In 2011, a 27-year-old Bernadette Toohey stepped into the Missionaries of God’s Love (MGL) sisters’ home in Varroville for a Consecrated Life Weekend, not knowing how these three days would change the course of her life, reports The Catholic Weekly.
“Coming into the sisters’ home and experiencing and feeling like I’m at home there was a big part of it for me,” Sr Bernadette recalls.
Sr Bernadette Toohey MGL is pictured praying with sisters at home in Varroville, Sydney. (Catholic Weekly/supplied)
This sense of belonging, coupled with the sisters’ passionate talks, ignited something profound within her.
“Hearing the sisters speak about their life and about being consecrated to Jesus, being a missionary of God’s love… there was a definite kind of different fire in my heart.”
Now, Sr Bernadette invites young women across the Archdiocese of Sydney to embark on a similar journey of discernment.
Last weekend, March 14-16, the sisters opened their doors for another Consecrated Life Weekend.
“We share the life that we have,” Sr Bernadette explains. “We have some inputs, but we also just give women the chance to experience our life as well.”
The intimate setting, typically hosting 10-15 participants, allows for deeper connections and personal exploration.
“It’s an opportunity to gather within a smaller and more intimate group of young women that are all like-minded and seriously on the faith journey,” Sr Bernadette explains.
The weekend offers a unique blend of spiritual enrichment and practical insights with the sisters on hand to guide women through talks about consecration and what it means to be set apart for Jesus, what are the vows that religious women take, how do you discern?
“There’s time for the young women to just hang out with us, to have one-on-one catch ups,” said Sr Bernadette.
“We have time for prayer and time of adoration,” emphasising that “prayer is the real seed bed of discernment.”
Sr Bernadette stresses that the weekend is not just for those seriously considering religious life.
“It’s really good to come to a consecrated life weekend like this with us, or with another order, at least once. So at least then, if you decide that you’re called to marriage, that you’ve at least discerned this life.”
Past participants have praised the weekend for its inspiring atmosphere and practical discernment tips.
“They love hearing the sisters’ stories of how they came to consecrated life,” Sr Bernadette adds, highlighting the impact of personal testimonies.
For young women feeling a stirring in their hearts or simply curious about religious life, this Consecrated Life Weekend offers a chance to listen, pray, and discern in a welcoming community.
As Sr Bernadette puts it, “All good discernment is based on listening to what the Holy Spirit is doing in you. Because good discernment happens when you listen, spending that time with the Lord and listening to him and allowing his love to be poured into our hearts.”
This article by Darren Ally was published in The Catholic Weekly.