Brs Prince and Titus professed their final vows in Bo on the 19th of July at a meaningful yet elaborate Eucharist which was presided over by the Archbishop of Freetown and Bo. They were joined in this celebration by a large congregation of family, friends and brothers.
It is significant that this profession takes place in the year we celebrate the bicentenary of Br Edmund Rice and his first followers making first profession in Waterford, Ireland. It gives us the opportunity to reflect on what the vows are for us. Philip in his recent letter to the Brothers said, “Love manifests itself in the form of a vow. This is true as much for marriage as for religious life. The motive is always love. One remembers the private vow that Blessed Teresa of Kolkata made in April 1942: “I made a vow to God, binding under [pain of] mortal sin, to give God anything that [He] might ask, not to refuse [Him] anything.” The vow was indeed hiding the depth of her love for God, which motivated all her actions, especially her unconditional surrender to God’s will. Her encounter with the immensity of God’s love called for her response. Yes, truly love manifests itself in the form of a vow.
Pedro Arrupe said, “Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything.”
Jesus said, “I came that you may have life and have it to the full.” As a religious I believe that my vows allow me to do just that. And the vows, rather than being restrictive and constraining enable me to live life to the fullest. If I doubted that than why would I or any religious live a life that would not bring them to the realization of the words of Jesus and his purpose of coming amongst us?
It is significant that this profession takes place in the year we celebrate the bicentenary of Br Edmund Rice and his first followers making first profession in Waterford, Ireland. It gives us the opportunity to reflect on what the vows are for us. Philip in his recent letter to the Brothers said, “Love manifests itself in the form of a vow. This is true as much for marriage as for religious life. The motive is always love. One remembers the private vow that Blessed Teresa of Kolkata made in April 1942: “I made a vow to God, binding under [pain of] mortal sin, to give God anything that [He] might ask, not to refuse [Him] anything.” The vow was indeed hiding the depth of her love for God, which motivated all her actions, especially her unconditional surrender to God’s will. Her encounter with the immensity of God’s love called for her response. Yes, truly love manifests itself in the form of a vow.
Pedro Arrupe said, “Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute, final way. What you are in love with, what seizes your imagination, will affect everything. It will decide what will get you out of bed in the morning, what you will do with your evenings, how you will spend your weekends, what you read, who you know, what breaks your heart, and what amazes you with joy and gratitude. Fall in love, stay in love and it will decide everything.”
Jesus said, “I came that you may have life and have it to the full.” As a religious I believe that my vows allow me to do just that. And the vows, rather than being restrictive and constraining enable me to live life to the fullest. If I doubted that than why would I or any religious live a life that would not bring them to the realization of the words of Jesus and his purpose of coming amongst us? 
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