Newest Claretian evangelizes youths through dance

By Cristina Cabrera Jarro -

MIAMI | One of the charisms of the Claretian Missionaries is evangelization by every means possible. For Sister Eridania Reinoso, that means teaching youths and young adults how to praise God in a new way: through dance.

In her brief time in Miami, Sister Eridania’s youthful charisma has touched the hearts of many, especially young adults in the Juventud Peregrina group at St. Catherine of Siena Church, where she was first assigned in 2013.

“The joy of dance she has shown us has been something new for us that we had never done before,” said Karen Riobo. “Instead of just singing praises we also did it with dance. Her gift is dance. She shared that gift with us and we learned a few steps with her. It was beautiful that we had the opportunity to be a part of her formation.”

Sister Eridania’s talents also came in handy at her next assignment, Corpus Christi Church in Wynwood, where she helped out with the annual Christmas play.

“It’s very cute because the kids lose their stage fright,” she said. “It is also a form of evangelizing because sometimes the only thing they (and their parents) see during Christmas is the Christmas play.”

On Feb. 2 at Corpus Christi, Sister Eridania stepped forward in a different way: Before family, friends, fellow religious, seminarians, priests and parishioners, she professed her first vows as a Claretian Missionary � the second young woman to do so in as many months.

Sister Eridania recalled that her curiosity about religious life blossomed at the age of 11 in the Dominican Republic, where she was born, raised, and inspired by the Claretians she met.

“A seminarian at my parish invited all youth to stay after Mass because there was a meeting for apostolic vocations,” she said. “I didn’t know what it was for, but I stayed.”

That’s when she met Sister Mercedes Dominguez, a Claretian Missionary who led the parish youth group. As time passed, and Eridania met more members of the congregation, she found that their compassion and work attracted her.

In 2009, she acquired a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the Instituto Superior de Formación Docente Salomé Ureña. She found work as secretary of Pastoral Ministries in the Diocese of San Pedro de Macoris and as secretary of the Pastoral Plan in the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo.

But religious life, particularly the work of the Claretians, kept calling her back.

Her mother and father, Josefina and Francisco Reinoso, said they knew for some time that religious life was a likely possibility for their daughter, but they wanted her to see it for herself.

“We never pushed her in any direction. We let her explore the possibilities on her own,” said Francisco Reinoso, who is a permanent deacon in the Diocese of San Pedro de Macoris. “We did, however, always tell her that for every step that she took, to take them, thinking them through, analyzing them well and in a way that would inspire firm steps in her journey.

“And that was how she met with different communities. And she went looking, looking and looking until she definitely committed to the Claretians. We truly see it as a blessing,” Deacon Reinoso said.

Sister Eridania entered the order in 2011 in Santo Domingo, and in 2013 was sent to the formation house in Miami where she began her time as a novice. Leaving her family, her home and her work for a new country without knowing the language, without knowing the culture, was a drastic change for her.

But Sister Ondina Cortes, the local Claretian superior, reminded her of how Jesus called the apostles. They also left their work and their families without questioning and without knowing where they were going or what they were going to do.

“It speaks about what God does in people,” said Sister Ondina. “I think it is a symbol and it is an example for the young people of today that when we truly fall in love with the Lord we are capable of anything. This is something that has been happening for 2,000 years.”

Because Sister Eridania is only 27, she is also setting an example for young adults about following a religious calling if they have one.

“What young person today does not enjoy leading their own life and making their own plans?” Sister Ondina said. “And here we have a young person who is renouncing that and making their consecration in obedience. It says that the best thing for her is the will of God and she is willing to follow his will.”

Sister Eridania’s profession also proved edifying for her classmates at St. John Vianney College Seminary.

“To see her here is such an inspiration for us to keep moving forward, especially since we have a long journey ahead,” said Gustavo Santos, a first year seminarian.

Claretian Sister Ivette Habach, who professed her first vows in December 2015, shares a special bond with Sister Eridania because they walked together as novices.

“It’s beautiful to see us leaving behind that stage of being a novice and see one another as religious,” said Sister Ivette. “It’s like saying, ‘Wow, we made it.’ And to see how much we have grown, and how much we will continue to grow, strengthening each other as we go, uniting us each time as family.”

Correction: This story originally gave the wrong date for Sister Eridania's profession of vows. It took place Feb. 2, feast of the Presentation and conclusion of the Year of Consecrated Life.