MANILA, Philippines — No, sisters aren’t just living on prayers alone.
Before she entered the convent in 2015, Sister Marie Joy Torres was under the mistaken impression that sisters spend most of their days in dialogue with Jesus Christ. Ten years later, she has proven that the value of their vocation extends beyond the confines of the Catholic Church.
“Before I entered the convent, I thought that if I became a sister, we would just pray,” she told Rappler. “But actually, we are working. We are also using our profession, our gifts, our talents.”
Her fellow sisters at the Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation continue to practice, to some extent, their professions from before they entered religious life. The congregation supports their efforts to pursue further studies so that, according to Sister Joy, the sisters can be the “best version of themselves who can render better quality service to the people.”
Some of her peers are medical professionals who tend to the sick and elderly, others are educators who run schools and teach young children. Those who enter the convent with only a high school diploma are encouraged to choose a college program that would help them in their vocation.
Sister Joy, who found fulfillment in educating the youth, was once a counselor for a Catholic school in Bulacan before she put on her habit. As a sister, she still applies her knowledge on guidance and counseling, especially as she consistently facilitates retreats for students.
“I am able to give hope to young people—that you, too, can rise again. You, too, will overcome the challenges you’re going through,” she said.
The sister recently caught the attention of young Catholics online after the Archdiocese of Cebu shared a video of her talking about the vocation, which now has over 1.3 million views on TikTok. It left some of them asking, “Is this a sign?”
@sugboanongsimbahan “In my sinfulness, in my unworthiness, doon pala talaga gagalaw si Lord.” – Sr. Marie Joy Torres, OSA ❤️ #VocJam2025 #SugboanongSimbahan ♬ original sound – The Archdiocese of Cebu
But what led her to embrace a life of faith?
For God, she’ll give it a shot
Although she had always been religious, Sister Joy didn’t always dream of becoming a sister. She was even in a committed relationship just before entering the convent.
God had other plans.
Back when she served as a lector and commentator in her parish, priests would often tease her into entering the consecrated life. She shrugged it off at first, but things changed after she accepted an invitation to join a discernment retreat, where she felt as if she was “the one being called.”
Sister Joy then told the sisters working in her school that she was interested in the vocation. In response, they gave her a glimpse into convent life and arranged for her to speak with a spiritual directress. Everything made sense for her after that experience.
“I went home really, really happy because at last, I know where my life is headed. I felt a different kind of joy after I discovered that I have a vocation,” she recalled.
Her friends tried to talk her out of it. Her ex-boyfriend would stop her from playing religious songs. Her mother initially resisted the idea of letting her eldest daughter—their breadwinner—enter the convent.
But the call was loud and clear.
“I have a strong feeling that God is calling me, that I belong here, and it feels like I can’t say no to him,” she said. “When I entered the convent, I said I will just try anyway if I’m really meant [for the vocation]. But the Lord really put me here.”
Sister Joy went through her final profession in December 2023.
Did she miss out on opportunities after choosing the vocation? A couple of lay people—or Catholics in the “outside world”—think that life inside the convent could be a bit restricting. Consecrated women, after all, give up a lot of things even before their final profession. Like priests, they also take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
But she said that if anything, the convent only pushed her beyond her comfort zone and allowed her to serve the people in ways she was once unfamiliar with.
“It’s really an empowerment that God will really push me beyond my limits,” she said. “There are many things I am able to do now that I couldn’t do before. I now have the confidence to face different kinds of people, I have the chance to visit different places, and to know more about their culture.”
Women and the church
The Catholic Church now holds more spaces for its female members.
Pope Francis, in particular, made sure to elevate more women into leadership positions in a previously all-male Vatican committee, and to the 15-member council that oversees Vatican finances. In January, he had appointed an Italian sister to lead a major Vatican office — the first woman to do so.
Sister Joy also observed that sisters, nuns, and other women working for the church are also more “empowered” now and are no longer seen as merely the priests’ helpers.
“Before, people thought that sisters were just priests’ servants, but actually we’re not. We have our own capacity and our own power to lead,” she said.
Women who are interested in the consecrated life may enter the convent as early as 18 years old. According to canon law, superiors in the convent must admit those who have the “health, suitable character, and sufficient qualities of maturity to embrace the proper life in the novitiate.”
The journey towards becoming a sister could be overwhelming, but Sister Joy hopes that those who feel called to the vocation would not be overcome by fear.
“It can be scary because we don’t know where we’re going. But if the Lord calls, he will provide. God will sustain us,” she said. — Rappler.com
Quotes were translated to English for brevity