My Vocation Story

Shared during the closing of the Year of Consecrated Life – Feb. 12, 2016 with the Consecrated Men and Women of Iloilo City, at the Carmelite Chapel during an HOUR WITH THE BLESSED SACRAMENT

HOW GOOD IT IS TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD! A JOY, INDEED, TO BE IN FELLOWSHIP WITH ALL HIS CHOSEN ONES!

I am Sr. Naomi, the third of seven siblings by Manuel Lastimoso and Marcela Sumayan of New Lucena, Iloilo. I spent my early schooling in New Lucena, until I transferred to Sagrado and finished Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. Since my father was working in Guam just like the OFWS today, my mother was left alone, and life was not easy having seven children to take care of. At an early age I used to go to mass with my aunt who was a daily church goer and there I got to know our parish priest who told me he will give me stampita every time I go to mass. This was my childhood motivation to hear mass since I was at the age of five. Then the May devotion – daily offering of flowers to Our Blessed Mother and attending catechism classes was my joy. This must be the seed of my vocation, and my love for Our Lady.

 After graduation in college I wanted to enter religious life already but seeing the needs of my family I opted to work first at the age of 21. Being a fresh graduate I was assigned in the farthest school in Passi, Iloilo, at a very remote place - Nueva Union. To reach the place, from the train station I have to walk for two hours to reach the barangay and another two hours in going home with my co-teacher. I accepted the job reluctantly for I wanted to work and earn to help my family. I prayed to the Lord, "You're worried as long as You are with me".

Even the secretary of the school was surprised that I accepted that assignment, seeing that I was still very young, coming from a Colegio. For news was heard that a teacher was raped there. I was not then discouraged, for I was intent to start working so I would be able to enter religious life soon. I was assigned to a two-teacher school in Nueva Union. My companion happened to be a Third Order of Carmel as I was. We prayed the Divine Office together. Since there was a massive poverty and ignorance of catholic faith in that place, we thought of catechizing them. This barangay was visited only once a year by the parish priest for their annual fiesta. We prepared the children for first communion for this visit and occasion.

But here in this deep experience of misery and poverty of the people, I felt a powerful force, like a magnet that hold me to stay. I didn't ask for a transfer as advised by many for I have already made a good rapport with the brgy. captain and the people there. They saw our selfless dedication and service for their welfare and so they in turn assured us of our protection and safety while we were there. With my co-teacher, we started to give catechism classes which at first people met with suspicion and negative reaction. But eventually, when they saw changes in their children, those suspicious and skeptical parents started to come to us and even were able to put up a chapel. The barangay started to rise and more teachers were added for extension classes. The Primary School became an Elementary School.

Rural Philippines during the 50s

After six years, the divine call was so intense that I had to say goodbye with a heavy heart to these people whom I have learned to love. My longing for a solitary life was so strong that Carmel was the answer.

I left home without my parents consent. From the hospital for a minor operation, I went directly to Carmel. Upon knowing this, my mother came crying and pleading to postpone my entrance for another year ... down to a few months....then for a week only or just for that day to go home with her... but like a hardhearted girl I never heeded her plea. She was telling me she would be killed by our father when he would discover that I was already in Carmel. My father was still then in Guam that time. In my heart I told our Lord, "take care of them, they are in your hands". I put my trust in what Jesus said; "Whoever leaves father, mother, brothers, and sisters will receive a hundredfold..."

My life in Carmel is not a smooth-sailing one . It's a desert experience and is always an encounter with a God of Surprises. I am not spared from the real struggle of the spirit brought about by fears, confusions, doubts, sinfulness, temptations, aridity and dark nights. This is my poverty . But the God of mercy and compassion is always my strength .

My immense trust in his love and abiding presence and mercy had sustained me all these 47 years.  

I first entered as an extern sister. I was happy for two years doing external works for the community, like shopping for their needs and begging for palay from different towns, even from Antique with another extern sister. It was a joy to return to Carmel after an absence of one week bringing a truck load of rice for the community.

 But I realized, there was something more my heart was longing. It was a call within a call. After praying and asking advise I expressed my desire to our Mother Prioress that I wanted to be an in-sister living a fully cloistered life. And so it was granted.

 One day I had a great surprise of my life. A newly ordained priest from Rome visited me. He is handling a high position in the Vatican and he belongs to the Order of St. Augustine. When he asked me in the parlour; "Sister You know me yet" (Sister can you still remember me), I told him I didn't. He He said, "I'm a student in grade two or three in Nueva Union (I'm your Grade two or three pupil in Nueva Union)." I was overwhelmed and I said, "Oh, yes, you're a little boy, but very Bright! Perhaps the catechetical instruction we gave helped gave birth to his vocation to priesthood and religious life. Never did I expect such form of a return of Investment from an otherwise hidden and far obscure place like Nueva Union, a place very dear to my heart. He is Eduardo Palmes a.k.a. Fr. Stefano Canuto, OSA. Truly God is a God of Surprises!

 For me my six years of stay in that far away and remote place was my missionary birthing where I saw in the faces and lives of the people the face of the Lord in agony, that needs to be prayed for, loved and saved.

These preceding events were a great help for me in reinforcing my deep desire for contemplative life and call for Carmel's life of Silence and contemplation. It was an experience of an ever abiding and surprising presence of God, an experience of solitude with the Beloved to a much purer desire of union with Him.

I was privileged to be with my father in his last days and one time I asked him ... "Daddy, you want me more to be gwa in Carmel? (Father, do you want me to leave Carmel?)" His response was ; "I gave you to Jesus (I gave you to Jesus already)."

It was the same with my mother on her last days. She would always tell her visitors; "I want to die in the wilderness (I want to die in the presence of my child-nun)" and her wish was granted. She died in my arms on Oct. 15 feast of Our Holy Mother St. Teresa, on a Friday at exactly 3:00 pm. Truly a reward of her devotion to the Divine Mercy and of the Sacred Heart.

Is this not one of the hundredfolds God has promised to those whom he has called... a peaceful and holy death of our loved ones? Can we ask for more, as consecrated religious and priests?

 The journey continues on. For myself, each day brings me closer to my true home. With all the bodily aches, discomfort and illness of old age, I steadfastly fix my gaze on my Beloved and my heart joyfully sings his mercy and love until I see Him face- to – face. Amen.

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