As Janice Lane saw a spirit of unhealthy competition saturate her park and rec program, she felt a drain in her energy. She thought a new direction might replenish her energy and her spiritual cup. Acting on this inspiration, Janice has turned her life in a new direction.

Janice earned a degree in Park and Recreation Administration from Eastern Michigan University. After working in parks and recreation in Jackson for nine years, she became disillusioned with the intensifying competitive spirit, even though she liked her work. "In the later part of my work, I felt tension with competition vs. participation. The pressure some kids experienced from their parents and peers was disheartening and left me feeling low."

Janice started looking into ways to lift her sprit and decided to get more involved with the Church. She started religious education classes at Sienna Heights, a Dominican school in Adrian, MI. She also became more involved with catechesis at her parish, St. John's. Even in her parish Janice didn't completely escape all of the tension over athletic competition. "Ironically, I sometimes encountered parents pulling their kids out of religious education for the Sunday morning soccer games I had scheduled while I was still involved with the park and recreation programs.

In June, 1993, while attending a vocation workshop in Cape Girardeau, Janice heard about a different way to live that spoke to her heart. Sister Raphael Ann Drone shared the story of five Adorer sisters who had been martyred in Liberia, Africa, five months earlier. Sister Raphael had lived in Liberia for 17 years and shared the sisters' passion—their desire to work with the poor, especially young women. The Sisters passion to share their gifts with people who have less and to build up community.

Janice reflected on how these Sisters had laid down their life for this passion. "I don't promote martyrdom, but the fact that they had poured out their own blood stayed with me," Janice said. "When I returned home and thought about their names, Adorers of the Blood of Christ, something in me was burning."

After the retreat, Janice talked with her parents and shared that she didn't think her career in park and recreation would last more than a few more years. Her mother asked, "Are you going to become a sister?" "No way!" was Janice's quick response. But Janice continued to develop relationships with other Adorers through conversations, letter writing and visits with Sister Marilyn Jansen in St. Louis.

In 1994, Janice committed to volunteering for a year in East St. Louis and attending religious studies classes at St. Louis University. She took the opportunity to use her park and rec training in ministry to others when she started a successful after-school program for disadvantaged urban kids that is still running today. The passion to share her gifts, heal and build a community was growing stronger for Janice and she made the decision to formally request entrance into the Adorers of the Blood of Christ.

Candidacy followed. Janice received permission to continue with her masters in Pastoral Studies and she entered the novitiate. After her first year in the novitiate, she went to Taylorville with Sister Virginia Walsh, where Janice served in pastoral ministry and also worked part time at Springfield Memorial Hospital. From there, Janice completed a residency program in clinical pastoral education (CPE) in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Currently she is living in DeMattias residence on the Adorers campus of the Columbia Center in Pennsylvania.

This year, along with her ministry as a hospital chaplain, Janice is working to help establish a new program called Linking Individuals with Non-medical Congregational Support Services (LINCSS). This program helps faith communities start up health ministry in their churches. The objectives are to teach and train care teams to provide visitations in homes and health care centers. Janice proudly notes that the parishes are trying to draw from a wide variety of resources. "Our aim is to call forth the gifts of a particular congregation and uphold each group's spiritual integrity, rather than impose a particular spirituality."

To other women who may be considering religious life, Janice encourages, "Take a risk because now is a good time and the Adorers offer good places to do it." For women who are already in candidacy programs, Janice recommends getting to know the sisters and taking advantage of the opportunities in community. "Religious life is a place where you have an outstanding opportunity to grow in spirituality, your gifts and understanding of life. Ask, explore, take advantage of and seek the advice of wise women."

Janice wisely explains that in formation many Congregations want to invite women to live their charism. "Our charism is already alive in many women. Come and join the Adorers of the Blood of Christ and you'll find the spirituality that is already alive in you. We can help nurture it. You've already got it!"

Janice's family continually supports her life's decisions. She has one older brother, Ian, who lives in New Hampshire. Jan's mother, Mary Jane, died on June 7, 2002 in her home under the care of Hospice. Her father, Mike, lives in Jackson, MI and winters in central Florida. Though they are scattered throughout the United States, the family remains close.

For Janice, becoming an Adorer of the Blood of Christ has meant sharing in a passion of caring for others. Whether she's on a soccer field or in a hospital wing, she brings this passion wherever she goes.

[Janice professed her perpetual vows on June 28, 2003.]