By Sr. Virgie Mozo, SSC

One of thirteen

Sr. Cristeta de Leon is from Banyaga, Bugallon, Pangasinan. She comes from a big family of 13 children. Her parents taught them the Christian values in the family. Sister Cris has a beautiful voice which she inherited from her mother who was a “cantora” in her early days.

Seeds of vocation

Before Sr. Cris joined the Columban Sisters she was involved at the Pastoral Center at St. Columban College, Lingayen, which was under the administration of the Columban Sisters for many years. The Pastoral Center was coordinated by various Columban Sisters who nourished Cris’s vocation to be a missionary religious. During Cris’s time at the Pastoral Center she was challenged to sing, pray and share her faith and to communicate God’s message of love to other people, especially her students.

A bigger challenge

Cris responded to the bigger challenge of God in her life as she went to Birmingham, England, for her two years in the novitiate. After her profession which was held in Labrador, Pangasinan, she was assigned to the Philippines to preach the Good News to the young people of Mindanao. While in Ozamis City Cris taught in the college department of Immaculate Conception College for one semester. She also helped in the vocation work and mission animation in Mindanao.

Off to South America

Just recently Sr. Cris got work of her foreign mission assignment to South America. Cris will be facing the unknown missionary life but the faith that her parents shared with her and the inspiration of the Columban Sisters and her experience in Birmingham and Mindanao will be in heart as she journeys to South America.

As Sr. Cris goes to live with the Latin American people let us pray: “Go therefore, Sr. Cris, and share with the people of South America a Loving God, a Compassionate God, a God of abundant life. May you walk in God’s truth. May God’s light and love be with you to protect you and lead you and the South American people to life. and may God’s presence fill you with joy.”