Young Gabriel Williams always knew she would become a religious sister – even as a 10-year-old.e recalled her dad’s words from a conversation back then, reports The Catholic Leader.
“I must have said something holy, and he said, ‘You could be a nun’. I can remember that; never thought about that again,” Sr Gabriel said.
Sister Gabriel Williams OSU. PHOTO: Kymberlee Gomes/Catholic Leader.
Sr Gabriel just celebrated 60 years of her religious consecration as an Ursuline sister surrounded by fellow sisters, friends, and the Williams family.
On August 3 at Upper Mount Gravatt, parish priest Missionary Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament Father Rony Kalapurackal Chacko led a joyful liturgy where Sr Gabriel renewed the vows she had made in Armidale, NSW, all those years ago.
The most “significant” part of her religious life had been the baptismal call, she said.
In the 1960s, she noticed that “the church was leading to adult formation”, which was when she became interested in the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults process.
She helped set up a baptismal group in Sydney more than three decades ago and said she was still in touch with the original members.
Sr Gabriel said she felt the “sense of the presence of God” throughout her years and especially when he was able to study and work in parishes.
“I worked in parishes for 37 years. I’ve had lots of experience,” she said.
It was the excitement of encountering people who were willing and interested in the changes of what was going on within the Church.”
Throughout her life, she had worked with hundreds of people, but described herself as an “introvert”, adding, “nobody believes that”.
After all these years, it was still the roots of her formation that kept her faith strong.
For Sr Gabriel, sayings by St Angela Merici, founder of the Ursulines, continued to have a major impact on her life.
“It shaped my identity significantly,” she said.
“It’s that grounded-ness in the spirit of St Angela that has been a challenge and a comfort, and certainly a security for me.
“I’ve learned to grow through that, and I have grown through that. I’ve just been very fortunate to be so graced and blessed.”
Guided by St Angela Merici
Some of St Angela’s words that resonate with her are:
“For you will achieve more with kindness and gentleness than with harshness and sharp rebukes, which should be reserved only for cases of necessity, and even then, at the right place and time, and according to the persons.”
“Never cease to cultivate the vine. After that leave the rest to God to work His wonders at the time He finds best.”
“Let them have Jesus Christ for their only treasure, for there also will be love, which is to be sought not here in this world, but above, in the high heaven at the right hand of the Father.”
Sr Gabriel said St Angela’s phrases were still relevant and had a sense of kindness and of seeing the need.
“There’s a very, very strong connection to Angela even today. Take a risk and know that God is with you,” Sr Gabriel said.
Furthermore, it tied in with the Church’s idea of synodality to offer a listening ear.
Taking risks
“Our formation enabled us to engage (in), and to explore different things,” she said.
She was 18 years old when she decided to dedicate her life to the faith, a few years after her sister, Sr Imelda (Mel) Williams.
Sr Gabriel said her “dad was delighted” that they had joined the order, because he respected the Ursulines highly for their work in education.
He was taught by them, and even though it was hard to afford, he had decided Sr Gabriel and Sr Mel would attend St Ursula’s College in Armidale, NSW. They joined the order later.
In her 60 years, Sr Gabriel taught in Sydney, Armidale and Canberra.
Ursuline Sisters along with Fr Rony Kalapurackal Chacko gathered to celebrate 60 years of Sr Gabriel Williams’ religious consecration. Photo: Supplied/Catholic Leader.
She worked as liturgy co-ordinator in Southport parish, pastoral minister in Caboolture, Bribie Island Parish, grief support counsellor for a funeral company, sacramental co-ordinator at the Cathedral of St Stephen and pastoral minister in Aspley parish.
She is now involved with St Vincent de Paul Society in the Southern Region.
By writing reflections on the gospel and life situations in a weekly bulletin, at the age of 81, she hopes to open wider the doors to the church.
“They should have been opened wider a lot earlier, Sr Gabriel said.
“We need to deal with the now and we need to take some risks.”
When she is not immersed in preparing material on the faith, attending meetings and aged care visits, she enjoyed reading.
Her day often started early with a swim, followed by prayer and brekkie, and ended with a novel. And during the week, when the Ursuline sisters gathered for meals, while cooking was not her “favourite thing” “sometimes I cook a chook on the barbecue”.
This article by Kymberlee Gomes was published in The Catholic Leader.