Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker celebrate Sister Philomena Marie’s first profession of vows

Bella Bailey

Multimedia Correspondent

Tucked away from the rest of the world, down a winding drive in Walton, Ky., occurred a moment of total abandonment to the Lord as Sister of St. Joseph the Worker Philomena Marie made her first profession of vows, Aug. 15. Inside the small convent chapel gathered Sister Philomena’s mother, father and brother who traveled from Oklahoma, along with friends of the Sisters St. Joseph the Worker.

The profession of first vows is an important milestone in the life of any consecrated religious as it leads them deeper into life with their community and prepares them for their final vows, where they become fully consecrated to Christ. Sister Philomena professed these vows during Mass celebrated by Bishop John Iffert, concelebrated by Bishop Emeritus Roger Foys; Father Matt Cushing, chaplain for the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker; Father Daniel Schomaker, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish, Ft. Mitchell; Father Kelly Edwards, a priest of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and Sister Philomena Marie’s former campus minister and spiritual director during her vocational discernment. Also in attendance were Deacons Hudson Henry, St. Joseph Parish, Crescent Springs, and Chuck Melville, St. Barbara Parish, Erlanger, as well diocesan seminarian, Will Fuller.

In preparation for her first vows, Sister Philomena participated in a silent retreat, where she spent six days reflecting on this next step in her discernment to consecrated life. When the day came to profess her first vows, Sister Philomena said she felt only, “a profound sense of peace.” Though nervous in the days leading up to the event, “when I walked into the chapel right before Mass, I just felt this space, like the peace that surpasses all understanding that the Lord gives and it’s like, ‘yes, I’m here. I’m ready, and here I am Lord. I come to do your will,’” she said.

During the profession of vows, Bishop Iffert blessed the crucifix and chain that each sister of the order wears, as an outward manifestation of their union to God, something that Sister Philomena likened to a wedding ring. She recalled a moment, the night before she was to profess her vows, “sister was setting up the chapel, and she had the crucifix on a little table, and that was the moment, like ‘oh, this is for real.’”

Prior to the profession of vows, during his homily, Bishop Iffert said to Sister Philomena, “You are choosing today, with these vows, a life filled with blessing … Those who are consecrated to the Lord Jesus Christ, who go all in on that single most central loving relationship of our lives, is all for gain. Even the hardships you encounter, even the difficulties that come with life, they are for something. They are for learning the language of sacrificial love.”

Sister Philomena Marie will continue to renew these “temporary vows” once every year for at least three years before professing final vows, where she will be bound forever in consecration to Christ.