Sabrina Paty, former field officer and instructor with Servol, made her first profession of vows as a Dominican Sister of Sinsinawa in St. Theresa’s Church, Woodbrook, on Thursday 31st May, the feast of the Visitation of Our Lady. And what a celebration it was!

A large gathering of relatives, friends and members of various communities was on hand to share the joy of Sr. Sabrina and the Sinsinawa Dominican family as she stood before Sr. Liz Dunn O.P., delegate of Sr. Patricia Mulcahey O.P., Prioress of the congregation, and emphatically affirmed the free choice she had made to live out her Christian mission, her baptismal calling, as a vowed member of the Dominican congregation of Sinsinawa.

Each question from Sr. Liz was greeted by Sr. Sabrina’s resounding “Yes, this is what I choose,” leaving little room for doubt in the minds of the assembly that she had freely chosen
(1) through obedience to “commit herself with her sisters to listen and respond to the Spirit in accordance with the Constitution of the Sinsinawa Dominican congregation,”  
(2)through chastity to live a “life of intimate personal union with God, rooted in faith, sustained by prayer, and expressed in love for others”  for the sake of the mission of Christ, and
(3) through apostolic poverty to “live in Gospel simplicity and be generous with the gifts of life, recognizing her interdependence with her sisters while trusting in God’s faithfulness”.
           
Quietly and reverently Sr. Liz confirmed Sr. Sabrina’s choice. Now it was our turn.

All of us in the assembly were asked to stand. Led by the vibrant music of the St. Theresa’s parish choir, with overflowing hearts we gave praise to God in the words of the Dominican Magnificat:
To praise, my soul rejoices in God…
To praise, my soul shall glorify the Lord.
God Who is mighty has done great things for me.
Behold the servant of God

To bless, to bless the people of God.
To bless, to bless the name of the Lord
All generations shall call me blessed.
Behold the servant of God

To preach, to preach the Word of our Lord
 To preach, to preach the truth to the earth.

And so, as we sang, we also affirmed her Dominican calling, to praise, to bless, to preach.

Sr Sabrina Paty and Sr Liz Dunn

Then, with her hands in the hands of Sr. Liz, who held the book of the Constitution opened before her, Sr. Sabrina made her religious profession, promising obedience according to the Rule of St. Augustine and the Constitution of the Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation of the Most Holy Rosary for the next three years.

Sr. Kathy Komarek O.P., the director of the novitiate programme stood beside them as witness.  The silver mission cross, presented to Sr. Sabrina after the signing of the document, proclaimed that she was now a vowed member of the Sinsinawa Dominican congregation, Sr. Sabrina Paty O.P.

The liturgy of profession took place –as it usually does - within the celebration of the Eucharist. The liturgy of the Word, preceding, preparing the way, and the liturgy of the Eucharist climaxing and celebrating sacramentally this new self-offering.

Presiding was Fr. Ferdinand Warner O.P., regional prior of the Dominican friars and dear friend of the Sinsinawa Dominicans in Trinidad. Concelebrating with him were Fr. Garth Eversley O.Carm, Fr. Brendan Clifford O.P., Fr. Neil Rodriguez C.S.Sp, and Fr. Robert Llanos.

After Holy Communion Sr. Fran Koller O.P., sang the hauntingly, beautiful song “I am standing on the shoulders of the ones who came before me”. 

In front of us there was a picture of one of those who “came before us”, Sr. Glenda Rodriguez O.P., for many years the only Sinsinawa Dominican sister resident in Trinidad.

In our minds also were so many others who have gone before us, other sisters of our congregation or of other congregations, other people, men and women, who have dared to risk their all, people who have inspired us.

We joined in with the chorus:
They lift me higher than I could ever fly
carrying my burdens away.
I imagine our world if they hadn’t tried.
Wouldn’t be here celebrating today.

We processed out of the church joyfully singing with full voice : “Laudare, Alleluia! Benedicere, Alleluia, Praedicare”. To Praise, Alleluia! To Bless, Alleluia! To Preach, Alleluia!