Sr. Monica: How are you being called to bring God’s love into the world?

Sister Monica Gundler is pictured at work with Nuns Build (above), and (below) with her fellow women religious on Mardi Gras. (Photos courtesy of the Sisters of Charity)

By SISTER MONICA GUNDLER, S.C.
Guest columnist

In Scripture, God says to the Prophet Jeremiah, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ To whomever I send you, you shall go.” (Jer 1:7)

One of my earliest memories is of being in Sunday school when I was about 6 years old. We were learning the story of how the friends of a paralyzed man could not get in to see Jesus. We built a little hut, cut a hole in the top and had some little plastic people lower the man down so Jesus could heal him. It made the story come alive in a unique way.

We learned about caring for others who might need help and about Jesus as a teacher, a healer and someone who called us to love one another as God loved us.

When I was in school, I had teachers who were religious sisters, and I knew that they had a special path of following God.

As I grew up, I knew that having a relationship with God was very important and that prayer was a part of that, but so was putting faith into action like the friends in the story who helped the paralyzed man. How could I follow Jesus with my life?

Eventually, even though I studied social work as a way to help others, I felt God was inviting me to something more. So I asked about becoming a sister. It was a lot of learning!


Most people may know that sisters are teachers, but do you know that some sisters are doctors, lawyers, social workers and even physical therapists? Ministry takes sisters to all kinds of places. There are sisters who are counselors, writers, college and university presidents, scientists, principals, nurses, chaplains in hospitals and jails, and so much more.

Sisters help feed the hungry, house the homeless, visit those in prison and advocate for justice. Sisters serve God in so many different ways!

For many years, here in New Orleans, we held a “Nuns Build” in which religious sisters from various communities came to our area to work on homes damaged in Hurricane Katrina. Some of them actually had carpentry experience and brought their own tool belts!

Sisters come from many different backgrounds and have many different gifts. God calls each of us to love and serve others through our baptism, but how we are called to use our gifts requires a listening heart.

Part of growing up is learning new skills and finding your own unique gifts, and then asking God for the best way to use what you have been given.

God’s call is always about love. How can you bring God’s love to the world?

Sister of Charity Monica Gundler, a resident of New Orleans whose religious community is headquartered in Cincinnati, is a native of Hamilton, Ohio. She attended Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati and the University of Denver, where she earned a master’s degree in social work. Sister Monica took her final vows as a religious sister in 1994. In addition to serving as a member of her congregation’s leadership team, she ministers at the House of Charity, a New Orleans residence in which visiting religious and lay people live in community while giving volunteer service in our area. “I love living in New Orleans and appreciate the wonderful people, culture and celebrations,” Sister Monica said. “Ministry at the House of Charity combines service, prayer and community. I enjoy helping our visitors learn about the city, its social justice issues and current events.”