Speaker: SR. THERESE
MARIE IGLESIAS
Sr. Therese Marie Iglesias grew up Catholic, went to Catholic
schools, and attended Mass every Sunday. As a senior in high school, she
received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and experienced God's love for her in a
deep and personal way. Yet in college, she tested the waters of
"secular" life, which she found very empty. Soon she met a group of
religious brothers, and some of them asked her if she had ever considered
religious life. Her first reaction was "complete and utter nausea." She
realized her reaction was due to misconceptions about religious life. Soon
after, a little spark was ignited in her heart. The spark grew when she
witnessed the "Brothers of Hope" and their authentic joy that sprang
from their intimate relationship with Jesus. She experienced a renewal of her
faith, felt a call to deepen her relationship with the Lord, and had a powerful
confession experience. She became torn between marriage and a vocation. Then
one day the Lord gave her a very clear image of laying prostrate before a crucifix
and hearing Him say "My daughter, I am your King, and I claim you as my
own." After overcoming some objections from her father, who was eventually
convinced through a powerful experience of his own, Sr. Therese entered the
Franciscan Sisters TOR in 1998, and made her final vows in 2006.
Sr. Therese Marie says that "Religious life is not a fairy
tale...being Christian isn't either. Yet, my vocation points to the fulfillment
of the greatest romance that has ever happened in the history of the world: the
romance between God and man." She loves sharing her story of God's
merciful love and is looking forward to sharing with each of you! You won't
want to miss this joyful and sometimes humorous testimony.
