On Feb. 7, the Poor Clare Monastery in Andover was a place of joy, warmth, and happy smiles as people gathered in the nuns' chapel to celebrate the solemn perpetual profession of Sister Mary Juliana Ojika. Outside the monastery, snow fell silently, blanketing the grounds in white, like a bride's dress, while a young Sister was committing her life to God forever.

Bishop Robert Reed celebrated the profession Mass with several priests as concelebrants. This significant occasion of Sister Mary Juliana's solemn profession was made more joyful by the presence of the nuns from the Poor Clare community of Westwood. Witnessing the profession of a young sister is always an occasion for each professed religious to renew her own commitment to God, and to keep alive a spirit of fervor in the Lord's service.

As a member of the Order of Poor Clares, Sister Mary Juliana's life is dedicated to contemplation and observance of the Gospel according to the Rule of St. Clare of Assisi. A 13th-century saint, follower of St. Francis, St. Clare herself chose a strict life of solitude, sustained by God alone. Poor Clare nuns center their days around the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and the Liturgy of the Hours spaced throughout the day. From the Eucharist, exposed daily in the chapel, the nuns receive strength, nourishment, and an abundance of God's grace for their lives.

May Sister Mary Juliana, now a solemnly professed nun, continue to live the Gospel with her enclosed contemplative community, according to the Rule of St. Clare!

Key Details of the solemn profession:

Significance: Solemn profession is the culmination of many years of formation, when a sister formally pledges her life to God in her cloistered contemplative community. In perpetual profession, the sister becomes a bride of Christ, and her life is marked by a total, lifelong commitment to God.

Symbolism: During the ceremony, the nun always receives a ring, a crown of thorns, and a crucifix; these symbolize her espousal to Christ and her following of him who gave his life for us, even to the cross.

Context: Religious consecration summons the sister to live the vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and enclosure, following the Franciscan tradition.

Monastery of St. Clare, Andover: This monastery is a community of Poor Clare nuns (Order of St. Clare), who live a cloistered life of prayer and contemplation, as illustrated on the Poor Clare Nuns Andover website (poorclarenunsandover.org).