By Conventual Sisters of St Dominic
Not many parish churches in the world get to witness the dramatic liturgy of a religious profession ceremony. St Brendan’s Church in Ganmain, Wagga NSW has been blessed to witness five such events over the past 30 years.
On 1 October at 11 am, at a Mass presided over by the Bishop of Wagga Wagga, Bishop Mark Edwards OMI, a large congregation and many priests both local and from afar, came to the small country parish of St Brendan, Ganmain to celebrate Sr Mary Annunciata Burns OP’s perpetual profession of vows in which she would do what our modern age considers sheer folly: give up her right to possessions, to marry and have a family and to do as she pleases in life, and all for one reason – to respond radically to God’s love with her own.
Originally from the Lismore diocese and raised in a devout Catholic family, Elyse Burns, entered the Conventual Sisters of St Dominic (a diocesan rite Dominican Community established in Wagga Wagga, NSW,) after having completed her Liberal Arts degree at Campion College, Sydney.
The Dominican profession liturgy, set in the context of a solemn Mass, does much to reveal many of the truths about religious life beautifully reflected in Bishop Edwards’ inspiring homily.
As the church’s representative, the bishop invited Sister forward to express publicly her full, free and conscious intention to unite herself to God forever; to strive for perfect love of him and neighbour by living the Gospel as a Dominican; to dedicate herself to prayer, life-long conversion and good works and to be set apart as a Bride of Christ.
Then, in what is surely the most dramatic gesture of the Dominican profession ceremony, Sister prostrated herself full-length at the foot of the sanctuary in the form of a cross while the Litany of the Saints was sung.
Before the Offertory, placing her hands in the hands of the Prioress and on the Book of Constitutions of the community, Sr Mary Annunciata made her perpetual vows.
Like some other older Orders, Dominicans specifically vow only obedience – the essence and programme of Christ’s entire life. The understanding is that in this vow of obedience – the greatest gift anyone can offer God – the vows of consecrated chastity and evangelical poverty are included.
Following this, was the church’s prayer of consecration which speaks in lavish terms of what God is prepared to do for the sister – strengthen her…defend her from the enemy…give her modesty with right judgement, kindness with true wisdom, gentleness with strength of character…warmth of love to love him above all other
Sister then received the insignia of her consecrated life – the veil, signifying her being set apart for God, the ring, her espousal to Christ, and the breviary, the reminder of her office of prayer for the whole church and in the name of the church.
When one belongs to God, joy is the only worthy response. And so facing the tabernacle, the perpetually professed Dominican sings the Amo Christum, an ancient Latin chant of spousal rejoicing “I love Christ, into whose graces I enter…whom when I shall love I am chaste, when I shall touch I am undefiled, when I shall embrace, I am a virgin.”
This union with Christ of a Religious does not mean that he/she is set apart from other members of the church, but, like Christ, set apart for them – for their sake I consecrate Myself (Jn 17:19). Religious are meant to remind all the faithful of our common destiny: to belong to God to worship him forever.
They say something to the world that no one else in the church can say in the same way. This is the truth that Christ is the ‘All’ for the human person and that by his grace it is possible and fulfilling to live in this world, while taking a strong hold of the next.
For those who understand this truth, Sr Mary Annunciata’s perpetual vows to live as a poor, chaste and obedient Dominican is not madness as the world would see it. It’s the kind of madness Christ chose for himself – and, in which the world stands in desperate need.