Meagan's Story
May 27th, 2019
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
My name is Meagan Gruninger and I am writing to share about my story and how the next steps are unfolding for me. Over the years, I have desired to become a religious sister, and my dream is finally coming true! Knowing that it takes a parish family to raise a vocation, I am deeply indebted to you and your families for witnessing to me a life of holiness. Whether it was a small smile after Mass, or mentoring me in some way, every little bit helped me to encounter the Lord and to listen to his unique calling for me.
When I was in grade ten, I went to a retreat called ‘Search.’ It was a retreat for high school students to come and stay at a school for a weekend and where youth encounter Jesus as real, loving, and personal. I always felt I had a best friend but never could name Him or pinpoint when He was with me, until my Search. The retreat was filled with laughter and fun, and I felt so myself. At the climax of the retreat, there was a skit. It began with Jesus creating the main character in tender love and gentleness. But the main character is pulled away by the temptations of the world and away from her first love. She was tempted by lust, poor self-image, partying,
and many other distractions, while Jesus was blocked out by them. Eventually, the girl is brought to her breaking point, and the temptations tell her to commit suicide. The Jesus character tries to prevent her and break through to her, and after a huge struggle, he reached her and saved her. He healed her and redeemed her, and had chased her until she was His again. I identified with the
main character, for I too had been pulled away from God through many temptations and distractions, forgetting about His love. This skit touched me to the heart and God was able to reveal Himself to me as real. He created me, and He fights for me, and He loves me, utterly. Then we had an ‘altar call,’ an opportunity to give God everything, and I accepted His invitation. After this encounter with Jesus, my life changed completely. I began to know that He is funny, and likes to bring things into my day to remind me of His love. Jesus is my best friend that I had never known and continues to be so.
A few years after this event, I learned about a way of life where I can live the relationship I found with God at the retreat and allow others to have the same experience that I did. It all began when I attended a youth event called “One Rock” in 2013. At that event, I more personally met religious sisters and by coming to know more about their lives, my curiosity was enkindled. I collected all their pamphlets like trading cards (stored under my bed in a shoe box) and began to pour over them in my spare time, always to be filled with special joy and peace when I read them. I also had been mentored by the NET team (National Evangelism Teams) that was in our
area at that time and witnessed their missionary lifestyle and total availability to God, which inspired me. At that time I also met St. Therese of Lisieux by reading her biography Story of a Soul. Reading about this magnanimous yet little soul inspired me to see God as loving, personal, and also as my beloved. In these events of my journey, I began to hear the Lord inviting me to consider a different kind of life.
One experience which strongly encouraged me to continue this journey was when I asked the Lord to send me some daisies if he wanted me to pursue this life (2014). On a trip to Kelowna, I thought for sure I would see some, but it was not until the very end of the trip and after a whole hike up a mountain when I saw and almost missed that the whole highway was lined with these beautiful daisies which I love! I was overjoyed at the sight of them and felt romanced by the Lord, who was thoughtful enough to encourage me and who listened to me. Throughout my time at university, I moved toward and away from this invitation of the Lord many times, debating if this really was what I wanted (and what he wanted). After a trip to Ontario this past winter to visit different communities and to further give time to listen to the Lord about my vocation, I have felt God calling me to apply to the Servants of the Cross
community.
The Servants of the Cross are a Canadian active community, located in Ottawa, and are the counterparts to the Companions of the Cross. Inspired by their founder Fr. Bob Bedard, these sisters live to bring others to a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, allowing them to give their full-hearted “Yes” to him. Acknowledging God’s power and wisdom, and through this encounter, the Servants’ goal is to bring renewal to the Church. In humble abandonment and openness to the Lord, they strive to live community life in a way which witnesses to those they encounter. I visited this community this past March and was absolutely blown away by what I
found there. I felt a peace beyond imagining and the freedom to be my own goofy self. It has matched all my previous close encounters with the Lord, for the sisters live out the spirituality of the ‘Search’ retreats where I first met God, are missionary-focused like the NET teams who mentored me in my faith, and live a rich spirituality akin to my time at St. Therese School of Faith and Mission. Their priorities and values exactly match my own, particularly of intentional community life and a spirituality which encompasses the whole person.
Right now, I have a student loan of $11,000 that is required to be paid off before I join the community in mid-August. Trusting in the Lord and working as much as I can, I am turning to others to help me to reach my goal of fundraising around $6,000. Thank you for reading my story and I would greatly appreciate any help you can give, and I totally understand that this is not possible for everyone. Your financial donation can be sent to 965 12 B St. S, Lethbridge, AB T1J 2V1 or by e-transfer to mgruninger@ssu.ca. If you would like more information, you can call 403-929-3667. By helping me out, please know that you would be giving me the opportunity of answering my dream and my vocation, allowing me to bring the Lord’s love to others through this community.
With great love,
Meagan Gruninger
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
My name is Meagan Gruninger and I am writing to share about my story and how the next steps are unfolding for me. Over the years, I have desired to become a religious sister, and my dream is finally coming true! Knowing that it takes a parish family to raise a vocation, I am deeply indebted to you and your families for witnessing to me a life of holiness. Whether it was a small smile after Mass, or mentoring me in some way, every little bit helped me to encounter the Lord and to listen to his unique calling for me.
When I was in grade ten, I went to a retreat called ‘Search.’ It was a retreat for high school students to come and stay at a school for a weekend and where youth encounter Jesus as real, loving, and personal. I always felt I had a best friend but never could name Him or pinpoint when He was with me, until my Search. The retreat was filled with laughter and fun, and I felt so myself. At the climax of the retreat, there was a skit. It began with Jesus creating the main character in tender love and gentleness. But the main character is pulled away by the temptations of the world and away from her first love. She was tempted by lust, poor self-image, partying,
and many other distractions, while Jesus was blocked out by them. Eventually, the girl is brought to her breaking point, and the temptations tell her to commit suicide. The Jesus character tries to prevent her and break through to her, and after a huge struggle, he reached her and saved her. He healed her and redeemed her, and had chased her until she was His again. I identified with the
main character, for I too had been pulled away from God through many temptations and distractions, forgetting about His love. This skit touched me to the heart and God was able to reveal Himself to me as real. He created me, and He fights for me, and He loves me, utterly. Then we had an ‘altar call,’ an opportunity to give God everything, and I accepted His invitation. After this encounter with Jesus, my life changed completely. I began to know that He is funny, and likes to bring things into my day to remind me of His love. Jesus is my best friend that I had never known and continues to be so.
A few years after this event, I learned about a way of life where I can live the relationship I found with God at the retreat and allow others to have the same experience that I did. It all began when I attended a youth event called “One Rock” in 2013. At that event, I more personally met religious sisters and by coming to know more about their lives, my curiosity was enkindled. I collected all their pamphlets like trading cards (stored under my bed in a shoe box) and began to pour over them in my spare time, always to be filled with special joy and peace when I read them. I also had been mentored by the NET team (National Evangelism Teams) that was in our
area at that time and witnessed their missionary lifestyle and total availability to God, which inspired me. At that time I also met St. Therese of Lisieux by reading her biography Story of a Soul. Reading about this magnanimous yet little soul inspired me to see God as loving, personal, and also as my beloved. In these events of my journey, I began to hear the Lord inviting me to consider a different kind of life.
One experience which strongly encouraged me to continue this journey was when I asked the Lord to send me some daisies if he wanted me to pursue this life (2014). On a trip to Kelowna, I thought for sure I would see some, but it was not until the very end of the trip and after a whole hike up a mountain when I saw and almost missed that the whole highway was lined with these beautiful daisies which I love! I was overjoyed at the sight of them and felt romanced by the Lord, who was thoughtful enough to encourage me and who listened to me. Throughout my time at university, I moved toward and away from this invitation of the Lord many times, debating if this really was what I wanted (and what he wanted). After a trip to Ontario this past winter to visit different communities and to further give time to listen to the Lord about my vocation, I have felt God calling me to apply to the Servants of the Cross
community.
The Servants of the Cross are a Canadian active community, located in Ottawa, and are the counterparts to the Companions of the Cross. Inspired by their founder Fr. Bob Bedard, these sisters live to bring others to a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, allowing them to give their full-hearted “Yes” to him. Acknowledging God’s power and wisdom, and through this encounter, the Servants’ goal is to bring renewal to the Church. In humble abandonment and openness to the Lord, they strive to live community life in a way which witnesses to those they encounter. I visited this community this past March and was absolutely blown away by what I
found there. I felt a peace beyond imagining and the freedom to be my own goofy self. It has matched all my previous close encounters with the Lord, for the sisters live out the spirituality of the ‘Search’ retreats where I first met God, are missionary-focused like the NET teams who mentored me in my faith, and live a rich spirituality akin to my time at St. Therese School of Faith and Mission. Their priorities and values exactly match my own, particularly of intentional community life and a spirituality which encompasses the whole person.
Right now, I have a student loan of $11,000 that is required to be paid off before I join the community in mid-August. Trusting in the Lord and working as much as I can, I am turning to others to help me to reach my goal of fundraising around $6,000. Thank you for reading my story and I would greatly appreciate any help you can give, and I totally understand that this is not possible for everyone. Your financial donation can be sent to 965 12 B St. S, Lethbridge, AB T1J 2V1 or by e-transfer to mgruninger@ssu.ca. If you would like more information, you can call 403-929-3667. By helping me out, please know that you would be giving me the opportunity of answering my dream and my vocation, allowing me to bring the Lord’s love to others through this community.
With great love,
Meagan Gruninger
