Sr. Beata Victoria

There is something compelling to me about the idea of surviving seemingly impossible situations, to emerge victorious in unlikely places. It was this desire for adventure that drove much of my pursuits as a young adult: wild outdoor adventures, triathlons, travel, and furthering my education and career.

But that feeling I got when I finished a race or reached a summit always left me wanting. Could I have done it faster? Now that I had conquered this trail or traveled to that place, what would be the next challenge? What could I do next to advance my career? The world’s pursuits are simply not enough to satisfy the human heart, which is made for Eternity. At the root of my desire for adventure was a deep longing to participate in the victory that comes from the Paschal mystery – Jesus’ promise that even in the face of death, the ultimate situation of impossibility, comes Life Eternal. The journey toward Heaven is life’s greatest adventure.

Living as a faithful Catholic, pursuing all the things I enjoyed, I often remarked on how much I loved my life. And I trusted God had a plan for my vocation as well, but wasn’t asking him about it very intentionally. All I knew was that I longed to give my love to another and to continue experiencing adventure in that gift.

In my late 20s, I encountered young, vibrant religious women. I hadn’t considered religious life as an option for my life. As I saw the way they loved, I felt like that part of my heart that desired wild adventure was prodded. What they lived seemed impossible, yet I could see their peace and their joy. Even though I was scared of what the answer might be, I finally had the courage to ask: “Jesus, how are you calling me to spend my life and my love?” Slowly my heart opened to the possibility of consecration.

As I began to more intentionally discern religious life, I went on retreat with the Sisters of Life. Their charism, which proclaims the goodness of every human life, resonated deeply with my heart, filled with the desire to live fully alive and draw others into the joy of knowing life’s goodness.

Jesus always speaks in a language we can understand and pursues our hearts in a way that is extremely personal. During a game of ultimate frisbee with the sisters, I received a significant grace. I watched a sister look for a place to pass the frisbee. Finding none, she launched it with abandonment into the endzone, trusting someone would break away and catch it. And that’s exactly what happened!

I saw clearly what I had been living: it was as if I was standing with my heart in my hands, looking around for where I was supposed to throw it next, but couldn’t see a clear opening, so I was just holding on to it. That’s where I knew the Lord was inviting me to just toss Him my heart with abandonment. He loves us too much to fumble our hearts. No matter how wild the pass, He will always make that catch and we will always win. As I knew so well, victory is even sweeter when it comes in an impossible place.

And so, with confidence in His desire to lead me to victory, I focused on simply launching Him my heart every day as I continued to ask Him about my vocation. His pursuit of my heart was gentle and always revenced my freedom. It came at a time and in a way that I could receive and respond. First and foremost, it was an invitation of love: to be loved by Jesus and set apart to love Him with a totally undivided heart.

Religious are called to be a visible sign to the world that each human person is made for Eternity. We are that sign because we have the gift of living Heaven now, through the gift of our consecration. As I pondered this beautiful mystery, I realized it was exactly what I longed for. I don’t just love life; I am in love with Life. The only appropriate response was to give my whole self to that Love, who was inviting me to be totally his.

I entered the Sisters of Life in 2017 and on August 4, 2020, I professed the vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and to protect and enhance the sacredness of every human life. As a spouse of Jesus Christ and as a Sister of Life, my heart has found the freedom and adventure it always longed for – an adventure that leads to Heaven and brings Christ to life in the world each day.

In living this identity as a religious, the Lord gave me a new name: Sr. Beata Victoria, Latin for “Blessed Victory.” It is a great gift to receive anew each day that Christ has already won and we were made to share in His eternal victory – a victory the world cannot give.