That would be sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


However, the rules are that you cannot travel around the host country by yourself. Unless, you have permission from the head office, your real parents, and your host parents. Hehehehehehe, so if I end up doing this exchange to the US. Please tell friends/family etc (Catholic ones) to contact their local AFS office!!!!!!!!! Especially if you/they happen to live near convents that I'm interested in LOL!!!!!!!!!!!

Just kidding!

Honestly though, I don't mind whether or not I do the exchange or not. I'm comfortable in knowing that if it is His WIll, it will happen. (and anyhoo, I'd love to go to Switzerland......as I speak French and a little German!)

How's everyone doing with their discernment?

he he...

I am doing quite well... I was thinking about remaining in school longer simply to do some things, but I know it would not give me the happiness of the Cloister

I dunno... I really want to visit Rockford again soon to see the Nuns, it has been quite a long time since I was able to go there, and I really want to go visit again so badly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You know, God will bless your time outside of the convent walls! I've had to wait, and I can already see how God is using me in the world!

He will take care of you!

Yeah I'm getting sick of college.

Are you at a Catholic College or no?

What amazes me is how Nuns can write so straight!

No, *sigh* I am not at a Catholic school. I might go to one next year. I really want to pursue maybe entering somewhere if it tugs at my heartstrings, but I have to wait until I have been Catholic long enough. So I don't know if I want to go to the Catholic school next year b/c of student loans. I have a full ride scholarship now.


EDIT: I've only been Catholic a year and a half.

Yeah... lots of people that converted say that that is the hardests part about it when called to Religious Life... I'm sure you'll get through it...

Yeah i think i'll be okay. I just feel so confused about what to do next year. But I guess I will worry about next year


NEXT YEAR.

If you're pretty sure that you are called, then don't give up the scholarship!

I don't regret going to Steubenville, but it's so hard to keep on the right path because my mom is constantly trying to get me to rethink my vocation because she wants me to accomplish everything she thinks I am capable and to be by her. She's so clingy right now, and it was making me doubt until I visited my Sisters this past weekend. My visit was amazing, and I know that I picked the right order

Man, that sounds kinda like what my mom wants from me...

Once I visit the Carmelites, I will know more of what I want.

They just seem so....fitting for me.

Hopefully they might be a good fit!

If it feels right, if it SINGS to me, then I KNOW what I will do.

Did I tell you I found my friend at the Carmelites of the Sacred Heart? Her name is Sr. Mary Michael now, and she's a novice. She's in the Norther Province, though, so I don't guess you'll meet her on retreat

Well, I was talking to my parish priest (never spoke about rel life before with him) and said I wanted to be a nun. He said he thought so, as God told him, lol. (he was sorta kidding) and he thinks its great....and he had thought so for weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks and weeks........

This is what I will be before in the Monastery... Exposition This picture is from the Nun's Cloister Chapel, but directly opposite of that is the Public Chapel where the same "keyhole" is visable


I am going to visit the Sisters the weekend of the 14th! I am quite excited about return to see them! It will be a much needed visit!

we'll be at our Orders at the same time, Angela. Remember to pray for me! I'll try and remember to pray for you on the 14th too

Wow! Everyone is going to be somewhere the weekend of the 14th!

I also found this this morning and I know that there are a few young ladies who kinda like this:

Please echo these words for me: it is no "sacrifice" for parents when God asks them for their children. Neither, for those he calls, is it a sacrifice to follow him.

It is, on the contrary, an immense honour, a motive for a great and holy pride, a mark of predilection, a very special affection that God has shown at a particular time, but which has been in his mind from all eternity.
– St. Josemaria Escriva, The Forge, #18

I wish I could be down in Alabama that weekend, but I just visited two weeks ago!

I'll be in St. Louis, but not with the Carmelites like Nicole and Zabbazooey

Okay, my visit to the Monastery is being pushed back a few weeks. One of the Sisters passed away early this morning and the funeral is Monday. Please pray for her! Their retreat also had to be pushed back and now if I would have came, they would not have been able to talk to me! I think I am going now in 3 weeks? I think it is the last weekend this month...

Prayers for the sisters!!

I just want to encourage all of you! Some of you are struggling with your parents being clingy, or if you should go here or go there....

Just take one day at a time, one moment at a time, asking God for guidance and grace....

God will let you know in the depths of your hearts what it is that He wants. He is in Love with you! He will gently nudge and ask and wait.

Arg... Now I have to deal with Trusts in my name, life insurance, along with an array fo other things that are just going to make things really tough! Why can't it all just go away...

I am thinking of writing the Vocations Director of my diocese to see if he could aid in my search for a confessor or spiritual guide... Is that a good idea, or should I ask my local priests?

Me and the vocation director in my diocese do not get along....at all

I would just call around maybe?

I wouldn't know who or where to call... I think I might write and ask for suggestions or something...

Well now... I talked to my mother about not needing life insurance because of entering the convent, and lo and behold, her angry eyes appear and give me a "dark" look saying, you never know.
Basically I cannot not keep it according to her. We talked about burial as well. She wants me to be buried with my family instead of at the monastery, which is where I will be buried once I enter and make vows there. Grrrr... (We got on the whole burial topic when we were discussing costs of a burial...)
She really does not want me to become a Nun...
Man, this depresses me so I am going to stop talking about it for a while.

Hmm I am just thinking from experience this can be a good or bad thing. Personally I got the run around....But that could have just been my isolated experience. Here are a couple of issues I ran into trying to find a SD.

1) I know that there is a priest shortage so many priest where too busy to be a SD
2) Some Priest weren't supportive of womens vocations...Meaning nuns etc.
3) would you like a layperson as a SD? It seems that many laypeople now a days are becoming SD. Personally from the advice of Rev. Mother, she adviced not having a layperson as a SD rather a priest. So if your seriously discerning a community it might be best to ask rather or not a layperson would be ok.
4) It may take a while....So I am learning. You may be able to find one whom would gladly want to met with you ASAP.

I pray that the Lord will guide you on your search for a SD.

Also I am sorry that this has been so rough for you....I know the cross seems so heavy right now. But He will give you strength in your trials. Its all about what He wants...I pray that His Holy will be done.


In Jesus, Our Blessed Mother and St. Teresa

Wanna know something funny? I never wanted to go to college...

Now it is my trap, go figure...

I wanted to enter religious life right out of high school, but I chickened out (there was no way my mom would be supportive of me going at 18). I was only going to go to college for a year while I tried to figure out my vocation, but the timing still didn't seem right after a year, so that turned into three years of undergrad, which is delaying my vocation (I'm pretty sure I have a benefactor, so it's not too bad any more!)

I got a letter from Mother Mary Regina today! (well, it came yesterday, but still, I got it today!) And they had some visitors! A mommy beagle and her little pup! The story of their short visit was quite wonderful and made me laugh! I love my Sisters.

Also, pray for Sister Mary Catherine of The Holy Spirit who passed away on the 7th. She is orginally from Tanzania.

I leave tomorrow to go visit the Poor Clares in Rockford!

I am so excited, but I have to get my essay done, do laundry, and work on any other homework I have! Today is going to be BUSY BUSY BUSY!

That's great! Have a wonderful visit!

have agreat time and rememebr they are discerning you as well!!!!!!!!!!

I think I may have the upper hand if the Novice Mistress has told me already that they have a cell ready and the Sisters are all excited about me!

Well, this will be my 4th visit, but my second overnight stay at the Monastery. I am in the middle of packing now and I am hoping to finish my essay soon and take a shower tonight!

I hope you have a prayerful, blessed time and let us know how it went!

I am back! And let me tell you, it was absolutely WONDERFUL!

I might as well just copy and paste what I wrote in my xanga about it or you could just check out my xanga and save a little space on the web

http://www.xanga.com/StarvnArteest

That was a beautiful entry...I'm glad it was a good experience

I haven't been away from the Monastery even a day and I feel like I have been gone much too long already!

I totally know how you feel! I miss the Summit Dominicans soooo much..... I miss hearning the bells for Office, talking with the Sisters in the parlor, I even miss cleaning the extern chapel! I keep a postcard of the Monastery by my bedside so I can look at it when I fall asleep. That could account for all the nun dreams....LOL!

*sigh*

I miss monastic life.. I need a retreat.

Glad you had a great visit, Angela!



Has anyone taken any more steps toward their decision.

Me too! I think I need to go back...

*SIGH*

I miss my Sisters!

does anyone know of any good books on different kinds of Nun's? how many different kinds of nun's are there?

Different kinds? Hundreds, maybe even Thousands! Well, maybenot quite into the Thousands, but there are several different orders and the likes... There aren't too many modern books with all the communities listed, but the Guide to Religious Life (Or whatever that little blue book is called...) lists many orders along with contact info. It has a whole section of different Women's communties... Many are the same order (Like Poor Clares, Carmelites [not Discalced], etc.) It's some confusing stuff sometimes...

okay cuz some of the names of the nun's that y'all talk about, I've never heard of, my brother was just telling me about "fransiscan nuns, missionary nun's, charity nun's (are they the same thing?), and the nun's that stay in the convent all the time to pray, (I don't know what they are called), but anyways I was just wanting to know because yes, I am thinking about becoming a nun. I feel God is calling me. but you see I'm taking these RCIA classes and it's really put a big impact on me and how I view the Catholic Church and how I view the world now, the world needs help, and I want to help as much as I can, and I feel as being a nun, would be a wonderful thing, because I feel most at peace when I think of God's Graces everyday, you know?

Yes, if you're new to the Church it's totally understandable to have never heard of some of them before. (I would venture to say there are many Catholics today unfamiliar with men's and women's religious orders!) Google some of the names you've heard of- to become more familiar!



Religious orders (groups of male and female communities) vary by charism. In the broad sense it means the "gift" of christian life in general received at baptism. In the strict sense it means a particular, specific "gift" received by individuals or groups for the service and building up of the christian community. It is in this latter sense that we speak of the charism of religious families, each of which has received from the Spirit through its founder a particular charism to realise a specific mission in the Church. A charism is a living gift, a breath of the creator Spirit at the service of a dynamic history that is never simple repetition of the past. This life power, this spiritual energy should constantly be incarnated in and adapted to the times and places, to the socio-cultural contexts and the needs of people everywhere. (Shoot, I don't write that well. I took that quote from here.)

Likewise, there are similarities between all these communities, namely their vows. The three evangelical councils are: POVERTY, CHASTITY, AND OBEDIENCE.



Pre-Vatican II terms: nuns= cloistered- meaning they stay enclosed and pray (and usually do some other work that supports them financially); sisters= those who have apostolic ministries (meaning they are missionaries in a sense). Nowadays, most people use the words interchangibly, so ask for clarification where you're confused.



I think the general response to that comment in this thread would be

WAHOOOOOO



Many prayers for you in your journey....

okay, well I actually grew up Catholic, but you know I had my confirmation and everything but I do not have a very good memory, I'll tell you that, and so everything I learn in RCIA seems new to me, I know some of the things, but everything seems new, but it also seems to make a whole lot of sence to me and it's like slaping me saying.. "look what you got here, look what you can do, look how you can make an impact on the world".. and you know, I just feel I want to do something, but I want to make sure I'm making the right decision, but anyway thanks for the answer!