How Did You Know You Wanted to Be a Sister?

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Two things have me thinking recently. The Catholic Church has designated this week as Vocations Awareness Week and this week marks my five month anniversary of moving into Dominican Convent. I am half way through this Candidate year. As I was speaking to my junior high and high school students this weekend about vocations the question that came up multiple times was “How did you know you wanted to be a sister? What thing happened to tell you that?” I smiled. I wish it was a lightning bolt moment or a neon sign descending from the heavens saying “Krissie, this is what you should do.” It wasn’t that obvious. I had known about sisters since I was a child and when asked I said I would consider being a sister and I would consider being a mom; both were ok with me. I attended Dominican University sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa. As soon as I walked onto campus I knew something was special about this place and when I met some of the sisters I felt at home. Throughout college I spent more time with the sisters and was drawn to their joy and pursuit of truth. I spent a year volunteering with them and was touched by their welcoming spirit and their passion for justice. As I got to know the sisters more I realized these women are family for each other in every sense of the word. I was eager to get to know them better and the more I learned the deeper I was drawn in. Finally, I couldn’t fight the desire to join this great community of women. I had learned as much as I could from the outside and I had to take the next step of living with the sisters and trying this lifestyle on to see how it fit with the joys and struggles. It was something I knew in my heart that I had to do.

At this point, I don’t know what the future will bring, but I have loved my time in Whitefish Bay living with twelve amazing women who are teaching me by their example what it mean to be a Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa. I am so glad I jumped in and am trying this way of life.

What have you known in your heart you should go for?

Krissie Koll, Candidate
Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin

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