Sister María Irma González, IWBS
Superior General
Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament

How does someone who never went to a Catholic School and did not know many Sisters become a Sister? That's my story!

I was born and reared in Brownsville, Texas. I am the older of two children whose dad died we were both very young (4 and 2). Therefore, my mother and my grandmother are the two most influential people in my life. Both women were very faithful Catholics, totally involved in the life of our Parish. So were my brother and I. We belonged to the different groups that were available to us in our Parish at the time. But for the most part, the only Sisters I knew were those who taught CCE in our Parish.

One day during my senior year in high school - out of the clear blue - while I was sitting in study hall, the thought occurred to me that perhaps I should enter the convent and become a Sister. WELL!!! I bargained quickly with God for a sign that this was a real call, reasoning that this was most likely not a request from God since I did not know too many Sisters. I got my sign: I received and accepted a four-year scholarship. I thanked God for the response and went my way.

During the next two years, becoming a Sister was a thought that would not leave. Each time, I said, "This can't be; send me a sign." And each time I got a sign.

• A cousin who is a Sister in a missionary group invited me to their convent; I... really wanted to be a teacher.
• One of the Sisters who taught CCE in our parish invited me to their convent; they had a VERY strict rule about not talking during the year of novitiate (one of the years of training). This was surely a sign, since this good, Tejana loves to talk.
  
• Sister Camelia Herlihy, IWBS (one of our Sisters working with the Newman Center at the college where I was studying) invited me to visit her Motherhouse (the Sisters of the Incarnate Word) in Corpus Christi. I came to a weekend retreat as I had done the other two times. This time, the sign was "feeling at home."

There isn't much that can be done with "feeling at home" except to find out how one can "stay at home." So that year I sought advice from our Priest, filled in applications, got my physical, was accepted, told my folks - in that order. My mother's response was that she wanted me to be happy and if this would make me happy, I should answer the call. My brother said, "If you say you want to do it, you're going to do it. Good luck." My grandmother was adamantly opposed to it.

Leaving home was difficult for a while. In addition to having to get used to a new life, a new environment, and feeling that I had so much to learn, there was also the fact that my grandmother did not approve. All these things (including acceptance from my grandmother) came in time. If I had it to do all over again, I would do the same thing.

I have been a Sister since 1967 and it has been great! I feel that this is the best way that I can serve God. I have lived with a great group of women dedicated to the "extension of the Incarnate Word - making Jesus, the Incarnate Word, present wherever we are"; I have taught in schools in Brownsville and Corpus Christi; I have belonged to a number of religious and civic groups. Currently, I serve as the Superior General for the Congregation. When I finish this ministry, God only knows what's in store for me. I look forward to it.