SISTERS TAKE FIRST VOWS — At left, Sisters Emma Ruth Greathouse, left, and Emmanuelle Schratz took their first profession of vows June 13. At right, Sister Lisa Marie Shatynski took her first profession of vows June 7, alongside Bishop Edward Lohse, apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Steubenville. -- Contributed

TORONTO — The Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R., of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother, announced the first profession of vows of Sisters Emma Ruth Greathouse and Emmanuelle Schratz on June 13, as well as the perpetual profession of vows of Sister Lisa Marie Shatynski on June 7.

Both ceremonies were held at Our Lady of Sorrows Monastery in Toronto. Greathouse and Schratz professed the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience for one year — a commitment that will be renewed for about five successive years before they make their perpetual profession. Shatynski professed the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience “for the whole of her life.” During the ceremony, she wore a white cape, a crown of roses and received a gold ring as signs she is a bride of Christ.

Greathouse is the daughter of Mary and Daniel Greathouse. She was raised in Cleveland and has seven siblings. She attended Franciscan University of Steubenville, where she earned a degree in philosophy and theology. She first became open to the idea of a religious vocation while studying abroad in Austria during college.

Greathouse began to discover God’s desire to fulfill her desires through an abundant life of love for him. She began to attend discernment retreats and visit religious communities, which she continued after college. She worked in human resources for three years following graduation, as continued to discern. During this time, she reconnected with the Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R., applied and entered in September 2022. Her first assignment as a professed sister will be at the community’s mission house on the Franciscan campus. In anticipation of making her first profession, Greathouse stated, “I’m so humbled by the lofty call of God to minister to his people through this way of life in prayer and works of mercy. He continues to deepen this call in me and prove over and over again that ‘If you seek him, you will find him!'”

Schratz is the daughter of Anne and Ray Schratz. Born in Butler, Pa., she has six siblings. She attended Franciscan University of Steubenville where she earned a degree in theology and catechetics. In high school, she had an interest in serving the church, was active in her church youth group and deepened in her faith life through personal prayer. As a high school sophomore, through the testimony of another religious sister, she started to become open to the idea of becoming a sister. This idea and desire grew within her throughout high school.

During college, Schratz continued to discern and went on a retreat with the Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R., connecting closely with the community’s call to spiritually be with Mary at the foot of Jesus’ cross. She applied to enter the community as she completed college, graduating after three years. She entered the community in September 2022. Her first assignment as a professed sister will be at the sisters’ mission house in Gaming, Austria, serving students who are studying with Franciscan’s study abroad program. In anticipation of her first profession, Schratz commented, “I am overjoyed to be giving myself totally to the Lord through religious consecration. To belong to Jesus is my greatest desire.”

Shatynski is the daughter of Pamela and William Shatynski, She grew up in New Jersey and has two older siblings. She went to college at Rutgers University where she earned a degree in animal science. After a time of questioning the Catholic faith she’d been raised in, she eventually became involved in the Catholic campus ministry group on campus, where she learned more about Catholicism. Her faith life began to grow.

As a junior in college, Shatynski began to consider a religious vocation and feel drawn to a life of belonging to God alone. She eventually visited the Franciscan Sisters, T.O.R., and felt drawn to their life and spirituality. Following college, she served as in-campus ministry at Florida State University and continued to discern. She applied and entered the community in 2017. For the past several years, Shatynski has served college students on the main campus and in the study abroad program in Gaming, Austria, with Franciscan. She has been serving students in Tallahassee, Fla., on the campus of Florida State University. She will continue this ministry next year. As she approached the date of her final profession, Shatynski stated, “In the past few weeks of preparation, the Lord has led me to reflect on how this call to religious life has been a call since the moment of my conception, and confirmed through my baptismal name Lisa, which means consecrated to God. I cannot fathom the gift of this call. It is not something I chose, but has been gifted to me by the father. How beautiful the unique plan God has for each of our lives.”