My name is Sr. Maria Lourdes Maranan, A.S.C.J. I am a member of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. We are an international congregation of sisters founded by an Italian woman, Blessed Clelia Merloni. We have a great devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Our charism is to be the compassionate Heart of Jesus for all people through love, service, and reparation in our various ministries.
I am originally from the Philippines, in the city of Manila. I am the eldest in my family with four brothers. I grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and became a citizen of the United States when I was in eighth grade.
When I was young, I wanted and prayed that I would have sisters since my brothers liked to tease me and I did not like that at all. I was a sickly child and was always having asthma attacks. I prayed that if God healed me, I would promise to go to Mass every day. Little did I know that God had a plan for me: a journey that took me to another country, several schools, (public and parochial), different states and finally to where I am now.
I met the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at Cor Jesu Academy where I attended high school. Cor Jesu Academy was not my first choice. I wanted to go to Notre Dame High School where my friends were going to attend. I had never heard of Cor Jesu. As an obedient daughter, I went to the school that my parents chose for me. I will be eternally grateful to my parents for choosing that school for me. I found my call to religious life there.
The sisters were wonderful models of faith and even fun! I was edified by how they carried themselves as professional women but also women who cared for others in their individual ways. What struck me is how they live in community as sisters in Christ. This was God’s way of telling me that He was answering my prayers, as I had always wanted to have sisters. If I could not have biological sisters, better yet, I could have spiritual sisters. And so, I entered the convent.
Currently I minister to Hospice patients and their families as a registered nurse. Before that, I worked at a local hospital on an Acute Rehabilitation floor where I ministered to patients who experienced strokes, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations, and orthopedic injuries.
Before I became a nurse, I was an elementary school teacher at various Catholic schools in Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. I enjoyed offering my students creative ways to engage in their various subjects as well as learning about themselves and each other. Most importantly, I had the opportunity to teach them about God and the Sacraments.
Aside from my experiences with nursing and teaching, I like to listen to Christian music, play the guitar, keep up with technology especially digital drawing, create origami figures, watch inspirational movies, play board games/cards with the sisters, learn Spanish and Italian through the Duolingo app. and crochet amigurumi animals. Though I keep myself occupied, I still always find time to pray before the Blessed Sacrament. It is in the Eucharist that I find my peace, strength, and comfort.
Through this journey I have learned that you have to place your trust and faith in God and He will do the rest as long as you are open, humble, and patient. Now I have my sisters in Christ. (And I outgrew my asthma!) See what wonders God has in store for you too!