English
19 December 2021- the day of my Perpetual Profession to be stamped forever and ever in my memory. To be the eternal spouse of Christ and to be the permanent member of MSI family were the apparent peculiarities of this day.
The celebration was simple and sober, organised in my home town parish at Budoya in the diocese of Alotau. Sisters and candidates from Watuluma and Alotau, along with my friends, family and parishioners, witnessed the joyful moment of my total surrender amidst mixed feelings of joy and gratitude.
The chosen theme for the celebration was, “Be the light of the world and the salt of the earth.” In his homily Most Rev. Roland Crisostomo Santos, Bishop of Alotau emphasised on the baptismal call of every Christian “to strive to be the light and the salt of the earth.” Two symbolical gestures performed during the celebration touched me and the Congregation present. First taking off my cultural attire-a sign of detachment from the world and second the moment of receiving the ring-a sign of attachment to the Lord. It connected me to the sentiments of Mother Dones, “I place myself like the dead body in the hands of the one who called me and let him do what he wants of me.”
Introspecting my formative journey and the journey as a young professed sister, I would say that it is embellished with God’s unhampered mercy and unconceivable love to me a poor and fragile vessel. I thank God for the persons, situations and events He positioned on my journey that shaped and moulded me to reach my spot-on destiny. Hence, I say it with total confidence and all-inclusive convictions that, it all began with God and will be accomplished with God.
I am the maiden person from my parish, who has consecrated my life to Jesus and I believe that I am the fruit of their prayers and sacrifices, which places a dual responsibility on me: to persevere joyfully in my vocation and to bring forth more vocations.
Sr Euna Duigu
Papua New Guinea
