“Religious life is a gift to the Church”

Each year, the Catholic Church in the United States celebrates religious women during Catholic Sisters Week. This year, Catholic Sisters Week is March 8-14. 

The week shines a light on the spirituality, mission and community building of women religious. Some of the ways to celebrate women religious in the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City is to call or write to a religious sister who had an impact, help a ministry run or started by a local religious sister or encourage young women to considering a vocation to religious life. 

The archdiocese includes representatives from 12 religious orders for women. Among them is Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. 

Sister Diane Koorie, R.S.M., took her religious vows in 1963. Beginning as an educator and health care provider, she now serves on boards (hospital, school and a national ministry association), several committees of these boards and does advocacy work. She is the local sister liaison with the Oklahoma Mercy Associates. A good portion of her time is spent serving on the Sisters of Mercy Institute anti-racism and racial equity committee, and on the board of the National Association for Lay Ministry. She also is a catechist for RCIA.

“Religious life is a gift to the Church. It is one way we live out our Baptism. We all have one vocation, the call to holiness. Each of us must then discern how she is being called to become holy. For some, it is through the sacrament of marriage, for some it is as a single adult, for some it is to live in community with others rather than one’s own immediate family,” she said.

“Community life is one of mutual support, shared prayer and daily life. We make vows of poverty, to live as simply as possible so that others might simply live; chastity, to strive for right relationship with all persons, with the human dignity and worth of each as God’s people; and obedience, deeply listening to and led by the Holy Spirit to walk the path of Mercy that God has for each of us.”

Koorie attended Catholic school for elementary and high school where she met sisters, came to know them and their works, and in high school was involved in service with the sisters. She said she gradually was being drawn to the life and work the sisters led. 

“My family held a religious vocation in high regard, so I was very supported in considering religious life for myself. At the time I graduated from high school, our community still accepted young women for entrance after high school,” Sister Diane said.

In 1963 when she entered the religious community, it was a rather structured formation of anywhere from six to nine years. When she went to college, she learned about religious life, the community and its works, and experienced some ministry. Her first vows came after the first three years with the possibility of renewing for three more years before making her Perpetual Profession (final vows).

“These provided touch points for discerning whether we were still being called to this life or not. Whenever we completed or nearly completed our college work, our first five years of initial formation, and deemed ready, we were then sent out on mission to be full time in ministry. Our main works were education and health care with some other ministries.”

When asked what advice she would give young ladies who are interested in the consecrated life, she replied, “Pray for the grace of wisdom and knowledge of self, pray for the grace of a clear discernment and persist in prayer. Talk with others who might know you; how do they see your talents and gifts? Meet with a spiritual director who will help you discern the daily presence of God in your life and experience. Search out and explore religious communities, talk with a sister you know or know of. Use the internet to ‘visit’ different communities.”

She added a good place to start is vocationnetwork.org where there’s information and activities to assist in discerning a religious vocation.

To learn more in the archdiocese, contact Vanessa Baquera, coordinator for vocations to the consecrated life. Baquera leads a digital discernment group and retreats for young women discerning. The next retreat is Aug. 4-6 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Youth Camp. 

Jolene Schonchin is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.


Learn more about religious life in the archdiocese
Vanessa Baquera
[email protected]
okcvocations.com/religious-life-in-archokc