As a young adult, Sr. Verónica Castro Nolasco, MSBT, recognized a desire to be part of the mission of the Church. She was deeply moved by the examples of active and apostolic ministry in her home parish, especially the charity of her priest, Fr. Aurelio. After recognizing this desire to serve God and his people, Sr. Verónica began to attend discernment retreats with the MSBT community in Chimalhuacán, Mexico.
At one of these retreats, Sr. Verónica was given a book on the founder of the Missionary Cenacle Family, Fr. Thomas A. Judge. The life of Fr. Judge and the charism of the Missionary Cenacle Family – to preserve the Faith, serve the poor and abandoned, and empower all Catholics to be missionaries in their daily lives– deeply resonated with her. She especially connected with the idea that an individual did not need to have a particular profession to serve God. Rather, she had seen in her own community that it was the specific God-given gifts of individuals that were most crucial to serving the needs of others. Sr. Verónica discovered that the charism of the MSBTs aligned with her own desire for an active and apostolic life.
Accompaniment was crucial to Sr. Verónica’s discernment process. After attending several retreats with the MSBTs, Sr. Verónica began to speak frequently with Sr. Olivia Montejano, MSBT. Sr. Verónica explains that having a personal connection with Sr. Olivia “opened windows” for her. In her conversations with Sr. Olivia, she was able to see more clearly how she could begin discernment, what life in community would be like, and the unique spirituality and mission of an MSBT. She recalls that Sr. Olivia was intentional in reaching out to her and was able to answer her questions
After her period of discernment, Sr. Verónica entered the community as a Candidate and began living and working alongside the MSBTs in Mexico while studying. She then came to the U.S. to continue her formation in Barrington, NJ, and Philadelphia, PA. She made her first profession in March of 2021. Sr. Verónica currently resides in Mexico and her ministries include working in a Listening Center and supporting Fair Business Projects at a parish in San Marcos.
At the Listening Center, Sr. Verónica is there to receive individuals who need to be heard, typically those with addictions or their friends and family members. While she provides recommendations for services when she can, Sr. Verónica’s primary role is to be a compassionate listener to hear these people and their stories.
In addition to the Listening Center, Sr. Verónica has facilitated a fair business project to support the health and financial well-being of the community in San Marcos. The idea behind these projects is to help community members start small, sustainable businesses. One recent endeavor has been making and selling healthy snacks in the community. This particular ministry is where Sr. Verónica finds that God is surprising her every day. She went into this ministry without knowing how it would work out; yet, she sees God manifesting Himself in everything. He is providing people with unique talents and skills to serve the community through this project. It has reminded her of the sayings of Fr. Judge that initially drew her to the life of an MSBT: “If it is the work of God, it will go on; if not, let it perish.”
Sr. Verónica encourages people who are discerning to investigate the charism of different communities. In her own discernment, it was crucial for her to understand how the specific charism of the Missionary Cenacle Family deeply resonated with her and her desire to serve. In the words of another MSBT, a community and charism are right for you when it “feels like home.” Sr. Verónica also recommends connecting with someone to accompany you on your journey. As Sr. Olivia did for her, a mentor can support you by answering questions, asking about your discernment process, and sharing the journey with you.
