lauren.jpgLooking back at her personal faith journey, Walsh University rising junior Lauren Selhorst recalls that it was during a high school mission trip to Benque Viejo, Belize, when she was first introduced to the life of a religious Sister. After several years of discernment, prayerful adoration and active participation in Walsh’s faith community, Selhorst has answered God’s call to join the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor, MI, this August.  

“While I was in Belize, I was able to have my first conversation with a religious Sister. I realized that my heart was being pulled to continue to talk to her, but I didn’t know why,” said Selhorst. “When I returned home, I tried to forget about the feeling that I had experienced while on the mission trip. Then, one night during my senior year of high school, I went to Adoration and I felt the Lord inviting me to be open and explore religious life.” 

Not sure how to begin, Selhorst spent time searching online for different religious communities throughout the United States. But it wasn’t until she found the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor that she felt she had found the right fit through their strong devotion to the Eucharist and their love for Mary.  

“It has taken many moments of surrender and constant trust, but I am blessed that He is inviting me to explore this more,” said Selhorst. “One thing, besides the extra time for prayer, that I am most looking forward to is the life of study. The Dominican motto is ‘Veritas’ which is Latin for truth. They believe that, through study, one can encounter the person of Jesus more deeply.”   

Every religious community has a different process and timeline for a young woman who enters religious life. For the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, Selhorst will be following a set pathway over the next eight years.  The first three years will be focused on religious and human formation. During her first year as a postulant, she will take classes on the Catechism, Church documents, what it means to be a religious Sister, etc. The postulant year is followed by two years as a novice where she will take more classes that focus on the religious life vows such as poverty, chastity and obedience, the constitutions of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, and other topics. At the end of the novice years, Selhorst will profess her first vows and return to college to receive an education degree.  

“After I receive my degree, I will go out and teach at different schools across the United States. After five years under temporary vows, I will profess final vows that I will live this life for the rest of my life,” said Selhorst. “It may seem like a long time, however, it is a necessary and beautiful time of spiritual and intellectual growth.” 

While at Walsh, Selhorst was involved in a number of different activities. She was a member of the Cavalier Marching Band, an admissions tour guide, Maroon and Gold Mentor, and a Blouin Global Scholar, just to name a few. When she wasn’t in class or involved in campus activities, you would find her actively serving her Walsh faith community through Campus Ministry. During her freshman year, she served as senator, and this past year, she was elected as president of the organization.  

Among the many who supported her faith journey, Selhorst credits Walsh for helping her to follow God’s call.  

“One person who has really helped me is Director of Campus Ministry Ben Walther. He would take time out of his day to pray with me if I was struggling with what to do regarding this major decision,” said Selhorst. “From my first time stepping foot on campus, I knew this was a place that I could call my ‘home away from home.’ I toured many colleges around Ohio, and while I liked many of them, none of them gave me the same feeling that Walsh University gave me. I found the small, faith-filled community that I was looking for in my college.” 

Since October 2020, Selhorst also met with Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in her hometown of Findlay, Ohio. Their influence and gentle guidance was instrumental in helping her to choose a religious life.  

“I knew that I found my home on this side of eternity. They showed me by their actions that they found joy and peace in this life, and that people still enter religious life,” said Selhorst. “Even though I had many amazing spiritual mentors, I found people who understood all of the emotions I was going through.” 

When asked to name her favorite Bible passage, Selhorst recalls the one that has helped her the most during her initial discernment, “She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without feat of the future.” (Proverbs 31:25).   

“Walsh University will always hold a special place in my heart,” said Selhorst. “I will keep the Walsh community in my prayers, and I humbly ask you to keep me in your prayers! God bless.” 

For more information about the Sisters of Mary, visit their website at www.sistersofmary.org