You're listening to Catholic Sprouts.

Today is Wednesday, February 2, 2022, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.

I'm Sister Sidney Moss, a daughter of Mary help of Christians, and this week we're talking

about vocations.

Today is the perfect day to talk about the vocation

to religious life, because in a special way on the feast of the presentation of the Lord,

we pray for all men and women who have consecrated themselves to him as priests, brothers, and sisters.

Just like Jesus was presented to God and dedicated to his service,

men and women who are called to the religious life are set apart to serve God in a very

special way with their whole lives. It was on this day 12 years ago that I was officially

received into the Institute of the Daughters of Mary

of Christians. But how did I get there? I'll give you the short version of the story. I had a

very normal childhood. I went to a Catholic grade school from first to eighth grade, and then

to a public high school and a public university. As a child, I loved playing sports and being

outside. I grew up on a street with all boys, so we would play tackle football, roller basketball,

street hockey, went skateboarding, rode my bike. I was outside every single day until the sun went down. In high school, I got very

involved in the youth group at my parish. I was there at least three nights a week. And all the other

nights, I was playing basketball or volleyball in high school. My junior year of high school,

our youth group went on a mission trip to Mexico. And it was the first time in my life that my eyes were open to the reality of how so many people live.

Even though the children had very little material things, they were so happy.

And I decided I wanted their happiness.

I wanted to stay there and help out forever, but I had to go back and finish school.

...