The celebration took place in the Immaculate Conception Parish of Guácime, Limón, where Andrea grew up. Surrounded by her family, friends, and parish and Sion communities, she was moved by a deep sense of gratitude. She was especially thankful for her parents, who showed her love and devotion in their vocation of marriage, introduced her to Jesus and, above all, listened to her and supported her in her choice to say “yes” to God’s project of love in her life.
When Andrea first met the sisters of Our Lady of Sion, it was their witness of life that resonated with her. Their vibrant joy, their warm hospitality, their love of the Scriptures, and their deep commitment to a life of prayer and community: all this drew her to respond to Jesus in Notre Dame de Sion.
The Bible passages chosen by Sr Andrea for the vow celebration offered powerful words and images to reflect upon. Among them are the words of the prophet Jeremiah, a faithful servant of God, whose faith remained unwavering amidst severe trials: “You persuaded me, Lord, and I let myself be persuaded” (Jeremiah 20:7). Sr Andrea chose Jeremiah because she identifies with the unconditional and boundless nature of his call. She explained that like Jeremiah, she experiences the Word of God as a fire that runs through her bones and cannot be extinguished.
Afterwards, as Andrea returned to the Sion community house she was staying in, a rainbow formed. It was an unexpected reminder of God’s covenant, as described in Genesis 9:13: “I set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth”, and it silently manifested Sr Andrea’s trust in God’s enduring care, as she embarks on this next chapter of her consecrated life.
As Sr Andrea contemplates her perpetual commitment, she draws strength from the story of the Sion Congregation’s earliest mission in Costa Rica. In 1878, the first sisters left by ship from France, to embrace the unknown. On the day of their departure, Théodore Ratisbonne, founder of the Congregation, wrote words of encouragement that continue to inspire:
“Keep your eyes straight ahead; look neither to the right nor to the left, nor to the back. You are in God’s hands; do not be afraid of anything; the Blessed Virgin Mary of Sion protects you.”
Fr Theodore Ratisbonne, 20 October, 1878
