By Sister Rosemary Reynolds, SNDdeN
This article originally appeared in our Winter 2023 issue of Sowing Goodness.
After several class sessions discussing the Prophets of the Old Testament, one of my former freshman high school students asked, “Would you say that Sisters (Women Religious) are the prophets of hope for today?” Of course, the student received an A+ in the class, but his words have stayed with me, “How can we be prophets of hope for the future?”
As a Sister of Notre Dame de Namur, I have ministered primarily to high school and college age students. I don’t see myself as a prophetess, but I strive to bring the goodness of God to those I work with daily. Young people today struggle to define their self-worth within a society full of violence and racism. They yearn for connections,acceptance of their true selves, and open mindedness to differences. Our role is to be prophetesses of hope, women who accept and meet the needs of those we encounter daily.
The call to religious life continues today, maybe not in the numbers of the past, but in the dedication of women, sowing a future filled with hope. Some say we live with a “Me Generation,” but my experience has been one of young people striving to transform the systems and structures that cause pain in our world. Pope Francis spoke to the youth at World Youth Day, saying, “God sees how good you are. He alone knows what he has sown in your hearts.” Our Chapter Calls reflect these words, “We, Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, are called to sow across the world new seeds of hope and unity; of inclusion and belonging; of invitation, welcome and dialogue, and of collaboration of mission,” (Chapter Calls, 2021)
Sister Rosemary Reynolds, SNDdeN is an educator and guidance counselor. She currently serves as the Associate Director of the Office of Careers and Professional Development at Albertus Magnus College, in New Haven, Connecticut.