Vocation Question - What would you do?

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Talitha712

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Hi all, thank you in advance for reading and replying! I’d like your opinion on something. I’m discerning a vocation to religious life. There are a few wonderful communities not far from me that I’m looking at. However, there is one on the other side of the country that keeps catching my eye. I absolutely love their charism and spirituality (at least, what I can see of it on a webpage!) and I’m thinking of contacting them. If they are receptive, they may very well be worth a plane trip to see in person.

However, all of their members (as far as I can tell) have the same ethnic background, one that I don’t share. Their congregation came to America to escape communism, and I imagine their heritage binds them closely together. Of course, that makes them all the more attractive to me, as they are “like gold tested in fire” as far as I’m concerned, and I have the utmost respect and admiration for them. On the other hand, perhaps they wouldn’t feel comfortable considering someone with a different history/culture/etc.

What do you think? I don’t know if it’s useful to know, but this is a community of Vietnamese religious and I’m of Irish descent.
 
Talitha712,
First, thank you for listening to God’s voice calling you to serve Him. Joyful living, Reserved living??
Can we pull off joyful, reserved living???
God is not a racist as He created us all. You can send a questionnaire to the Vietnamese. Send your picture, your bio. God will guide them and you to the right place. One seminarian friend of mine is joyful and in the Legionnaires of Christ. He’s in Italy, studying. Good exposures. That’s the other thing, as a novitiate, what Seminary do they offer. They are already priests and ministering in communion.??
They may not be into teaching.?? There are lots of questions you need to find out.
I feel you should try this journey, serving God. If you feel it’s not for you, you’ve tried. If you don’t try, and marry, you may wonder the rest of your life.
I didn’t try. My kids aren’t churched. They aren’t dead yet… Can you imagine bringing children you love into the world and they rebel against your teachings.,are they going to go to hell??
Father, Joyfully, a child of Yours is seeking serving You. Jeremiah 29/11. I have a plan for you…
Holy Spirit guide his steps. Jesus walk w him.
In Jesus Name
Amen
In Christ’s love
Tweedlealice
 
Haha I’m realizing now that this was a silly question to post. As you say, all I can do is ask them. Thanks for your reply!
 
Thank you for your advice and kindness, tweedlealice! I will ask them. Also, I’ll pray for you and your children, that they return to the faith. God bless!
 
No, your concerns/inquiries are valid, and should be voiced. Discernment to religious life involved the individual and the community. God will show the clear way, either it will work out, or God will guide you elsewhere. If you don’t try all the door handles, you won’t ever know which door is supposed to open!
 
Blessings
Thank you for your prayers for my adult children.
My husband is from Ireland. He was in seminaryfor 6 mos. He didn’t tell me till we were married 36 yrs. We’re married 50 yrs now. No pre-Cana classes. They didn’t exist. We kept our vows. I had to beat him up, but he’s happy. Chuckle. Are you American Irish or actual Irish.
Dei Lin God bless
In Christ’s love
Tweedlealice
 
Are you speaking of Domus Dei? Great order, but unless you live and speak Viet Namese, you may be a poor fit. True discernment is a long, drawn-out, even an agonizing process. Find a vocations director and strongly consider the suggestions that least appeal to you. That is a denial of self and a test of your fortitude.
 
No problem! It’s funny he didn’t mention it until after you were married 36 years, but that’s not the first time I’ve heard that kind of story. I knew of a woman who joined a convent for roughly a year. When she left and started dating again, she didn’t want to tell anyone for fear no one would want to marry her. Then one day, while going to a movie theater with her boyfriend, she accidently genuflected before sitting down and had to tell him. They ended up married and apparently it’s one of his favorite stories - how I found out my wife was going to be a nun!

I’m American Irish, though I’ve been told I have a birthright to Irish citizenship. I never checked it out with the embassy to find out for sure. Where in Ireland is your husband from?
 
Domus Dei? Maybe I’m mistaken, but aren’t they priests? I should probably clarify that I’m a woman - sorry for any confusion! The group I was referring to is a convent called the Congregation of the Missionary Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Mercy.

God has been good to me, I’m blessed to have a spiritual director as well as a friend in religious life to help me. That is interesting advice, to consider the suggestions that least appeal to me. I guess I’m partially doing that since I plan on visiting a cloistered community, but perhaps I should make myself more aware of which options least appeal to me.
 
Talitha712 said:
perhaps I should make myself more aware of which options least appeal to me.
Click to expand...
God places desires in our hearts, then uses them to guide us. He will show you the path.

Isaiah 30:21-23
You will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the way. Follow it, whether it turns to the right or to the left.”
 
Blessings,
He’s from Ballyhaunis in County Mayo. It’s across the bog lake from Knock. The last Sunday in July, the Irish take a pilgrimage and climb Crough Patrick. Or the Reek. It’s 2510 ft high. One starts the journey at 3AM. The top is reached by 6 AM and mass is celebrated. The climb down is stunning. Clouds surround us as we descend. The sun is rising off the Atlantic. Mountain goats and sheep are on the mountains. It’s Holy. Some, climb the Mountain, Barefoot or on their knees. A three hour climb must be double on knees. God bless them.
Yes, you can apply for Irish citizenship if one parent is from the old sod. Pure blooded.
Funny we did ancestry DNA. My husband is 88% Irish(?) He’s 12% Western and Eastern European. A tad Russian and Finnish and 0.5% English. I tease him on that. He said the Celts came from steppes and went across Nothern Europe bumping into some Finns. HAHA.
In Christ’s love
Tweedlealice
 
Talitha, if they are the first few hits I googled firstly they have a discernment form. Fill it out and check the out. I have found the Vietnamese to be a warm friendly loving caring people. The most amazing boss I have had is Vietnamese. He came out to Aus on a boat , alone at 10yo.

Don’t be put off by the limited nationalities.

You are in my prayers
 
The religious life, faith itself, is not an escape, but an embracing. Not a lessening, but an increase. Not the passing of a test, but entering into the test. My hat is off to those who embrace the religious life - but so great are the rewards that the rest of us can scarcely comprehend.

Prayers ascending.
 
I’ve only known a handful of Vietnamese in my life, but your description fits them perfectly. Thank you for your answer and your prayers!
 
I had a cosmetologist who was Vietnamese. They really are a very sweet bunch, considering what they’ve been through in recent decades.

That being said, just from the very limited information I have from a discerner who attempted religious life with a “foreign” community – expect the mother tongue to be spoken in the convent and their own cuisine. I have no way of knowing if this is what you need to expect, but do be sure to bring up the subject with them.
 
How lovely. This sounds to me like those mysterious ways of God’s that we hear of. I have also discerned a vocation and found a barrier or so it seemed as I am later in life and it looked as if it would go no further but I thought well let me ask the worst that can happen is I will look silly (in an e mail) and be politely turned down. But God had cleared the path and my questions weren’t silly at all and I have been speaking regularly with the formator and all seems well. My point is if God is calling you that way, He will may your way passable. All the advice the others above have given you is great and wise take it and go ahead and see where it all leads, trust in God. God bless.
 
CONTACT THEM AND THEN LET GOD BE GOD: IN CHARGE OF THE RESULTS:slightly_smiling_face:

pray VERY MUCH

THY Will, NOT my will be done. Amen

THANKS for answering the Call

With prayers and gratitude

Patrck
 
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