Religious Life discernment club!

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Thanks esclavo! Helps a lot!

Does that mean they just beg soap, toothpaste, clothes, etc, off of others? Or are they allowed to keep a small amount of funds to provide these for themselves? Similarly, they have personal property in the form of toothbrushes then?

Finally, how do they shower? Does their “Barn” friary have a shower in it they use? Or do they have to beg off other people’s bathrooms? If they have their own, does it have hot water, or just cold?

Sorry to be so nitpicky on this, I’m just trying to figure out the role poverty would play in my life as a priest, and consider the FPO as the bare-minimal to work from.

Thanks!
Josh
 
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threej_lc:
Thanks esclavo! Helps a lot!

Does that mean they just beg soap, toothpaste, clothes, etc, off of others? Or are they allowed to keep a small amount of funds to provide these for themselves? Similarly, they have personal property in the form of toothbrushes then?

Finally, how do they shower? Does their “Barn” friary have a shower in it they use? Or do they have to beg off other people’s bathrooms? If they have their own, does it have hot water, or just cold?

Sorry to be so nitpicky on this, I’m just trying to figure out the role poverty would play in my life as a priest, and consider the FPO as the bare-minimal to work from.

Thanks!
Josh
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Yes, somehow they got water hooked up in it. Cold water only (we don’t even have hot water at our mission in Honduras). It is my understanding that they have their own tooth brushes. They keep NO funds, not even a small amount. They aren’t supposed to use money at all. Only exception is if they are begging and someone says, “here’s the money go buy it.” And that is in extreme and rare cases.
 
I’ve felt called since I was 14…in fact, I was so torn over whether or I should become a nun or a wife and mother that I lost my faith for over a year…it’s a very long, strange story:) Anyway, when I came out of my period of spiritual darkness, I realized what a great opportunity God had presented me with…I can marry a husband, or I can marry Christ…wow. So I’ve decided that, because I am still young and have a lot to learn about my calling, I will persue a role as a wife and mother until an age when I hopefully will know it’s time to give my life to God.

Everyday, I realize more and more how amazing it would be to become a Bride of Christ…once, I was feeling very alone and lost, and I went up to the sanctuary at about midnight during a youth lock-in and sat in prayer in front of the altar and tabernacle for about an hour…and I fell asleep. When I woke up, I felt such an overwhelming calm and wholeness that I was brought to tears. Everything that had been hurting me just drifted away, and I realized that right there in that place, before the altar and Christ, I had finally found my home…the only place where I truly belong. It was at that point that all the fear I had about becoming a nun vanished, and I now look forward to the opportunity as much as I look forward to finding a husband.

I am so excited, wherever God leads me…I just wish the time would come as quickly as possible:)
 
Just scheduled a meeting for the vocations director for the Archdiocese of Portland in a week. Pray for me!
Josh
 
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SummaTheo:
I think I am being called to the priesthood. I am considering the FSSP or Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.
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Hey! same here,

I have received my preliminary application from the vocations office of the FSSP, but I have explained to the vocations director that I will need a year to pay off my loans and another 4 years to raise the $42,000 needed for the 7 yrs of training which will include room accommodation and food. The vocations office were very sympathetic and recommended that I complete and send off the full application form.

I also received a reply from the Vicar General of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest about the Priesthood, but their age groups for acceptance is 18 - 30, whereas the FSSP is 18 - 40.

The Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest do not charge for accommodation, but do not say whether they charge for the schooling?

So hopefully by the Grace of God if I am accepted I will be coming to America (Denton Nebraska to be precise) in 5 yrs time.

I am even looking at flight details and visa applications so that I can calculate how much I need to save, (I have even sold my car to save money).
 
Oh, I think this is a club I need to join!

For the last year or so, I’ve been thinking about what God wants me to do. The most frustrating thing about it is that sometimes I’ll think He wants me to become a nun, and then sometimes it seems that He wants me to get married and have children. I’ll be reading Story of a Soul or other writings of the saints, and religous life will look just perfect. But then I’ll see some little kids with their mom, and that seems great, too. I always have this feeling that I’m somehow complicating things… :rolleyes:

There IS something odd that sticks out in my mind, though. Last year in confession, I was talking about the doubt I was having, about if I loved God or not. Then I went on and confessed the rest of whatever I was talking about. At the end, the priest said something to me like, “Have you ever considered becoming a religious?” That sort of knocked me off guard because I had just been praying about it in Adoration. The priest noticed my surprise and said, “Oh, I guess not?” I then explained to him why I was so surprised, and he chuckled a little.
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jimmy:
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.
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That is exactly what I tend to think, too. Everyone is always asking me what I want to do (aka a job), but I never really have anything to say. It would either be religious life or stay-at-home mom, I think. But, argh, it keeps going back and forth!

Oh, I was going to ask, does anyone have information about the Carmelites? They have interested me since I chose St. Therese as my Confirmation name last year. Also, I love the Franciscans. Do they have religious life for sisters as well? Thanks, this is a great thread.
 
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KatarinaTherese:
There IS something odd that sticks out in my mind, though. Last year in confession, I was talking about the doubt I was having, about if I loved God or not. Then I went on and confessed the rest of whatever I was talking about. At the end, the priest said something to me like, “Have you ever considered becoming a religious?” That sort of knocked me off guard because I had just been praying about it in Adoration. The priest noticed my surprise and said, “Oh, I guess not?” I then explained to him why I was so surprised, and he chuckled a little.
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Ya know, you’re not the only one I’ve heard who had that exact same experience. Of course, they all ended up entering the religious life :whistle:
Oh, I was going to ask, does anyone have information about the Carmelites? They have interested me since I chose St. Therese as my Confirmation name last year. Also, I love the Franciscans. Do they have religious life for sisters as well? Thanks, this is a great thread.
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You ask tricky questions. Religious orders are not as united as they once were. What I mean by that is that one carmelite convent can be COMPLETELY different from another carmelite convent. That of course is the same with dominicans, franciscans, etc.

Yes, the Franciscans have a religious life for sisters! Only like the best and holiest!!! (with above caveat) (no, I’m not promoting my own spirituality.) There are a lot of great women’s franciscan groups, The Franciscans Sisters of the Renewal in New York, The Franciscan Sisters of the Matyr St. George are good and have a few convents around the U.S., and Its usually not to hard to find a good Poor Claire convent either.

While I’m talking about this, my friend does a newsletter on vocations, where she describes every week various religious orders, their history, charisms, habit, etc. You can check out past issues here:

livejournal.com/community/religiousblog/
 
I really like the FSSP. If it turned out that it was my calling to be a priest, I would want to become an FSSP priest. I would like nothing more than to say the TLM. While I wait and discern I plan on going to Fransiscan University to get a masters in Theology. This should prepare me for the priesthood if it turns out that that is where I am headed. I don’t know if I could get in to the FSSP now though. Pious how strict of an acceptance policy do they have?

KatarinaTherese, I have liked the Carmelites for a while too. I like John of The Cross and Teresa of Avila. Here are a couple links for information.

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=59755

carmelite.com/index.shtml

ocd.pcn.net

carmelites.net/index2.html

ocarm.org/eng/index.php
 
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jimmy:
Pious how strict of an acceptance policy do they have?
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I am still waiting for them to send me the full application, their requirements are that you must be:

19 - 40 yrs of age

Good physical and mental health

Moral aptitude and intellectual ability

Completion of secondary education

minimum of 2 years of college or university, a B.S or B.A degree is preferred

Freedom from financial obligation

A strong sense of piety and sacrificial willingness to give oneself totally to Our Lord Jesus Christ.

They require the following documents:

Birth certificate

Baptismal certificate (original or an official copy obtained from your parish of Baptism and dated within the past 6-9 months

Confirmation certificate

High school and college transcripts

Letter from a physician attesting to candidate’s good health

Resume of study and work record (C.V)

Detailed autobiography

Letters of recommendation from 2 Priests

Criminal record check from local police

Two passport photos.

The formation is seven years long and consists of the following:

One year of spiritual formation

Two years of philosophical studies including Latin/Greek, intro into Scripture and Exegesis, fundamental theology and Gregorian chant. Seminarians take the soutane at the beginning of the second year when they become members of the fraternity.

Four years of theological studies, which include the principal works used in the Summa Theologiae of St. Thomas Aquinas, in addition to Dogmatic and Moral Theology, Canon law, liturgy and Church history are taught.
 
Hi everyone!

I felt the calling to religious life before even going to High School. I became a novitiate in the Heralds of the Gospel at the age of 15!

Until quite recently, the Heralds has been a strictly Lay Association of Christ faithful of Pontifical Right, however, this past June the first 15 of our members were ordained to the priesthood.

I am now 20 and I’m still descerning whether to become a priest or remain a lay brother. Both must undertake the same studies and both are treated equally (i.e. have the same kind of functions).

We have the three vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. We also Consecrate ourselves to Jesus through Mary as slaves of theirs.

Our website is www.heralds.ca
 
That’s an interesting group, furlan! Thanks for pointing them out. Could you tell us more about them? What is their purpose, what do you do, are they similar to Regnum Christi, etc.
Josh
 
The charism of the Heralds of the Gospel is expressed in the sublime commandment of Jesus Christ: “Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).
For the Herald of the Gospel, this call to perfection should not remain restricted to interior acts, but should also externalize itself in his activities, in order to better reflect God.

This search for perfection signifies not only the embracing of truth and the practice of virtue, but also to do it with pulchritude, with beauty, which can be an important element for sanctification. In the Letter to the Artists, the Holy Father wisely remembers the opportune teaching of the Second Vatican Council:

“This world in which we live needs beauty in order not to sink into despair. Beauty, like truth, brings joy to the human heart and is that precious fruit which resists the erosion of time, which unites generations and enables them to be one in admiration!”

As the Heralds are until now only a lay association they are not vows but promises that are made. This was done on recommendation from the Vatican because it allows members absolute freedom to leave if they so wish. It is also harder to keep a promise because a vow must be fulfilled under pain of sin, while a promise is done so out of love. However, it is only a question of months before we receive the status of Religious Order.

An Ordo of Customs regulates the community life, which is a compilation of rules that over time were voluntarily established among the Heralds of the Gospel. It regulates, according to the charism of the institution, all the acts of the daily life of its members, including the way of acting in private, in the relationship with the brothers and sisters, in public and, above all, in the most solemn acts of the day in which everyone gathers to pray, sing the Office or participate in the Liturgy.

This is the emblem or symbol of the Heralds of the Gospel…
http://salvadmereina.org.co/nv/images/escudohe.gif
 
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threej_lc:
Ya know, you’re not the only one I’ve heard who had that exact same experience. Of course, they all ended up entering the religious life :whistle:

You ask tricky questions. Religious orders are not as united as they once were. What I mean by that is that one carmelite convent can be COMPLETELY different from another carmelite convent. That of course is the same with dominicans, franciscans, etc.

Yes, the Franciscans have a religious life for sisters! Only like the best and holiest!!! (with above caveat) (no, I’m not promoting my own spirituality.) There are a lot of great women’s franciscan groups, The Franciscans Sisters of the Renewal in New York, The Franciscan Sisters of the Matyr St. George are good and have a few convents around the U.S., and Its usually not to hard to find a good Poor Claire convent either.

While I’m talking about this, my friend does a newsletter on vocations, where she describes every week various religious orders, their history, charisms, habit, etc. You can check out past issues here:

livejournal.com/community/religiousblog/
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I know - there are soooooo many different convents and religious communities! It gets sort of daunting, looking at them all. Thanks for the link, though- it looks amazing!
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jimmy:
KatarinaTherese, I have liked the Carmelites for a while too. I like John of The Cross and Teresa of Avila. Here are a couple links for information.
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Thanks for the links! And by the way, I just started becoming interesting in John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila. Would you be able to recommend a good way to find out more about them?
 
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KatarinaTherese:
I know - there are soooooo many different convents and religious communities! It gets sort of daunting, looking at them all. Thanks for the link, though- it looks amazing!

Thanks for the links! And by the way, I just started becoming interesting in John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila. Would you be able to recommend a good way to find out more about them?
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You could read the autobiography of Teresa of Avila.

ccel.org/ccel/teresa/life.thm

amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0140440739/qid=1132067963/sr=1-3/ref=sr_1_3/002-4045902-3016064?v=glance&s=books
 
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furlan1985:
The charism of the Heralds of the Gospel is expressed in the sublime commandment of Jesus Christ: “Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt 5:48).
For the Herald of the Gospel, this call to perfection should not remain restricted to interior acts, but should also externalize itself in his activities, in order to better reflect God.
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Yeah… I read that on their webpage. But I was looking for a more practical description. I mean, a community can say whatever they want about themselves, but it only takes on meaning when viewed in light of their daily schedule, apostolates, prayer life, etc.

Thanks,
Josh
 
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