Many of us have experiences with people who have given themselves to God in the consecrated life.  Hopefully, most of those memories were positive and good for us.  Those of us who had religious brothers or sisters as teachers in our schooling days may recall a firm voice and/or hand that we found distasteful or even hurtful.  Unfortunately, such experiences may have led to short-term or long-term negative thoughts and feelings about the Religious.  In some instances, people have even left the practive of the Catholic faith due to it.  The three nuns I had as teachers in my grade school were "no nonsense" and were not afraid to use the paddle (as my lay teachers also did), but I remember the overall good atmosphere that was created and led myself and my siblings to get a great start in our formal education life and in the knowledge and practice of our faith.  My fifth grade teacher, Sister May Laurene Favre, who was on of my toughest (and best teachers) is now 99 years old and lives in retirement with other nuns in Barling, Arkansas.  I have had an ongoing relationship with her and I give thanks to God for the blessings I have received and continue to receive through that relationship.  As we come toward the end of the "Year of Consecrated Life," I hope we can all give thanks to God in a personal or general way, for all who have chosen the path to heaven through religious life.  There are, no doubt, many more positive stories than negative ones about the virtue and Christ-like example that many religious brothers and sisters exude and the blessings that have come and continue to come from their ministry of prayer (and for many, their ministry of action in the world).  Their life of community, as well as their vows of poverty, chastity and obedience is not for everyone, but they inspire us to seek the things of God's kingdom, the things that last forever.  Let us all pray for more vocations to the "Consecrated Life."  It's a blessing to the Church and to the whole world!