On October 26, 2025, three young women entered our postulancy program in our community in St. Louis, Missouri, and began their journey of formation with the Daughters of St. Paul.
I’ve been in the congregation for nearly twenty years now, and while there is much that I learned in postulancy that laid the foundation for my religious life, there are only a few details from my first weeks and months in the community that I remember with much clarity. One of these moments, however, took place sometime during my first week in the convent. We were gathered in the postulants’ study. I was sitting on the oversized green couch that was there at the time, trying not to look as nervous and scared and at the same time excited and overjoyed as I felt.
My postulant formator was reading something to us about the goals of postulancy when she came to a line in her notes. She looked up and paused, looking each of us in the eyes as she said, “Postulancy is about learning to see with the eyes of faith.”
I have never forgotten this. Sitting there, I realized I was being invited to take on a new way of seeing: of seeing myself, others, the community, prayer, work, leisure, meaning, relationship, God…. I began that adventure of seeing with the eyes of faith in postulancy, and each day since I have been invited deeper and deeper into this way of seeing—God’s way of seeing.
I now have the great gift of walking with our new postulants as they, too, continue their journey of seeing with the eyes of faith. Please pray for them, and for all young women and men in religious formation, as we pray for you.
Sr Emily Beata
Bridget
Hello! I’m Bridget. I’m from Rockford, Illinois, which is right up at the very top of the state and about an hour and a half west of Chicago—so officially not a suburb. Illinoisans are very sensitive on this topic.
Before I entered, I was a graphic design student at Northern Illinois University as well as a science and math tutor (somehow the precision of sciences and the chaos of art balanced each other out very well). I absolutely love to draw and design things; anything involving art is one of my favorite ways to pray. I’m blessed as a creative to play a part in Creation, and upon meeting a religious community who prayed over and worked in all forms of creative media, I was intrigued. I stayed when I learned about their roots in the Eucharist and in the Word. Be assured of my prayers for you, and please pray for me and my fellow postulants that we may increase in docility during this time of formation!
Samantha
Hi, my name is Sam! Before entering the community of the Daughters of St. Paul, I lived and worked in St. Louis, Missouri, for the past few years.
What first drew me to the Daughters was our apostolate of sharing the Gospel using all forms of media. I studied marketing in college and upon graduation felt God tug at my heart and invite me to do something with my education that will help others encounter him. I met the Daughters first online, and then in person through their discernment events in St. Louis. The more time I spent with the sisters, the more I fell in love with how Pauline spirituality is rooted deeply in the Eucharist and Scripture. I also love how the sisters encouraged and still encourage me to be myself while discerning with their community. One sister said to me, “The beautiful thing about the Daughters of St. Paul is that we are all so different, yet we live, pray, and work in community together. There is no cookie-cutter Daughter of St. Paul.” My hope for my time in postulancy is that I can continue to learn how to listen to Jesus. There are often many things vying for my thoughts and attention, and I want my heart and my mind to be focused on Jesus during this time of deeper vocational discernment. God bless you!
Brooke
Hello! My name is Brooke, and I am from Bel Air, Maryland. Before postulancy, I taught second grade and served as a cantor at my parish.
After experiencing a powerful reversion to the faith, I began to question what God’s plan for me was. His love was so great and overwhelming, and I was blessed to feel it so deeply. How could I not share it? This desire to share the love of Christ, combined with a love for various types of media, drew me to the Daughters of St. Paul. I feel blessed to be a postulant, and thank God for this calling. I hope to love Jesus more and more each day, and share this love with everyone I encounter. Please pray that I may persevere in this new, beautiful way of life. God bless you!
