Am I considering religious life because secular life isn't working out the way I want?

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safa92

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Recently, I’ve felt a call to enter into some sort of religious vocation. I’m 26 years old. I do have a secular life plan, however it seems that I’ve had so many road blocks any time I move down the path of a career or relationship. I went through a really serious depression during my early college years and its held me back when I try and apply somewhere else. I was also engaged and it ended abruptly because he was brainwashed into thinking that Catholics are evil along with other anti-catholic rhetoric. I know i’m only 26 but now that i’m in the position i’m in, the idea of a career seems further away and maybe I should just find a guy to have a family with. In the mean time, I’ve become very devout in my faith and its all I want to do. I want to learn about Catholicism any chance I get and the highlight of my day is going to mass and receiving the Eucharist. I also kind of hate living the secular world. It’s too unhappy. I’ve spoken with quite a few priests and a nun about this. They say to visit a convent. I plan on it. I just have this fear that if I go, I wont want to leave. That life seems so much easier and happier than what I have now. However, I still love the idea of raising a big Catholic family. I can’t imagine being without mine. I don’t want to be shut away in a convent.
 
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I thought I wanted to be a monk for a while, but debt won’t allow that. I got very sick during my studies, and had to quit school for a while. (I was a communications major) I tried to go back, but, I have issues with people returning my phone calls. I would like to get married and have children one day. If that is God’s will, then great, if it’s not, then that’s okay too. When I was younger, I thought I wanted to be married and have children, and whilst I would love that, I know that might not work out. I’m disgusted with what much of the world’s become, but remember, we’re supposed to be in the world, but not have in. You may just have to be a light that shines in the darkness. God bless!
 
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Those with a Vocation are running to something, not running away from something.

Speak to your Vocations Director (every Diocese on earth has one!)
safa92 said:
I don’t want to be shut away in a convent.
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Learn more about Religious life. There are active orders as well as cloistered orders.
 
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Why not have a chat with a priest, perhaps not your own priest, I refer to your other thread about being attracted to him of course. But someone older perhaps could help?
 
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I have a brother who is 30YO who had his first GF at 29 and is getting engaged now. Have another brother who got engaged at 28 after having first GF at 26. They waited long time but they really wanted a Catholic gf and their gf’s really wanted Catholic guys.

Its worth the wait, checking out a convent is a good idea as well as praying and asking what God’s will is. He will show you the way. But by no means is 26 late for anything.

God Bless, you will be in my prayers
 
safa92 said:
Recently, I’ve felt a call to enter into some sort of religious vocation…
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A short term solution to a long term situation rarely works out, that’s kind of I’m seeing in your post. Taking on a life time promise with an order is a big step so is just marrying some guy. You come of age in a time that has been rough for your age group, so your situation is fairly normal.
 

There are many documentaries out there about religious life.
 
Disappointment with secular life is not a bad reason to choose a religious life. In fact, it used to be considered the perfect reason. Only in modern times has the idea arisen that you need a “positive motivation” for the religious life. Don’t believe it. A distaste for the secular world, and a desire to spend a great deal of time in prayer, are enough to turn religious.

As for having your own family, of course this is an attractive idea. But as you’re probably aware, under the circumstances of the modern age family life strongly ties you to the secular world for two to three decades. That’s a very long time, and you’ll spend nearly all of it dealing with, and worrying about, worldy concerns on a daily basis. Family life isn’t what it used to be. We like to picture Christmas’ Eves together when we think of it, but unfortunately such occasions are now only a very small part of family life. For parents in the modern world, most of family life is a non-stop stream of demanding, time-consuming management tasks that leave you drained at the end of most days. I wish it was different, but it isn’t. Think twice (or more) before you choose family life, especially if you already feel drawn to the religious life.
 
TheLittleLady said:
Those with a Vocation are running to something, not running away from something.
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Yes! I long agonized over whether I was called to be married or be a nun. Then the summer before my senior year or college, I spent the summer living and volunteering with some Benedictine sisters where my aunt is a nun. It was a fantastic summer and I felt so much peace. Once during prayer, I thought, maybe I can live like this. This would be way easier…no more trying to date, no more preoccupation and heartache over the world’s problems…

And just like that, I realized I wasn’t called to religious life because I was looking at it as an escape from the difficulties that I perceived in my present life.

I met my future spouse two years later, and I’m married with a son now. 😉

Definitely talk to a vocations director. That’s what they’re there for! To be disillusioned with the secular world could be an indication, but I wouldn’t base my discernment on that.
 
If you’re seriously depressed how about you get healthy first and become the best you before you even bother with your vocation. Kind of putting the cart before the horse there

Bokbok
 
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