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joyful
Guest
What are the wrong reasons to enter religious life, other than believing that marriage looks miserable or thinking religious life is easier? And why would these be bad reasons?
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HolySpirit
Guest
The wrong reason to enter religious life is that you are not called. You are running from something.
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Augustinian
Guest
Religious life is a call to service. If you don’t feel a calling to give up your life to be a nurse or a teacher in the catholic schools, or serve in some other way, you shouldn’t do it.
Being frustrated with your relationships or your job isn’t a good reason
Being frustrated with your relationships or your job isn’t a good reason
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anon64704623
Guest
So how do you know you are “called”?
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HolySpirit
Guest
I think it is different for everyone. For some people it is more obvious than it is for others. It was pretty obvious for me. An event took place that turned my life on its head. It doesn’t happen like that for most people.
The best advice that I have heard for this would be to talk to a spiritual director with some experience with religious vocations. Be open and honest with him/her. They will guide you along your discernment.
If you think/feel that the spiritual director is not hearing you, understanding you or listening to you, try another one.
A good spiritual director will teach you truths about yourself that you never realized.
Contact vocation directors and meet with them. Set up visits. Read everything you can get your hands on. Soak in (name removed by moderator)'s advice and follow it. If you are not volunteering your time to help other people, start.
Start by committing to read the vocations section of CAF every day. There is a lot of wisdom here. @Mrs.Cloisters is a wealth of information.
The best advice that I have heard for this would be to talk to a spiritual director with some experience with religious vocations. Be open and honest with him/her. They will guide you along your discernment.
If you think/feel that the spiritual director is not hearing you, understanding you or listening to you, try another one.
A good spiritual director will teach you truths about yourself that you never realized.
Contact vocation directors and meet with them. Set up visits. Read everything you can get your hands on. Soak in (name removed by moderator)'s advice and follow it. If you are not volunteering your time to help other people, start.
Start by committing to read the vocations section of CAF every day. There is a lot of wisdom here. @Mrs.Cloisters is a wealth of information.
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BridgetN
Guest
To escape the world’s cares (e.g debts, money job) Or to escape a particular problem your facing in the world.
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Bluebright
Guest
Any reason other than being called by God is a bad reason. It’s certainly not easier, it would have it’s own challenges. Choosing between marriage and religious life are not the only two choices for a woman, there are also single life, consecrated life, lay life (3rd orders). If a person doesn’t like the idea of marriage then dont do it, but that does not mean religious life is for her, but perhaps single life is, until at least she discerns further. Bad reasons would be avoiding the outside life, hiding from marriage or single life, being unable to decide what you want… there are far too many to list.
The best thing to do is pray, adoration is a good manner of prayer. God wants you to know His will, He will reveal it to you in time, just let Him take His time. Start looking for information on all the options, your parish should have leaflets on discernment or you can get them online from the Catholic truth society, watch some youtube video’s on young woman entering religious life and single life and consecrated life and read about all the different orders and maybe start a journal of your thoughts on the matter. Just take your time on the matter and see what prayers and thoughts occur to you. When you feel ready for the next step then discuss it with one of the orders or your priest and let him suggest someone for you to talk too. See what piques your interest. Pray a lot and God will direct you and put people and or events in your path so that you will know which way to go. We are so blessed these days that so much information is available on the internet. A lot of contact can be made that way too. God bless you
The best thing to do is pray, adoration is a good manner of prayer. God wants you to know His will, He will reveal it to you in time, just let Him take His time. Start looking for information on all the options, your parish should have leaflets on discernment or you can get them online from the Catholic truth society, watch some youtube video’s on young woman entering religious life and single life and consecrated life and read about all the different orders and maybe start a journal of your thoughts on the matter. Just take your time on the matter and see what prayers and thoughts occur to you. When you feel ready for the next step then discuss it with one of the orders or your priest and let him suggest someone for you to talk too. See what piques your interest. Pray a lot and God will direct you and put people and or events in your path so that you will know which way to go. We are so blessed these days that so much information is available on the internet. A lot of contact can be made that way too. God bless you
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nunsuch
Guest
As has been said on a number of occasions, one should be running TOWARD, not running AWAY, in entering religious life. Fortunately, any responsible vocation/formation director or community leader will be able to discern inappropriate motives and reject any such candidates. It is NEVER only the applicant’s choice to enter religious life, even for the best of reasons. The process is one of mutual discernment. And it is rarely rapid, easy, or without serious process.
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BowDrawn
Guest
When I was in high school and thinking about the religious life, I was considering it for a really bad reason. I wanted an easy ticket to heaven. Shortly after, I realized the bad reasoning behind my thinking and thus sent my discernment into the back burner.
Now that I’m heading into my last year of undergrad and am more seriously thinking about the religious life, I have better reasons to consider it. Personally, I desire a simple life, I love to serve others, and I find myself happiest when I’m away from the world on a retreat, service trip, or pilgrimage to spend personal time with the Lord. My heart also really desires the religious life.
These are just my personal examples of good and bad reasons to enter the religious life.
Now that I’m heading into my last year of undergrad and am more seriously thinking about the religious life, I have better reasons to consider it. Personally, I desire a simple life, I love to serve others, and I find myself happiest when I’m away from the world on a retreat, service trip, or pilgrimage to spend personal time with the Lord. My heart also really desires the religious life.
These are just my personal examples of good and bad reasons to enter the religious life.
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margaret42
Guest
A calling is like a constant pull from God towards a given lifestyle. If it’s not one way it’s another.
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joyful
Guest
Is another bad reason that none of the men, including Catholic men, are attractive to you to marry( this has nothing to do with sexual attraction, more just I don’t see a future with anyone I ever meet because of the way they live their lives)
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