NC - 2022 - Winter

“It is in their
‘relationship with
Christ — a one-toone
conversation
with Christ,’”
terminology coined by Bishop
Fulton Sheen in his book, Treasure
in Clay, “that they will be able to
determine which thoughts, feelings,
and desires in their hearts are
of God and which are not, and
eventually they are able to make
that generous response. A vocation
is all about love, and love is all about
making a gift of oneself.”
This is something keenly felt by Sr.
Emmanuela, who can see echoes
of her own vocation story in each
young woman who approaches
to gain a better understanding of
Nazareth. With nearly 25 years
of service as a Sister of the Holy
Family of Nazareth, Sr. Emmanuela’s
warmth and welcoming attitude,
coupled with fond remembrance
of her first days learning about
Nazareth, keep her accessible to
each young woman who begins to
discern. Her own early encounters
with Catholic Sisters were with
the Franciscans, who were her
teachers and catechists and saw
in her the subtle beginnings of her
own vocation.
When Sr. Emmanuela began to
look deeper into herself — into
her relationship with Christ —
she found herself speaking with a
CSFN Sister. From there, the rest
is history. “This is where God has
always wanted me to take root and
blossom,” Sr. Emmanuela shared
with a smile. In Nazareth, she had
found her home and she holds the
door open for any others who
might choose to follow.
“It seems to me there are a lot
of young people today who want
to make a difference in the world,
but they may not realize religious
life is also a way to do that,”
she explained. “To all the young
people, you might be confused,
uncertain, afraid, not sure what
to do with the yearning in your
heart. Know that somewhere out
there, a person wants to hear
your story and sift through it
with you. Together, we can listen
for the voice of the Lord. You are
not alone and you don’t have to
discern alone. Take courage!”
To learn more about the
Sisters of the Holy Family of
Nazareth, email Sr. Emmanuela at
vocations@nazarethcsfn.org or
call 682-203-9675.
Sr. Emmanuela Le stops during a
recent discernment retreat to take
a photo with Sr. Pia Marie and Sr.
Angela Szczawinska.
Sr. Emmanuela Le and Sr. Magdalena
Rybak pose for a photo during a
discernment retreat.
Archbishop Christophe Pierre,
Apostolic Nuncio, stopped by
the CSFN booth and gave sisters
his blessing at the SEEK 2020
Conference.
Sr. Emmanuela Le thinks of creative
ways to engage with young adults
during a recent conference.
NAZARETH CONNECTIONS //WINTER 2022
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