Chastisement Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 (edited) I know quite a few Catholics in real life, and interestingly enough, several of my cousins and my own brother have all thought about becoming Priests, but not many females thougth about being a Nun. However, I've thought about being a Nun, I'm still thinking about it, actually. Before I started classes that would lead me to my first communion, this was back when I was six, we had to get up in front of our church and tell them about us. I said, that "when I grow up I'm going to be a Nun". Of course everyone laughed. But I have really given it serious thought. Problem is, I really want kids, and I have been given "visions" I guess you could call them of my future children, so asking the Lord if that's what my life will bring, I couldn't be sure, so I asked for scriptural confirmation, and I got that passage about God promising Abraham descendants as numerous as the stars. Anyway, I did say to God that if I'm still single by the time I'm 30 I'll give him my life. So, has anyone else thought of joining the vocation? Edited August 25, 2003 by Chastisement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benedict_x Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Well I think I have a strong calling to be a priest.... but I'm ot sure yet. Gotta take time to discern this calling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freaky Chik Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Well, I'm not a catholic so obviously I haven't been called to be a nun. I am interested though, to know what that means, to become a nun. Because all I really do know is from Sister Act, or what have you. Please enlighten me. I have been called though, to be a pastor. I'm guessing this would cause alot of controversy among you all, as I'm a girl... and isn't your church against that? I'm not sure. Fill me in also. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chastisement Posted August 25, 2003 Author Share Posted August 25, 2003 (edited) Well, being a nun is a lot different to being a Priest or being a minister in a Prodestant church. Like Priests, nuns won't marry and will not have children, they have to remain chaste. A different thing between them, though, is Nuns don't conscecrate over masses or hear confessions or any of the Priest things, rather, they're usually more community based, whereby they use skills, traditionally teaching and nursing but today it's a lot broader to help people. A huge difference, is that Nuns have to take a vow of poverty whereas there are some orders of Priests that don't have to. Think of a nun as being married to Jesus. They serve him loyally, and remain chaste because engaging in sexual activities would be seen as a form of adulterly. It's an over simplified view. As for "women ministers" and the church being "against that sort of thing", it's a theological impossibility for a woman to be a Priest. A Priest is someone who is following in the footsteps of Jesus and our first Pope Peter. They don't marry, that way they can give their entire life to God and devote their time to the community. They conscrecrate communion and carry out other tasks like hearing confessinons. Also, they're a man. Jesus was a man. Jesus said "Do this in memory of me", therefore, we, as Catholics have to have male Priests, as if we have someone consecrating the communion, it has to be male, because Jesus was male. I have no real problem with "women ministers", as long as their not Priests, however, my view of "women ministers" is very semantical, as in it's "women who minister" and any one can minister without having to be a Preist. But those called into the vocations face a harder road then most called into "ministery". With Catholic vocation you're asked to give up so much more then you woudl if you were just in "ministry". A family, a wife or husband, a decent income, physical love. Giving up those things is a big ask in a society like ours. Anyway that's an over simplified explanation and someone else is probably better at explaining it then me. As for Sister Act, I actually boycot Whoopi Goldberg. Edited August 25, 2003 by Chastisement Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Actually freaky God could be calling you quite well to be a sister or a nun. The fact that you are not yet Catholic doesn't really matter to Him. Sisters are groups of women who live in community and serve the community in various ways, hospitals, schools, teaching, social work. They take vows to their order. Nuns are groups of women who usually live in a monastery or abby, who pray the Office, and run variuos businesses. Most of them are enclosed, that is stay on the grounds of their monastery/abbey for life. THey are considered powerhouses of prayer. THey also tale vows to their community. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
immaculata Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 I've been thinking about consecrated life.. you have no idea how many priests have just come up to me out of the blue and said, "You'd make a very good nun!" without even knowing that I'm discerning! I feel that I would be called to a more contemplative, traditional order.. though I have not had much experience with those types of sisters. The only orders we have around here are the more 'non-traditional' liberal orders who don't wear habits or anything It's just something I'll have to do a little more homework on! (prayer, too, of course!) All for the Immaculata, Katrina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PedroX Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Chastisement, Have you ever thought that you might be called to have "spiritual children"? I obviously don't know you or your situation, but as a nun who was a teacher, or a spiritual director, or whatever, your spiritual children could be as many as "the stars in the heavens". Just another thing to think about. Freaky, Many Protestant church also ban women pastors. It never was an issue until about 40 years ago. Many of the most influential people in Catholic Spirituality were women who never thought to grasp at the priesthood. St. Therese, St Joan of Arc, St Edith Stein, Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta etc. peace... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleflower+JMJ Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 well our priest thinks me and my sisters would make the perfect candidate for a nun.... but i don't know, its kinda hard so whatever God has in store for me, once i find out, i 'lll follow the hard part is knowing.... ::jmj runs out of thread faster than you can say snoogles noodles:: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carson Weber Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Don't forget y'all (yeah, I'm from Texas) that all are called to chastity, especially the married Xtns.. Freaky, a "nun" is a woman who takes certain vows (like poverty, chastity, and obedience) to more perfectly imitate the life of Jesus Christ (who lived in a state of celibacy, obedient to his parents and God the Father, and lived with very few material possessions, giving his entire life away for the sake of others). Many men do this as well without becoming priests (which comes from the Greek word for presbyter) - they're called "brothers". And basically, we don't ordain women to the presbyterate because we see the role of a ministerial priest as one of a spiritual father - a role a woman is ontologically unable to play. Women have numerous opportunities for ministry in the Catholic Church - esp through spiritual motherhood! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theologian in Training Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 I've been thinking about consecrated life.. you have no idea how many priests have just come up to me out of the blue and said, "You'd make a very good nun!" without even knowing that I'm discerning! I feel that I would be called to a more contemplative, traditional order.. though I have not had much experience with those types of sisters. The only orders we have around here are the more 'non-traditional' liberal orders who don't wear habits or anything It's just something I'll have to do a little more homework on! (prayer, too, of course!) All for the Immaculata, Katrina Immaculata, Given your name and your seeming strong devotion to Mary, have you ever checked out the Fransican Friars/Sisters of the Immaculate? I take weekend and sometimes weekly retreats with them up in Maine NY at their hermitage. I also discerned very strongly with them for a year before entering a diocesan seminary. They are an Italian missionary order, which mean they are all over the world, and traditional as they come. In fact, they still celebrate Mass with a little Latin interspersed, are incredibly penitential, and take a fourth vow to Mary. Their charism is founded upon, of course, St. Francis and St. Maximillian Kolbe, and they reconsecrate themselves to Mary ever Marian feast day. They have a very strict schedule, full of five hours of prayer and work, and are more contemplative then most orders. They do leave the monatery/convent but only to go to other monastery and convents as well as certain functions, like March for Life and WYD when it was around last year. I really cannot say enough good things about them. If you haven't done so already, I would highly recommend checking them out. The website is here Franciscans of the Immaculate God Bless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 You can also check out the nuns seen occasionally on EWTN. I believe they are also Franciscan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littleflower+JMJ Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 i think those nuns are cool B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theologian in Training Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 They are also the ones who put out the classic book "Jesus Our Eucharistic Love," "Padre Pio: Wonder Worker," and "St. Maximillian Kolbe" Since therer bookstore is down follow this link, it is pretty much all the books they have in their bookstore. FFI Bookstore God Bless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
immaculata Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Theo, I have never heard of that order, but thanks for bringing them to my attention!! :D I am, of course, consecrated to the Blessed Mother through the Militia Immaculata- which Maximilian Kolbe founded.. and my parish is Conventual Francisicans, too! I will definately take a closer look at that website later! God bless! All for the Immaculata, Katrina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeraMaria Posted August 25, 2003 Share Posted August 25, 2003 Well I think I have a strong calling to be a priest.... but I'm ot sure yet. Gotta take time to discern this calling. I hope you do! It's one of the most beautiful vocations I can think of! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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