teachings together, just like thefirst disciples did. Each person in acommunity brings her own personality, and that is one of the gifts andstruggles of religious life. On ourbest days, communal life is a blessing; on more difficult days—whensomeone is in a bad mood, or whenyou find yourself criticized, or whena house meeting runs long—community provides opportunities forgrowth. Together we witness to thepatience, trust, and compassionJesus calls us to.
Living together, we support and
challenge one another through the
joys and sorrows of life. Community
My community grows together and
in relationship with God through
prayer.
As we support one another in
prayer, community life helps us
foster the radical call to Christian
discipleship lived out by vowed
religious. We hold one another ac-
countable. As a sister, I am continu-
ally challenged and learning to live
in union and love—not only as I
serve those most in need but with
those closest to me, the sisters with
whom I live.
Religious must learn to live
together and strive to follow Christ’s
Code #055 VocationNetwork.org Community Search
Code #442 VocationNetwork.org Community Search
WORKING WITH andfor the poor as a publicrepresentative of the churchis part of being a sister in an“apostolic” (active) religiousorder. Above is the author(right) with a co-worker atthe Sisters of Saint JosephNeighborhood Center inCamden, New Jersey.
