QUEZON CITY – For Sr. Mary Blessiline, the Lord is her guide and her direction. And through Mary, He led her to committing and devoting herself to serve the whole Church through the religious life as part of the Religious of the Assumption.
On February 11, Sr. Mary Blessiline became Sr. Mary Blessiline of the Good Shepherd, r.a, as she took her First Profession of Vows—a solemn promise to live the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience.
“I feel so blessed for the love of God and for the grace I received to belong totally to Jesus.”
Her First Profession of Vows was well-attended by the sisters of the Religious of the Assumption, some priests, brothers and sisters from other religious congregations, and by her family and friends, who continue to support and pray for her chosen vocation.
On her Word of Thanksgiving, Sr. Mary Blessiline expressed her gratitude to everyone who supported her in her spiritual journey and noted that Mary’s presence played a big role in her desire to respond to God’s call.
“In our parish in San Mateo, from where I served, our patroness is Our Lady of Aranzazu. Our Diocese in Antipolo, where I served also, is Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage. Now, I am taking my First Profession of Vows on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes. Mary is really a big part of my spiritual journey, that is why I chose Mary Blessiline as my religious name.”
Her service and commitment to the Lord and the Church dates back to the 1990s. Sr. Mary Blessiline, or Nanay Bless to the parish youth, started serving as part of the Youth Ministry of the San Mateo chapel at the age of 10. She became an active member of the Parish Youth Ministry or PYM in 1999 as part of Mamamalakaya. She was also an active member of Tanghalang Aranzazu. From 2008 to 2013, she was appointed as PYM Coordinator. She also became Assistant Vicariate Coordinator, and eventually became a part of the core group of the Ministry for Youth Affairs in the Diocese of Antipolo from 2010 to 2013. As part of the Youth Ministry, she joined thousands of delegates at the 2009 Asian Youth Day in the Philippines and at the 2011 World Youth Day in Spain.
Overwhelmed by God’s love and His greater call, she started her discernment and search-in period in 2013. In February 2014, she resigned from her job as a government employee and entered the Religious of the Assumption congregation as Aspirant at the Assumption Antipolo community. In June 2014, she was received as Postulant at the Malibay Community in Pasay. In August 2015, she was received as Novice at the Our Lady of the Assumption Novitiate in Quezon City.
With her newly professed vows, she is now a Junior Sister of the Assumption, and is now taking up Theology Studies at the Loyola School of Theology of the Ateneo de Manila University.
With her newly taken vows, she is more than devoted to offering herself to the Lord and to serving the whole community and the Church.
“I am forever grateful having grown in the service of God, through the intercession of Mary. I will always look back on my days of service at the NSDA Parish and the Diocese of Antipolo, which prepared me and molded towards my spiritual journey with Christ.” (Glad Alvero)
Glad Alvero
Senior Editor, Website Team - Media Ministry
Glad is a graduate of BA Journalism from the University of the Philippines-Diliman. A photography and documentary enthusiast, she now works as a writer/producer for a television network. She does PR and digital marketing works on the side. She believes using her love for writing to serve the parish is the best way to give back.
