YCP Portland: Advent Retreat

My name is Sr. Ignacia Carrillo, F.M.A. I have been a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians for 29 wonderful years! I have been serving in Catholic Education for 33 years. I was born in the city of Acuna, Mexico. My father was from Texas and my mother is from Saltillo, Mexico. I am the ninth of ten children. I have six brothers and three sisters.

I began to volunteer in the Church as a catechism teacher aide when I was nineteen. It was this experience of service that filled my heart with great joy! I met a priest who always told me that the mother of all vocations was Mary. I never really prayed to Our Lady until this time.

I attended Angelo State University and earned a bachelor of science degree. My dream was to be a kindergarten teacher.

All through college I still felt something was missing in my life and I was in spiritual turmoil. During my last year of college, I lived a retreat with a group of Carmelite Cloistered nuns but I knew that the cloister was not for me. At the end of the retreat the Mother Superior gave me a booklet with the addresses of various orders. I went to the chapel and prayed to Mary and asked her to show me the way. I promised her that if she helped me, I would always spread devotion to her. I prayed with all my heart and opened the booklet to a page and tore out the postcard. I filled it out and put it in the mail. The address was directed to the vocation directress of the Salesian Sisters. That is how I met the Salesian Sisters! I can truly say that the moment I said yes to His call I regained my inner peace and I have never regretted my choice. I entered about two months after graduating from college.

This was difficult for my family because they thought I was "wasting" my education but in time they saw me happy and I did in fact use my gifts to serve God. I did not know it at the time, but Mary had led me to a teaching order that is dedicated to serving young people.

After perpetual vows, I was sent to study and earned a Master of Arts degree in Catholic School Leadership from the University of San Francisco.

My past experiences have included being a teacher and serving as a principal for 13 years in Arizona, Texas, California, and Oregon.

I have been serving at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School in Bend, Oregon as a second-grade teacher and catechist for the past six years. I enjoy being a second- grade teacher!

I enjoy preparing my students to receive the sacraments and helping them to discover their God-given talents. I want to help them grow in their relationship with Jesus. I want them to know that God loves them and wants their happiness in life.

Hello friends! My name is Sr. Shaila Mathai, FMA. I made my first vows two years ago with the Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco or more formally known as the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians. I was born in New York and grew up in Colorado.

Before entering with the Salesian Sisters, I worked as a pharmacist at Kaiser Permanente in Colorado. I enjoy hiking and spending time with family, friends, and my Sisters. Through a maze of encounters only the Lord could put together, I met the Salesian Sisters in 2017 and entered with them in 2018.

My first encounter was with Our Blessed Mother praying the rosary during my commute to work. From there, she led me to Jesus in the Eucharist and in Scripture. These habits gave me the graces I needed to respond to God's call. During my time of formation with the Sisters I lived and served in Texas, California, and New Jersey. Our charism is the education and evangelization of children, youth, and young adults.

I currently teach religion to 5th through 8th grade at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School in Bend, Oregon. I've also had the joy of teaching catechism and Sacramental preparation at various parishes in the last six years. My favorite time of the year is summer when we serve at our various camps in the western United States.

I was blessed to be able to share my vocation story at the Serra Club event in Vancouver, Washington earlier this year. My greatest joy is when young people ask questions and in my quest to answer them, God allows my faith and understanding to deepen. Please pray for me and the Salesian Sisters as we continue to serve and evangelize young people!