5 minutes with … Sister María Concepción Pérez Salas
January 25, 2011
HOUSTON — Sister María Concepción Pérez Salas, a 37-year-old novice, is over the moon about professing her vows this summer with the Congregation of the Missionary Carmelites of St. Theresa in Houston. Despite the occasional bout of jitters and self-doubt, Sister "Conchita" says she has abandoned herself into the arms of the Lord with total trust.
Sister Salas said that answering God's call, revealed to her through Christ's living presence in the Eucharist, was not easy at first. The Mexican-born sister told the Texas Catholic Herald she was quite happy working in the internal audit department at Wal-Mart's corporate headquarters when Jesus came knocking.
Texas Catholic Herald: How and when did you first know that God was calling you to religious life?
Sister María Concepción Pérez Salas: I was 28 and at the time the coordinator of a youth group in my parish in Arkansas. My parish had Perpetual Adoration and my constant prayer before the Blessed Sacrament was: ‘Lord, I ask you to call from this group men and women to the priesthood, the religious life and to be missionaries.' One day, after this prayer, while I rested in silence with the Lord, I heard His voice in the depths of my soul say, ‘My child, I am going to answer your prayer.'
You can't imagine the joy I felt, gazing and smiling upon the Blessed Sacrament. But then, He added, ‘The first one that I am going to call is you!'
My smile disappeared. My frightened response was: ‘Jesus, I think you misunderstood my prayer. I want to have a family. I already have plans for my life. But I thank you very much for your invitation.' I left and stopped praying for vocations for a long time.
TCH: What happened next?
Sister Salas: For three years, I tried to ignore His call, immersing myself in parish activities and telling the Lord, ‘See, I am serving you anyways.' Yet I felt empty. The Lord, though, reaffirmed His call through Hosea 3:16: ‘I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart…She shall call me "My husband," and never again "my baal".'
Again before the Blessed Sacrament, I begged, ‘Jesus, allow me to fall deeply in love with you. I want to enter religious life not because I feel your call, but out of love for You.' Answering my prayer, the Lord overwhelmed my soul with love for him and gave me the grace to say ‘Yes, Lord, here I am.' Then, I wanted to scream with joy to the whole world that the Lord was calling me to the religious life.
TCH: How did you know what order to approach?
Sister Salas: During a retreat, a priest spoke about the different orders. When he mentioned the Carmelite Order I knew this was the one God wanted for me. What drew me was the Carmelite's spirituality, the humility, the simplicity of the sisters and their self-giving to others.
TCH: What has been the biggest challenge in answering God's call?
Sister Salas: Learning to die to myself. The lifestyle change was difficult because I had an independent life, with my own car, job, bank account, etcetera. Yet now I am so happy to be a part of this new family. Now, I am able to say the words of St. Paul, ‘But those things I used to consider gain I have now reappraised as loss in the light of Christ.' †