A Day in the Life of a Sister of Life

As I approached the steps of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, I saw white and blue fabric billowing in the wind, fabric from the habits of the Sisters of Life. My family was there to witness the final vows of our good friend Sister Magnificat Rose. She was about to make her vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and a fourth vow particular to the order, “to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life.”

What Does a Normal Day Look Like for a Sister of Life?

The Sisters of Life were founded in New York in 1991 by Cardinal John O’Connor and their missions are dedicated to respecting and honoring life from conception to natural death.

I interviewed my friend about the beautiful ways in which they live this out!

Blessed is She //

What does a typical morning look like for a Sister of Life? Have you always been a morning person, or have you learned to become one?

Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. //

I will start by saying I have never really been a morning person! But God gives you the grace for whatever He asks of you! Most days of the week we start our day at 5:00 a.m. with prayer and Mass in the chapel which really allows us to dedicate the very first part of our day to the Lord. We fast from the time we wake up until breakfast at 7:30 a.m. What is really beautiful about this time is that all of the sisters in our community are united together in prayer. All of our works for the day flow out of our prayer.

What many people find to be interesting about our life is that we try to live our mornings in silence (as our apostolate allows). Doing our work quietly helps us to cultivate deeper prayer and to have a contemplative outlook (seeing God in everything) throughout the whole of the day.

Blessed is She //

What does your afternoon look like and what do you and the other sisters do in their personal time?

Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. //

In the afternoon we have midday prayer and lunch together. We share all of our meals together as sisters, which is a great blessing and really forms unity.

After lunch we have a bit of personal recreation time. The purpose of this is really to be “re-created.” Some sisters will do spiritual reading during this time, go for a walk or exercise, spend time together, do water-coloring, play music, or even take care of our own personal things like laundry.

After that the rest of the afternoon is devoted to our apostolic work. Depending on the ministry a sister serves in, she could be meeting with pregnant women in need, planning a retreat, cooking, etc. Some of our apostolic missions include: serving vulnerable pregnant women in need, hosting retreats, evangelizing on the dignity of the human person, serving women who have suffered after abortion, and outreach on college campuses.

Whatever one’s apostolic mission, our unifying charism really forms and colors the meaning of even the littlest tasks. So even for our sisters who are at the retreat house who might be cleaning or in the kitchen and not directly serving pregnant women, all of our life is offered on behalf of life. Peeling carrots in the kitchen can even be offered for someone who’s really struggling with the meaning of their life. It doesn’t really matter so much what you’re doing, but rather finding meaning through our vows and our charism.

Blessed is She //

What are some of your favorite aspects of your apostolic work?

Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. //

I love celebrating people! Throwing birthday parties for the women we serve brings a lot of meaning to me because often they haven’t experienced people rejoicing in their life. They receive so deeply and it is really powerful. I also love entering into conversations with the women that we serve and getting to listen to their fears and their dreams. It is also a joy to meet with college students: listening to them, encouraging them, and giving them the space to more deeply discover who they are and what God is inviting them into.

Blessed is She //

What does a typical evening look like, and what kinds of recreation do you and your sisters enjoy?

Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. //

The prayer schedule might look a little different in each house, but typically we’ll have our Holy Hour, Rosary, and evening prayer followed by dinner.

During dinner we will either listen to a talk or a sister will read from a book. This allows us to not only be nourished by our food, but also spiritually.

After dishes we usually have community recreation. We really enjoy playing games together, playing music, creating art and crafting, going for walks, or just sitting together to share our joys and sorrows.

Blessed is She //

What is something surprising about your life that not many people are aware of?

Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. //

I think what surprises people is the aspect of silence we live out in the morning. It is just so counter-cultural. Yet it really helps us to recognize how the Lord is at work throughout our day. I also think people are surprised to learn that we delight in the normal human joys of having fun together whether this be playing a game or a sport together.

Blessed is She //

With Jesus as your Spouse, how do you experience Him continuing to pursue and allure you?

Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. //

I really cherish our time of Examen at the end of the day. It’s a time to look back over the day with the Lord. To ask Jesus, “What did You see today? How have You revealed yourself to me in my work?”

It’s a time to see His light in different parts of the day and to see how He has personally loved me, even in the smallest moments through ways that only He would know how to love me. It could be a little flower showing up, or experiencing great joy during a conversation which I was originally intimidated by. I so often experience His faithfulness, constant patience, and mercy, and sometimes it’s just in the small, little whispers.

Blessed is She //

What is it like being part of a family with over one-hundred sisters?

Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. //

I didn’t grow up in a big family, but I would imagine people in a big family would be able to relate to it. It’s so, so awesome because with the Lord, there is always more. You have the sisters who you might be closer to because you have lived with them, and those particular friendships within the community are really beautiful. And then, when we come together as a whole community, the experience is even more rich!

What we share is really bonding, and it gives you that confidence to know that even if you get missions in the future with sisters you don’t know as well, you’re not afraid of it. You may suffer the grief of leaving the sisters you know, but there is also a confidence in getting to know new sisters.

Of course, life is real and there are difficulties and miscommunications—it takes work to learn and get to know another person, their personality, and work style—but no matter what culture or background a sister is coming from, there’s something deeper uniting us.

Blessed is She //

What is your advice for other women who are in discernment and questioning whether their call is to marriage or religious life?

Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. //

I would say to take courage and have peace. The Lord knows what He is about. He has a beautiful plan and His timing of unfolding that plan is perfect. Keep your eyes on Him and be real with Him about your desires, struggles, and questions.

Also, be sure to open your heart to hearing whatever He wants to speak to you, because He is the one who knows your heart better than anybody else, and His plans are better than anything you could dream up!

Blessed is She //

Can you tell me about your name, Sister Magnificat Rose of the Joy of Jesus and the Little Way?

Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. //

The “Magnificat” part of my name came from praying with Mary’s prayer. I see it as an invitation to offer my life as a song back to God and to praise Him in all things, united with Our Lady.

The “Rose” is in honor of my confirmation Saint Therese of Lisieux. It is also the flower that our Founder, Cardinal John O’ Connor, would wear on his jacket in honor of the unborn.

The “Little Way” is from Saint Therese’s teaching on spiritual childhood and reminds me to depend on the Lord and to allow Him to carry me.

The “Joy of Jesus” comes from the Last Supper Discourse where Jesus says, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete” (John 15:11). I long to be united to Jesus’ joy in His Father and His joy in bringing souls to His Father.

Blessed is She //

Is there anything else you want to share?

Sister Magnificat Rose, S.V. //

I just want to remind readers that the Lord is for you and loves you!

What other questions would you add for Sister?!

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About Susanna Parent

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Susanna Parent is a regular contributor to the BIS blog, speaker and a freelance writer. While a Wisconsin native, she now begins her mornings brewing French press coffee in the home she shares with her husband and children in the Twin Cities. When the sun sets, you’ll find her with friends enjoying a glass of red wine, preferably outside underneath twinkly lights. When not exploring all that the Twin Cities has to offer, she is indulging her wanderlust spirit by brainstorming their family's next new adventure. You can find out more about her here. Read all of Susanna's posts here.