Currently, Sister Christine Hilliard is the Assistant Spiritual Director at the Center for Spiritual Development, but she has been a nun for over fifty years now. When asked about what drew her towards the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, her reasoning was quite simple and straightforward.
“I went to Catholic school, and I really liked the sisters there, especially the Sisters of St. Joseph,” she said. “They were a part of my life growing up and I really appreciated it. They were funny and great educators. I wouldn’t characterize my decision to become a Sister of St. Joseph as a moment, but as a bunch of moments. It was their sense of humor, their delight in life, their approachability, and the overall atmosphere here that helped me choose.”
Sister Christine was born in Flint, Michigan and she grew up in the Lemon Grove neighborhood in San Diego, California. She spent a year at the University of California in Santa Barbara (where she studied history) before entering the CSJ community. Sister Christine describes the path to her current position as Assistant Spiritual Director as almost an accident. She recalled that when she was a student, she received spiritual direction from a Jesuit priest. That priest had told her that she would be a great spiritual director herself, which she brushed off at the time. However, Sister Christine discovered her gift.
“It’s about life and one’s relationship with the author of life,” she said when asked to define spiritual direction. “The direction part leans more towards asking ‘what would be the best way for me to be, to go, to act, to choose?’”
Her meetings with people who are seeking spiritual direction are very private and she focuses on listening to their stories as a jumping-off point. Her first question is usually, “How are you and God doing?” and this question has opened many doors in people’s hearts.
“The most difficult part of this work is when people are in pain,” said Sister Christine. “I’d love to fix it but it’s not my job to do that, even if I could. My job is to be with them and to walk with them. The most rewarding part is seeing how people’s lives blossom and take on a new texture and purpose. It’s glorious to watch and be a part of that.”
Outside of the Center for Spiritual Development, Sister Christine leads a women’s Bible study group at a local church. She enjoys teaching scripture and painting with watercolors. She describes the Center as one of the best settings she has ever worked at because of the dedication and support of the employees there.
Ever since coming to the Sisters of St. Joseph, Sister Christine’s visualization of God has expanded greatly. More than just a part of her life, God has become a part of how she inhales and exhales. She doesn’t consider having a “favorite” aspect of her congregation because there is a variety of things she loves about the Sisters of St. Joseph.
“I don’t feel confined to one particular image or virtue here,” she said. “There is an abundance of things that a life of service offers me, and I appreciate that. It’s like watercolor: you ask yourself ‘what are you going to paint today’ and the paints are all available to paint it.”
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