Brendan, I may be wrong but I believe that, theologically, the contemplative life is the highest vocation because of the end--union with God. Vatican II reaffirmed the hierarchy of vocation in the Church while at the same time affirming that no matter what vocation one is called to the important thing is that it brings us to Christian Perfection--charity.

Bishops and Religious are in what is called the State of Perfection. Not that they (we) are perfect, but that through our consecration we obliged by our vocation to seek perfection. The priesthood is not a state of perfection, however. (St Thomas explains why this is so very well!) I will only confuse it if I try.

When I said that motherhood is the highest vocation I didn't mean it in a theological sense but in a sense of affirmation and high regard for parents who I didn't appreciate until I was much older!

Today, unfortunately, we can confuse the objective truth with subjectivity and I think too often we do this with vocations in order to make people feel better. However, we do have a gut instinct that religious life is a higher calling because of a desire for MORE, a longing to somehow more perfectly express our love and desire for God and also by our unworthiness to respond to His invitation to follow Him in this radical way.

If God is not calling you to be a religious you are not less than. He is calling you to be holy in another way of life. Some of us are called to a more austere living of religious life and others to something less so. What must be remembered is that God is calling me to THIS particular way of life and not THAT way of life because He knows what is best for me and where I can best live the call to holiness.

AMEN!

Sr. Mary Catharine--

ACTUALLY the Missionaries split up the night of the vigil...a few went to the Mass and the rest went to the IVE's to see one of the Missionaries who is now a postulant with the Servants of the Lord. So I ended up not going to the vigil Mass! But I did run into a friend of yours!!

Maybe I should clarify.

The priesthood is at the top of the vocation ladder, closest to God - confecting the Eucharist and other sacraments, etc.

Certainly the contemplative life is the highest for women.

But the best vocation for us individually, is that to which we are called by God to embrace. Certainly there is nothing less admirable than being a parent.

That's a typo, right?

I don't know anymore.

I'm so praying for you! I stop by the Monastery of Our Lady of the Rosary every day on my way home from work and I am a huge Summit Dominicans fan!

Sigh. You haven't rung at the door yet to introduce yourself in person!
Do you come on the adoration nights? :-)

Good. Not knowing the answers is a sign of wisdom. All I do ( as a housewife) is look to The Blessed Virgin.

Now back to The Imelda Watch and her Dominican News Hour

Two days until my entrance.....and I got sick.

Tonight my family is throwing me a 'going away party' and tomorrow my friends are doing the same. And I'm coughing up my lungs and I'm pretty sure I have a fever. Not cool.
I think this is the CFR's fault. Last night I was at the Newark Monastery for a prescreening of the EWTN show "Eucharist" that some of my friends are in...and Fr. Mariusz spoke of how Satan really tries to make everything go wrong that can. For example, he said, the friars were all sick, getting the flu and colds, etc. etc. Well maybe Satan was listening in and decided "That's what I should do to Lauren to keep her from entering!" I of course don't honestly believe that is how I got sick.

WELL. I still have to Clean my room, Pack up my room, Get boots and a dictionary, finishing packing for the monastery, mail things that I'm giving away, write down addresses, give out my new address, etc. At least now (with being sick) I have more to 'offer up'!

Pray for my health please! (I have asthma...so for the few times that I get an upper respiratory infection it often progresses to bronchitis which my body is REALLY bad at fighting off).

And Pray for my family! Some of my family members are having such a bad time with this that I can't be in the same room with them because they are so upset.

2 days, 2 days.

You are certainly in my prayers. I hope you get better soon :-)

You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.I hope that you make a speedy recovery.

Stress, even good, happy stress, like your upcoming entrance, can lower your resistance to stuff like colds and upper respiratory infections. Just try and get some rest. It'll be OK...God bless!

Praying for your recovery, Lauren, so that you can walk into your monastery aglow with both joy and good health.

Sr Catherine, I wonder if you could (if you have time, which I know is doubtful) walk us through what will be happening for Lauren - what she will find on the other side of the door, so to speak? Did she have to make her postulant outfit or do you have those in stock? Is there any sort of small ceremony upon entrance? At what point will an entrant be assigned tasks, etc?

Do you have a reader for meals or do you talk?

And - I know this is kind of a strange question, but I've always wondered, do the sisters have their own lavatories?

To me, that would be a very big adjustment!

I've always wondered what it would be like - to be, say two days into the monastery, and say to yourself, "this is where I will be, forever." I imagine you end up saying it to yourself, at various times of your cloistered, and in various moods, for a long, long time - decades, even.

Well, you must. I know that as a married woman, I've said "this is where I'll be, forever," sometimes with joy, and sometimes kind of muttering it, and sometimes sighing, "what?"

I don't have time right now to reply to all your questions but I won't forget and will do it in the near future.
I'm not sure the "this is where I'll be forever" happens in 2 days. Don't forget, unlike marriage, the first 5-6 years are formation during which you are free to leave or to be sent away.
I think my "this is where I'll be forever" really became a reality the day I moved from the novitiate to the professed dormitory during my 2nd year of first vows. That was the biggie for me. I knew this was IT way before that but this was the moment it became clear.

On the other hand, I don't know if this is where I'll be forever! (I hope not forever, actually! Our goal is HEAVEN!) but also maybe I'll be part of a new foundation? Who knows what my Husband has up His sleeve! :-)

And yes, some days it does feel like "the first 30 years are the hardest!"

Prayers coming & about the family part I do understand(more than you know). Enjoy your going away parties and hope you have a safe trip to the Monastery. Please think of me at prayers on February 15th.(as that is my entrance day) God bless you and keep you.

In His Peace, Jaimie

Jaimie--

you are in my prayers!

What order are you entering?

Thank you for the prayers.

The Sisters of the Third Order of St. Francis in East Peoria, Illinois

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Wow, thats great news about your debts being sorted and that your are actually entering

tomorrow, all the prayers must have made the difference, Congratulations is really is so great

and i hope you are vey happy in your new home and life. I am just 'back' after my retreat and

Clothing so have only just got back on line. Many prayers for you and the community.
Adele ( now Sr Marie-Therese.)

Congratulations, Sr. Marie-Therese, on your clothing!!

Last night was nice. My parents threw me a going away party for family and close friends. The last person left at around 2:30am...so it was certainly tiring!

Today my friends are throwing me a party at my old college. I sort of wished this had all been planned out better so that my last day in the world could be one of peace and prayer rather than running around and such.

This is my last day in the world....and I still have quite a bit to do.

Please pray for me!

Congratulations! You will be in our prayers! Hang in there and just try to enjoy your last day!

Good-bye, Phatmass!

I enter tomorrow

Goodbye! Pray for us!

That's wonderful!! God bless you!!!

Goodbye.

God be with you & safe travels to the monestary.

Jaimie

Will be praying for you! Please pray for all of us!