My Vocation Story
SR. M. ESTELLE ANTIGUA, RGS
God’s call for me has been unique in its
ordinariness. It was not late; neither
was my response delayed. Looking back, I
realize that it was just “on time,” His own good time. He made me experience “the extravagance of
His favor” before the actual call. Fr.
James P. Moran SJ was His instrument in directing me in my impatience to follow
Him as an RGS. I left for the novitiate
at Los Angeles, California at such amazing speed, to the surprise of my friends
and relatives, but not to my father with whom I had been faithfully sharing my
feeling and plans about my decision through weekly letters. He respected my logical presentation and
reasons. He had trained me indirectly to
the responsible use of my freedom in many ways.
ordinariness. It was not late; neither
was my response delayed. Looking back, I
realize that it was just “on time,” His own good time. He made me experience “the extravagance of
His favor” before the actual call. Fr.
James P. Moran SJ was His instrument in directing me in my impatience to follow
Him as an RGS. I left for the novitiate
at Los Angeles, California at such amazing speed, to the surprise of my friends
and relatives, but not to my father with whom I had been faithfully sharing my
feeling and plans about my decision through weekly letters. He respected my logical presentation and
reasons. He had trained me indirectly to
the responsible use of my freedom in many ways.
My family and big clan of
relatives’ love for me is the seedbed of my understanding of sacrifice and
generosity in loving. I am the
oldest of eight children and a product of the public school from Grade I to
graduate studies. My father placed us,
my sister and I, in dormitories run by Catholic nuns who gave regular lessons
in doctrine and the Bible. I developed
as a professional in Diliman with the concepts of love and sacrifice deepening
and broadening through the lived example of Fr. J. Delaney, SJ, the UPSCANS,
and the Catholic faculty-residents in Diliman and the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass.
relatives’ love for me is the seedbed of my understanding of sacrifice and
generosity in loving. I am the
oldest of eight children and a product of the public school from Grade I to
graduate studies. My father placed us,
my sister and I, in dormitories run by Catholic nuns who gave regular lessons
in doctrine and the Bible. I developed
as a professional in Diliman with the concepts of love and sacrifice deepening
and broadening through the lived example of Fr. J. Delaney, SJ, the UPSCANS,
and the Catholic faculty-residents in Diliman and the Holy Sacrifice of the
Mass.
What challenges and
excites me now - are the on-going graces of getting-to-know
Jesus, our model Shepherd so I can follow Him more closely and love Him
deeply; above all - “being witness to the Joy which comes from being with the Lord,”
especially to the young students in our classes, our teachers and alumnae.
excites me now - are the on-going graces of getting-to-know
Jesus, our model Shepherd so I can follow Him more closely and love Him
deeply; above all - “being witness to the Joy which comes from being with the Lord,”
especially to the young students in our classes, our teachers and alumnae.