Other Young Ladies Discerning?

[PerfectTiming]

I am, I am!! I’m starting the application process with these Sisters: torsisters.org/

I’m 21 years old and I’ve been on this roller coaster called discernment for about 4 years. I’m going to have to agree with whoever said to just jump in. If you feel any call to religious life, it’s important to explore that - talk to Sisters, visit some orders. You won’t know until you start visiting some convents. Of course you do have to balance this with prayerful patience.

As far as being drawn to married life - one of my friends once told me not to get distracted by its shininess. Marriage is a beautiful vocation and as women we are all called to motherhood (all to spiritual, some to biological) but try to discern whether you are really being called to marriage, or are just experiencing the natural longing for it.

That’s awesome! I was actually watching a video of a first profession there, it was beautiful.

I’m going on my first visit to Carmel tomorrow! I’m incredibly excited.

 

[sarahq]

I haven’t met a discerner who doesn’t desire motherhood! For women it is a very natural impulse, we are geared by design towards motherhood and I think it is something all women discerning religious life do have to reconcile. One of the things that really helped me understand motherhood and religious life was this video. It’s a very short video but at one point Sr Allison speaks very beautifully on her desire to be a mother and how she reconciled that with her vocation. It was something that really spoke to me and I hope it will speak to you as well.

I love this video!!! I’ve watched it several times… she seems so at peace.

I’m 25 and have been discerning my vocation for two years now… however I’m also just now going through RCIA, so I think any order will want me to live as a Catholic for a while before entering a religious order. I do however feel a tug on my heart to become a Sister!!! Nothing could make me happier than doing God’s will, whatever that is.

God bless you all!!!

 

[PerfectTiming]

I love this video!!! I’ve watched it several times… she seems so at peace.

I’m 25 and have been discerning my vocation for two years now… however I’m also just now going through RCIA, so I think any order will want me to live as a Catholic for a while before entering a religious order. I do however feel a tug on my heart to become a Sister!!! Nothing could make me happier than doing God’s will, whatever that is.

God bless you all!!!

I think I must have watched that video over a dozen times now. There’s something so powerful about the way she speaks, not only in what she says but in her whole demeanour. It’s exactly like you say, that she is so at peace.

Do you know what kind of order you feel you might be called to? I do think the general rule of thumb for most orders is you have to have been in the Church for two years prior to entrance but there could be variations by order.

 

[sarahq]

I think I must have watched that video over a dozen times now. There’s something so powerful about the way she speaks, not only in what she says but in her whole demeanour. It’s exactly like you say, that she is so at peace.

Do you know what kind of order you feel you might be called to? I do think the general rule of thumb for most orders is you have to have been in the Church for two years prior to entrance but there could be variations by order.

I think I’d like to be in an active order… right now I’m volunteering at a Catholic hospital as well as at a soup kitchen, and I’d like to be able to continue that work as a Sister… But nothing is for sure. Who knows? Maybe God will call me to be in a contemplative order! I look forward to whatever vocation God is calling me to… But the first step is to get baptised this Easter. I’m pretty nervous about that as I’ve said in another thread!!!

 

[RosarioAMDG]

Hey Everyone!

I’m a young Catholic girl currently trying to discern what God wants me to do with my life. So I am curious, is there any other young ladies on here that are discerning a vocation to the religious life? I think it would be cool to talk with each other.

God Bless,
LiveForChrist

Hi! I’m 16 and I’ve really hunkered down for discenrment since I went on a really great retreat through my church earlier in 2011. (Happy late new year, by the way!) At the moment, I’ve been thinking about the marriage, because I come from a large family, so I’m used to it. When I was younger, I told everyone I was going to be a contemplative nun, if just for the quiet! Of course, now I’ve come to have the view that my upbringing has been preparing me for work with children, be it as a nun or a mother.

 

[PerfectTiming]

I think I’d like to be in an active order… right now I’m volunteering at a Catholic hospital as well as at a soup kitchen, and I’d like to be able to continue that work as a Sister… But nothing is for sure. Who knows? Maybe God will call me to be in a contemplative order! I look forward to whatever vocation God is calling me to… But the first step is to get baptised this Easter. I’m pretty nervous about that as I’ve said in another thread!!!

I always said I’d only consider apostolic life. Now I’m discerning contemplative. It’s funny the ways things happen, often you end up in a completely different direction to what you expected. Experience of that work must be great though, knowing that you enjoy it and are fulfilled by it.

You must be very excited for your baptism! I too was baptised at Easter, I think it was 2003.

 

[kiqueen]

I’m sorry guys. My vague statement seems to have started a little bit of a disagreement. Allow me to clarify my meaning. Right now, I feel like God is calling me to be right where I am. I am attending University(a very liberal, secular one, in fact), majoring in math, and am getting involved with the ministry on campus. I am currently helping lead a group of students at St. Paul’s(our Catholic student center on campus) as we start a St. Vincent de Paul conference. I am pretty sure I’m right where God wants me to be right now.

As for the future, I am uncertain. While I do long to be a mother, that is not all that is really on my heart. I have at times felt really called to marriage as well as feeling really called to the religious life. I am aware that right now the next step for me is learn more about what the religious life is really like as right now I have a very unclear picture of what it really is. I don’t actually know any nuns or sisters, and I haven’t done a lot of contacting orders yet. Mostly, this is because for the past two years I have been in a position where I would have been unable to do much of visits or things of that nature. However, I have been in contact with a wonderful woman(who I’ve never actually met in person, but she is wonderful) who has been helping to inform me more.

Also, I have brought this to prayer many times, and I know that either vocation, or even a vocation to single life, would make me happy beyond measure so long as it was the will of God. I try to make sure every day that I desire God’s will above mine in everything.

I think that’s everything I have to say. The only annoying thing is that there aren’t many orders nearby. And I know that they’re all different, but even one would give me a good idea of what it’s really like. But that requires me to make quite a trip. So I would say that finances are getting in my way, since I’m a poor college student. But the Lord will supply in his own time.

 

[kiqueen]

I haven’t met a discerner who doesn’t desire motherhood! For women it is a very natural impulse, we are geared by design towards motherhood and I think it is something all women discerning religious life do have to reconcile. One of the things that really helped me understand motherhood and religious life was this video. It’s a very short video but at one point Sr Allison speaks very beautifully on her desire to be a mother and how she reconciled that with her vocation. It was something that really spoke to me and I hope it will speak to you as well.

This video was amazing. Thanks for sharing.

 

[PerfectTiming]

I think that’s everything I have to say. The only annoying thing is that there aren’t many orders nearby. And I know that they’re all different, but even one would give me a good idea of what it’s really like. But that requires me to make quite a trip. So I would say that finances are getting in my way, since I’m a poor college student. But the Lord will supply in his own time.

I have the same problem, it’s so difficult to get to some of the communities without a car and I can’t drive yet so it’d just be so expensive. It really limited my options for choosing communities for my first visits but you’re right that even one is helpful. I know that even if I find that God is not calling me to the community that is near me at the moment then I will have learnt something about what I am looking for in a community and what kind of spirituality I feel called to.

 

[sarahq]

I always said I’d only consider apostolic life. Now I’m discerning contemplative. It’s funny the ways things happen, often you end up in a completely different direction to what you expected. Experience of that work must be great though, knowing that you enjoy it and are fulfilled by it.

You must be very excited for your baptism! I too was baptised at Easter, I think it was 2003.

Oh how neat! So you’re a convert as well?

The volunteering feels right. You could always do the same!

 

[anodos]

No, I haven’t found a specific community yet, I’m going to go visit some Dominican convents hopefully this spring though. (One in Nashville, the other in Michigan.) So we’ll see…

Is that the one in Ann Arbor? I’ve heard good stuff. They seem to be a very joyful, welcoming community that’s growing fast.

 

[PerfectTiming]

Oh how neat! So you’re a convert as well?

The volunteering feels right. You could always do the same!

I decided to convert when I was 8 years old but my baptism wasn’t until four years later. I took RCIA as confirmation preparation and was confirmed three years ago.

I used to do volunteer work when I was in high school and I loved it. With my studies at the moment I just really don’t have time to make a commitment but once I finish I want to start it all up again.

 

[sarahq]

I decided to convert when I was 8 years old but my baptism wasn’t until four years later. I took RCIA as confirmation preparation and was confirmed three years ago.

I used to do volunteer work when I was in high school and I loved it. With my studies at the moment I just really don’t have time to make a commitment but once I finish I want to start it all up again.

Wow thats amazing that you knew so early that you wanted to be Catholic!!!

Praying for you and your discernment.

 

[kiqueen]

I decided to convert when I was 8 years old but my baptism wasn’t until four years later. I took RCIA as confirmation preparation and was confirmed three years ago.

I used to do volunteer work when I was in high school and I loved it. With my studies at the moment I just really don’t have time to make a commitment but once I finish I want to start it all up again.

I totally know what you’re talking about. I am super busy with school right now, too. I decided to take 19 credits this semester. It’s not killing me yet, though, so I think I’ll be ok.