Tell us a bit about yourself and your family
My name is Sr. Shitaye Esayas, and I am a Missionary Sister of Sacred Heart of Jesus. I was born in Abeshge in southern Ethiopia to my parents, Esayas Addise and Luciya Nuramo. I have 2 brothers and 5 sisters, and one of my brothers and all of my sisters are married. Photo: Sr. Shitaye after her Vow Renewal.
Sadly, at the end of 2020, my father went missing when he was walking to his fields at some distance from our family home. We have searched everywhere for him, but still we have no news of his whereabouts or situation. This is a great suffering for the family, but especially for my mother. Please pray for my father, and for our whole family. Thank you.
How did you meet the MSCs and when?
As a teenager, I had a great desire to follow Jesus as a religious sister to serve God and God’s people. In my parish, we had Vocation Group programs twice a month and some priests and sisters used to come from different congregations and taught us topics based on Scripture. I was also in the parish ‘Association of the Sacred Heart of Jesus’. As a group, we had Mass and prayer programs every first Friday of the month. While I was participating in these programs, my desire for religious life became stronger. I had a best friend who had entered another congregation, and who knew about the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and she gave me Sr. Terezinha’s phone number. I spoke with my parish priest about the MSCs and he encouraged me to communicate with her, which I did. When I told her I would like to join the MSCs, she informed they had a ‘Come & See’ program. During the 2-week program, we went with the Candidates and Pre-novices in Dubbo to visit the different MSC ministries to see how the sisters were serving the poor through education, health care and childcare.
By the end of the ‘Come & See’, I spoke with Sr. Terezinha, and informed her of my interest & happiness to join the MSCs. Then, in October 2011, I became an Aspirant, beginning my formation journey and, later, I became a Candidate. I started my Novitiate in Dubbo on November 1, 2015, and on May 19, 2018 I professed Temporary Vows.
With the help of God, Our Lady of Grace, and St. Frances Cabrini, our Foundress & great Missionary, who is our model for bringing the love of Christ in our world, and with my sisters supporting, teaching and walking with me daily, my journey of life continues as I try to say ‘Yes’ every day to Jesus.
What is your Ministry now?
Professionally, I trained as a Medical Laboratory Technician, but my current ministry is serving in Cabrini Ministries Ethiopia (CME), in Dubbo, southern Ethiopia, and I live in Sacred Heart Community. My role in CME is in Human Resource administration. Additionally, on many Saturdays, I am involved with other MSCs in instructing & guiding the Parish Vocation youth group. We also go to Homba, one of the Parish out-station chapels, where we teach catechism to the different age-groups of children and young adults.
What do you hope for the HSR?
I hope we continue to serve those who are marginalized and abandoned; to be Bearers of the Love of Christ in the world, as we serve our brothers and sisters with great love and respect. I also hope we continue to create more options for those who are poor and impoverished.
What are your dreams for the future?
My dream is for more MSC religious vocations; women who will dedicate themselves to the service of God and the poor; to proclaim the Good News of Jesus, spreading the love of Christ everywhere!
Thanks to Sr. Shitaye for her sharing with us