will silently proclaim the primacy of God; people who devote all their energies to adoring Him and who immerse themselves in His mystery and affirm that He is the Absolute – the One from Whom we come and to Whom we go! (cf Pope John Paul II)
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Sr. Siobhain O'Keeffe
Call’ presented itself in many guises and various routes were explored to arrive at the destination of application to the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. These explorations and periods of intense struggle and search served to prepare my heart for an undivided ‘YES’ to God’s call and grace to apply to the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary,...
Sr. Monica Whelan, LCM
After encountering a Little Company of Mary Sister, I was drawn further to seek and understand its charism...
Sr. Faustina's Story
The sense of fulfilment I know now is not easy to put into words. There is a parable in the Gospel that illustrates it well about a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he came across one, he went and sold everything he owned and bought it. People who have a similar experience, no matter what their calling, understand that nothing can buy the joy and peace that comes with knowing one’s life has a meaning and a purpose in the bigger scheme of things- in God’s scheme of things...
Treasa's Story
If I had been told 10 years ago that I would currently be living through the first year of my noviciate in a convent in Belfast after having taken leave of absence from my busy job as a teacher of English and Drama and renting out my home I would categorically have told you you were mad! Ten years ago I had many dreams and plans for my life and entering a convent was certainly not one of them!...
Sr. Moira's Story
Sr. Moira's Story
These friendly, ‘spiritual conversations’ supported and encouraged me throughout my years as a student. There was always a great freedom about them, and maybe this is what allowed thoughts of a religious vocation to grow in the midst of student life and relationships....
Teresa Dunphy's first profession.
First Profession with the Dominican Contemplatives.
My name is Teresa Dunphy. I am 29 years old and I entered the monastery 3 years ago, when I was 26 and on the 29th of June 2008 I had the joy of making my first profession.
After College I worked in an Accountancy Firm, in Tax Consultancy and qualified as a Chartered Accountant shortly before I entered here......