On a certain hot afternoon of 2018, The statue of Our Lady of Walsingham was making tourism All around Nigeria and for that day, she was coming to my church. How excited I was to get Our Lady's blessings on the First day of my journey to discovering God's will for my life. I stopped at UBA bank to use the ATM before boarding a bus to marfoluku. There at the bank, I decided to take a selfie (which is the picture above) which I wanted as a remembrance of the day I officially kick-started my journey to discovering God's will for my life. The day I officially started my vocation discernment after much directions from my ever-loving Spiritual director in the University, Fr. Paul Akin-Otiko, OP. I still remembered how I lost my way twice when I got to marfoluku...lol. As the Bike stopped me in front of the gate of St. Jude Catholic Church, Marfoluku. I stood, wondering how my weary soul would find the answers that it seeks. As I arrived at the convent gate of the Dominican sisters of St. Catherine of Siena (within St. Jude Catholic Church), which was my destination, I quickly made the sign of the cross and I could hear and see, from a distance, the Sister-seamstress as she pedalled and stiched the Dominican habit on her sewing machine.#tbt
Suddenly, A young lady in a milk-white Dominican habit a black veil and a long crucifix, greeted me with a smile and said "Are you a new aspirant?" And I answered "yes" and told her I was looking for the Prioress. I still remembered how I walked in and seeing the Dominican Fathers and sisters in a meeting and was so nervous but the kind gesture and beautiful atmosphere that was created by these children of Our Holy Father, St. Dominic, at the convent, was remarkable.
I remembered how I and Sister Marie-Therese, the sister I saw outside, was asked to serve the sisters and Father's, desserts as they proceeded in their meetings. My continuously going to the convent, made me more happy as I felt so happy and at home within the fore-walls of the Convent of the Most Holy Rosary. I loved how I and the sisters always did sexts (afternoon liturgy of hours), visit to the blessed sacrament, how we ate together and discussed while eating, how we would do kitchen chores together, how I and Sister Marie-Lucia, the Prioress, would discuss about medicinal plants. How we would go to mass together and everyone kept looking at me as the New aspirant. Oh!!! I miss how Sister Joy would always call me "Our Future sister" with her shiny smiley teeth.
Discernment Sundays were my favorite, because it was so adventurous and I felt so much at home because I got to spend the whole day with my Lord and His brides. Sitting and hearing their vocation stories were so much fun and looking at how happy they are despite not having the things of this world.
To this gesture I want to encourage you, Dear Catholic Young one, discern your vocation. Discover God's will for your life. Vocation is not automatic, it's not something that you just wake up and decide. It takes lots of prayers, spiritual directions and convent visits. Don't be afraid to discern, no one is going to force you to become a nun. In my case, as much as I so much wanted to embrace the Dominican spirituality and become a Dominican Cloistered Nun, I discovered there within the fore-walls of the Convent of the Most Holy Rosary, that my vocation was Marriage. I struggled so much to accept this because I didn't want it one bit but finally with the help of the sisters and my Beloved Spiritual director, Fr. Peter Scott, SSPX, I accept God's will for my life. Your Vocation may not be what you want at first but it will make you happy.
Godbless ❤️
Pics #3 Compound of the Convent of the Most Holy Rosary.
Pics #4 sitting room of the Convent.