Denver Catholic

12 MAY 2-8, 2015 | DENVER CATHOLIC T en-year-old Lucy Lange is thinking about becoming a religious sister. The only problem is that she doesn't know many nuns. "Except the Carmel- ites," the young Lange confessed, "but we don't even get to see their eyes." So Lucy was thrilled to learn that seven religious communities held open houses April 26. The open houses were a part of the diocesan celebration of the Year of Consecrated Life, which runs through Feb. 2, 2016. "This wasn't really for new vocations, but to give people a chance to see the way we live. We love our vocations, and we want the people to see the joy of our life," said Sister Mary Grace Bates of the Little Sisters of the Poor. T h e p a r t i c i p a t i n g communities were the Missionaries of Char- ity of Mary Immaculate, Dominican Sisters of Peace, Community of the Beatitudes, Marian Com- munity of Reconciliation, Sisters of Loretto, Reli- gious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Michigan, and the Little Sisters of the Poor. Lange and her family vis- ited the Little Sisters of the Poor. The sisters presented a video and led the Langes and several other young families on a tour. She saw the sisters' chapel, convent, residential floors for the elderly, a replica of founder Jeanne Jugan's childhood home, and—most impor- tantly to Lange—where the community's pet bunny lived. "Today I learned that nuns aren't weird. Nuns are nice. They bake cook- ies and they're funny and they have pretty churches. I like seeing how nuns live," she said. Steve Lange said he was happy for the opportunity to expose his daughters to consecrated life. "Every good Catholic gets a chance to see a priest frequently, but it's (more) rare to see a sister," he said. "As a parent, I've got to do the work to make sure my daughters see this. Any connection or relation- ship will ultimately come from them, but as the dad, I need to bring them here." Max Michieli had simi- lar motives for bringing his seven children to visit the Religious Sisters of Mercy. His eldest daughters have traveled and done retreats with the sisters, and he said that visiting religious orders is part of their family culture. "My hope is that my kids just see consecrated life as a natural thing to do, just like our family life is natu- ral. You choose to do it, and you grow up in it, and see if God is calling you to do it," he said, balancing his toddler while the sisters conversed with his older children in the next room. Michieli said he was also happy to see his sons inter- acting with the sisters. "I think it's cool for them to see women in that light. Just the special charism that women have, that spe- cial genius, that doesn't just belong to married life—it's also religious life," he said. "My sons are in there right now hearing a sister talk about how she's a spouse of Christ. It's so beautiful." Sister Esther Mary Nickel, of the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, said that sisters used to be more visible in schools and parishes, but now families and communities have to be more intentional about exposure to religious life. She hoped the open houses would help provide some of this exposure. She said she was happy to welcome an assortment of families, lay singles, and those unsure about their vocation into the house. "The di•erent states of life working together is what makes up the mysti- cal Church," she said. "We should all be together." 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