From Olympic speed skater to religious sister. That is the unusual career path of
one American Franciscan sister who shared with us her story of how she came to discern
her own religious vocation. It's an inspirational story that comes as the Church
celebrates this weekend the World Day of Prayer for Religious Vocations. Susy Hodges
spoke to Sister Catherine Holum to find out how and why she decided to ditch her
glittering career as a world class speed skating champion and embraced a religious
vocation instead.
Sister Catherine says her first inkling of discerning her
religious vocation came during a pilgrimage at the age of 16 to the Fatima Shrine
in Portugal: "I had a very powerful experience of hearing the Lord speak to me in
prayer, calling me to be a sister." But as it happens Sister Catherine did not immediately
take up that call and continued with her career as a skater which she says "really
took off" after she had prayed to Our Lady on that occasion. "I felt it was God's
grace that helped me to excel at that time."
She went on to explain how "the
real turning point for her"came after she had graduated from college and met a group
of pro-life young people doing a pilgrimage across America that ended with them attending
the World Youth Day gathering in Toronto.
Asked about what she felt were
the greatest sacrifices of being a religious sister, Sister Catherine said "the hardest
part for me was leaving my family and my friends" but added that the rewards were
many: "My heart is fulfilled completely in this vocation" and.... "nothing is wasted
from our past life."
As a former athlete, she believes that "sports have so
much to teach us about the faith and I've learnt some great life lessons: discipline,
hard work, sacrifice, setting goals for yourself, working as a team. All these things,
she says, "are important in our faith."
Listen to the full interview by Susy
Hodges with Sister Catherine Holum: