Overcoming Cafeteria Catholicism | Sr. Maria Guadalupe, O.P.

Being a “Cafeteria-Catholic” prevented Sister Maria Guadalupe from surrendering all to God and accepting the entirety of the Faith, but once she did, God quickly led her to the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.

Sr. Joseph Andrew Bogdanowicz: Our community highlights the uniqueness of each Sister because that is a different aspect of God in His love, goodness, and beauty. Today, I’m happy to bring Sister Maria Guadalupe Hallee. I love Our Lady of Guadalupe, the patroness of the unborn, Mother of the Eucharist! Tell us about your background.

Sr. Maria Guadalupe: The Faith was important in our family to a certain extent, but in my junior year [of College], I took a class in feminist theology [and] I fell hook, line, and sinker for all of it; supporting women’s ordination.

My typical reaction when I didn’t like things was to argue, shout, and fight back. “When are [these people] going to drop this phony smiley nice,” [then began] this interior struggle as I learned what the Church actually teaches and living a very communal life.

[After many months] the words that came to me [were] Psalm 116:12: “What return can I make to the Lord for all You’ve done … become a nun.” Both [asked] me – “Have you ever thought that God might be calling you to religious life?” I thought, “No, this is a fluke.”

Then the question became to surrender; “Lord, I’m all in, I belong to Your Church. I’m going to accept what Your Church teaches. I’m going to pray the rosary. I’m going to Mass as much as I can. I’m going to learn about the saints.” [But for] two months, I gave the Lord the silent treatment [instead].

At the end of the rosary, I said to the Lord, “Okay. ” 

I found our community through a wonderful Dominican Friar, Father James Sullivan [and at the end of our conversation I told him, “I think that might be it, Father.”

Sr. Joseph Andrew Bogdanowicz: Sister Maria Guadalupe, thank you for telling us an incredible story. Not every vocation finds the girl just “flinging herself” before the Blessed Sacrament. There are legitimate questions, and there can sometimes be a long road. Sister, I can’t thank God enough that He continued to pursue you because you are a beautiful gift to our community.