The summer of 2024 was an eventful one for Sister Julian Marie Swantek, who not only graduated from Newman in May but also took her perpetual vows as a sister of the Immaculate Heart of Mary on July 27.
In addition to Swantek, former Newman student Sister Maria Cabrini (formerly known as Brigette Sponsel) professed her final vows as an IHM sister.
Swantek’s preparation for the ceremony at St. Peter the Apostle in Schulte, Kansas, involved no shortage of prayers.
“This is a huge reality that I’ll ponder for all eternity, so it’s hard to put into words,” she said. “The strongest feeling as I was actually saying the words was profound peace. I know that this is what God created me for, so to be able to respond to Him with a wholehearted ‘yes’ is an incredible feeling.”
Discerning her vocation
For some who discern religious life as their lifelong vocation, they can remember a specific moment, story or feeling — an “aha” moment that revealed God’s plan to them. This was not necessarily the case for Swantek.
“I like to compare it to a plant sitting in the sunshine,” she said. “You don’t see anything happening. But slowly there is change and eventually, it blossoms into a flower.”
Swantek graduated from high school, started praying in college, then quickly realized she was falling in love.
“When I fell in love with Jesus Christ, with the God of the universe, the world didn’t hold much appeal after that,” Swantek said. “I didn’t want to do anything else but be his bride.”
Evangelization through education
Swantek graduated with her Bachelor of Science in secondary education, chemistry and physics from Newman University. She described always feeling cared for by her Newman professors, specifically Ryan Huschka (chair of science and math division, associate professor of chemistry), Alan Oberley (associate professor of chemistry), John Brungardt (assistant professor, medieval philosophy), Matthew Umbarger (associate professor of theology) and the Rev. Adam Grelinger (former university chaplain).
Four out of the five (Huschka, Brungardt, Umbarger and Grelinger) even attended her final vows ceremony Mass in July.
“I look forward to my next chapter,” Swantek said. “Our charism is to work for the evangelization of society through education, so that’s my mission in the classroom.”
Swantek began her career at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School in August, teaching several of the students she worked with last semester through her student teaching experiences.
“I’m excited that I’ll have many of them again this year,” Swantek said. “Teaching is all about the students. They are why we’re in the classroom and I can’t wait to form relationships with them and lead them closer to Christ.”
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