Hello, I am Sister Marla Gipson. This past summer I professed First Vows (or Temporary Vows) as a Sister of the Precious Blood. I am now a Temporary Professed Sister after completing the two year Novitiate which officially ended when I professed Vows. I have professed these vows for a three year period. I am 43 years old and have been actively discerning a call to religious life since I was 37 yrs. old. Currently this is the sixth year of formal “formation’ for me as a Sister of the Precious Blood.

I am a self-described spiritual seeker, but more specifically a seeker within the Catholic tradition, having converted to Catholicism in 1994. I seek a spirituality centered on Jesus Christ as my exclusive, significant other much like that of a married person exclusively giving of self to their spouse. I came to this quest for Jesus as my exclusive other through the experience of life changing events in my life coinciding with my involvement in the RCIA process. My father died and I ended my engagement with a Catholic man. I never had any thoughts about Catholic Religious Sisters in general or becoming one in particular. But through grieving, suffering loss and heartbreak, I drew closer in my relationship with God. In my quest to seek meaning in suffering I experienced intellectual and emotional conversion. I now know that conversion is an ongoing life process in our relationship with the Lord. Gradually my relationship with God took center stage in my life. As a result, I immersed myself in parish ministry because I began to see Jesus in others. I was growing in the contemplative life.

I have since come to realize that contemporary religious life, for me, wraps around my relationship with Jesus as exclusive other. It gives credibility in that I can publicly consecrate myself to a union with Christ, to live consecrated celibacy as my vocational call instead of the married life or the single life. This way of life frees me to love others inclusively as my fellow companions on the Christian journey. Publicly consecrated celibacy allows for appropriate boundaries to love inclusively. While all of this seems very theological or “thought out,” it is a mysterious call. For me it has been and continues to be an experience of following my heart first. I have learned that when it comes to Jesus, my heart dictates the way. My head has to follow along for the sake of my own understanding. I am a “why” person, but in my relationship with Jesus, it is the heart which takes center stage. It is my heart that Jesus leads.

Currently, I am a Pastoral Associate at Our Lady of the Visitation. I started this ministry on August, 1 2003. I coordinate such ministries in the parish as RCIA, Bereavement, Senior Ministry, Baptism Prep, some Liturgical Ministry and Adult Faith. Since I have been in this position for almost five months, I am largely growing into it. I am learning the culture of the parish, the history of some of these ministries and most importantly entering into relationship with God’s people at Visitation. I can safely say that I dearly love parish ministry! It is an exciting adventure! It is another form of community life equally as compelling as living religious community. It is here that I can interact with a variety of people, young and old, male and female.

Also, I am in that stage of formation which is meant to still be a time of discernment before I make a final commitment, It is a stage meant to live as an active contemplative Sister, integrating my prayer life and my quest for God with active, full-time ministry and completion of any remaining academic study in preparation for ministry. Currently, I am working on an MA in Theological Studies at the University of Dayton. I take courses in the summer time and will possibly pick up a course or two during the school during the year.

Many times I find this road into Religious Life to be an exciting adventure. I have met many new friends from all walks of life and have had varied and interesting experiences. No, not every day is a “day at the beach”.  But when you know that your commitment is right and is of God, then you know what true happiness is! I feel as though I am building my life on a solid foundation, though an ever-changing, totally dynamic foundation it is. Following and walking the life of Christ, in search of Christ in my center, in search of Christ in all others and not one exclusive person--this is my primary focus. May God continue to bless this journey!