Sr Philomena Ngade
"I know Him in whom I put my trust..."
Life continually offers us choices, and I am grateful for the path I have chosen. I deeply believe that God has a plan for my life. The decision I made years ago continues to bring me joy even though challenges inevitably arise along the way.
I first gave my life to God when I was young. At that age we are often very idealistic - drawn to the externals of what we see. I was inspired by the example of the Sisters who taught me at the time and even something as simple as their religious habit captured my imagination. I did not yet know the Daughters of St Paul, nor did I fully understand who these Sisters were. Yet God’s call and the ways in which God works are always mysterious.
I eventually came to know the Daughters of St Paul through several Sisters who had already entered this congregation. Their witness stirred in me a strong desire to follow Jesus and, with their encouragement, I too chose to enter.
At first, some aspects of their ministry seemed almost like a business enterprise. However, as my relationship with Jesus deepened, so did my understanding of this mission: to proclaim and communicate the Word of God. For the Daughters of St Paul, this mission means using every form of media: books, digital platforms, music, film, and personal encounters, to help people meet Christ. It is a mission rooted in the conviction that the Gospel must be brought into people’s lives, that we must allow it to speak to their questions, their struggles and their hopes.
In our ministry, we constantly meet people who are searching, people who may never have read about or even heard of Jesus. Our very presence, our way of living, can be the first “Word of God” they encounter. As Fr James, our Founder said, we are called “to live Jesus Christ and give Jesus Christ to the world.”
Another dimension that has become clearer to me over the years is the deep intertwining, the true unity of life, that marks our spirituality. Our vocation, prayer, community, and mission are not separate parts of our life but expressions of the same love for Christ. This unity of contemplation and action lies at the heart of who we are and influences everything we do.
I also feel deeply blessed to have been sent to Australia as a missionary. I love the mission entrusted to me here and the people I encounter each day in my ministry. Having received so much from God and from the kindness of others, I hope, and truly desire, to become a blessing for them.
Looking back, I can see how God’s grace has helped me respond to the call to faithfully follow Jesus. I experience the hundredfold that Jesus promised to those who dedicate their lives to Him. I am sure that God loves me as I am and, each day, I am called to put that love into action and share it with the people I meet. ❦