Thread for Women Discerning Religious Life

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Joyful_1

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OK, here it is. Lets start by giving our ages and what orders we are looking at as a referece for future posters who didn’t participate in the poll.

I am 16 and I am currently looking at the Missionaries of Charity and Dominican orders. That could change very easily at this point but that’s where I am now.

God Bless
Joyful_1:nun2:
 
I am 26 and I am visiting a Poor Clare Monastery for the third time in a couple of weeks.
 
I’m 18 👋

I don’t know the order,the country or the continent.😛
 
I feel rather old… 26.

Adoration sisters of the ICK
OP, too

(and an intense admirer of the Carthusians, but not really discerning in this direction)
 
Correction: I am 17. I just had a birthday not too long ago and I’m still not used to my new age:rolleyes:

Oren, it looks like you already have a place. Awsome!! I can’t wait til I can start visiting orders and talking to different sisters. Right now the only research I’ve done is on the Internet.

Hi, Hilde:wave:

Cran, you and Oren are the same age. You’re not that old!

I am planning on getting this book on prayer by a Carthusian. It was recomended on another thread and it looks really good. I think it is called “The Prayer of the Presence of God”. I guess contemplatives have more time to devote to prayer so they can put out some pretty good books on the subject. Take, for example, St. Theresa of Avila, St. John of the Cross, and whatever Carthuthian it was that wrote that book.

God Bless
Joyful_1:nun2:
 
I’m 23. I’m still fairly early into looking at specific orders, but so far the Poor Clares and Benedictines are the ones I’m most interested in. I’ve not yet ruled out active order, but, if I am actually called to the religious life, I’m definitely more drawn to the contemplative orders.
 
Oh, I am not that old, thank you ggg.
Ok, I know I am not that old… but in comparison, many of you seem quite young. I remember, when I was 16-18, I had other things on my mind than joining a convent… it must be great to hear God’s call so early in life 🙂

The last book about Carthusians I read was from a lady who tracked down former novices from the… what was it, 50ies, 60ies? and asked them about their life in the Carthusian order before Vaticanum II. It was really interesting and inspiring, but hardly a good source for the life of the Carthusians, especially females, today, as it dealed exclusively with the former male novices.

I am still struggeling to call that Pater to make an appointment for the interview… this is necessary before I can have a retreat at the ICRSSP - oh no, I am so nervous :crying:
I wonder when I’ll manage to call.
 
I’ll be 19 in 5 days.
I love the Dominicans and feel more called to an active order than a contemplative one, but if that ever changed I love the Carmelites as well!

🙂
 
Alycin said:
I’ll be 19 in 5 days.
I love the Dominicans and feel more called to an active order than a contemplative one, but if that ever changed I love the Carmelites as well!

🙂
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I’m interested in the Dominicans as well.
Do you want to teach?
 
I am 15 years old. I am looking at the Passionists and the Cloisterites. Does anyone know of any Passionist convents where the EF of the Mass is celebrated daily?
 
Here’s a question for all the ladies that have posted so far and for those who might join us later: Have any of you felt equally called to life as a religious and a life of marriage and children? I used to be quite certain that God would lead me to marriage and a family (especially pre-conversion). During the time that I was studying Catholicism and post-conversion, I began to feel fascinated by and drawn to the life of the religious and a life of Christian service as a sister or nun. One moment I think that I want a husband and children and I want it with all my heart. The next I think that I want to devote myself to religious life and I want that with all my heart. I suspect that one of these desires will turn out to be the desire of my own heart and not God’s true calling, but how do I find out which is which? At this point in time, neither holds greater sway over the other and so I’m feeling rather confused. Have any of you ever felt equally pulled in opposite directions? Any insight/advice you might have to offer is greatly appreciated. I do so hate uncertainty. :confused:
 
ladylinguist said:
Here’s a question for all the ladies that have posted so far and for those who might join us later: Have any of you felt equally called to life as a religious and a life of marriage and children? I used to be quite certain that God would lead me to marriage and a family (especially pre-conversion). During the time that I was studying Catholicism and post-conversion, I began to feel fascinated by and drawn to the life of the religious and a life of Christian service as a sister or nun. One moment I think that I want a husband and children and I want it with all my heart. The next I think that I want to devote myself to religious life and I want that with all my heart. I suspect that one of these desires will turn out to be the desire of my own heart and not God’s true calling, but how do I find out which is which? At this point in time, neither holds greater sway over the other and so I’m feeling rather confused. Have any of you ever felt equally pulled in opposite directions? Any insight/advice you might have to offer is greatly appreciated. I do so hate uncertainty. :confused:
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I have exactly the same problem. Most of the time I think I am called to religious life, but every once in a while I will read a passage in the Bible about how blessed you are if you have lots of children or your daughters are like willow trees or something like that and think,“Am I following my own desire of becoming a nun, or is God really calling me?” Argh!! It is so hard to figure out what God’s will is. Sometimes I wish He would just show up in the middle of the day and say “Joyful_1, you are called to do ________ .” I feel sure I would do whatever it was if I only knew for sure what it was.

What I need to do is get a spiritual director. I think that would help sort all these feelings/desires/callings into their proper places.

God Bless
Joyful_1:nun2: (I need to put that little sister in my signature!)
 
Joyful_1 said:
What I need to do is get a spiritual director. I think that would help sort all these feelings/desires/callings into their proper places.

God Bless
Joyful_1:nun2: (I need to put that little sister in my signature!)
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Oh, that’s a sister… I always thought it was a girl with earphones 😊

My spiritual director is from Opus Dei, althpugh this is total contrary to the way I want to take, but she is taking great care with the possibility of any vocation (several people she directed have choosen an order or Opus Dei).
Works rather well for me, because we two are not likely to fall into the trap to see an vocation because we both would like to see me in a special place.

Don’t know how hard spiritual directors are to come by in your area, maybe you want to try Opus Dei, too, if you do not succeed in finding somebody else.
 
ladylinguist said:
Here’s a question for all the ladies that have posted so far and for those who might join us later: Have any of you felt equally called to life as a religious and a life of marriage and children? I used to be quite certain that God would lead me to marriage and a family (especially pre-conversion). During the time that I was studying Catholicism and post-conversion, I began to feel fascinated by and drawn to the life of the religious and a life of Christian service as a sister or nun. One moment I think that I want a husband and children and I want it with all my heart. The next I think that I want to devote myself to religious life and I want that with all my heart. I suspect that one of these desires will turn out to be the desire of my own heart and not God’s true calling, but how do I find out which is which? At this point in time, neither holds greater sway over the other and so I’m feeling rather confused. Have any of you ever felt equally pulled in opposite directions? Any insight/advice you might have to offer is greatly appreciated. I do so hate uncertainty. :confused:
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Dearest ladylinguist,
I too have the same situation. I also have converted to the Catholic faith, and I’m torn between the possibility of marriage and a religious life. I also feel confused largely, but I have gotten some very sweet and good advice from others on the matter. I think that with time, God will give us both a clear sign as to what path to follow. In this struggle of will we are having a learning experience that will pay off for us in either path we take. The question is, would we be denying God our true calling if we get married? Or are we finding the perfect marriage in being bride to Christ?

I personally can not make this decision immediately because of current health issues that must be resolved first, but I think it is wise to make this decision over time. Do you think you will feel just as strongly about your longing for a religious life in a few months or even a year?

I myself will soon be 20 years of age, and I’m considering the Carmelites or the Benedictines.
 
LydiaW said:
Dearest ladylinguist,
I too have the same situation. I also have converted to the Catholic faith, and I’m torn between the possibility of marriage and a religious life. I also feel confused largely, but I have gotten some very sweet and good advice from others on the matter. I think that with time, God will give us both a clear sign as to what path to follow. In this struggle of will we are having a learning experience that will pay off for us in either path we take. The question is, would we be denying God our true calling if we get married? Or are we finding the perfect marriage in being bride to Christ?

I personally can not make this decision immediately because of current health issues that must be resolved first, but I think it is wise to make this decision over time. Do you think you will feel just as strongly about your longing for a religious life in a few months or even a year?
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I myself can’t make any immediate decisions as I still have about ten months left on my enlistment. That being said, I have entertained the idea of religious life for more than a year now. It’s something that keeps popping up as a possibility. I try to think about what appeal one has would create an advantage over the other, but neither seems to ever come out on top. ~sigh~ I just wish there was a way to know for sure.
 
LydiaW said:
Dearest ladylinguist,
I too have the same situation. I also have converted to the Catholic faith, and I’m torn between the possibility of marriage and a religious life. I also feel confused largely, but I have gotten some very sweet and good advice from others on the matter. I think that with time, God will give us both a clear sign as to what path to follow. In this struggle of will we are having a learning experience that will pay off for us in either path we take. The question is, would we be denying God our true calling if we get married? Or are we finding the perfect marriage in being bride to Christ?
Click to expand...
I wonder if I could be denying my true calling by *not *getting married. I just feel like I would prefer the religious life to family life.
Is that natural? Maybe I just haven’t been around enough guys to think squarely on this matter. Being homeschooled means I have not a whole lot of social interaction.

On the subject of spiritual directors - I live about an hour from any substantial civilization so meeting with any one is certainly not going to be frequent. I still should call the Vocations Office in my diocese and see if they could set me up with someone.

God Bless
Joyful_1
 
This morning during the rosary before mass, our priest walked by and dropped a magazine into the pew behind me.

I guess I should tell you that I haven’t been able to escape these Dominican Sisters of St. Cecelia. They just keep popping up.

Anyway… guess who was on the cover of this magazine… a Dominican Sister of St. Cecelia! Is it just me or do they seem like they are all over?

God Bless
Joyful_1
 
Hi!

I’m 21 and entering the Dominican Nuns of Our Lady of the Rosary Monastery in Summit, NJ in less than a month! (It is a contemplative cloistered community)

<3 Dominicans
 
A question for those who have already spoken with orders: What do you say when you get in touch with these orders. Is it basically “hey, what’s up. I think I may be called to the religious life and your order appeals to me. Can I have some info please?” How does the process usually work?
 
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