Each month the diocesan magazine, The Central Minnesota Catholic plans to feature a person who shares his/her experiences of faith in the Diocese of St. Cloud.
NAME: Lupita Cismowski
PARISH: St. Andrew, Elk River
OCCUPATION: Catholic school enrollment consultant for Latino families
HOBBIES/INTERESTS:
I enjoy biking with my family, sewing with my machine, camping, reading and learning new things.
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR FAMILY:
I am from Mexico and my husband is from Minnesota. We met in my hometown of Sonora, Mexico, because he was a missionary at that time. Thanks to that, we were blessed that our paths crossed.
We got married in 2008 and have two beautiful daughters, 11 and 5-years-old. My husband and I have always thought of moving to another place with a different climate where our community service is needed. We both like to serve and help others. Our community is very beautiful and we have always felt welcomed and loved since we moved here. However, we will always go hand-in-hand with God wherever he leads us.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT YOUR PARISH COMMUNITY?
I like that our community is small and close. We have gotten to know our neighbors more closely and have enough confidence to ask for or provide help to each other when we need it.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PRAYER?
One of my favorites, which has a lot of power, is “Make me an instrument of your peace” by St. Francis of Assisi. Another is the Apostles’ Creed — I like to say it with my eyes closed and feel every word truly in me. I testify to myself what I really believe with all my heart and the more I say it, the more I believe.
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE SAINT? WHY?
St. Francis of Assisi and St. Teresa of Calcutta. Each saint gave themselves in a deep and different way to their faith — their lives and their examples reach the depths of my heart.
NAME ONE WAY YOU ARE LIVING YOUR FAITH IN YOUR DAILY LIFE.
I feel very blessed and grateful to God to share and combine my faith with everything in my life, my family, my friends, even in my work. Not everyone has the privilege of combining their faith with their work.
Every day the Lord opens my eyes and I thank him with a prayer from the bottom of my heart —
for all that he gives me and also for what he does not allow me to have. We are always in his hands. Sometimes fear of the unknown prevents us from seeing with faith what we should see. I also ask that God always guides me on the path that leads me to him.
WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO GIVE VOICE TO AND SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES OF FAITH WITH OTHERS?
What inspires me is joy, a little voice within me that motivates me to speak of my faith. My faith is deep and I would even dare to say that it is blind. We must experience a total surrender to God our Lord in order to speak about our experiences of faith.