{"id":4102,"date":"2025-05-11T10:44:54","date_gmt":"2025-05-11T02:44:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/?p=4102"},"modified":"2026-01-27T10:51:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T02:51:43","slug":"gods-call-a-mystery-and-grace","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/index.php\/2025\/05\/11\/gods-call-a-mystery-and-grace\/","title":{"rendered":"God&#8217;s Call: A Mystery and Grace"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Vocation Story of Sr. Laarni of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Bongato, RGS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-image4102_00e6ff-93 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image4102_00e6ff-93\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-medium_large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"569\" src=\"https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1-1-768x569.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-4103\" srcset=\"https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1-1-768x569.jpg 768w, https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1-1-300x222.jpg 300w, https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1-1-1024x759.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1-1.jpg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Since I was in high school, I already had this desire to become a nun and like a seed it grew in my heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Year 1992 &#8211; I was in third year college when God touched my life &#8211; my mother died because of cancer. I was depressed and lonely, it was deep and painful experience that I felt something within me died also. It took years before I was able to transcend my feelings, my desire to follow Jesus has strengthened me to face the difficulties and trials in life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After I finished college, I worked as an export clerk in Pasig City for almost two years but I was not happy with it. I felt empty deep inside. It was then that I began to search for the true happiness, seeking God\u2019s will for me. I went through several search-ins to the different congregations and I was attracted to apply to the Camillian Sisters. But after a year my heart longs \/ desires for contemplative life. I want to dedicate myself in the service of God through prayer, to work and live my life in silence and solitude. I sought advice from our parish priest, Fr. Butch Butawan and he introduced the Contemplative Sisters of the Good Shepherd in Ampayon, Butuan City. I got interested so I went personally to the monastery last December 16, 1996 and I met Sr. Ellen, a contemplative sister. During my stay-in experience I can say that I finally found the congregation I wanted to join. I prayed and asked God\u2019s help to guide me in my journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The moment I asked permission from my father he stared at me, then in a low voice he said, \u201cIf that will make you happy I sill support you\u201d I\u2019m glad that my family has supported me which has helped me in times of difficulties and crises I\u2019ve met along the way. I treasured more my pre-novitiate days, my \u201cbandmates\u201d is part of God\u2019s blessing, with love and affection we have supported and en\u00adcouraged one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>God\u2019s call is really a mystery and everything is a grace. I realized how small and naked I am in the eyes of God. Reflecting my personal experience of the mercy of our Shepherd God, I\u2019ll admit my sinfulness, brokenness and wounded\u00adness, behind these I was able to appreciate that I am precious in the eyes of God. Gradually, I was being transformed, in the process God is purifying me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I pronounced my First Vows in November 11, 2000. With heart full of gladness and joy, I thank God for the gift of my contem\u00adplative vocation. It was on the 11th of November, 1825 that the first Magdalens were founded in Tours (and so I told myself, \u201cYou are a new foundation of the 3rd millennium\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, I have experienced inner joy and peace despite all the sufferings and struggles I have encountered. Community living is very demanding. But for the love Jesus, I have to die to myself and love the cross. I am grateful for my experiences that helped me grow emotionally and spiritually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the midst of my struggles, confusion, hurt and self-doubts I recall my First Profession to remind me of God\u2019s fidelity and I have to exert quality effort to be faithful in my journey. Hopefully I can be of help to those who are in need of my prayers and sacrifices, especially to those who are served by our Congregation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I have experienced inner joy and peace despite all the sufferings and struggles I have encountered. Community living is very demanding. But for the love Jesus, I have to die to myself and love the cross. I am grateful for my experiences that helped me grow emotionally and spiritually.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":4103,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[58,45,33],"class_list":["post-4102","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-vocation-story","tag-contemplative-life","tag-good-shepherd","tag-vocation"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4102","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4102"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4102\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4104,"href":"https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4102\/revisions\/4104"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4102"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4102"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/goodshepherdsisters.info\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4102"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}