The World Day for Consecrated Life is annually celebrated in the Church on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. We celebrate this day on Monday 2 February 2026.
I was baptised in a small country parish church just around the corner from where I was born. In fact, I was baptised on the way home from the hospital. I began my consecrated life here.
It was within my family and this familiar community that the first seeds of faith were planted in me. Those early years were shaped by the rhythm of parish life: Mass, school, community gatherings and shared traditions that nurtured a sense of belonging and purpose. Sadly, then, we thought being Catholic was the only way get to heaven.
As time passed, I felt a quiet and persistent knowing to live out my baptismal call as a Religious Sister. The Sisters of Saint Joseph, who served our small town with dedication, became wonderful examples of what it means to live one’s faith and life wholeheartedly. Their witness encouraged me to discern my own path in life, and eventually I entered the Josephite Order, trusting that God was inviting me to live my life as a Religious Sister. Other consecrated people felt called to live their baptismal call in other ways.
Throughout my ministry as a Religious Sister, I have been privileged to walk alongside people in moments of both joy and struggle: Sisters, children, adults living with disability, those experiencing homelessness and those in aged care. Through these encounters I have come to recognise the sacredness of each person and the unique call of each one’s life.
Each life tells a story of hope, resilience and longing. Again and again, I see that all people share the same essential needs: to feel connected, to belong, valued and held within a community that cares.
Religious life has invited me to see God’s presence in unexpected places, especially in those disconnected and vulnerable in a broken and complex world. In those struggling to do their best in sometimes challenging circumstances, God’s face is revealed. I believe that my call to Religious life has freed me to stand with these people where possible, given my own limitations.
My journey has also opened my eyes to the sacredness of all creation. I believe God continues to shape each of us, each moment. Just as God continues to create me, God continually renews all living things. Like trees in a forest, we depend on one another for nourishment, support and growth from that sacred part deep within all of creation.
I am grateful to those who have walked with me, offering encouragement and companionship in my Consecrated Life. All pathways are different and yet the same. God’s call to everyone is a mystery to be lived and cherished and this cannot be done alone.
Just to be is a blessing. Just to live is holy.
Chris Schwerdt rsj