Sister Mary of Sorrows
I was born in Saigon City in South Vietnam. I was blessed with wonderful parents and a loving family. My parents worked hard to raise their children and gave us a good education. They were very devout Catholics. Even though they were busy with their business, they still spent time with us, teaching us the Catechism, prayers and the rosary. As a young girl, I grew up with great trust in God and a deep devotion to Our Lady.
When I was ten years old, I used to go to a convent to help the sisters make hosts. I didn't consider the possibility that I might someday be a nun. While growing up, I took my faith for granted. I didn't have any personal relationship with Our Lord, though I was very close to Our Lady. When I had problems or special intentions, I always prayed to her first.
My family immigrated to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1990. I was 19 years old at that time. After a few months we moved to San Fernando Valley in California because it had a warmer climate. I went to the local High School, where I began to study English. I also enrolled in the youth group at Our Lady of Peace Church. On weekends I helped there by teaching Catechism in Vietnamese. I also taught the children how to write and communicate in Vietnamese.
At that time I visited the Sisters of a Vietnamese congregation called the Lovers of the Holy Cross, whose convent was located in the front yard of the church. I joined them for supper and recreation several times. We were good friends and I was curious about their lives and asked them questions. But I never thought of joining them. The sisters asked me if I desired to become a sister. "No!" was my quick response. I felt a call from God to the religious life but I wanted to finish high school first. A few years later, the Lovers of the Holy Cross moved to downtown Los Angeles. I didn't keep in touch with them anymore.
After graduating from Monroe High School, I enrolled at California State University Long Beach. I worked in the library there. The thought of becoming a religious sister came back to my mind. Before that I had been thinking only of becoming a lay missionary.
In 1995 I started to pray the rosary every night. At that time I used to say many different prayers but in the end I decided that the simple wordless prayer of my heart was more pleasing to God. I attended Mass almost every day. In spite of the fashions I saw around me in California, I continued to dress traditionally and modestly.
During the next few years I went on several pilgrimages: to Korea, to Medjugorje and to Vietnam. It was during this time that I first experienced what it means to be in love. I was in love with God. In my heart I knew that I would find my vocation.
I kept asking Jesus what was His plan for the rest of my life. I pleaded for guidance before the Blessed Sacrament. I decided to confide in my beloved younger Sister, Leslie. She had entered the Vietnamese congregation of Mary Queen. I also knew Sister Marie Dominique in the Daughters of Charity and I kept in touch with her for years. She kept asking me to be an active sister. I still was undecided. But I felt more and more attracted to the cloistered life.
Jesus invited me many times in different ways but I always felt unworthy. I asked God please to give me a sign. " If you would like me to be a cloistered nun, let someone give me flowers within a week ," I asked. Three days later I received flowers from my employer. But I still wasn't sure. At adoration I asked for another sign and a couple days later two of my nephew who called me mother sent me a bouquet of flowers. I remembered that I had asked God for a sign. I burst into tears and said yes to my Lord and my Lover.
I now definitely believed that Jesus Christ had chosen me when I was in my mother's womb. He placed a seal in my heart. I belonged to Him as His bride and I
desired to love and to serve Him forever. From then on I never ceased asking Him for the grace of perseverance until death.
My call to the cloistered life grew deeper and deeper. I began looking at different cloistered orders. I read about the cloistered Dominicans in an advertisement they had taken in a Vietnamese
Catholic magazine. I wrote them a letter and they asked me to come for an interview. I was accepted and entered the convent a few months later. It was very difficult to leave my family behind,
especially my mom, but I placed my trust in the Lord. My heart became inflamed as I finally accepted God's beautiful plan for me.
Here as a Dominican novice, I believe God has answered my thirst for union with Him. During my aspirancy as I was kneeling before the Blessed Sacrament, God reminded me of my desire for missionary work and He showed me His desire that I become a spiritual missionary. I understood how being a spiritual missionary was a beautiful calling. I could know, love, serve, praise and adore Him forever and I could learn how to hold God's people in my heart, to love, to care for them, to feed His lambs and tend His sheep with prayer. I could pray for the whole world.
Now I'm here! God used many loving people to lead me to this place. Now I just want to love Jesus with all my heart and with all my soul! I sought and found the One for whom I hungered- Christ Himself!
I thank my beloved Jesus for His patience with me and for the intercession of Our Lady. Now I humbly kneel before our Blessed Mother's statue and with her I sing:
" My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!"