Is God calling me to be a nun or be a consecrated single?

[Hail_Mary]

I am 20 years old and I am a third year college student. I plan on going to graduate school for OT.

So at one point in my life, I dreamt about marrying the love of my life and having children but now that has changed. I started to realize that marriage and having children is not for me. I started to see marriage and children as an added bonus in life.

I felt like being in a married can hinder me from becoming close to God. So I started to detach myself from earthly things and I wanted to focus more on spiritual things. I wanted to focus more on serving God and his children. So I felt like the Will of God for me is to be a nun or either a consecrated single. Is what I’m thinking right or coming from God? Correct me if I’m wrong.

 

[sr.christinaosf]

Actually, getting married, if that is your vocation, should bring you closer to Him.
The question for you to discern would be whether or not you are called to marriage… or, if you are called to consecrated life.

 

[Saxum]

Ask God and he’ll answer you. Try meditative prayer first. Then go talk to your priest and contact a religious congregation. This is something you need to pray about and try. A retreat would be an excellent idea.

 

[Mary888]

Praying for you to find your answer.

 

[Francis]

@Hail_Mary

I am 20 years old and I am a third year college student. I plan on going to graduate school for OT.

All the Best for your further studies

So at one point in my life, I dreamt about marrying the love of my life and having children but now that has changed. I started to realize that marriage and having children is not for me. I started to see marriage and children as an added bonus in life.

Ok ,if God make you realize so that’s nice ,marriages is also a different kind of vocation and blessing if God has called some for that ,it depends upon their state of life.

I felt like being in a married can hinder me from becoming close to God.

You’r right! ,if God God call to to the particular vocation as it is said in 1 Corinthians 7:34 and his interests are divided.And the unmarried woman and the virgin are anxious about the affairs of the Lord, so that they may be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to put any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord.

So I started to detach myself from earthly things and I wanted to focus more on spiritual things. I wanted to focus more on serving God and his children. So I felt like the Will of God for me is to be a nun or either a consecrated single. Is what I’m thinking right or coming from God? Correct me if I’m wrong.

Do you feel great interior joy when you see Nuns ,and desire to be one ? keep praying continuously ,Jesus will make it known to you, persevere in the love of God, the decision is your’s the first step you have taken, so wait and discern for the will of God in your life ,pray to Mother Mary she will quicken the process as she did it ,at the wedding of canna, although it was not the appointed time for Jesus to perform the miracle .Hosea 2 Therefore, I will now allure her,and bring her into the wilderness,and speak tenderly to her.15 From there I will give her her vineyards,and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.There she shall respond as in the days of her youth,as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.19 And I will take you for my wife forever; I will take you for my wife in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love, and in mercy. 20 I will take you for my wife in faithfulness; and you shall know the Lord.21 On that day I will answer, says the Lord,I will answer the heavens and they shall answer the earth;

 

[AngelaMarie]

I do have a question.
I know what a nun is (consecrated religious)
I know what a consecrated virgin is.
But what is a consecrated single? I’ve heard some say that single hood, in and of itself, is not a vocation?

 

[Cloisters]

Have you looked at Consecrated Virgins? Aside from secular institutes, and private vows, as in another thread on CAF, the CV would be available to you.

What you’re already doing is commendable. Detachment from the world would be important.

Get a spiritual director. Speak with the diocesan vocations director. Visit convents, and speak with Consecrated Virgins.

Our Lady’s graces on your OT studies. God knows we need Godly OTs out there.

Blessings,
Mrs Cloisters OP
Lay Dominican
http://cloisters.tripod.com/
http://cloisters.tripod.com/charity/
http://cloisters.tripod.com/holyangels/id9.html/

 

[Hail_Mary]

I did hear that there is a huge need for more priests and religious people like nuns. Plus there is a shortage of priests and nuns nowadays. It seems like most people don’t like the idea of being a priest or nun and it kind of scared them. That was also another reason it made me think about becoming a nun if God willing.

 

[Francis]

@Hail_Mary

I did hear that there is a huge need for more priests and religious people like nuns. Plus there is a shortage of priests and nuns nowadays.

Yes ,Your right ! we need to pray for Vocations to the Priesthood and religious life ,and that, they may be faithful and lead a holy life till the end .

It seems like most people don’t like the idea of being a priest or nun and it kind of scared them.

Yea,kinda of,but ,we are all humans and not angles,we make mistakes , we shouldn’t look at weak and unfaithful people as examples ,but rather to Jesus and Mother Mary as examples ,Jesus is the pioneer and perfecter of our faith Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely,and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God

That was also another reason it made me think about becoming a nun if God willing.

Yes, God willing!,don’t get discouraged, Jesus sees your heart and intention ,your vocation should be pure love for God and not to escape from problems or situations or people ,keep praying about it ,have a spiritual TIME TABLE or a regular prayer life,forgive everyone who hurt you deeply that’s the first step, seek the things that are above,be regular to the Sacraments,spend at least an holy hour in the Blessed Sacrament,pray the Rosary, Read the Bible .

Colossians 3:1 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.7 These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life.8 But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10 and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.

 

[Hail_Mary]

@Francis

I used to be one of those people who felt scared about the idea of becoming a priest or a nun. At one point in my life, I did dread the idea of becoming a nun but that has changed for me when God opened my eyes. I started to see guys as brothers in Christ instead of potential romantic partners. I also do not want to desperately chasing after guys. So I want to chase after God instead of guys. I want to set my heart in God instead of humans or earthly things.

I do want to love God with all my heart and to serve his children. I do want to help people in need and those who are unfortunate. I want to be able to spread the Love of God to everyone and saw that it is possible to do that by being a nun or a consecrated virgin. I was inspired by the stories of saints who did that.

Even my mother was able to see me as being a nun because she did see how I was detached from worldly pleasures and how I desired to help people in need. My mom and my grandma did encourage me to look into consecrated religious life as a possible vocation if God willing.

I am still in college and completing my studies. I have not come to a fin decision yet. I am still discerning Gods Plan for my life. I am trying to grow more in holy love and holy humility, which I believe is a very important virtue. I know that I am nothing if I do not have love and humility in my heart even if I have everything else. My mom often emphasized that to me

 

[Bluebright]

I’d suggest finding out more information about both. I can’t give any advice about that as it sounds like you are in US from the way you say graduate school. I’m a consecrated single or on my way to being, but in UK so no use to you, but it is different a different way of living, rather hidden. Anyway I belong to an order but still live an extremely hidden life in terms of support, but I do serve God in my life. This may not be the same for all consecrated singles, it depends on the orders and in particular the size of the order and if one joins an order at all. I do understand the distinction you are talking about. I discerned a similar choice though am older than you. My advice to you is prayer (if you can in front of the Blessed Sacrament) and if you have any little vocation booklets to guide you until you are ready to approach a person, oh yes and more prayer . Marriage doesnt take one away from God at all, it can bring some closer to God, but if you feel it will for you then it may well be God’s will for you, listen and he will tell you. God bless you.

 

[SerraSemper]

If anyone is interested, I’m planning on discussing vocations, and whether the singlehood is a vocation… PM me for details.

 

[Francis]

@Hail_Mary

I used to be one of those people who felt scared about the idea of becoming a priest or a nun. At one point in my life, I did dread the idea of becoming a nun but that has changed for me when God opened my eyes.

Yea ,some initially have such fear, but later on become one of the most wonderful Priest /Nun

I started to see guys as brothers in Christ instead of potential romantic partners. I also do not want to desperately chasing after guys. So I want to chase after God instead of guys. I want to set my heart in God instead of humans or earthly things.

Wow ! that really amazing Grace God has given you ,well those Nuns fell for a Guy named Jesus who is 2000 Years old 1 Timothy 5:1 … but speak to him as to a father, to younger men as brothers, 2 to older women as mothers, to younger women as sisters—with absolute purity.

I do want to love God with all my heart and to serve his children. I do want to help people in need and those who are unfortunate. I want to be able to spread the Love of God to everyone and saw that it is possible to do that by being a nun or a consecrated virgin. I was inspired by the stories of saints who did that.

Pray and wait for the will of God in your life in Luke 1;38 just like Mother Mary ,and for the Grace of discernment and wisdom to know them,the Holy Spirit will guide you .

1 Corinthians 7 And the unmarried woman and the virgin are anxious about the affairs of the Lord, so that they may be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to put any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord.

Even my mother was able to see me as being a nun because she did see how I was detached from worldly pleasures and how I desired to help people in need. My mom and my grandma did encourage me to look into consecrated religious life as a possible vocation if God willing.

Yes That’s really Nice to here, God Bless you for you vocation .

I am still in college and completing my studies. I have not come to a fin decision yet. I am still discerning Gods Plan for my life. I am trying to grow more in holy love and holy humility, which I believe is a very important virtue. I know that I am nothing if I do not have love and humility in my heart even if I have everything else. My mom often emphasized that to me

Your Right ! Isaiah 66:1-2 Thus says the Lord:Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool;what is the house that you would build for me,and what is my resting place?
2 All these things my hand has made,and so all these things are mine,says the Lord.But this is the one to whom I will look, to the humble and contrite in spirit,who trembles at my word.

 

[Hail_Mary]

Anyways, I do feel very serious about being a virgin, celibate and leading a chaste life just so I can love and honor God more.

 

[Francis]

Anyways, I do feel very serious about being a virgin, celibate and leading a chaste life just so I can love and honor God more.

Yes ,Jesus loves purity in mind body and soul .However each person is called for different stat of life ,but still ,holiness is a common goal for all .I have read some where now a days Nuns/women need not be virgins to join a consecrated life .

Psalms 119:9-11 How can young people keep their way pure?By guarding it according to your word.10 With my whole heart I seek you;do not let me stray from your commandments.11 I treasure your word in my heart,so that I may not sin against you.

Luke 2:19 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 51 Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them. His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

 

[nunsuch]

Sisters have never had to be virgins in order to enter religious life. Many founders, both historically and more recently, have been widows. Four American founders were divorced. At least 2 were unwed mothers. Divorced and widowed women are still entering religious life, and almost all communities will accept women who are not virgins, so long as they have lived celibately for a time and (of course) promise to continue to do so. [This is also true for men seeking priesthood or religious life.]