As a young girl, Lucy Marie Fitzmorris found her path to the religious life through a simple, yet impactful encounter: a suggestion from a sister to consider the Order of Saint Benedict.
After several years of temporary vows, Sister Lucy Marie Fitzmorris made her perpetual monastic profession, also known as a final profession, a lifelong commitment to follow Christ. She now takes on vows of stability, fidelity to the monastic way of life and obedience, through a celebration of her espousal to Christ, the bridegroom of the Church.
“I know that sounds basic, but growing up I didn’t realize that sisters even really existed,” she said. “Once I got to high school and met a few sisters and got to experience their joy, it sparked my curiosity that just maybe I too could be called to be a sister. It opened my heart to even ask the question. Then in college when I really began to ask God, ‘For what did you make me?’ the answer became clearer and clearer I was made to be a Benedictine.”
“Benedictine life is ordinary. I love that. Saint Benedict knew that his monks were humans and wrote a rule to help get ordinary humans to heaven. I am an ordinary person, so the rule is just what I need. Saint Benedict lays out a way of life that lets me search for God whether I am in our oratory chanting psalms, pulling weeds in the garden, or serving at Catholic Charities.”
One of the biggest challenges she faced and overcame was to be content with who she was as a sister, and not who she wishes she could be.
“It is easy, I think, in the first fervors of religious life, to want to change everything, to be better, to live up to some ideal of what it means to be a sister,” she said. “Then when I was met with my very real frailties and failures, it was very discouraging.”
Her formation director helped her overcome this way of thinking.
“My formation director is known for saying, ‘Go with the pace of grace.’ God does not love the sister I wish I was, he instead loves me just as I am,” Sister Fitzmorris said. “This doesn’t mean I don’t have to keep growing, but it takes some of the pressure off.”
Sister Fitzmorris said making her Perpetual Monastic Profession is very meaningful to her, her way to God. Her parish of Saint John Nepomuk Catholic Church in Yukon supported her throughout the years leading up to her Monastic Profession.
“While I was first discerning about joining the monastery, I kept it pretty quiet,” she said. “Not many people knew I was thinking about it too seriously. I did have great support from some of my friends and our campus minister while I was at Saint Thomas More Catholic Church in Norman while studying at OU,” she said.
“Once I entered the community, I routinely got cards from different groups at Saint John Nepomuk letting me know they were praying for me. The Knights of Columbus were especially thoughtful and generous. Then when I was able to come back from home visits, I always got stopped at Mass by all sorts of parishioners wanting to know about life at the monastery and to let me know they were praying for me too. That really meant a lot to me.”
Her parents supported her throughout her journey leading up to her making her profession. She said it helped that her father was discerning his vocation to the diaconate, leading them both to examine where God was leading them.
Sister Fitzmorris offers advice to young ladies who are discerning the call to become a sister, as well as an invitation to visit the monastery.
“To quote from the Rule of St. Benedict, ‘What, dear sisters, is more delightful than this voice of the Lord calling to us? See how the Lord in his love shows us the way of life.’ God is calling you to come and follow him,” she said.
“He knows the way of life, the vocation, that will help you grow into the person he created you to be. Do not be afraid to be drawn to his loving voice. And I would say, don’t be so fearful of making a mistake that you do not take the next step. Start walking and continue to listen for God and he will let you know if you are heading in the right direction.”
Jolene Schonchin is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
Sr. Lucy Marie Fitzmorris, O.S.B. made her Perpetual Monastic Profession on June 29 in the Marian Chapel at St. Joseph Monastery in Tulsa. Her home parish is St. John Nepomuk Catholic Church in Yukon. Photos Cara Koenig.