Sister Stories

Sister Darlene Terry

  |  San Francisco, California

When did you hear God’s call and how have you responded?

It was around the age of 12 when I first felt that God might be tapping me on the shoulder to respond to a call to religious life.  I was in the 6th grade at the time.  Throughout high school, sports, dating, etc., thoughts of religious life remained.  At the end of my senior year I was prepared to enter a religious community but, responding to requests that I wait, it wasn’t until I was 24 that I finally made the move.  Prior to that I worked and got some of my college education.

Many years have passed, and I am truly happy with the decision to follow God’s promptings.


How has living as a Presentation Sister enhanced your life?

Living as a Presentation Sister has provided many opportunities to present and to share what life in Christ is all about.  I spent many, many years as an elementary school teacher and principal.  I’ve also had the opportunity to work as a high school Confirmation Coordinator in a parish for several years.  In addition, bringing hope to stressed and unhappy persons by working as a Marriage and Family Therapist has provided opportunity for helping people to feel “healthy” and “alive” again.

Through all of these experiences, coupled with prayer and a reflective lifestyle, I have come to a much better understanding of God’s presence in my life as well as how prayer can make ministry more meaningful.

What would you share with women considering religious life?

I would encourage women considering religious life first, to acknowledge the call and to pray for a heart that is open to God’s message and a willingness to respond.  I would also encourage them to pray for the courage to take the important step of saying, “YES”.

Frequent recitation of a simple prayer such as, “Lord, help me to hear and respond to Your call,” might help keep one focused.
 
It would also be important for anyone considering such a call to contact different religious communities and to actively participate in various  discernment processes in order to gain as much knowledge and understanding of religious life as possible.

It’s important also, to recognize those things that might be distractions to one’s ability/willingness to respond to God’s call, and to gently try to reduce their influence so that more time could be spent in peaceful discernment.

Acknowledging one’s particular gifts and talents, as well as considering ways that those gifts might be used in religious life, might also be helpful.

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