Religious Life discernment club!

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Alright! This is a club for all of us on the forums discerning a religious vocation! (I don’t think we have one of these yet…)

If you feel the Lord might be calling you to the religious life, post here! Share where you feel you might be called to, tell stories of how you heard Gods call, tell about visits you made to various religious orders. Non-discerners feel free to come in and pray for us! Those who are already religious, come in and offer us advice!

I’m personally torn between diocesan and Franciscan. My ideal religious order would have the motto “Poverty, Joy, and Eucharistic Adoration.” I visited the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in August, but I didn’t feel as though they lived poverty and joy in the manner I felt called. I’ve written a letter to the Friars of the Primitive Observance, but I haven’t heard back from them yet. I also think I’m going to write my bishop and ask him if as a diocesan priest, I could take a vow of poverty.

What’s your story? Come share!
Josh
 
Ever since I was in 6th grade I’ve been a altar server. I always felt somewhat comfortable up on the altar with the priest infront of the eucharist. Evry 2 years, we would have priests come and talk to us about religious vocations. Of coruse no one ever reallly took it serious until you get into high school. Last year is really when I decided I wanted to be a diocesean priest. I got alot of inspirtation from probably one of my best frineds now, Fr. Nick Federspiel.

edit: I’m a junior in high schoool now.
 
I’m 31 and I “heard” the call last spring during Lent.

I’m really struggling. Have spoken with a few sisters and actualy dressed as a Sister today…and I continually ask, “Why would Jesus want me?”

There is a pendulum that swings…when it goes forward, I am craving contemplation, time before the Blessed Sacrament or in solitude seeking union with God without the distractions of the world…and then it swings back and I am inundated by various worldly temptations and lulled back to complacency again, struggling to go to daily Mass or even a few moments of adoration. When I go to adoration when the pendulum has swung away, the clock crawls, but when the pendulum is forward, the time flies and there is never enough time to spend with my Lord.

I think the pendulum is on the up-swing now, after having been away for a few months…I thougth that once I finally revealed myself to my SD and others, being committed to a course woudl be easier. But it’s not…the pendulum has just begun to swing higher so that the intervals are longer and more intense.

One moment I seem to be basking in God’s graces…the next, I am in an extended period of sin and nothingness…it’s horrible.

And I know from speaking with others that this is only the tip of the iceburg.

I don’t think I can ever explain this but I’m sur others who are discerning will understand.
 
I think I am being called to the priesthood. I am considering the FSSP or Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.
 
JCPheonix,

You are right. I’m sure a lot of us discerning the religious life know exactly what you’re talking about. I for sure do! But I want to share something with all of you guys. This was sent to me from the vocations director for the Friars of the Renewal (CFR) last month:
When it comes to discerning a vocation, I am under the impression that we all want God to take our free-will away. “If only I could have one apparition of Our Lady so that she could tell me my vocation! Then I would get on with it in total peace!” An authentic calling always comes in the form of an invitation. We mostly freely respond. Your free-will must always remain intact (this is a sign that you are encountering the grace of God). There will always be a “leap in faith” element to answering your vocation. Do not fall into the trap of waiting for absolute certainty. Do not be afraid to give everything to Jesus Christ! NOW!
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I was discussing this with the Lord the other night. He’s so often told me what to do, where to go. What college, what major, very detailed instructions on how he wanted me to live my life. I was expecting the same for the religious life. But God told me no, its not going to work that way this time. This time, he will not tell me to be a priest. This time, he tells me I have the option to be a priest if I so choose, but he will not require it of me. And he leaves it at that.

In this manner, my choice to be a priest is my own free will. That way, when I choose to give my life to him, I really do have the honor of giving my life entirely to him! It is not through my love and obediance to him alone. Rather, I have freely chosen to give everything to him, without his requiring it! This is what it means to enter the religious life: to take the Lord or the Church as your spouse. You do no wed out of obediance. You wed out of self-giving love. It is a free choice. And I choose God!!!

Josh
 
This past months i am having trouble with my life. I can feel that God is calling me to a religious life. I dont know how but when i think of living in a friary or a monastery i can feel a great joy in my heart. I am discerning to enter the fratres minores or the Franciscans.

Its kind of weird that everytime i think of myself wearing the brown habit i feel joy that sometimes i can feel that i am crying in happiness. I don’t know if this is a real calling or just my emotions.

I wrote e-mails to different Franciscan websites and no one can help me.

The only problem that i encounter is my financial problem. I am taking up my second degree in college and i cannot let my parents finance me in going to the friary for they will not allow me to go to.

I hoipe that this thread will help us (those who have trouble in discerning or understanding the calling)
 
I’m currently just started the first year of my doctorate program in computer science. I’m aware that large college loans and entering the religious life do not mix very well. If I finish this year, and work over the summer, I should have enough money to pay off my loans, but if I go a second year, that won’t be so easy.

I’m praying God makes it apparent what he wants me to do by the end of this school year so the financial situation will resolve itself.

I know of a guy, who when he really felt called, quit his graduate degree and worked for 2 years to pay off his loans so he could enter the seminary.

But again, it all comes down to what the Lord is asking of you.
Josh
 
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threej_lc:
Alright! This is a club for all of us on the forums discerning a religious vocation! (I don’t think we have one of these yet…)

If you feel the Lord might be calling you to the religious life, post here! Share where you feel you might be called to, tell stories of how you heard Gods call, tell about visits you made to various religious orders. Non-discerners feel free to come in and pray for us! Those who are already religious, come in and offer us advice!

I’m personally torn between diocesan and Franciscan. My ideal religious order would have the motto “Poverty, Joy, and Eucharistic Adoration.” I visited the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal in August, but I didn’t feel as though they lived poverty and joy in the manner I felt called. I’ve written a letter to the Friars of the Primitive Observance, but I haven’t heard back from them yet. I also think I’m going to write my bishop and ask him if as a diocesan priest, I could take a vow of poverty.

What’s your story? Come share!
Josh
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I am discerning my vocation and actually had the opportunity to do a discernment weekend with the FPOs in Nicaragua this past spring. I really enjoyed their poverty and life of prayer and penance but still am struggling with the idea of living life singly. Lately I haven’t felt the call to religious/consecrated life but am still open to whatever the Lord calls me to. Some times I only want to live a life of prayer and penance. Other times I want to raise a holy family to love and serve the Lord. I have a very difficult time discerning between my personal desires and God’s will. I know however, that the more that I seek holiness and God, the more my desires will conform to His will. Until then I must be content to serve God in the here and now with my whole heart, mind and strength.
 
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EsclavoDeCristo:
I am discerning my vocation and actually had the opportunity to do a discernment weekend with the FPOs in Nicaragua this past spring. I really enjoyed their poverty and life of prayer and penance but still am struggling with the idea of living life singly.
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Dude! Tell me EVERYTHING you can about them! I’ve only heard rumors of their existance, and since they haven’t written me back yet, I know nothing baout them! Share share share!!!

Josh
 
I’m not sure if I’m still discenring a possible vocation to the priesthood… I was a while ago though, but these days I’m mostly thinking that it’s pretty unlikely that I would become a priest. If I did become a priest, though, I would become a diocesan priest, because I can see the need for more of them (especially around here… there are even places where 5 praishes share 1 priest!) But yea thats just me.
 
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threej_lc:
Dude! Tell me EVERYTHING you can about them! I’ve only heard rumors of their existance, and since they haven’t written me back yet, I know nothing baout them! Share share share!!!

Josh
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Well, all I know of them is from their convent/shack in Nicaragua. They hitch hiked down there from New England and are attending Ave Maria’s extention college there for their philosophy studies before going on to seminary.

They live a life of prayer and penance. Their friary is basically a wooden barn with a dirt floor. The chapel and kitchen area are the exception with crude concrete. They cook on a wood burning “stove” and have very simple cells. It is all pretty much open to the air (i have no clue what they did when the rainy season hit). Their desks double as a bed and are just rough scrap wood (which is the entire building). The building is back in the confines of a coffee “finca” or farm in the midddle of the trees. They do some apostolate work with the college students but are their primarily for their studies. I think that each one only has one habit and that their are a couple of work habits that they share.

They do not accept food that is brought to their house (this is because people are so generous that they would have an overabundance of food) and instead go door to door begging. This is exceptional considering that they live among the poor and beg from them as well. Also, they have no way of storing food (no electricity) so they must beg every other day or so.

It was so awesome to see the generosity of the poor…As I walked from the college with Brother Patrick, the poor street vendors all offered him something of what they were selling i.e. fruit, traditional Nicaraguan food, etc. I also had the privilidge of going door to door with Brother Patrick and a group of parishioners from the local parish to share the gospel and to witness to non-Catholics and fallen away Catholics.

Another thing about the FPO’s is that they have 4 knots (not 3) and in addition to the vows of poverty, chasity and obedience, they take a 4th of total consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary. When ever you meet one of them, ask about (BVM tours, or Blessed Virgin Mary tours).

Hope this gives you a little better idea about them. If you want to write them in Nicaragua, send the letter to Ave Maria College of the Americas with the Franciscans of the Primiative Observance name on it. You can find the mailing address online i think.

God bless and let me know how your search goes!
 
Esclavo,

Could you explain their day-to-day schedule? And how woudl you describe they’re overall, er, “personality”? Also, do they take showers at all? How do they handle hygenics, like bruching their teeeth? Do they wear anything under their habits?

Thanks!

Josh
 
I’m still discerning and have been for sometime. I’ve been asking God to show me what he wants me to do. I’m going to St. Looie this weekend to meet with a priest. I may have a vocation, but not exactly the kind I might have been looking for. God works like that sometimes. 😃
 
Maybe, I am not sure if it is an actual vocation or just a desire of mine.
 
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jimmy:
Maybe, I am not sure if it is an actual vocation or just a desire of mine.
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Well, that sums it up well!

Part of my problem is that I’ve held numerous careers, had numerous paths, and now that I think I may be “called”…I’m scared to death. I’ve already been where I should not have been. I have pursued paths I should not have pursued so I don’t trust my judgment.

So now I think that I’m just excited about my rediscovered faith, my “conversion experience” and I’ve gone to such a point that I think this is a valid option. “On paper” maybe it is…but in reality I take a look at myself and I think that I cannot possibly live up to that standard. But that’s not how we’re supposed to look at this.

So I fight this battle with myself and with sin and with God and in the end I’m in shreds because EVERYTHING is pulling me in every direction.

And my Spiritual Director is going back to India and I need to find another one and our Vocations Director suggested a published author who is quite the long shot so I’m terrified to even try to contact him. Who am I to contact this priest for direction?

Do the rest of you have SD’s and how did you find them? How did God lead you to them? And if you don’t have SD’s…is someone assisting you somehow? (A person, a Saint…?)
 
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JCPhoenix:
Well, that sums it up well!

Part of my problem is that I’ve held numerous careers, had numerous paths, and now that I think I may be “called”…I’m scared to death. I’ve already been where I should not have been. I have pursued paths I should not have pursued so I don’t trust my judgment.

So now I think that I’m just excited about my rediscovered faith, my “conversion experience” and I’ve gone to such a point that I think this is a valid option. “On paper” maybe it is…but in reality I take a look at myself and I think that I cannot possibly live up to that standard. But that’s not how we’re supposed to look at this.

So I fight this battle with myself and with sin and with God and in the end I’m in shreds because EVERYTHING is pulling me in every direction.

And my Spiritual Director is going back to India and I need to find another one and our Vocations Director suggested a published author who is quite the long shot so I’m terrified to even try to contact him. Who am I to contact this priest for direction?

Do the rest of you have SD’s and how did you find them? How did God lead you to them? And if you don’t have SD’s…is someone assisting you somehow? (A person, a Saint…?)
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I don’t have a Spiritual Director but I probably should get one.

My story is that I am constantly reading saints writings. That is all I have really wanted to do. I am a college student that is completely disinterested in everything except theology. I can’t see myself doing any secular job because I can’t see the point in most jobs. They seem like they are just there to be there. I really desire to be a priest. I would like to teach the faith and help people to grow in the faith.

I have decided that if this really is a calling then I must be prepared for it. I must be willing to do whatever necessary for God. I also feel that I need to be prepared spiritually because I have come to the opinion that a priest must be experienced in the spiritual life inorder to be a truely good priest. I don’t feel I am neer where I need to be.

I looked at the FSSP link above and thought, “that is my dream”. I would love to go to the FSSP seminary and learn to say the Tridentine Mass. I have some ideas of how I could prepare.

I, like you, often feel the swings of devotion. One day I will feel strong on my spiritual journey and then later I will feel the temptations of the world.

I am considering joining the Third Order Carmelites as well which might help me to be prepared for the priesthood.
 
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threej_lc:
Esclavo,

Could you explain their day-to-day schedule? And how woudl you describe they’re overall, er, “personality”? Also, do they take showers at all? How do they handle hygenics, like bruching their teeeth? Do they wear anything under their habits?

Thanks!

Josh
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Yes they bathe and brush their teeth. I think they are supposed to be clean. They are poor, not un hygenic. Yes, the do wear clothes under their habits too.

As the friary I visited was a house of study, I am sure that it is somewhat different from the others. Also, I am not sure about the exact prayer times as it has been a while (March) since I visited.

It was something like this:

5:30 am Morning prayer

followed by Mass

breakfast in silence, class/apostolate work

12pm Noon day prayer

followed by lunch in silence

class/apostolate

5pm Holy Hour

followed by evening prayer and dinner with conversation

730pm (could have been later like 9pm) night prayer

followed by rosary

grand silence and sleep

1:30 am Office Readings

then back to sleep till morning prayer

Hope this helps. Please note that this is probably not exact.
 
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