{"id":2111,"date":"2007-11-28T08:33:00","date_gmt":"2007-11-28T08:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/deaconsbench\/2007\/11\/when-your-daughter-is-a-sister-a-mothers-story.html"},"modified":"2007-11-28T08:33:00","modified_gmt":"2007-11-28T08:33:00","slug":"when-your-daughter-is-a-sister-a-mothers-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/deaconsbench\/2007\/11\/when-your-daughter-is-a-sister-a-mothers-story.html","title":{"rendered":"When your daughter is a sister: a mother’s story"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>Here’s something you don’t read every day: a mother’s letter about her daughter, a cloistered nun. It’s a beautiful testament<\/a> of faith and love and joy. <\/p>\n

You’ll want to read it all, but here’s part: <\/p>\n

Sarah had countless interests. She dropped them and never looked back. Many people have considered it a shame that someone with so many talents should be in a convent. I wonder why we would want to give God less than the best.<\/p>\n

(After she entered the convent) Her responsibilities were divided among the rest of the family members. On some days when things seem completely out of control, we exchange a look with an understanding that no longer needs to be voiced… \u201cYes, Martha, Mary has chosen the better part.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her growth has been immeasurable. She has had all kinds of opportunities that we couldn\u2019t have provided. Why, Sister Cecilia, who played in the philharmonic (there\u2019s that talent thing again) even taught her to sing!our family has expanded immensely. A wise priest once told me, \u201cYou\u2019re not losing a daughter; you\u2019re gaining an entire congregation.\u201d And so it is. More joy-filled women could never be found. They refer to us parents as \u201cMom and Dad ______\u201d. This is the closest we\u2019ll ever come to hand-picking our relatives!<\/p>\n

Even the families of the sisters become close. It seems the standard line for consoling parents is: \u201cYou can\u2019t get a better son-in-law.\u201d So we laughingly try to scare one another by referring to each other as in-laws.<\/p>\n

Everyone bemoans the dearth of vocations, but as in so many other circumstances they expect someone else to do something about it. It\u2019s too late for me to become a nun, but I can certainly encourage others. I can\u2019t remember anyone even suggesting the possibility in my youth.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A big hat tip to The Anchoress<\/a> for sharing this. It made my day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here’s something you don’t read every day: a mother’s letter about her daughter, a cloistered nun. It’s a beautiful testament of faith and love and joy. You’ll want to read it all, but here’s part: Sarah had countless interests. She dropped them and never looked back. 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