Responding with courage and personal sacrifice to the call of Christ in the Church, our foundresses lived out their desire to become women of prayer, community and service
SSMO Constitutions, Article 1
Dear Friends,
It is with great joy and anticipation that I share the good news that Sr. Thanh Pham will profess perpetual vows on Aug. 15. She has been preparing for this day for more than 7 years. The news of the approval of her request to pronounce perpetual vows was met with great joy by the Sisters.
Please contact me if you would like to witness this wonderful event. We will send you an invitation.
Blessings,
Sr. Charlene
Meet our Sisters – Sister Thanh Pham
Sister Thanh Pham was born in Vietnam and raised in a Catholic family. She emigrated with her family to the U.S. when she was 13 to reunite with her grandparents.
Growing up Sr. Thanh was always involved in youth activities at her parish but adapting to life in the U.S. was difficult. However, thanks to her family’s devotion to God, her faith never faltered.
Occasionally, Sr. Thanh would think about religious life, but often brushed it off as unattainable. She went to college but ran into obstacles that prevented her from pursing her path.
That was the point where she took a year off from school to focus on prayer, her life and her vocation. She became more acquainted with the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon through her Aunt, Sister Rosina Pham and the special time she was able to spend with her grandfather at Maryville. Encouraged by her grandfather and touched by the warmth and compassion of the Sisters, she began to walk through her discernment with the help of Sr. Michael Francine Duncan.
Now, as Sr. Thanh prepares for her perpetual vows, she will tell you “Ever since, I recognized that God had been leading me; I just had to listen to Him. Now when I find peace and joy in anything I do, I know that I am following His voice!”
Visit Sister Thanh’s bio page to learn more about her amazing journey from Vietnam to the SSMO.
Come and See Retreat
Contact Sr. Charlene Herinckx to learn more or register.
Our next Come and See Retreat is June 22.
This is your invitation to a weekend with the Sisters
Who: single women ages 18 to 35 who want to learn more about religious life.
When: June 22
Where: SSMO Motherhouse
Why: This is your opportunity to ask questions, learn more about your discernment and spend some time with our Sisters.
Don’t forget to invite a friend to join you!
Questions about Discernment
What unique expectation do you have for someone who is interested in your Community?
Email your discernment questions to our Vocations Director.
Women who are interested in the SSMO Community are encouraged to meet regularly with the Vocation Director.
Women are also expected to visit at least two or three other religious Communities.
This is important for you, and for us, to know if your personal charism matches the Charism of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon.
May – The Month of Mary
In May, Sr. Anna Nguyen and Sr. Charlene had the opportunity to provide vocation awareness at several parishes and two universities in California. As the calendar turns to June, let us celebrate our Mother Mary by appreciating her motherly care and the faithful people who created these beautiful statues.
The faith of the people was evident, not just with the craftsmanship of the statues, but also by the number of people who attended daily Mass. It
was very inspiring.
