Sr. M. Janice Golez
“Have courage, this is nothing, it is simply one of the trials that Jesus grants us because he loves us. Calm comes after the storm and the stronger the hurricane, the greater the serenity.” – (Mother Maria Scolastica Rivata, PDDM)
Sr. M. Janice Golez, a young perpetually professed PDDM took to heart these very words of our First Mother, Sr. M. Scolastica Rivata. These words indeed are full of hope and consolation on her journey of discovering and living the will of the Divine Master for her.
She was born as the 5th of the 6 siblings in the family on September 9, 1982 in Victorias City, Negros Occidental. In fact, Sr. Janice is known to be a happy person as her family and close friends would describe her. She was the joy of the family and enjoyed being the youngest in the family until her younger sister came. As the new joy of the family, Sr. Janice found herself in a competition with her. She became so worldly to the extent of not going to mass almost every Sunday. She also disregarded their family’s constant practice of dialogue and sharing. This went on until she graduated and gained achievements. But God must have been watching her and made a way to awaken her and put her back to where she should be. Once, she attended a Sunday Mass which marked a significant change in her routine and became a defining moment for her. She heard an announcement about a Youth Camp and it stirred a desire in her to join. Such camp paved the way for her to be actively involved again in parish activities.
(Way back her childhood, her grandmother used to bring her with her to daily Masses and she as well became an avid member of the Legion of Mary). From that time on, she was appointed as a youth leader. A sudden longing was formed in her in the midst of her busy schedules, both as an employee and as a parish youth leader. She thirsted for something more which she could not define at that time. She resigned from her job and searched for another one in Cebu where she finally met the PDDM. Her desire for a good career had brought her to an experience of a deep longing for God. While finding a good job, she also found the Divine Master, who, all along was with her.
She realized each of the companies that invited her for job exams and final interviews was located near a parish church. Such was a grace that provided her the chance to talk to God more often. Since her work was located right beside the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parish in Cebu, she used to drop by the church to pray before going to work, then at noon attend the Eucharistic celebration. One morning, to her surprise she found the church’s door closed. As she did the first time it happened, she attempted to open it again, but it was already locked. So, she just sat on the stairs in front of the Church and tried to have her prayer moment. Then, the parish’ guard called her attention and directed her to a chapel at the side of the church. There, she found a sacred place where the Lord’s presence is openly shared to the faithful. Through the Blessed Sacrament, she had her daily encounter with Jesus. From that time on, she considered that place as a “source” of grace for each day’s journey.
This became her new routine in life until one day, she was seized by a simple black-and-white announcement of a certain congregation called the PDDM. What caught her curiosity most was the name of the sister written on it. “What a nice name for a sister”, she said. She texted her and expressed her desire to join the Search-In Recollection.
She attended series of recollection and met the sisters frequently until she found herself discovering more of God’s will for her though it wasn’t also easy for her considering that she had already a good job. She went through a disturbing stirring in her heart which brought her to a sense of surrender. She came to the point of having an incomprehensible feeling, not able to define what she was going through…until she chose to be lost in God’s hands. With all the disturbances in her mind and heart, she never gives up but persevere instead in knowing and being with the Master whom she longs for.
After talking to her family about her desire of joining the PDDM, she finally entered on June 24, 2006, made her first profession February 10, 2011 and her perpetual profession on April 23, 2017. The formative journey was not an easy one for her given her background and personality. God continuously reveals Himself to her even during her initial years in the formation. Not only seeing her good qualities but also her bad sides which became a challenge for her. She was shaken and trembled with confrontations of who she is but finding herself in this situation did not give her room of giving-up the vocation she received and accepted. She perseveres everyday and trusted on the love and mercy of God for her.
She lives her religious life with love and joy which is always seen in the way she relates with others especially with the sisters in the community and with whom she works with in the apostolates. Some of her ministries are in the Provincial Information and Secretariat, Formation and Pastoral Care for Youth and Vocations works, Digital Apostolates and at present, as a Provincial Counselor and Provincial Secretary.
She recalled one experience of hers which her faith in the Master who called her and her perseverance to remain in Him was tested: “When my father died in 2019, a “storm” of doubt and anger devastated me. It was difficult to find meaning in what was happening in my life of discipleship. I entered into the hurricane of reproaching God, claiming that I’ve been good enough not to deserve such suffering. But with the unconditional love and support of my community, whom I attributed to God’s ways, I came to my senses and figured out how He encouraged me to persevere. I realized that such experience was just one of the trials one has to pass through in life; facing death and its necessity is a “given” in our life’s journey. This was affirmed by the words of Mother Scholastica Rivata I came across with: “Have courage, this is nothing, it is simply one of the trials that Jesus grants us because he loves us. Calm comes after the storm and the stronger the hurricane, the greater the serenity.”
Indeed, God chastises those whom he loves. He needed to amend my wrong notion of his love for me. Trials cause us to grow and glow as persons He desires us to be. Yes, calm came after it; greater serenity came after the storm.” Indeed, she continuously lives the words of our Bl. Founder when he said, “Onward then! Let us ask the grace truly to persevere… constancy of will and continued effort to make a little progress every day. We need to keep the thought of heaven before us.”
Now sr. Janice she is assigned in Alberione House in Antipolo City and she serves the Philippine-Taiwan-Hong Kong Province as Provincial Secretary abd one of the Councilors.