When can I start vocating?

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I’m not yet Catholic but I feel drawn to Religious Life, particular of the active type. I’m not even old enough to become a monk, friar, or brother. However, I want to stay contemplating what my vocation is. Do I have to be baptized to know? Should I wait to start this process?
 
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can you contact your local parish, speak to the priest, discuss joining RCIA and becoming Catholic and also mention to him, you feel drawn to religious life
 
Brilliant! Well, continue RCIA, because the Rite is important for you to be received into the church. Then you can speak to the priest about this after you’ve learned all the basics of the faith. Good luck, God bless you and keep us informed of your progress.
 
awesome. it will be a good journey. start your vocation discernment with learning the RCIA program

perhaps plan on being an altar boy. but do speak to your priest and tell him you think you may have a calling.
 
You can certainly start exploring and learning about your options. You can also develop your prayer life since that will benefit you no matter what your future may hold.

Perhaps you will find it encouraging when I tell you of someone I know who went through RCIA. From the very beginning she felt a pull to the religious life. She attended daily Mass even though she couldn’t receive communion. She learned to pray the Liturgy of the Hours since it’s what religious do. She read, she spoke with nuns. Today she is a cloistered nun and living the life she dreamed of in RCIA.
 
You can also volunteer with the Franciscans Friars giving out food to the homeless.
 
It is too soon for you to start a formal process but the perfect time to start the journey.

The most important things at this point to focus on a are: prayer, personal holiness and catechesis.

Prayer: Start spending time each day in prayer. Invite the Holy Spirit into your life and regularly pray God for God’s will to be done in you. I really recommend the books of St. Alphonsus Ligouri for these beginning steps. You should learn the formal prayers as well. Go to mass every Sunday and any other day you can.

Personal holiness: Work consistently on being the best person you can be. Avoid sins as much as you can: especially sexual sins and things that hurt others. One of the vows a brother or monk makes is obedience: practice it by doing things that need to be done when they need to be done, doing good and helpful things for others even when you don’t want to, etc.

Catechesis: RCIA is a necessary step as is reading scripture and Catholic books. You will learn a lot in RCIA but always try to learn more. Especially focus on learning about Jesus.
 
I went through RCIA beginning two years ago. I highly recommend you do additional reading to better help you understand the teachings. The readings will also give you information that you may want to ask questions of in the RCIA class. I also watched some RCIA videos on YouTube that were very good.
Put time aside each day to pray. Don’t forget to also listen to what God might be telling you. God Bless!
 
I think you should start discerning. Go visit some Communities/Monasteries, just to see how a monk/friar lives. If you can’t visit you can always write to them. Most Monasteries have a website and email. Since you aren’t a Catholic yet I’m assuming you don’t know that many things about religious life. Writing to a Community is a start. 😀
 
An important thing is to pray for the holy Spirit to guide you. Also, ask others to pray that you learn what your vocation is.
 
St. Therese said she would start at home to become a saint. She wasn’t going to wait until she got to Carmel.

Before I was received into the Church, I kept feeling like I needed a book in addition the Bible. Once within the gates of Mother Church, I learned of the breviary, better known as the Liturgy of the Hours. The LOTH is online now, so I would recommend learning to use it. All Christians need to be praying it, not just priests, nuns, and third orders/oblatures.

Wear the scapular and Miraculous Medal; pray the rosary and find the LOTH. Attend adoration. If you don’t have it there locally, go here: http://savior.org/

Start now to practice purity of heart. You’ll need detachment from material goods for the sake of poverty. And by all means, be obedient! Ask your parish about outreach programs, and get involved with them. If you’ve a St. Vincent Conference, that will immerse you in apostolic activity. Find some time for contemplative prayer. Contemplate and give to others the fruits of your contemplation.

Work on your relationship with God. Then HE will let you know where He wants you to be His hands and feet.

Blessings,
Mrs Cloisters OP
Lay Dominican
http://cloisters.tripod.com/
http://cloisters.tripod.com/charity/
http://cloisters.tripod.com/holyangels/id9.html/
 
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