Would any of you like to spend next weekend at the Dominican Monastery of St. Jude, in Marbury, Alabama? I'm driving down from Ohio with some other girls on Thursday, June 8, returning Sunday, June 11th, and have some extra seats in my car. Info: see Basic schedule from last time.

If you live on the way from Ohio to Alabama (think I-65) or within an easy distance, it might be possible to pick you up. If you live somewhere else but would like to join us on your own, that might be possible as well. If you're interested, send me an e-mail and we'll see what we can work out. This is a crazy invite, I know, but perhaps God wants to work through it.

Praised be Jesus Christ, now and forever!

I will certainly pray for your venture. And especially that maybe someone will be inspired and open to go with you! God Bless and have a wonderful visit..

Thanks for your prayers! I know we'll have an awesome weekend, and I know too that the Lord's work ultimately isn't successful because of numbers. It's just hard for me to realize that MOST PEOPLE don't JUMP at an opportunity like this. I advertised in my young adult group, and in my old homeschool group, and the school where I teach--and only three girls responded. Now, one of them thinks she has a vocation to the Monastery (based on her visit with me last February) so I know God is definately working through this. I only hope the other two girls who come with us (plus my sister who has her eye on marriage) also have a spiritually fruitful weekend and become closer to Our Lord no matter what their vocations.

Again, thanks for your prayers. God bless.

Have a blessed weekend! While that sounds like a wonderful opportunity, I am occupied elsewhere. I will keep you in prayer.

A vocation to the cloistered life is very rare indeed. And a vocation to a community that has not had vocations in many years is not an easy thing to consider. I am NOT putting down this monastery, I love Domincans. I grew up near the Monasery of the Perpetual Rosary in Camden, NJ, so am very, very familiar with this Order. In fact, i had the priviledge of working inside the monastery several times as a nurse.
So don't be surprised that people don't jump at the opportunity to investigate a cloister(any cloister). It is a path rarely chosen today, though several from this board are searching out that life style.
Please share with us on your return!

With all due respect, alicemary, I have to say that things are looking up for cloisters and their vocations. The deeper the world gets into sin, the more contemplatives God calls to appease His Wrath.

The Toledo Visitation has five postulants and three temp professed. This is phenomenal. When we first started the SOLC, the Louisville Carmel had had 20 years of "many come and gone." When we started praying for them in earnest, they had so many inquiries that the nuns deemed it a miracle.

I've given our Cloisterite aspirants charism prayer assignments, and those particular charisms are receiving many inquiries now. The St. Louis Pink Sisters just received a postulant, and have a novice and temp professed. The St. Louis Carmel also has a large novitiate.

Marbury's a great little monastery. Situated in the heart of Alabama, the racially integrated monastery is dedicated to St. Jude--for obvious reasons. We lived in Alabama for two years, and the prejudice against blacks there is still thick.

If someone would go to our message board and post this information about the vocation retreat, there might be more responses! http://cloisters.tripod.com/

Please believe me when I say the cloisters are starting to get vocations. They truly are, and the vocations have staying power. The Whitesville Passionists asked our assistance, and I recommended that they pray to St. Joseph, their house patron. They are now approaching a full novitiate.

Blessings,
Gemma

Yes, praise God for a renewal of vocations to the religious life, active or contemplative! In any case there are now six girls coming with me, so that makes me happy. Keep us in your prayers.

Oh I wish I could go! Sr. Mary Faustina SsEW told me about their community, and I need to at least write!

I wish you could come too--but do write! The nuns are very awesome!

As it is I now have three girls--they're dropping like flies. One just called and said she was sick. This happened last time too--one of the girls was throwing up the morning when we were supposed to leave. Of course she couldn't come.

Anyway, I'm sure Our Lady is watching out for our trip anyway. Maybe there's a reason only these few are supposed to go. Personally, I'm looking forward to this weekend, but wish it was not just a visit but my Aspirancy! The next time I drive down it will be--only 38 days now.

Ok, we're off early tomorrow--please keep us in your prayers!

Also, we're down to one girl other than my sister and I. The good news is that I called her this evening to tell her she was the only one left, and her only fear was that the trip might be cancelled! No, it's still on, and she's still in. I called Sr. Mary of the Precious Blood, who said, "Oh good, then we'll have the three of you to ourselves!" How very sweet--and awesome. So I can't wait to get down there, despite a hectic and stressful afternoon here today.

Ah well. Blessed be God!

Pray for us. I'll keep you all in my prayers.

God go with you on your journey. It matters little that there are only a few of you, I know the sisters are just thrilled to have you all. The Lord truly works in very mysterious way. Please say a prayer for us while there!

I have to agree very strongly with Gemma. What is wrong with you people??? Are you only interested if a Monastery is thick with vocations and teaming with people? The Tyringham, MA (I have a special affinity for them) also has two postulants and three novices. However, for every five woman who try a vocation as a contemplative, only one MIGHT persevere.