Questions concerning discernment

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CarmeliteGirl25

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I have some questions. As most of you know, I have been discerning a call to religious life for a year now. I have visited one community and was able to rule them out because I didn’t feel like they were the right fit. That was the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus in St. Louis, MO. As much as I like them, I know God isn’t calling me there.

I have been trying to look at various community websites because I don’t want to lock myself down to just one order yet. I’ve met the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal, the Sisters of Life, and the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother. All of them are beautiful orders. The Servant Sisters have a convent in my area, so I would be able to visit them, no problem. But the CFRs and Sisters of Life are in NYC and it is a slim chance that I could get out there very soon. But I am trying to get a job right now, so hopefully it will happen.

Does anyone know of a sure fire way to obtain a spiritual director? I have tried my hardest to find one and no one has accepted yet. 😦 Why is it so hard to find a necessary component of my discernment? I have asked 3 priests and 2 sisters and none have been able to help. I am going nuts because I know I need one. I’ve been praying for one, but one hasn’t come along yet.

Also, does anyone know anything about any orders that would be willing to accept someone with a history of mental illness that has been resolved? I had depression that stemmed from a friend passing away, but I have gone through therapy and been on medication and now I’m working with my nurse practitioner to come off it 😃 That is something I am really happy about! It means there is hope! YAY! I have asked a few various communities. All the active ones (Sisters of Life, Carmelite DCJ, and CFRs) tell me I must be off my medication for at least a year. That shouldn’t be hard since I still have some debts I am clearing up. One Carmelite community I am no longer discerning with said that I could enter their order while on the medication, but I opted out of that order for reasons concerning their practices (not in medication stuff; other stuff). Any one know if the Visitation Nuns at Mont Deux Coeur in Tyringham would consider someone with my history? It’s becoming increasingly worrysome when I read qualifications and find “sound mental history” on there. 😦

Also, I don’t know if this matters, but I have inherited mild asthma. I don’t have much problems but sometimes (especially during allergy season) I need my inhaler. Is this a canonical impediment? It doesn’t prevent me from functioning normally.

I would appreciate the help. I am kind of laying low while searching for a job, but I can always use a spiritual director. If anyone knows of a service where I could locate one, THANK YOU! God bless!
 
For the Spiritual Director, you could contact your diocese’s vocation director. He/she must have a list of spiritual directors for you.
 
withwind said:
For the Spiritual Director, you could contact your diocese’s vocation director. He/she must have a list of spiritual directors for you.
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I contacted one vocations director, but didn’t get anywhere, so I looked up the Vocations information for my diocese and found that a new vocations director took office. I just emailed him and if I don’t hear back from him over the weekend, I will call him on Monday. It’s funny, this is the second replacement I’ve seen. First the Social Ministries Coordinator (the first sister I contacted) was replaced because she was reassigned, and then the vocations director is replaced too. Hmmmmm:confused:
 
Actually, some Vocations Directors with orders/congregations (or whatever that order/congregation calls them) will assist you with Spiritual Direction pertaining to discernment even if that discernment isn’t with their own congregation. One that I found was the Benedictines in Pittsburgh.
 
brigid12 said:
Actually, some Vocations Directors with orders/congregations (or whatever that order/congregation calls them) will assist you with Spiritual Direction pertaining to discernment even if that discernment isn’t with their own congregation. One that I found was the Benedictines in Pittsburgh.
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Really? I’ve seen some orders that have Vocation Directors, though I don’t remember where off the top of my head. I’ll have to do a search again. Thanks a million, brigid! God bless you!
 
CarmeliteGirl25 said:
I contacted one vocations director, but didn’t get anywhere, so I looked up the Vocations information for my diocese and found that a new vocations director took office. I just emailed him and if I don’t hear back from him over the weekend, I will call him on Monday. It’s funny, this is the second replacement I’ve seen. First the Social Ministries Coordinator (the first sister I contacted) was replaced because she was reassigned, and then the vocations director is replaced too. Hmmmmm:confused:
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Bear your crosses with patience. Glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. 🙂
 
Regarding your questions about mental health, you’ll need to discuss your history with the orders in whom you are interested. No one here can answer those questions for you. Even if you had no history of mental illness, they’d still be looking for signs of your mental maturity and stability. I remember the Carmelites in Alhambra, CA, gave a comprehensive psychological test to every aspirant.

WIth regards to your “mild asthma,” again, you’ll have to check with each individual order.

God bless you.
Gertie
 
For some reason, up until now, I hadn’t thought about a priest in our diocese who I know personally. I’m going to call him this weekend. He’s a good friend of the family and he baptized me. I can’t think of anyone better to ask.
 
Gertabelle said:
Regarding your questions about mental health, you’ll need to discuss your history with the orders in whom you are interested. No one here can answer those questions for you. Even if you had no history of mental illness, they’d still be looking for signs of your mental maturity and stability. I remember the Carmelites in Alhambra, CA, gave a comprehensive psychological test to every aspirant.

WIth regards to your “mild asthma,” again, you’ll have to check with each individual order.

God bless you.
Gertie
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Thank you, Gertie. God bless 🙂
 
You appear to be in the midwest. May I recommend you speak to the wonderful woman at The Cenacle. I believe they still have a presence in St. Louis, and know they do in Chicago, although, sadly, their house in Warrenville, IL (western Chicago suburbs) closed this summer. I made a personal pilgrimage from Virginia to Chicago for the closing Mass, simply due to the great blessings these sisters brought to me through the years I lived in the area.
 
IrishAm said:
You appear to be in the midwest. May I recommend you speak to the wonderful woman at The Cenacle. I believe they still have a presence in St. Louis, and know they do in Chicago, although, sadly, their house in Warrenville, IL (western Chicago suburbs) closed this summer. I made a personal pilgrimage from Virginia to Chicago for the closing Mass, simply due to the great blessings these sisters brought to me through the years I lived in the area.
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Actually, I visited St. Louis, but I live in the South. Thanks anyway!
 
For some reason, up until now, I hadn’t thought about a priest in our diocese who I know personally. I’m going to call him this weekend. He’s a good friend of the family and he baptized me. I can’t think of anyone better to ask.
 
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