Joining an order in a foreign country

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Yubix

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Its being almost 10 years now as I write that I have been discerning a clerical religious life and in this period I have gotten a first degree in Physics and MBA as second. I am currently a teacher in a college here in India. I do noticed that when am away from home as (in a foreign country as i am at the moment) as compared to when I am at home (my country) my yearning for the priesthood increases geometrically and sometimes I lose focus and that is my present situation. I cant explain the reason for this, maybe because my Mum has being strictly against it way back in 2005.

I am a devout Catholic, I have a good prayer life and I know deep down within me that I have a calling to priesthood. Please can anybody tell which religious orders opens their doors to foreigners from Africa. I have tried to contact all the Jesuits provinces here in India, they have really being unhelpful even to listen and give and advice seems burdensome to them. I get no replies to emails and when I call, they keep saying I will speak to provincial about it and this has been going on for about 3 weeks now. When I tried to attend their “come and see” vocational camp program to further my discernment, I was simply discouraged from attending even when I clearly state that I would be fully responsible for all my needs. Though am drawn to Jesuits because of their focus on education and social justice and well as preaching the word, I think their should be more orders with this same focus because as it seems now, I am really not happy with the way they went about everything, the most painful part being that they didn’t even listen to me the moment I am not Indian.

Please any advice on a religious order who accepts foreigner would do me a lot of good. I am really burdened, though I am very comfortable materially with nice salary package but yet I feel really unfilled. I know for sure something huge is missing in my life. I would be 26 by June, 2015.

Thank you
 
I would think that most religious orders would be open to a man from Africa who is fluent in English. Africa is the area of the Church’s greatest growth.
 
Yubix
India is a country I have never been to, but it occurs to me that the unfriendly and unhelpful response you have met with may have something to do with the particular situation of the Christian churches in India, where they are an oppressed minority. I expect you have checked on this but is it possible that you might get a more positive response in Goa, being the former colony of Catholic Portugal? Or has Goa been thoroughly Indianized by now?
 
Will keep you in prayer. Question: You must already have a passport since you are not in your own country. There are many orders out there who have different charisms – If Jesus is calling you then he has a plan for your life. When you meet people who have been called to religious life, the priesthood they have each a different story. Seeking to find the right place is always part of their story.
Just trust God he will show you the way. Many orders take people from other countries. It means working on a visa etc and that is not always an easy task, so communities usually want to make sure the person is sincerely seeking to discover if they have a vocation and not just wanting to leave their country. I have no doubt that God will show you the way and yes when you read the lives of the saints it is a very painful walk to leave one’s family especially if they do not want their son or daughter to follow God’s call.
I knew of a priest whose father sent a hit man after him because he would rather have his son dead then be a priest. His vocation story is amazing and well he is a priest and alive to tell it. keeping you in prayer. 👍
 
I would think any international order would be interested: if you qualify - no debts or dependents, no metal illness, healthy, are a mature person and have a genuine vocation etc., etc
 
Praying for you. I would think many orders would be glad to have you. You are young, fluent in English, financially self sufficient and well educated. Most importantly, you feel a great desire to serve God as a priest.

If I were you, I would apply to the Dominicans because they have a great love for learning and preaching. They are very devoted to the Blessed Mother and the Rosary.

Also, the Carmelites have many international vocations. Keep searching. God bless you.
 
Yubix said:
Its being almost 10 years now as I write that I have been discerning a clerical religious life and in this period I have gotten a first degree in Physics and MBA as second. I am currently a teacher in a college here in India. I do noticed that when am away from home as (in a foreign country as i am at the moment) as compared to when I am at home (my country) my yearning for the priesthood increases geometrically and sometimes I lose focus and that is my present situation. I cant explain the reason for this, maybe because my Mum has being strictly against it way back in 2005.

I am a devout Catholic, I have a good prayer life and I know deep down within me that I have a calling to priesthood. Please can anybody tell which religious orders opens their doors to foreigners from Africa. I have tried to contact all the Jesuits provinces here in India, they have really being unhelpful even to listen and give and advice seems burdensome to them. I get no replies to emails and when I call, they keep saying I will speak to provincial about it and this has been going on for about 3 weeks now. When I tried to attend their “come and see” vocational camp program to further my discernment, I was simply discouraged from attending even when I clearly state that I would be fully responsible for all my needs. Though am drawn to Jesuits because of their focus on education and social justice and well as preaching the word, I think their should be more orders with this same focus because as it seems now, I am really not happy with the way they went about everything, the most painful part being that they didn’t even listen to me the moment I am not Indian.

Please any advice on a religious order who accepts foreigner would do me a lot of good. I am really burdened, though I am very comfortable materially with nice salary package but yet I feel really unfilled. I know for sure something huge is missing in my life. I would be 26 by June, 2015.

Thank you
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Perhaps the Congregation of the Mission (AKA the Vincentians)? I know they have a province in Nigeria, the Western United States province works in Kenya, and the new Cardinal of Ethiopia is a Vincentian as well.🤷

I suppose my question would be why you wouldn’t be looking at orders in your own country?
 
Lamentation said:
Perhaps the Congregation of the Mission (AKA the Vincentians)? I know they have a province in Nigeria, the Western United States province works in Kenya, and the new Cardinal of Ethiopia is a Vincentian as well.🤷

I suppose my question would be why you wouldn’t be looking at orders in your own country?
Click to expand...
If you did read my initial post, I said I was vehemently refused to join the priesthood in 2005 and I somehow became subdued, being as AIESEC member and having an opportunity to travel a lot, when I do leave my home country for a foreign country my yearning for the service of the Lord increases and some times i do lose focus. So I am thinking that I could answer God’s call by joining a religious order and hopeful get to visit my family once a while. Am in India at the moment, and like I have said being to 14 countries since 2008 and in all these years I have worked with the less privileged and in the education field.
 
Divine3 said:
Will keep you in prayer. Question: You must already have a passport since you are not in your own country. There are many orders out there who have different charisms – If Jesus is calling you then he has a plan for your life. When you meet people who have been called to religious life, the priesthood they have each a different story. Seeking to find the right place is always part of their story.
Just trust God he will show you the way. Many orders take people from other countries. It means working on a visa etc and that is not always an easy task, so communities usually want to make sure the person is sincerely seeking to discover if they have a vocation and not just wanting to leave their country. I have no doubt that God will show you the way and yes when you read the lives of the saints it is a very painful walk to leave one’s family especially if they do not want their son or daughter to follow God’s call.
I knew of a priest whose father sent a hit man after him because he would rather have his son dead then be a priest. His vocation story is amazing and well he is a priest and alive to tell it. keeping you in prayer. 👍
Click to expand...
I do have an international passport and relatively I am also well traveled, I have been prayer and maybe I could look for a retreat here to attend during the summer vacation to have a recollection and to try to see God’s plan for me. I am know by his grace I will be fine. I will begin sending emails to the suggested orders in this forum, let me see how it pans out to be… Thank you
 
Yubix said:
I do have an international passport and relatively I am also well traveled, I have been prayer and maybe I could look for a retreat here to attend during the summer vacation to have a recollection and to try to see God’s plan for me. I am know by his grace I will be fine. I will begin sending emails to the suggested orders in this forum, let me see how it pans out to be… Thank you
Click to expand...
:gopray2: amen :yup:
 
BartholomewB said:
Yubix
India is a country I have never been to, but it occurs to me that the unfriendly and unhelpful response you have met with may have something to do with the particular situation of the Christian churches in India, where they are an oppressed minority. I expect you have checked on this but is it possible that you might get a more positive response in Goa, being the former colony of Catholic Portugal? Or has Goa been thoroughly Indianized by now?
Click to expand...
I couldn’t contact the Jesuits in Goa because it seems their website has been down for sometimes now. With regards to being the oppressed minority here, i do think that isn’t entirely true. Minority? Maybe yes as compared to other religion and still relatively high, in fact Catholics in India are the highest in number Asia with the exception of the Philippines. Oppressed? I haven’t really seen or hear aside from some few glitches that happens here and there and this is also applicable to other religions.
 
Well im in a Seminary in the Archdiocese of Newark, NJ. There are many seminarians and students from various orders that originally come from South America, Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Europe. The whole area is highly multicultural. Give the archdiocese a looking into, we are very open to the call of vocations! Especially priests!
 
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