Treat everyone like family: Meet Sr. Herlinda

“Becoming a sister helped me grow in my connection to God,” explains Sister Herlinda Ramirez-Machado, CSJ.  It’s not a surprising statement, yet Sister Herlinda’s path has been an unexpected journey of joy. “I never thought that my ministry would be in community clinics or that I would be living with women from three different countries. My connection with God and with my sisters keeps evolving through things I thought I would never do or experience. God always calls us to have an expansive love for the dear neighbor.”

Sister Herlinda serves as the novice director for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange, preparing women to make their religious vows. Prior to this role, she served as a pastoral assistant at the St. Jude Neighborhood Clinic in Fullerton. Her involvement with medical programs all over California reveals she is a compassionate caregiver.  Sister Herlinda’s vocation began years ago.

When she was sixteen-years-old, Sister Herlinda encountered the Sisters of St. Joseph for the first time. The Sisters were living on the same street as her childhood home in Mexico while on a mission. She observed them for over a year while serving in a youth group. Some of her family did not expect their daughter or sister to commit herself to a religious life, but Sister Herlinda was inspired by her devotion to the Virgin Mary.

“I wanted to see the Virgin Mary,” she said. “I thought that some people who consecrated themselves to God were able to see the Virgin Mary, who I always wanted to see. I had this dream as a little girl where I would see Mary in a tree, where she would be beautiful and willing to speak to me. This was my first inclination to see the Virgin Mary and later, I heard about religious life and was attracted to it. I’m very close to the Virgin of Guadalupe and I pray to her every day. Throughout my entire life, the Virgin Mary and I have worked together.”

Prior to serving as the Congregation’s novice director, Sister Herlinda’s ministry was in local healthcare though community clinics. At St. Jude Medical Center, Sister Herlinda was involved with their Comprehensive Prenatal Service Program, Every Woman Counts Program, and Cancer Detection Program. These services help expecting mothers and women of all ages. At St. Mary Medical Center in Apple Valley, Sister Herlinda took part in the First 5 Program and Healthy Beginnings. These programs gave families the resources to ensure that the first five years of their children’s lives are happy and healthy.

“When I was at the clinic, I worked with pregnant women and mothers with children who ranged from infants to five years old,” she said. “I used to teach pre-natal education and was the assistant teacher for parenting classes. I was also doing spiritual care for the patients, so whenever someone wanted to talk to a sister, I would be there.”

What motivated Sister Herlinda’s service was a desire to connect more people to God, especially when they are vulnerable and deeply suffering. It was why she frequently worked with pregnant women, who are extremely vulnerable in our society. She enjoyed listening to the people she served and doing whatever it took to ease their pain. She was also taught that a caregiver must always value the dignity of the patient and has carried that advice with her wherever she goes.

Service to the dear neighbor can often include the unexpected. Sister Herlinda recalls a time she had to chastise a clinic patient’s unruly son as he was hitting his mother in the face during a parenting class. He had been frustrated that none of the other children in the class wanted to play with him due to his temper. Sister Herlinda caught his hand and made one thing clear, “No, this is wrong; you cannot do this.” Though the boy did not respond to his mother’s discipline, he surprisingly listened to Sister Herlinda. Afterwards, the boy was on his best behavior as his mother continued to take him to parenting classes at the clinic. Seeing the boy transform from an angry child to someone who can play well with others made Sister Herlinda feel especially proud.

“I remember when I came to the clinic, something very important was told to us: ‘You treat the patient as if it was your mom, your dad, or your sister,’” Sister Herlinda said. “When we think of these people as our families, we will do anything possible for them.”  Sister Herlinda strives to treat everyone like family.

Outside of work, Sister Herlinda enjoys reading, dancing with friends, arts and crafts, and yoga, when time permits.

What she loves most about the Sisters of St. Joseph is their joyfulness and their dedication to serving everyone without distinction, regardless of background. She is proud of their mission and always happy to help bring people closer in their union with God and other people.