Sister Mary Jean (Midge) DiMatteo

When I was in my mid-30s, I began drifting away from God. I did not attend mass nor receive the sacraments for several months. Then one day during Lent, I was watching the Zaffarelli movie, Jesus of Nazareth. At one point, there was a full screen close-up of the face of Jesus and absolute silence. I looked and was seized with the realization that JESUS LOVES ME! I could not contain the joy I felt at that moment and jumped off the sofa screaming, “He loves me! He really loves me!” My poor mother must have thought I was crazy.

I knew then that I wanted to give myself to Jesus and begin going back to mass and the sacraments. I was thirsting for prayer and a closer relationship with the Lord. This was a real annunciation moment in my life and changed my life’s journey.

I became acquainted with the director of religious education at my parish, who was a sister. Gradually, through her guidance and the Holy Spirit’s inspirations, I began investigating religious life. Like Mary, when she was asked to become the mother of Jesus, I too had no way of knowing what lay ahead of me. I prayed, trusted and accepted the invitation of God and knew this was the way for me to give myself to God.