Sr. Mary Kay Faliskie, IHM

"To believe is to liberate into the whole world the deepest reality of love's potential"

This was the quote on my final vows program cover and it took me over 12 years to come to the realization - that I was to make final vows and to live religious life.

While in high school, I thought about the idea of entering religious life. When mentioning it to my mother, she thought that I was too young. So, I proceeded with my education and went to college. I did think about it on and off but that was the extent of it - just a thought. After college graduation, I was encouraged by my Dad to pursue graduate school while I was still young and in the academic mode. I enrolled full time and completed my Master's degree in social work, one year later. There I was with student loans to repay, and a desire to put into practice what I had just learned in school. My next step was job hunting. I worked for three years doing medical social work in a home health agency and then moved to a hospital setting, in the same capacity, for another three years.

One day while I was sitting in my office, about a year and a half after being at the hospital, it struck me - what am I doing? I had attained experience, I was paying my student loans, had a car, afforded vacations, and acquired personal possessions. But what did it all mean? Something was missing! Of course, I didn't do anything about it that day, but kept putting off any action. One day, as I was leaving my office to go to a patient's room, Sr. Janet Rossiter surprised me by saying, "You have a vocation." I denied it, and said "No way. Are you crazy? Not me!"

That got me thinking all the more. Finally, after several months, I called Sr. Ancilla, vocation director, and asked for an appointment to see her. She asked if I wanted to come down that day. My reply: "Oh my God, no! It took me 12 years to make that call; I could never rush into this." I did set up the appointment and began the process of looking at religious life, at the age of 29. Even during the period of formation I questioned many things and had a hard time admitting to myself it was right for me. It was not until my 30 day retreat that this quote struck me: "To believe is to liberate into the whole world the deepest reality of love's potential."

I have experienced "love's potential" in many ways and do believe that my choice to live the call to religious life is a gift from God and enables me to live my baptismal commitment - becoming the person I am called to be.

Sister Mary Kay is currently serving as the administrator of Our Lady of Peace Residence in Scranton, PA.

Pictured L - R:  Sisters Mary Kay, Eleanor Mary Marconi and Jean Coughlin