We are in the process of putting up a vocations FAQ on our web site based on actual questions we've received during the past couple of years. It would be a great help if Phatmassers would let us know what questions they would like answers to in such a section. Obviously, we're mainly concerned with the cloistered form of Benedictine life for women, but we are trying to deal with some more general questions. If you've time to contribute, either here or in a PM, that would be wonderful. Thank you in advance!

Thank you for asking for your input! I have some I'll list below, though I am sure to have more but these are the most important ones I have to get by first before further discerning with an order. If the order says no to them, I can't discern any further!

As I am an older or belated vocation (48), it's always helpful for an order to state if they take or consider these situations:

- older women (have no age limit or each women is considered on a case-by-case basis)

- do you accept women who were married but are divorced with annulments

- do you take women with grown and independent children

- give a schedule of your day - a lot of orders with sites don't give this

- take vocations from other countries


These are the biggest for me and it would help you all in the amount of emails or letters you'd get and have to answer if the older women with grown and independent kids knew ahead of time that you do not accept one or the other! It would save time on both sides.

I guess for me it would be:

-What is your formation process like (i.e. aspirant, postulant and novitiate stages)

-Habited or non-habited

-General description of prayer life

-Devotion to the Eucharist

-Suggested steps for discerners

-What's, roughly, the age of the sisters
-Do elderly sisters stay in the community
-Do you have any requirements regarding college or work experience (some communities don't take girls straight out of high school)
-Visiting rules for friends and relatives
-Any community traditions, special devotions, etc., can be very nice - both as a "glimpse into the life", and because I know several women who are absolutely sure they're called to a community which practices this-or-that.

Thank you, all these are very helpful, also those sent by PM. I think we have covered most of the topics raised although on some the answer will be "we don't have a policy, we consider each person as an individual" which isn't an attempt to evade but an honest statement of how we approach things. You can't reduce a vocation from God to a tick-list, can you? Any other thoughts gratefully received!

I would put that in there as well
(I know a sister, a perpetually professed Carmelite DCJ, who during her discernment ran away screaming from another community because they did pay a bit too much attention to the tick list, in her opinion.)

Dear Sister,
I really liked what you said. Your community sounds really nice. I guess people visiting your website will be able to see if you wear a habit or not. I really like the websites that show the individual nuns and their stories. Maybe you can list what some of the women did before joining your Monastery and what kind of work they do now in the Monastery? Also, I think it would be really interesting and informative to explain how the discernment and application process works? Just my simple ideas but considering that I have been doing nothing but reading websites and trying to figure out where I belong, I am hoping it is worth something.
God bless you, and thank you for not having a tick list. My priest just got done giving me a big important lecture on letting go of those, so I feel like God spoke to me through you today.
Katherine

Thank you to all who helped with this. We've just posted the first instalment of our FAQ here Benedictine nuns' FAQ and are hard at work on the second. If you feel that anything is not clear, please would you let me know. It is sometimes difficult to express a big truth in a little space.

My favorite is the response to the question, "Do you keep your own names or are you given one"
I was just imagining the newsletter. Sr. Peachblossom was invested...or The community elected Dame Railroad abbess.
I think it s a fabulous page, full of good sense, advice, and humor.
Peace
Amanda

Sr., that's so cool! Thanks!

I think some questions that would be frequently asked are:
What makes your community different from others?
Do family/friends get to visit the monastery? How often?
What is your daily schedule?

Thank you SaintTherese — and others — for your helpful comments. I think the questions about how we're different from other communities and the daily schedule are covered in other parts of the web site (e.g. the Vocation and Work and Life sections) so maybe it wouldn't be very useful to repeat that here? We've indicated in the FAQ that family and friends come to the monastery, but it's difficult to say how often. For example, one of the community comes from the West Indies, another is only about 150 miles from where she was born (and yes, you've guessed, it's the family of the former that visits more often).

A question that I have that I never see answerd is: What happens when you contact the convent vocation director? I know that a fear of the unknown inhibits many young girls, so perhaps is a vague outline was explained it might be better.

Also, it is great to read the vocation, or just life, stories of postulants and novices already entered. It helps to reasure that everyone experiences the same fears and misgivings.

Super job on the FAQ! I wish more communities would have one so thorough .

I'm curious as to who codes up your website, Dame

That's one of my jobs.

Colour me impressed!