Traditional priests and nuns

[Balance]

I’m discerning my vocation at the moment, asking God what he wants for me, and feel a great attraction to the priesthood. I’m thinking that if I do take the step of applying to enter the seminary, it’ll be in my diocese, but I’m also attracted to the way of life, charism and apostolate of these men:

mglvocation.org/index.html

and these ones (a bit of an older tradition!):

australia.op.org/

so I’m in touch with them at the moment too.

It’s been along and, at times, painful process, but at the moment I feel a great sense of contentment and excitement about what God has in store for me. Right now my thoughts are along these lines: “What if? What if Christ could actually be calling me to follow him in this particular way? What if this is the best way I could love Christ, and live out my call to love and serve him and the people around me, and what if this is the way that, well-lived, will bring me true peace and happiness in this life and in the next? What if?”

I’ll say a prayer for you guys who are asking the same questions, and everyone else as you seek to follow Christ ever more closely. Please do the same for me!

Bless ya.

 

[Joysong]

Balance! That’s great news! I looked up your two links and noticed that the charisms are a little different for each calling. You may find yourself leaning in desire towards one or the other as you pray for more discernment. In the first link, the focus was toward contemplative prayer, whereas the second seemed centered on evangelization, which you seem to be doing already. As we pray for priests, I’ll keep your intention in mind.

I have a question about Papua, N.G. and their culture, since you seem to know a lot about that area. Some have been scandalized about John Paul giving communion to a woman whose breasts were uncovered. I tried to find something about their native culture which may be perfectly normal for them to dress in this manner, but the web was not too informative. Many travel films on TV show these cultures with ALL women being bare-breasted, which is the norm for them, and nobody takes offense by it. I noted also that New Guineans are still a primitive people, so the incident which scandalized many may be perfectly innocent in that culture where the Pope visited.

If this would interrupt the thread, you may PM me.

 

[CatQuilt]

To all the young men who have responded to this thread, that they desire to become Holy, Traditional Catholic Priests, you have my prayers. Perhaps I’ll be fortunate enough to meet some of you if you decide to enter into the Institute of Christ the King. Many candidates come to St. Louis to discern their vocation. Father Karl Lenhardt is the Vice-Provinicial (sp?) of the order here in the US. He is working on starting a pre-seminary at St. Francis de Sales.

btw…are any of you fluent in French? I believe this is a requirement to enter the seminary in Italy. The young men are taught in French, if my memory serves me correctly.

God bless you all…

My prayers are with them too!

 

[Morning_Star15]

In Canada? I didnt know there were any Carmelites in Canada besides the convent in Niagra Falls

Is it traditional?

There are a few: we have the Carmelite Sisters DCJ (of the Divine Heart of Jesus), who have a convent in Medicine Hat, Alberta, St. Catharines in Ontario, as well as one in Toronto and another in Mississauga (the Toronto suburb where I live). This orderis active-contemplative, and each convent will run either a daycare centre or a nursing home (in Toronto it’s the former and in Mississauga the latter). These Sisters are Discalced. I’ve also heard of other Carmelite communities in Toronto who are very active and non-enclosed (I don’t know what the correct term for this type of community is - I usually hear it called “apostolic” but sometimes it seems like everyone has a different term )

We have a couple of cloistered Discalced Carmelites, one group has their convent a little north of Toronto (they’re nick-named the Hong Kong Sisters because they came from Hong Kong), and finally there’s the cloistered convent that I just got accepted to today , which is called the Carmel of St. Joseph and is located in a town called St. Agatha, just outside of Kitchener-Waterloo.

The Carmel of St. Joseph is traditional, and I’m very happy that the Lord has called me to a traditional order.

Sadly there are some Carmelites in Canada who are becoming liberal Hopefully this won’t be a lasting trend, as the Carmelites have historically been a very traditional order (after all, they trace their spiritual foundation to the Prophet Elijah, who lived a long time before the Church was even established - how much more traditional can you get? ).

God bless,

Karolina

 

[Balance]

Thanks for your prayers!

In the first link, the focus was toward contemplative prayer, whereas the second seemed centered on evangelization,

You must have had just a quick look! The MGLs’ main work is evangelisation - especially working with young people.
mglvocation.org/mglvision.htm

Prayer is, of course, at the heart of their daily life.
mglvocation.org/mglwayoflife.htm

Some have been scandalized about John Paul giving communion to a woman whose breasts were uncovered. I tried to find something about their native culture which may be perfectly normal for them to dress in this manner, but the web was not too informative. Many travel films on TV show these cultures with ALL women being bare-breasted, which is the norm for them, and nobody takes offense by it. I noted also that New Guineans are still a primitive people, so the incident which scandalized many may be perfectly innocent in that culture where the Pope visited.

I don’t know much about life or “normal dress” in PNG so can’t help you much with your question. My gut feeling is that there would be little, if any, scandal in the situation you’ve described.

Good question - maybe you could start a new thread; I’m sure there are people here who could make a better answer than me. Maybe there’s even somebody from Papua New Guinea on these message boards!

 

[Shoshana]

There are a few: we have the Carmelite Sisters DCJ (of the Divine Heart of Jesus), who have a convent in Medicine Hat, Alberta, St. Catharines in Ontario, as well as one in Toronto and another in Mississauga (the Toronto suburb where I live). This orderis active-contemplative, and each convent will run either a daycare centre or a nursing home (in Toronto it’s the former and in Mississauga the latter). These Sisters are Discalced. I’ve also heard of other Carmelite communities in Toronto who are very active and non-enclosed (I don’t know what the correct term for this type of community is - I usually hear it called “apostolic” but sometimes it seems like everyone has a different term )

We have a couple of cloistered Discalced Carmelites, one group has their convent a little north of Toronto (they’re nick-named the Hong Kong Sisters because they came from Hong Kong), and finally there’s the cloistered convent that I just got accepted to today , which is called the Carmel of St. Joseph and is located in a town called St. Agatha, just outside of Kitchener-Waterloo.

The Carmel of St. Joseph is traditional, and I’m very happy that the Lord has called me to a traditional order.

Sadly there are some Carmelites in Canada who are becoming liberal Hopefully this won’t be a lasting trend, as the Carmelites have historically been a very traditional order (after all, they trace their spiritual foundation to the Prophet Elijah, who lived a long time before the Church was even established - how much more traditional can you get? ).

God bless,

Karolina

My prayers are with you my friend! The Perpetual prayer for priests/vocations are meant to bring us new vocations, sustain them and all the religious, to also uphold our priests…

How so blessed you are! I have tried to look on the internet for your convent but couldn’t find it…

 

[Morning_Star15]

My prayers are with you my friend! The Perpetual prayer for priests/vocations are meant to bring us new vocations, sustain them and all the religious, to also uphold our priests…

How so blessed you are! I have tried to look on the internet for your convent but couldn’t find it…

May God reward you for your kind words, Shoshana.

Yes, I wish this convent had a website, but they don’t have one yet. They have email though, so hopefully a website isn’t far behind…

 

[ctos]

I would like to be a priest, but I doubt that they will let me, since I have been demonstrably uncomfortable about the Novus Ordo. But, God can work miracles, so who knows.

 

[batteddy]

O Lord grant us priests
O Lord grant us priests.

O Lord grant us holy priests
O Lord grant us holy priests

O Lord grant us many holy priests
O Lord grant us many holy priests.

Hmm…when I heard it, the “many” came alone before “many holy” appeared…that is to say, they added the adjectives in increasing importance first “priests” then “many priests” then “many holy priests”

 

[batteddy]

By the way, I too feel called to the traditional priesthood and traditional religious life and will most likely be joining the Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem in St. Louis this fall after I finish high school (unless I take a semester or two off).

I drove down to visit them with my parents in November for a weekend. They were very impressed that both my parents made such a drive and were so encouraging, as apparently they meet a lot of people pursuing this against their parents desires, and they took actually meeting supportive parents (on the first visit no less) as a very good sign.

I then took the train down (from Chicago) for a week-long visit over winter break. I might visit again over spring break, and definitely for a few weeks in the early summer. Then, if everything has gone smoothly, I’ll either enter in the fall, or I might (as my parents have suggested) take a semester or a year off if they approve of this idea (during which I’m sure I’ll visit them for several long visits) and enter next year. I’d think only a semester off, but I don’t know if they’d want to accomodate someone starting the Novitiate at the start of their second semester, in January. That could be irregular…

By the end of my week with them, we were all pretty sure I was going to enter there soon enough. I’m not officially accepted or anything, but a letter I got after my visit said, “If you are serious about the thought of entering our community-- and I believe you are-- I would like to excercise you in holy obedience even now!” And then went on to command me to take voice lessons and encouraged my not attending college first (“which kills many vocations”). Seems like a pretty good sign in terms of them accepting me…

There are currently only three of them, though they have had three members who are no longer in the community (never more than four men at a time however). They used to live in Lacrosse, Wisconsin, but followed Bishop Burke (former bishop of Lacrosse) to St. Louis when he was promoted. They are very nice, and are Religious as well as Priests, which is good as the religious life is at least as important to me as the priesthood in my vocation. But the only other American, approved traditional Orders are strict monastic orders (the clearcreek benedictines, and a house of carmelites) who are too cloistered for me (though the canons maintain a good relationship with the monks of clear creek and make their lenten retreat with them). The Canons lead a somewhat monastic life (chant the hours daily, etc), but are not cloistered and so can minister actively and apostolically as well. They are also a little more laid back (which is not to say they aren’t regular and observant…just more…personable and humanly interactive, unlike some of the near-eremitic silent monks with their exhausting discipline)

 

[Unfinished]

encouraged my not attending college first (“which kills many vocations”)

Ain’t that the truth. Stay away from the universities. That beer/girls/general debauchery can eat your vocation alive. And because you feel like you have a calling, your temptation would be ten fold. Trust me on that one.

They sound awesome, I pray everything works out. (Those small communities are not for me though). Although, I am going to go against your parents advice and say do not take a year off. (Unless YOU need it). If you feel the calling now, and you have discerned that it may be your vocation, there is no reason to delay.

 

[Joysong]

Dear Balance,

You must have had just a quick look! The MGLs’ main work is evangelisation - especially working with young people.

Yes, I did miss that part, but I was referring to this description of their way of life:

The Missionaries of God’s Love has a vigorous prayer life. Personal prayer is crucial for a life with Jesus. Brothers seek to develop an attitude of continuous prayer in the heart. Silent adoration of Jesus in the reserved Eucharist is highly prized; brothers are committed to at least one hour of adoration when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed each day. **We aim to develop the gift of contemplation **- that loving attentive gaze of the heart upon Jesus.

This is so beautiful!

Since these holy men minister to the area of Papua, that is why I thought you were somewhat familiar with their culture. There is a link to the priest who serves there, and I sent him an email asking for that information when he has a spare moment.

 

[batteddy]

If you feel the calling now, and you have discerned that it may be your vocation, there is no reason to delay.

True. I don’t want to be out at market when the bridegoom comes.

But a lot of people seem to treat a vocation as something that flashes in for a second and must be grabbed onto immediately. Apparently something terribly fleeting.

I have known since 8th grade, 5 years, and have based my life around that goal. I don’t see how my mind could be changed so quickly by anything mundane.

I can see how the debauchery and intellectual-nonsense of college could ruin a vocation, but I’m not sure how harmful a year at home would be. Not having applied to college, I don’t really have any other options.

Still, I generally agree with you.

Those small communities are not for me though

I hope I’m not getting too personal, but may I ask why?

I hear this from a lot of young people I talk to about vocations (most of them actually)…

 

[Caesar]

By the way, I too feel called to the traditional priesthood and traditional religious life and will most likely be joining the Canons Regular of the New Jerusalem in St. Louis this fall after I finish high school (unless I take a semester or two off).

I drove down to visit them with my parents in November for a weekend. They were very impressed that both my parents made such a drive and were so encouraging, as apparently they meet a lot of people pursuing this against their parents desires, and they took actually meeting supportive parents (on the first visit no less) as a very good sign.

I then took the train down (from Chicago) for a week-long visit over winter break. I might visit again over spring break, and definitely for a few weeks in the early summer. Then, if everything has gone smoothly, I’ll either enter in the fall, or I might (as my parents have suggested) take a semester or a year off if they approve of this idea (during which I’m sure I’ll visit them for several long visits) and enter next year. I’d think only a semester off, but I don’t know if they’d want to accomodate someone starting the Novitiate at the start of their second semester, in January. That could be irregular…

By the end of my week with them, we were all pretty sure I was going to enter there soon enough. I’m not officially accepted or anything, but a letter I got after my visit said, “If you are serious about the thought of entering our community-- and I believe you are-- I would like to excercise you in holy obedience even now!” And then went on to command me to take voice lessons and encouraged my not attending college first (“which kills many vocations”). Seems like a pretty good sign in terms of them accepting me…

There are currently only three of them, though they have had three members who are no longer in the community (never more than four men at a time however). They used to live in Lacrosse, Wisconsin, but followed Bishop Burke (former bishop of Lacrosse) to St. Louis when he was promoted. They are very nice, and are Religious as well as Priests, which is good as the religious life is at least as important to me as the priesthood in my vocation. But the only other American, approved traditional Orders are strict monastic orders (the clearcreek benedictines, and a house of carmelites) who are too cloistered for me (though the canons maintain a good relationship with the monks of clear creek and make their lenten retreat with them). The Canons lead a somewhat monastic life (chant the hours daily, etc), but are not cloistered and so can minister actively and apostolically as well. They are also a little more laid back (which is not to say they aren’t regular and observant…just more…personable and humanly interactive, unlike some of the near-eremitic silent monks with their exhausting discipline)

I have heard good things about the Canons. I hope to be in St. Louis in September 2008 for ICRSS preformation.

 

[Unfinished]

I can see how the debauchery and intellectual-nonsense of college could ruin a vocation, but I’m not sure how harmful a year at home would be. Not having applied to college, I don’t really have any other options.

Well, speaking from experience, you can get caught up in things that steer you away from priesthood. Not to mention the classes. In one of my TEXT BOOKS the other day there was half a page on homosexuality. It started some typical liberal trash, then it stated that “The sooner we all accept that homosexuality is a perfectly valid way of life, the sooner the world will be a better place.” (Yeah…that better not be a question on the test tomorrow, I will miss that one on purpose then complain to the dean).

A year at home wouldn’t be bad. But I am at the point now where I cannot WAIT to get into seminary. If I had to wait another year I think I would go crazy.

I hope I’m not getting too personal, but may I ask why?

I hear this from a lot of young people I talk to about vocations (most of them actually)…

I’m not sure. I like the idea of being able to move around and do different things. Be a pastor of a church for 6 years, then maybe be the priest at the Catholic High School for a few years, pastor a different church for 6, then teach at the seminary for a few… see what I mean? I would like to move around and experience different roles as a priest. I think with a community of 4 guys that experience is lessened.

 

[Shoshana]

May God reward you for your kind words, Shoshana.

Yes, I wish this convent had a website, but they don’t have one yet. They have email though, so hopefully a website isn’t far behind…

Ah! but you already speak like a nun! :bounce: God will reward me for sure when you are in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament praying for all of us poor sinners! I/we need all the prayers we can get to remain faithful to God and our Holy Roman Catholic Church!

Would it be too personal to ask when you will be entering said monastery?

 

[Morning_Star15]

Ah! but you already speak like a nun! :bounce: God will reward me for sure when you are in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament praying for all of us poor sinners! I/we need all the prayers we can get to remain faithful to God and our Holy Roman Catholic Church!

Would it be too personal to ask when you will be entering said monastery?

And I’ll be needing lots of prayers as well .

I’m not sure yet when I’ll be entering - I’ll be graduating from university at the end of April, so hopefully as soon as possible after that. I’m sure the Lord will let me know when He wants me to enter.

God bless,

Karolina

 

[Balance]

Dear Balance,

Yes, I did miss that part, but I was referring to this description of their way of life:

This is so beautiful!

Yep - and the MGLs I’ve met seem to be really living it too.

Since these holy men minister to the area of Papua, that is why I thought you were somewhat familiar with their culture.

No problem. What they describe happening in PNG while they were there is fascinating isn’t it. God working through good men living courageous, Christ-centered lives!

There is a link to the priest who serves there, and I sent him an email asking for that information when he has a spare moment.

Good idea. I was thinking you could probably find an email address for the Bishop there and drop him a line too - I’m sure he’d be able to answer your query!

 

[Image_of_God]

What is a traditonalist priest?
Can he celebrate the NO?
Is this just an orthodox NO priest?

I don’t think I can become one, because my relationship with God is terrible. My Mom keeps saying, “Oh, you are going to become a priest” and “Oh, you read to many Catholic Books,” but I just don’t think it’s possible. I am a horrible sinner. I am blaspehmous. Besides, my dad wants me to be a doctor.

 

[Resurrexit]

What is a traditonalist priest?
Can he celebrate the NO?
Is this just an orthodox NO priest?

A traditionalist priest is one that celebrates the Mass according to the rubrics of the 1962 Missal. Those who are in full communion are usually assosciated with societies such as the FSSP and ICRSS. If such a priest wishes, he can celebrate the New Order Mass, but can not be forced to.

I don’t think I can become one, because my relationship with God is terrible. My Mom keeps saying, “Oh, you are going to become a priest” and “Oh, you read to many Catholic Books,” but I just don’t think it’s possible. I am a horrible sinner. I am blaspehmous. Besides, my dad wants me to be a doctor.

Remember, we are all unworthy sinners. You may not think you could be a priest, but if God is calling you, He will find a way. Don’t let your parents force you into things either way.

Grace can change anyone. Mother Angelica said “We are all called to be great saints - don’t miss the opportunity.” You can be a great saint, if that’s what you want. Pray. Ask for Our Lady’s assistance. Go to confession once a week, receive communion as often as you can (but only when in a state of grace), and you will soon find yourself change.