Unsure of how to start

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Hello all
It’s been a while since I posted here…I have felt drawn towards religious life for about a year and a half now, but I haven’t done much to start proactively looking at them mostly because I do not know where to start. I would like an order that is conservative/traditional but not cloistered, as I feel quite called to work in an orphanage setting. But, it seems the more traditional orders are cloistered…so I was hoping someone here might know of a more traditonal order of sisters who do some such work. Location is not a big deal at least right now…I just would like suggestions. Thank you so much in advance!
 
jrs88 said:
Hello all
It’s been a while since I posted here…I have felt drawn towards religious life for about a year and a half now, but I haven’t done much to start proactively looking at them mostly because I do not know where to start. I would like an order that is conservative/traditional but not cloistered, as I feel quite called to work in an orphanage setting. But, it seems the more traditional orders are cloistered…so I was hoping someone here might know of a more traditonal order of sisters who do some such work. Location is not a big deal at least right now…I just would like suggestions. Thank you so much in advance!
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I would suggest my former community of interest. The Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus in Wauwatosa, WI. They have a group home in East Chicago, IN. I did some work with them in May 2009 because I was applying to enter and needed to work to pay off my debts. I will warn you, not everyone is meant for this kind of work. Though the children brought warmth and joy to my heart, it was a very stressful situation for me because of the mental problems the children had (ADHD, Bipolar, etc). But if you feel God is calling you to this type of work, I would recommend this order, because of it’s traditional habit and practice. They have other houses in the US and Canada, but the Northern Province is the only one I know of at this time that has a group home. 🙂 Their Motherhouse in Sittard (Netherlands) has a group home. They also have missions around the globe in Russia, Nicaragua, Croatia, Iceland, Venezula, etc.

They are non-cloistered Carmelites who follow the rule of St. Teresa of Avila. It’s foundress, Mother Mary Teresa of St. Joseph, was a Lutheran convert. She established convents, group homes, and elderly homes. She is up for canonization, and is currently a Blessed.

carmelitedcjnorth.org/

Story of Bl. Mary Teresa of St. Joseph
 
You should have a spiritual director to help make this decision. Call your priest, and if he is not available, he should be able to recommend someone. Good Luck!! 👍
 
CarmeliteGirl25 said:
I would suggest my former community of interest. The Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus in Wauwatosa, WI. They have a group home in East Chicago, IN. I did some work with them in May 2009 because I was applying to enter and needed to work to pay off my debts. I will warn you, not everyone is meant for this kind of work. Though the children brought warmth and joy to my heart, it was a very stressful situation for me because of the mental problems the children had (ADHD, Bipolar, etc). But if you feel God is calling you to this type of work, I would recommend this order, because of it’s traditional habit and practice. They have other houses in the US and Canada, but the Northern Province is the only one I know of at this time that has a group home. 🙂 Their Motherhouse in Sittard (Netherlands) has a group home. They also have missions around the globe in Russia, Nicaragua, Croatia, Iceland, Venezula, etc.

They are non-cloistered Carmelites who follow the rule of St. Teresa of Avila. It’s foundress, Mother Mary Teresa of St. Joseph, was a Lutheran convert. She established convents, group homes, and elderly homes. She is up for canonization, and is currently a Blessed.

carmelitedcjnorth.org/

Story of Bl. Mary Teresa of St. Joseph
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Thank you! They are beautiful- I am looking around their website now. I like the sound of their childrens’ homes. One question- when you were doing work with them, how were their Masses?
 
jrs88 said:
Thank you! They are beautiful- I am looking around their website now. I like the sound of their childrens’ homes. One question- when you were doing work with them, how were their Masses?
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The Masses, while in the vernacular, were very reverent. I thoroughly enjoyed the Masses. In the Motherhouse in Milwaukee (Wauwatosa), they had Adoration on Sunday before I left after the retreat, and the Monstrance was incredible! You’ll see it in some of the videos that Sr. Paula Maria and the novices made and put on the website. She also has a YouTube account (paulajmjt). Let me know if you have any more questions. I’ll try to answer them as best I can. 🙂

P.S.–the Superior, Sr. Maria Giuseppe is very sweet. I liked her a lot. Also, the Novice Mistress, Sr. Immaculata, and the postulant mistress, Sr. Annunciata, were very, very nice. 😉 I just felt God was calling me elsewhere. I have nothing but respect and love for the Sisters.
 
Catholic1954 said:
You should have a spiritual director to help make this decision. Call your priest, and if he is not available, he should be able to recommend someone. Good Luck!! 👍
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I’'ve told my priest, but we have not extensively talked about it. he is my regular confessor and friend. I thought he would be the one to help me find communities, but maybe he doesn’t know of many? Or is that not something they really do?
 
CarmeliteGirl25 said:
The Masses, while in the vernacular, were very reverent. I thoroughly enjoyed the Masses. In the Motherhouse in Milwaukee (Wauwatosa), they had Adoration on Sunday before I left after the retreat, and the Monstrance was incredible! You’ll see it in some of the videos that Sr. Paula Maria and the novices made and put on the website. She also has a YouTube account (paulajmjt). Let me know if you have any more questions. I’ll try to answer them as best I can. 🙂

P.S.–the Superior, Sr. Maria Giuseppe is very sweet. I liked her a lot. Also, the Novice Mistress, Sr. Immaculata, and the postulant mistress, Sr. Annunciata, were very, very nice. 😉 I just felt God was calling me elsewhere. I have nothing but respect and love for the Sisters.
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Ah thank you! I will definitely ask you if I have more questiosn though I can’t think of any right now!
 
jrs88 said:
I’'ve told my priest, but we have not extensively talked about it. he is my regular confessor and friend. I thought he would be the one to help me find communities, but maybe he doesn’t know of many? Or is that not something they really do?
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Well, you could ask him directly. Many parish priests don’t know much about this stuff… others do.
 
If anyone knows of more communities I would still like more suggestions. 🙂
 
CarmeliteGirl25 said:
I also did a search on the CMSWR (Council for Major Superior Women Religious; a good, traditional association) and the Institute on Religious Life for other orders who do work with orphaned children:

Community of the Epiphany

Daughters of Mary, Mother of Healing Love

Daughters of St. Mary of Providence

Hope this helps! 🙂
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I just wanted to quote these because I wasn’t sure if you saw them or not. 😉

Here’s another idea:

Sisters of Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Joseph

Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate
 
jrs88 said:
Oh yes, I saw them. Sorry, I had meant to post something saying thank you but I guess I forgot. lol. Thank you so much for doing all these searches!
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It’s not a problem, really. 🙂 In my own discernment, I looked at at least a couple hundred websites, so I knew there were orders that worked in group homes/orphanages. I’m still on the lookout for you. 😃
 
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