Arlington native takes permanent vows with Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago

Sister Macey Angadicheril processes to the altar with the Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago to profess her final vows. (courtesy photo/Mark Jacks)

CHICAGO — Sister Macey Angadicheril spends her days in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Chicago, serving in many ways, from helping stock and staff a busy food pantry to supporting young mothers with free diapers, and in prayer and worship.

On May 31, she took her final vows in the order of the Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago.

For Sr. Macey, the path from growing up in Arlington to religious life in Chicago has taken time to develop as she matured in her faith and discerned God’s call in her life.

“Ultimately it was God,” she said. “It wasn’t always a clear path for me.”

Her parents immigrated from Kerala, India, and she attended a Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in Grand Prairie when she was young. Later she attended St. Matthew, St. Vincent de Paul, and St. Maria Goretti Parishes in Arlington.

Growing up, she didn’t think about religious life. After tagging along to speech therapy sessions with a cousin, Sr. Macey decided she wanted to become a speech therapist. 

As a high school sophomore, she felt the first tug toward religious life at a Catholic youth retreat focused on the Eucharist and Divine Mercy. She began to think what it might be like to devote her life to God.

At the University of North Texas, she studied speech and language pathology and began to question aspects of faith.

She found great encouragement at St. John Paul II Parish and Campus Ministry in Denton that strengthened her faith, and she began to think again about possibly becoming a nun.

Meanwhile she completed her bachelor’s degree at UNT, then a master’s degree in communication disorders from University of Texas at Dallas. Then she began working as a speech therapist and “dated some great guys” along the way but still felt unsettled about her future.

She began to attend Adoration and Mass every day at St. Maria Goretti as she asked God for guidance on whether she should marry or pursue religious life.

Sr. Macey said she felt drawn to the life of St. Francis after reading some of his works.

“I just remember being captivated by his life, seeing this man who really believed in the Gospel and totally gave himself to the Lord, and the Lord gave Himself to St. Francis,” she said.

She started to look for communities associated with St. Francis as she focused on discerning her path.

A phone call to a sister with the Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago sparked her interest and also gave her “this peace and calm.” 

Located in a neglected Chicago neighborhood, the order helps the area’s poor and shares the Gospel. “We focus on the Eucharist in everything we do,” she said. “We try to bring others to Jesus through the Eucharist.” 

As a teen and young adult, Sr. Macey had trouble deciding whether to pursue religious life.

Now she can’t imagine doing anything else. She said, “My relationship with Christ is so deep and beautiful and rich. I wouldn’t have that if I didn’t enter into this religious life.”