Laboure Society
“I look forward to helping youth and families through my vocation.”
Meet the rest of my class
My name is Cristal Quinones. I am called to draw souls to Christ as a sister with the Dominican Sisters of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima. This is my story.
My paternal grandmother raised me, and though my family was Catholic, they only attended Mass on Christmas and Easter. Thankfully, though, my grandmother’s sister took me to church and religious education each week. I became aware of Jesus in the Eucharist as early as age five, when my great-grandmother would receive communion through a Eucharistic Minister. I desired to be near to Jesus in the Eucharist, and by age nine, I began assisting as an altar server so that I could be closer to Him on the altar.
I was active in my faith throughout my childhood and continued to grow in my love for Jesus. Though there was a time that I left the Catholic Church, I always maintained this love for Jesus. It was eventually through my grandmother’s invitation to Mass, a deep yearning for Jesus in the Eucharist, and a growing love for Mary that I returned to the Church.
Throughout my life there were people who shared with me that they could see me as a consecrated religious sister. I spent some years running from God’s call and listening to the voices of the world rather than Him, but deep down I knew that wasn’t what Jesus wanted me to do.
Initially, I wanted to give my life to God by serving him and living on my own, and so I joined a lay Dominican group. Though I was happy as a member of this group, I felt the Lord calling me to more. I noticed a deeper longing for community, and had always been attracted to prayer and to orders of sisters who chose to wear the religious habit.
One sister who had been a great influence in my life invited me to visit the Dominican Sisters of Our Lady of the Rosary. I had met them years earlier while on a retreat in middle school, and visiting them felt like returning home. After some discernment, they invited me to apply for aspirancy, and since then, I have felt an overflowing of peace and joy in my heart.
What appeals to me most about the Dominican Sisters of Our Lady of the Rosary is their love for Jesus and their humility and connection with the families they serve. I have always liked working and preaching to bring souls to God. The community evangelizes families to bring them closer to Jesus through the sacraments and parish ministries. They also help the poor and the sick and work for social justice. The Sisters work with CCD, the youth, Hispanic Ministry, education and health care to the poor, and media evangelization through Catholic radio in Puerto Rico. I look forward to helping youth and families through my vocation by being a testimony of Christ’s love, and to making a difference in the world.
Please pray for me and for my fellow Labouré classmates on our vocation journeys. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have at: Cristal@rescuevocations.org.
Download a PDF of my story
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