It makes sense, but you’ll never know until you get there.
Most sisters and one priest I spoke with said when they stepped onto the property, they knew they were “home” and therefore entered. I had such an exeperience when I got to a monastery I had been inspired to enter–but didn’t–when I was in college. When I got there, they were closing for lack of vocations. Which is one reason I say, “Try it!”
Discerning marriage means you’re open to the possibility of a spouse crossing your path. Believe me, when they get there, a form of blinders are put on and they’re all that matters in the world. The man can’t stay away from the woman, and she is totally devoted to supporting him and his work. And everything goes into the care and raising of the children who come along.
HTH
Blessings,
Cloisters
I definitely get what you mean by just knowing it was “home”. I work (volunteer) with kids from disadvantaged backgrounds often in and out of foster care or struggling with anger issues or learning disabilities or other disorders…very much similar issues that this order focuses on…and when I started helping out, I immediately knew these were
my kids. Obviously not biological. Obviously not because I’m way too young to be their mother (they’re elementary…I’m in college…I would have had them when I was 10ish years old…). But just that I’m meant to love them like they’re my own kids and be the “mom” figure in their life. Hug them and give them high fives and stick their report cards up on the fridge of the broken building we hold the program at…just
love these kids. Hold them when they cry, put the band aid on for a paper cut, and teach them how to write their name in cursive…
I watched a series of interviews with priests once and one of them responded why celibacy was good. He said because the people he gets up for in the middle of the night…his parishioners…to do annointing of the sick…he just couldn’t do if he had his own kids/family. That his parishinors were his kids.
I don’t know. That’s why this order really sticks out to me. I think the Lord is calling me to be a mom. And I’m super confident in that statement. It’s just that maybe that I’m called to be a mom in a nonbiological way. I really love what the program I’m volunteering for now…it just feels like home. And I’m wondering if maybe it’s a sign that this order would feel like home too.
No matter what though…I really think God is calling me to be connected to the world…I do not feel called whatsoever to a cloistered life. Nor a life working in a Catholic setting such as in Catholic schools like Dominican Sisters, Mary Mother of the Eucharist…not that there’s anything bad with either of those…those are wonderful vocations. Just not my vocation.
Oh man…now I just do want to visit this order. Perhaps sometime during the summer I will see if I can arrange something.
Ok so last thought: I can easily imagine my wedding. Exchanging rings. I can also easily imagine my vows to religious life (specifically to this order).
Both point towards the same purpose of looking to Christ. And I feel called to both. So more prayer and more discernment for me.
I hope this all made sense. It’s pretty late and my sense starts to drop as the hour goes on!
and rissa87…I don’t have any information…I know they’re a really new order though. Hopefully someone else has some info!
I would definitely visit them if you can.