The story of a young woman raised in a Protestant home who eventually became a Catholic nun is not just a conversion narrative, it is a testimony of gradual discovery, deep interior wrestling, and what she describes as God gently guiding her step by step toward a life she never originally imagined.
This is the journey of Sister Filomena, who shares how her encounter with Catholicism as a child eventually led her into religious life.
๐ ๐ฃ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฅ๐ผ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ต
Sister Filomena was born into a Protestant family where faith was already central to daily life. Her parents, who had met in a non-denominational church, raised her and her siblings to know Jesus personally.
At just four years old, she recalls making a personal decision to accept Christ. Guided by her mother, she prayed privately, choosing to “invite Jesus into her heart.” That moment became the foundation of her early spiritual life.
Daily prayer, Bible reading, and family devotions shaped her childhood. Faith was not theoretical. It was practiced consistently at home.
๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐๐ป๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ถ๐๐บ
Although she was content in her upbringing, her life took a surprising turn around age 12–13 when she met Catholic families through homeschooling communities.
These families stood out because of their joy, reverence, and deep love for their faith. For the first time, she encountered Catholics who not only practiced their religion but seemed deeply alive in it.
Their openness and willingness to answer her questions sparked curiosity that gradually became spiritual interest.
๐ ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ-๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐: ๐๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐
A major turning point came during a youth retreat at a place known as Catholic Family Land in Ohio. There, she was introduced to Catholic practices such as daily Mass, confession, and Eucharistic adoration.
During one evening of adoration, she encountered the Eucharist in a deeply personal way. Looking at the monstrance, she experienced a moment of belief that she describes simply:
“My heart just made an ascent of faith… I believed it was Jesus.”
This moment became the spiritual center of her conversion journey into the Catholic Church.
๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ต๐๐ฟ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ง๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป
After this experience, she began attending Mass regularly, wearing a scapular, and learning Catholic prayers such as the Rosary. Though she was not yet Catholic, she was already living within the rhythm of Catholic devotion.
She entered RCIA and was received into the Church at the Easter Vigil in 2006 through baptismal preparation.
At that time, she was only 15 years old.
Her Confirmation saint was Mother Teresa, someone she deeply admired for her radical love for the poor and her total surrender to God.
๐ฆ๐๐ฟ๐๐ด๐ด๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐๐ ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ณ๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
One of the most difficult moments of her early Catholic life was her first confession. She admits she was terrified and overwhelmed.
Despite preparing carefully, fear caused her to leave the confessional before finishing. She later returned and completed it, but the experience left a strong emotional impact.
For years afterward, confession remained difficult for her until a compassionate priest helped her understand God’s mercy in a deeper way.
๐๐ถ๐๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
As she grew in her Catholic faith, she began attending youth conferences where the idea of vocation especially religious life was introduced.
Hearing testimonies from seminarians and religious sisters opened her mind to a possibility she had never seriously considered before: that God might be calling her to belong entirely to Him.
During one powerful moment at a conference, she responded to an altar call by signing her name, symbolizing her openness to God’s call, even without fully understanding it.
๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐๐๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ
Inspired by saints like Mother Teresa and supported by exposure to religious communities, she began visiting convents and participating in “come and see” retreats.
She was particularly drawn to communities that lived simply, prayed deeply, and served with joy.
At the same time, she struggled internally wondering whether she was truly called or simply attracted to an ideal.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ง๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฃ๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐: ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ก๐ผ๐ ๐๐ด๐ป๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ
After high school, she tried to pursue ordinary plans like community college. Yet she felt an inner restlessness and inability to settle.
Then, unexpectedly, she met the Queenship of Mary community in Ottawa. A sister from the community invited her to visit, simply saying:
“Come and join us in August.”
That invitation marked a decisive moment. Without hesitation, she said yes.
๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฅ๐ฒ๐น๐ถ๐ด๐ถ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ
In 2010, she entered the community at age 18. Her formation progressed over several years, eventually leading her to temporary vows and then final profession.
She made her perpetual vows in 2016 at the age of 24.
Looking back, she describes the entire journey as something she did not fully plan but rather something she was gently led into.
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐ณ๐น๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ป๐ฒ๐
When asked what she would say to her younger self at the beginning of this journey, she simply responds:
“Get ready for the most beautiful adventure. Everything is going to be okay, and it will all be worth it.”
Her story reflects a pattern she sees clearly now: not sudden change, but gradual guidance; not confusion without meaning, but a path shaped by grace.
The journey from Protestant upbringing to Catholic religious life is not, in her words, about abandoning one faith for another in confusion. Instead, it is about encountering Christ more deeply and responding step by step.
For Sister Filomena, it began with a child’s prayer, deepened through Eucharistic encounter, and culminated in a lifelong commitment to religious life.
It is a story of faith, discovery, and a quiet but persistent invitation she eventually could not ignore.
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Pelayan Atasan Tertinggi / Most High Servant,
Yesus, Maria, Yusuf Pelayanan Kasih / Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love
(Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)
My vocation is Blessed and Saints.
"I am the most humble of all the Saints in Heaven" Mary, Mother of God."
"I am the handmaid of the Lord, said Mary ‘let what you have said be done to me."
Mother Mary is the most humble Saint in Heaven and she is also the Mother of God for us all
(Luke 1:38)
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