Laboure Society
“My deepest desire is to serve the Lord in His Divine Will.”
Meet the rest of my class
My name is Latonja Taylor. I am called to rebuild the Church through prayer and penance as a nun with the Poor Clares of Clarisse Monastero S. Maria Del Paradiso in S. Leonardo. This is my story.
I grew up in Chicago as a Baptist, with devout gospel singers in my family. However, we did not actively practice the Baptist faith. My mom had a beautiful voice and was often requested to sing at churches. Although I did not inherit my mother’s gift of song, I did inherit her artistic skills, so during school, I participated in art programs and ran track.
Gradually, throughout my life, the Lord brought me closer to Himself through the influence of various friends. It wasn’t until after college, while touring Europe, that I was exposed to the Catholic Church. I was impressed when I saw the beauty of many churches and heard about the history behind the Church, priests, and saints. Filled with hope, charity, and love, their stories made me think, “God really does take care of His people.” I was in awe as I saw some religious sisters for the first time, and I remember thinking, “How does a person become a Catholic nun?” I never asked, and at the time, I was not sure what their life was like. However, I started kneeling and praying in the churches out of respect for Christ and thanking God for allowing me to travel and see all the beautiful churches that I had never experienced before.
Years later, God caught me at a pivotal moment in my life. I attended an all-women conference where a speaker testified to what God had done for her during her trials. I was moved by her story and drawn by how Jesus impacted her life. I knew that I wanted to know more about Jesus. That night at home, I lit a candle, turned off the light, and meditated. I asked Jesus which religion I should follow. After a time of prayer and research, the question was resolved: Catholicism!
In 2016, I joined RCIA at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, and on Easter of 2017, I entered into the Church. Christ continued to help me grow. Within two years of becoming Catholic, God had me taking baby steps into consecrated life. For five years I searched, visiting many convents and monasteries. After all of the searching, I boldly asked the Lord to help me find the monastery where He wants me to serve Him.
In His great love, God led me to the Poor Clare Monastero St. Maria Del Paradiso in St. Leonardo. It is the monastery known to pray for souls globally by praying for the needs of the Church, souls in purgatory, and people around the world. Focused on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, I hope to please God through that mission, as my deepest desire is to serve the Lord in His Divine Will.
Please pray for me and my fellow Laboure classmates on our vocation journey. Feel free to reach out with any questions you might have latonja@rescuevocations.org.
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