Hello!! My name is Marjorie Bax and im 18 years old. Graduation is coming soon, but what fills me with even greater anticipation and excitement is my entrance day!!

Count Down: 23 Days!!!

I began to speak with Sr. Mary Imelda of the Holy Eucharist in December of 2004 after receiving an email. My initial reaction was of shock and confusion, really unaware of what the cloistered life was truly about. I recall informing Sr. Mary Imelda how I would keep her and the order in my prayers, but still unsure of what to think about it. Instead, I placed my trust in God and His will, and realizing if I am truly going to surrender to God I must be open to any and all possibilities.

A while ago one of my sisters requested that I join a phorum she created called Vocation4u. She continued to insist and plead that I joined, to be honest I wasn't really interested but did so to please her. I have been discerning my vocation for a while and she knew this. I never thought that this simple action of signing up for a forum would have led me to this order though.

It turns out that although I never went on the phorum, it came to great use afterall, for that was how the Dominican order located me in the first place. What a blessing from God that was. I knew little to nothing about the order or the cloistered life, but desired to grow in knowledge of the order and to be open to the possibilty. When asking my parents if I could make a visit to see what there life was like, right away I was denied this opportunity. Not because my parents didn't wish for me to have this experiance, but because they found it to be too expensive to make a visit of that distance.

I then began to pray to God that His will be done and once again placed my trust in our Lord, that all would work out. Soon enough, within a few days a wonderful opportunity came about. Sr. Mary Imelda had to leave enclosure (which is quite rare) for community business, after no one having left in many years. She just happened to be at the airport near me, on a week day in which there was no school, and had a 5 hour delay.

It was truly amazing as I was able to talk with Sr. Mary Imelda for about 2 and 1/2 hours at the airport. I was filled with such an immense joy I could not refrain from smiling. It has been so wonderful how everything has worked out. At first it seemed as though nothing would come of the first email I received, but as I placed my trust in God everything fell into place. After reading about the order and talking with Sr. Mary Imelda, I began to feel a calling to this order. I have been feeling so much peace and joy and continue to pray about Gods will and my vocation often.


Solemn Profession Day: Sr. Mary Imelda of the Holy Eucharist, O.P.

awwww CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!

That is such a wonderful and beautiful story. I am so happy for you. Congratulations!

Thank you SO much!!


Count down: 22 Days!!!

The excitement is escalating!! I feel no doubt and instead am filled with an inner peace, its such an amazing feeling!! As I try to imagine the day I will enter and the rest of my life as a Dominican I cannot help but smile. My soul is filled with such tremendous bliss!

I still feel shocked that I finally know where God is calling me specifically. I have been praying about my vocation since the summer before my sophomore year of highschool, and quite often I would ask God to tell me then, in my timing. Then I came to notice how selfish I was acting, and began to pray simply that Gods will be done, not mine. And that my will might be Gods will, that I may come to know Gods plan for me not in my time, but in Gods time.

God truly does know us more than we know ourselves, so by placing my trust in God I can feel assured that all will be fine. I simply desire to do Gods will alone!

I think I might remember you from onerock.com!!

This is so wonderful. I wish you all the best and you will be in my prayers. Look how happy those nuns look!!! And soon, you'll be one of them!

Question: why is the nun and the man behind wearing a breathing tube?

oh goodness! were you Mary Bax on onerock?

Count down: 21 Days!!!


I recall as I first began to read about the Dominicans this great sensation of peace that filled my soul. How I was captivated by their love for the world, their neighbors. Often though people have come to the conclusion that those who are cloistered do not care or love their neighbors, that they are simply hiding themselves away from the world.

This isn't true, instead, they are dying to themselves. They reach out to ALL souls through the power of prayer. What a way to show ones love for others by using prayer, communicating with God, inviting God into all of our lives.

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends."
- John 15.12-13

I desire greatly touch others lives, and through prayer I do not have to miss a soul. I want to do Gods will alone, and I strongly believe God is calling me to the Dominicans, so I will follow with joy! God is so good!! Wow!!

I just wanted to say how awesome it is that you're entering the Lockport Dominicans! When I first got Sr. Mary Imelda's email, I wanted to help the community, but I knew that my vocation was not to the contelplative life. I did IM her a few times though, and she rocks! Marjorie, I have no doubt that you're going to a great place and that God had treasures in store for you!

When I am ordained a priest, several years from now, people that I know that have entered a religious order, I would like to visit them after my ordination like the first week afterwards, after celebrating mass for my home parish, as priests are given two weeks before they are assigned a parish, (if diocesean) I know there are a few I keep in mind that I would like to celebrate mass for!

Just thought I'd share!

Oops... My sister Mary was still signed into phatmass and when I wrote a comment, it was under her name.

Anyway... I am really excited for my friends who are in the seminary and I think it would be awesome if they would be able to visit and lead mass when they become priests.

Count down: 20 Days!!!

I am sort of speechless as to what to say. I have many mixed emotions right now but my desire to be a Dominican Nun does not cease. I feel God calling me and I wish to follow.

I guess I never really realized how much my family and friends would miss me. But as my entrance day draws near everything is becoming clearer. I love my friends and family so much but I do not want to live a life of complacency. I do not wish to simply be satisfied with my relationship with God, but to instead always become closer in our relationship.

I know that if I were not to answere Gods call, I would be deeply upset, for there would be an emptyness deep within my soul. Yes, I could do many things but in knowing I wasn't doing God's will, I would personally be in great dismay.

God is so good!! Thank you Lord for a new day, for blessing me with life!!!

Wonderful wonderful news! Let me tell you what an inspiration that you are to me! It was wonderful also to see pictures of Mother Mary Valerie and Sister Mary Imelda! I really do miss them and I have been terriably awful about writing them, and just about anyone else I write to!
This is so exciting! What is the date set for? I will be sure to offer up many prayers for you that day! I would try to figure it out from the countdown, but people countdown differently...
I am so excited for you and the Dominicans as well!!!! You make me want to drop out of college and go enter the monaster now! But I think I will stick out one more year of college...
God bless you! Thank the Lord you have opened your heart and listened to the Will of Our Lord, calling you to be his most beautiful bride! I feel like crying This is wonderful!!!!!!!!!!! We will remember you in our prayers always!

oh My marjorie i am so excoted for you!! I get jitters just thinking abut it. i am so excited!!! yay! and when I come you will almost be a postulant. tee hee God is so awesome. ttyl
Karin

This is so exciting for you, Marjorie. I hope everything continues to go smoothly. I am definitely going to have to have a countdown thread before I enter! lol God bless you

hey marjorie. just counting down with you. lalalla I am so excitd. You will be such a wonderful holy nun too. lol ttyl hun.
Karin

how did your concert go tonight?

Count down: 19 days!!!

People continue to ask me as they find out im leaving... Why did you choose this life, why this order?!?! They look at me with a great state of confusion, mouths dropped and quite curious. Wont you be lonely? Doesn't it upset you that you will never marry or have children? And the never ending list of questions continues...

As I listen to there questions and try to put into words how I feel, I am reminded even moreso how happy I am that I will be entering the convent. I do not feel lonely, or regret knowing I will never get married or have children. In fact, I think I would be feeling lonely if I were to not answere God's call.

At a little gathering after school today my class mates continued to ask me questions and were "stunned" as they put it, yet amazed and happy for me. Although they may not understand my reasoning they could sense my joy. My class mates were telling me how happy I appeared and how that filled them with joy. God is SO good!!

I even was asked questions about shopping, tee hee... I simply said, shopping is fun, yes... But I do not need it, that this is worth it and will bring true joy. As I think about it more deeply nothing can compare to Gods unconditional love and His will for us all. I trust in our Lord and am filled with a pure peace, love and joy. I am extremely estatic and am becoming even more giddier by the hour... Tee hee...

And as I draw closer to God the worldly, materialistic things loose all interest in my site. I seem to no longer be attracted to these things but instead even more so to God and our Mother Mary, to holy men and woman of God.

Thank you Lord God for blessing me with my faith family. Thank you!!

oh my your posts are so inspiring marjorie. i am so happy for you. I will miss you so much. it makes me so happy sometimes i want to cry tears of joy for you when i think of your happiness in Christ.
Luvs in Christ
Karin

Hey Margery,

Congrats on entering in a few days! It was cool to see you in person. Sorry I didn't introduce myself better!

Count down: 18 days!!!

Hello!! I am so happy!! I had another doctors appointment today and my doctor is so nice and cool!! He was very interested in me entering the convent and was SO supportive!! Then... after my appointment as I sat upon the examination table, he asked me if I would like to pray with him. Wow!! I was so happy!! So we bowed our heads and joined in prayer and he said the most beautiful prayer, speaking from his soul!!

I was filled with such an immense joy today as we prayed together at the doctors office I had to hold back tears. I was completely shocked, never expecting a doctor to want to pray with me, how touching!!

That's awesome. It's really encouraging when something like that happens.

Did you have a psychological exam yet, or is that after you enter the postulancy?

Count down: 17 days!!!

Tonight on channel 4 news I watched a special on the cloistered life. It was very beautiful and exciting to watch. They spoke with some Poor Clare Nuns and I think the way in which the news reporters portrayed tonights interviews was wonderful. It really showed the peace and love that the sisters experiance and the pure bliss.

It was really exciting to watch this on the news tonight, I kept thinking how excited I am to enter the Dominican Nuns of the Heart of Jesus!!! I feel Gods love pouring down on me and I am thrilled to study and learn more and to spend a life in prayer!! Oh wow, im so excited!!

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"...For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" - Romans 3.22-23

"But to one who without works trusts him who justifies the ungodly, such faith is reckoned as righteousness." - Romans 4.5

"...in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist." - Romans 4.17

I want to always have this attitude in life and towards God...

"No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised." - Romans 4.20-21

"And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us..." - Romans 5.3-5

"But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us." - Romans 5.8

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Tee hee... Those were some bible quotes that stood out to me tonight...some of them, ha ha... Anyhoo, take care all...

Gosh... im SO EXCITED about entering!! I keep saying this but its like the joy is bursting from my soul, I cannot contain this pure bliss!! Praise God!! Thank you LORD!!

its getting closer... day by day... this is making me get excited too!

Count down: 16 days!!!

Hello!! It's getting late so I do not have much time to write and reflect a lot. I am filled with so much joy right now though, it continues to grow and grow!! I went to adoration tonight and it was so lovely being in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ!! Whoa!! My heart always pounds so hard and fast in adoration, im in amazement and awe!!

Through out the entire day I have been thinking about happy and exicted I am to enter the convent. Then my friend called me to talk more about it and that was lovely. He is a great guy, use to be in the seminary for many years and has helped me a great deal in discerning my vocation.

La la la... God is SO good!! Thank you Lord for today! I praise you God!

Hi We are really close by, I watched the same thing on the Poor Claires! Is there anything you need before you leave? I'd love to help a local PMer

Hey, I would like to seek your permission Chorus Girl to make a blog, that would be for "reflections by future religious" I'd use your reflections to start it off.

Is that forseeable?

Oops... I missed Count down: 15 days!!! Sorry...

Count down: 14 days!!!

These past few days as I attempt to fall asleep at night I fall asleep thinking about entering the convent. Often I find it difficult to sleep and to cease from praying to God, and as I imagine the day I will enter I am just so... happy!! My family is not taking my leaving too well, yet despite there numerous emotions God is pouring out His love on my soul. It's truly amazing for I know im not alone, I have God and thats all I need. Even if I lost all my friends, family and so on... so long as I have God I am made whole.

I am going to drive to the post office today with my father, so we can drop off a few last papers and things for Sr. Mary Imelda of the Holy Eucharist and Mother at the convent. Wahoo!! I am easily excited by the little things, like going to the post office, the mute button on the mote control, this cute little baby bird that I saw hopping around yesterday... Tee hee... God is so good and I can see Christ in others, as people radiate Gods unconditional love, and in nature, in the simplicity of life.

Tee Hee, I think we are. I'm in Chesterfield Prayers are on their way! Will you be able to post once you're there? Maybe you could send one of us letters and we could post updates for you

I am so glad that you are so filled with Joy! This is sorta like the engagement period before a wedding!