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The Ekklesia Sisters’ bid to participate in the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest may have fallen short, but it is that performance which led Sr Josette Farrugia to join the sisters’ congregation: the Ursuline Sisters of St Angela Merici.
St Josette was interviewed by Gabriel Lia on Newsbook Malta after professing her perpetual vows, confirming her lifelong commitment to the Ursulines.
Her vocation arrived relatively late in life: she was 37 when she joined her friends to watch the Malta Eurovision Song Contest edition in which the Ekklesia Sisters took part. The friends were charmed by the sisters’ performance, though initially that was it for Josette.
However, a friend would soon invite her to a mass in which the sisters were performing, and her encounter with the sisters that day would set her on a course which would transform her life.
Sr Josette soon started volunteering with the Ursulines, volunteering so regularly that she quickly burnt through her leave.
Increasingly, she saw the appeal of joining the congregation as she volunteered, and on one occasion, she felt overwhelmed and rushed to the chapel to reflect.
Sr Magdalene Cauchi – presently the mother general of Maltese Ursulines – guessed what was happening. She followed Josette to the chapel, and asked “when is your ‘yes’ coming?” Josette initially replied that she felt too old to pursue her path, but was reassured by Sr Magdalene that age did not matter to God.
Sr Josette started her journey in 2017, and took her first vows three years later, vows which she renewed year after year before she professed her perpetual vows this year.
Her own experience leads her to encourage others who may consider pursuing her path to take a step forward, irrespective of their age.
She emphasised that she had led a comfortable life before taking her vows of chastity, obedience and poverty, including frequent holidays abroad, but stressed that nothing gave her as much joy as her present vocation.
Source: Newsbook.com.mt
Article written by John Paul Cordina