We Welcome Sister Lourdes
Dr. Reyes took on the name Sister Lourdes this year on August 19th when she professed her first vows as a Eudist Servant.
Sister Lourdes is widowed and has a son, Eric, an Attorney in Los Angeles; a daughter, Lisa, a professor at the University of Denver School of Social Work; and a 12-year-old granddaughter, Cora Dawn. A former physician with a specialty in Pathology and Cytopathology, Dr. Reyes received her M.D. from the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines.
Sister Lourdes has always been a devout Catholic. She prayed the following prayer for the past 40 years, seeking the will of God: “Let me be Your feet to carry Your message into the world; Your lips to announce the good news of Your gospel; Your arms to bring my brothers to you. Let me be Your instrument in leading the souls redeemed by Your precious blood to an encounter with You.”
An oblate (lay missionary) at that time, she met Mother Antonia in 2013 when Mother spoke at a meeting for the Benedictine oblates in Oceanside, San Diego County. Mother Antonia died 40 days after they met. A few years later, on February 11, 2018, the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes, a photograph of Mother Antonia fell out of her notebook. “I had kept her picture all these years,” Sister Lourdes recalls. After retiring in 2019, she visited the Servants in Tijuana, Mexico, “and the rest is history,” she says.
Sister Lourdes visited the convent and worked with the Servants before taking her vows. She spoke of the powerful and prayerful moments that can occur during the simple act of preparing and giving out sandwiches to the poor. “Dios te bendiga,” or “God bless you,” became more meaningful to Sister Lourdes as each day passed.
When asked about her experience of taking vows as a Eudist Sister for the first time, Sister Lourdes mentioned feeling unworthy, yet very blessed. She compared herself to “being below the surface of the soil, teaming with energy to nourish the roots of this St. John Eudes Vine of Life, Mother Antonia’s ‘twig,’ in full service to others… I fully realize this is where I belong and where I can serve best.”
The Servants could not agree more! “She helps her Sisters in any way that she possibly can. She gets along well with everybody,” comments Sister Viola.
Sister Lourdes has been assigned to the Mission House to assist with administrative work, accounting, preparing the medicine supply for the prison, and preparing sandwiches daily for the many who come to the door in need of food and water. She looks forward to when the Servants can be in-person to perform their prison ministry. Sister Viola talks about how much Sister Lourdes has helped her personally at Casa Campos as well. “She took the administration off my hands, and she does it 200% better than me,” Sister Viola laughs, and says, “She is very proficient on the computer, she organizes spreadsheets, and she is very, very proactive… She has really settled in.”
Sister Lourdes, welcome to the Eudist Servants of the Eleventh Hour.
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