“Say ‘yes’ Daily to Christ in Humility”: Catholic Bishop in Angola to Women Religious at First Profession

Bishop Jaca described the formation process leading up to religious profession as “the most beautiful period in consecrated life,” marked by intense prayer, meditation, discernment, and the discovery of personal vocation. 

Yet he cautioned against assuming that discernment ends at profession.

“Human beings are fragile and unpredictable. There are moments of clarity and moments of confusion. Mistakes are possible. That’s why the Church, in her wisdom, doesn’t demand a final ‘yes’ from the start. She allows time, trials, and spiritual experiences,” Bishop Jaca said.

However, when a vocation is genuinely accepted, he noted, it is a clear sign of divine action.

“The Church is born of the Holy Spirit,” Bishop Jaca said, adding, “It recognizes the traces of vocation in those who respond wholeheartedly.”

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He invited the two SDVI members to renew their “yes” every day, saying, “Repeat this ‘yes’ not just today, but every day—in your prayer, in your service to others, in your efforts to grow in faith, grace, and holiness.”

Reflecting on the life of St. Paula Frassinetti, foundress of the Sisters of St. Dorothy, Bishop Jaca urged the novices to emulate her deep attentiveness to God’s will and her fervent love for evangelical poverty.

“Evangelical poverty is more than material renunciation. It is a deep, interior surrender—a lifestyle rooted in simplicity, humility, and complete dependence on God,” he said.

Bishop Jaca emphasized the centrality of knowing and doing God’s will, describing it as “fundamental to discerning one’s vocation.”

“This wisdom comes only through prayer, through listening, and through meditating on the Word of God,” he said. 

The Catholic Church leader called on the two SDVI members to face their fears and insecurities.

“God does not choose the powerful, the wealthy, or the famous. He chooses the weak and the little ones so that no one can boast. What matters is to be humble and to serve all,” he said.

Bishop Jaca emphasized that individualism has no place in Religious Life. 

“‘Mine’ and ‘my’ disappear. It’s no longer ‘my room’ or ‘my work’—everything becomes ‘ours.’ Those who lean on God do not seek to be the center of attention. It is Christ who must shine through us,” he said.

João Vissesse is an Angolan Journalist with a passion and rich experience in Catholic Church Communication and Media Apostolate.