Called to be a Nun?!

[vee8]

Hi regulars I usually hang out in the back fence section but things have unexpectedly drawn me here for your prayers and advice. Below is a copy of what I posted on a different thread where I am a regular.

I would really appreciate any prayers that can be said for me that I find a good spiritual director. I am at a vocational crossroads and could really use the help of a sd although Ive never had one before. Its kind of funny because I thought my vocation would be marriage but now, for the past month, Ive had this very strong pull towards religious life. It wasnt even on my radar then after a novena to St Therese for her feast day I cant get this out of my head! The lesson being never pray to St Therese I keep having this sense of her saying “follow me to Christ” to which I reply various things like and :bigyikes: and me a Carmelite nun?! . So now Im at the well I`ll look into it stage just to prove I am completely unfit for such a vocation… or am I :ehh:

I dont usually use so many smilies in a message but in this case I think they help get my point across. I also have another problem which is distance as you can see from my location I am currently nowhere near any Carmels I might be interested in so cant even go have a look. I have looked through tons of stuff online though so between that and this sudden strong call in my heart its a bit overwhelming and I could go on for a while but I will end this for now and see what you guys have to say.

Just to add that in the initial stages of this I thought ok follow Therese to Christ by being a sister so I looked over a lot of different orders but it seems I am being pulled toward the cloistered Carmelites which is not something I expected but I cant be selfish and have to let God guide me which isnt easy.

 

[Bailey2]

Living in Tokyo won’t stop you if you have a vocation to the Carmelite order. Go on the Internet, find a Carmelite order or two, e-mail your situation, ask for suggestions how to explore the possibility. You don’t have to make your decision *before *you even get to the door! Discernment is YEARS; like 6 perhaps longer for a cloistered community. So even if you actually go live there, there is no commitment. First year at an order is a try-out year anyway. No hurry then. You are not committing by trying. God will show you in time; it’s all good no matter what direction you end up.

 

[rskempf]

I am not certain you need to become a carmelinte nun to follow Christ. The main message of Vatican II was to become holy in every day life - to become a saint. You could be a mother, or consecrated religious. Either way, there is a path to Christ.

Most importantly, and it seems like you are aware, follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit, get some spiritual direction, pray about it. At some point, take action. We only live here a short while and we need to use our talents to gain souls for Christ.

God bless you!

 

[vee8]

Well I talked to a priest today for some guidance (three weeks after this started) and that helped a lot. It was definitely a conversation I never thought Id have. No verdict yet just keep praying and wanting to do God`s will not my own, which is hard for me but he said there would be graces if its meant to be. Ask Mary for her intercession etc. I was kind of hoping he would say Im nuts and to completely forget it because if he did then I could take the easy selfish way out but that didnt happen.

We only live here a short while and we need to use our talents to gain souls for Christ.

Amen!
The priest asked me what sort of ministry I felt attracted to such as teaching and I said that for the past year or more I felt drawn to offer prayers and sufferings for the reparation of sins and the conversion of sinners. I had no idea until just recently that the Carmelites are one of the orders that focus on that. So I do know that I want to gain souls for Christ the quesiton is what way does He want me to do it.

Thanks Baily2 I emalied a couple of communities with some questions I had and will see what they say. I knew very little about religious communities, their lifestyles, and formation until just a couple of weeks ago. I think its good that the whole process takes a long time with a chance to leave right up until the final vows.

 

[CarmeliteGirl25]

I actually looked online for you because I believe there is at least one Carmelite cloister in Japan. I found addresses for several on the Discalced Carmelite website! One of them is in Tokyo!

ocd.pcn.net/ocd/n3_japan.htm

This would be a good place to start, and then if you feel called to leave Japan, you could look at other orders in other countries.

St. Therese always astounds me. She was the one who got me interested in a vocation to the Carmelites. I had only been discerning for a month when I saw a movie in a store with a picture of a nun in a beautiful brown habit dress and white veil. I bought it and fell in love with St. Therese. I, too, am discerning with the Carmelite nuns. Oddly enough, I feel called to a cloistered monastery called the “Carmelite Monastery of the Little Flower of Jesus!” St. Therese’s nickname is the “Little Flower” and it was named after her and dedicated in her honor on the day she was canonized (made a saint) on May 17th, 1925!!!

 

[vee8]

I actually looked online for you because I believe there is at least one Carmelite cloister in Japan. I found addresses for several on the Discalced Carmelite website! One of them is in Tokyo!

ocd.pcn.net/ocd/n3_japan.htm

This would be a good place to start, and then if you feel called to leave Japan, you could look at other orders in other countries.

St. Therese always astounds me. She was the one who got me interested in a vocation to the Carmelites. I had only been discerning for a month when I saw a movie in a store with a picture of a nun in a beautiful brown habit dress and white veil. I bought it and fell in love with St. Therese. I, too, am discerning with the Carmelite nuns. Oddly enough, I feel called to a cloistered monastery called the “Carmelite Monastery of the Little Flower of Jesus!” St. Therese’s nickname is the “Little Flower” and it was named after her and dedicated in her honor on the day she was canonized (made a saint) on May 17th, 1925!!!

Thanks for looking that up Carmelitegirl. I would hope that, if it is God`s will for me to enter a carmel, it at least be a lot closer to my family than Japan is just so it would be a bit easier for them to deal with. The priest I talked to said not to say anything to my family yet so I wont. I am wondering if you have talked with anyone in your family about your possible call and if so how did they react?

When I first started getting this really strong sense that St Therese was saying “follow me to Christ” I reluctantly though ok I will look into womens religious orders just to prove nothing suits me and I dont have to do this and can go about the path to holiness another way. One of the things I was considering was the orders habit, so I would go to their website and if they didnt even have a habit it was bye to them. When I saw the full Carmelite habit though it struck a chord in me too. I know it sounds like a shallow way of discerning but I think one has to be drawn to the total package of the order inside and out. Its a bit like the habit is the lure and the charism is the hook.

There are so many Carmels for women and its only been a week or so that Ive actually been considering the cloistered communities so Im nowhere near having one picked out. Have you had a chance to visit the one you are drawn to and if so could you share a bit about your experience? You can send me a private message if you would prefer.

 

[CarmeliteGirl25]

I’d be happy to send you a PM. It may be later, but I wouldn’t mind sharing my experiences. Some things have transpired in the last few days that make me think God is sending me down a different path (still in religious life).

 

[vee8]

Anything you could share Carmelitegirl would be helpful so whenever you have time to write I will be happy to read it.

 

[discerningnun]

I’m will keep you in my prayers while you are discernng. Can you pray for me I’m also discerning, but I feel called to Missionary sister

 

[Father_La_Fleur]

Hello,

I commend you on having the courage to respond to Christ’s call to be all for Him. It’s not easy but it is worth it for Him only because He asks us, we do what we do. As an intermediary step to discerning entering a Monastery, you could discuss with the Priest a prayer group you can join and a regular Adoration Hour in reparation for sins, for Priests and consecrated souls in particular.

These are the sins that offend the Heart of Jesus and Mary the most. They are the point of the thorn, the part that hurts the HolyHearts the most and that you cannot see, of the crown of thorns surrounding the Hearts of Jesus and Mary that is-Wounds that cause internal bleeding. In the expiation of these sins to which you feel called, as a victim soul, you can imagine the specialized formation of being a little rose petal nestled in those wounds to make the point a little less painful, even if you are transpierced by the thorn. You share the Sorrow of the Mother of Sorrows and of the Man of Sorrows, according to Isaiah.

You could also consult their daily schedule which is available on any of their websites now and adapt something similar for yourself in a little way. Throughout the day think of what the Carmelite spiritual family is doing and embrace it. Perhaps there is a Carmelite Third Order, or one similar, even Legion of Mary or any prayer group that dedicates a part of the apostolate to prayers of reparation. If your love of hidden sacrifices grows, a life of simplicity, hidden from the eyes of the world but in plain view of Providence, then, these may be signs of a Religious Vocation in the Carmelite Family. The rest God will provide as He gives the means along with the desire when our heart is ripe. Keep in touch with a spiritual Priest and you will know for sure as you don’t rely on yourself.

Fr. Dominic