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Which Are You Discerning?


laetitia crucis

Vocational Discernment  

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laetitia crucis

[quote name='Hilde' date='19 January 2010 - 07:51 PM' timestamp='1263945095' post='2040374']
Thank you. :)

And what is that exactly?(I did read the thread)
[/quote]

Being a "prayer pal" is basically volunteering to pray for another person and in addition to having that person pray for you. Extra prayers never hurt, right? -- especially for one another's discernment. :saint:

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[quote name='laetitia crucis' date='15 January 2010 - 06:03 PM' timestamp='1263596582' post='2037944']
Nunsense, I didn't know you were a convert, too.

Like you, I guess I would say I've had two different discernment periods as well. (Or maybe one spread-out period of discernment? [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/idontknow.gif[/img] )

The first time was shortly after I became a Roman Catholic (about a year or so). Little by little I found myself drawn to the religious life, though I don't think I even consciously realized it until the day my parish priest blatantly asked me in a meeting, "So, have you ever discerned a vocation to the religious life?" [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/scream.gif[/img] And we talked about it in length. I think he kind of opened a can of worms with that one question. I wasn't ready to face what had been brewing in silent prayer for quite some time -- mostly as a passing thought that passed a little too slowly for my liking. However, once it was out in the open I more than willingly took it on full force. I scoured whatever material I could find on the religious life and religious orders, avidly reading and researching. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/nerd.gif[/img] [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/book.gif[/img]

That priest eventually became my spiritual director and with his guidance I visited various communities and eventually entered an active missionary order.

The second time around -- where I am now -- the discernment has been a tad more passive on my part. I thank God for His patience and His mercy in dealing with me. (He'd be a living saint having to put up with me [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/dunce.gif[/img] -- if He wasn't already God!) He knew the delicate situation I found myself in after leaving that community and has been really...good. So [i]good[/i]. I tried so hard last time to find where God wanted me and once I thought I knew where it was, I jumped in as soon as I could. One might say that I let my passions overwhelm my intellect and will. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/lust.gif[/img] Granted, I know without a doubt that that time wasn't wasted and I was meant to be there for as long as I was... but passively (on my part) I was made to see that being an active religious Sister was simply not my vocation. Instead, He has put into my path the semi-contemplative vocation, and looking back I can see that this is where He's always been leading me, always in the quiet. I was just too busy to see/hear Him telling me so. Again -- [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/dunce.gif[/img] [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/doh.gif[/img]

So now, He's leading me down this path of pursuing the semi-contemplative vocation. I think I'm matured at least a little in my discernment. (Or perhaps I've found a better "hearing aid". [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/hehe.gif[/img] ) No more passion-led jumps, but what I hope to be a balanced discernment of faith and reason. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/pray.gif[/img]
[/quote]


Laetitia,

Thank you so much for this post - it has really helped me in my discernment. I believe this is what happened to me when I entered the Monastery. I wanted religious life so bad and they would take me right away so I jumped in. I have definately matured in my discernment in the short amount of time that I've been home. My spiritual director is of great help. I am taking things MUCH more slowly than last time and really as you said I want a balanced discernment with faith and reason. Truly following where God is leading me and not my own desires or wants. However, I know that my time in the Monastery was NEVER a waste of time, but rather a growing experience. It was a beautiful experience.

Please keep me in your prayers!

God Bless You,

Allie

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laetitia crucis

[quote name='SstrAli' date='21 January 2010 - 05:42 PM' timestamp='1264110175' post='2041788']
Laetitia,

Thank you so much for this post - it has really helped me in my discernment. I believe this is what happened to me when I entered the Monastery. I wanted religious life so bad and they would take me right away so I jumped in. I have definately matured in my discernment in the short amount of time that I've been home. My spiritual director is of great help. I am taking things MUCH more slowly than last time and really as you said I want a balanced discernment with faith and reason. Truly following where God is leading me and not my own desires or wants. However, I know that my time in the Monastery was NEVER a waste of time, but rather a growing experience. It was a beautiful experience.

Please keep me in your prayers!

God Bless You,

Allie
[/quote]

I will definitely be keeping you in my daily prayers, Allie! :sign:

Sometimes I fancy to think that St. Peter must have a tender place in his heart for those of us that may have prematurely jumped into the water out of love and zeal for Christ. :hehe: I could just hear him say, "Not yet, little one, not quite yet..."

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For me the questions wasn't too difficult... (the 3rd a bit).

Just a silent question: where is InHisLove???? She wanted to be a Carmelite... does she entered????

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AccountDeleted

[quote name='Noemi' date='24 January 2010 - 10:43 PM' timestamp='1264333434' post='2043357']
For me the questions wasn't too difficult... (the 3rd a bit).

Just a silent question: where is InHisLove???? She wanted to be a Carmelite... does she entered????
[/quote]


She is still discerning, just not posting here for awhile. I told her we would pray for her. :pray:

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princessgianna

I am still very unsure..........though I love children and I could see myself as a wife and Mother.

I keep waiting for an Angel to appear at my door way with a letter for me from God telling me what my vocation is.

My parents just laugh and tell me "good luck". And then I get a nice parantal lecture on the importance of prayer and how it is the only way of knowing..... :mellow:

I keep praying and hopefully sooner or later I get an answer.

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I've discerned to become a religious sister (active/contemplative). There is one order I am especially fond of, but at this time, the vocation director thought it best that I spend a few more years out in the world before seriously discerning. After hearing this advice and finally accepting it as God's will, I have decided to return to school to get my Bachelor's degree even though it is not a requirement for entrance. I hope that if God is pointing me in a different way than religious life (like married life or single life), that my major will give a good start in a lucrative career that I love. I am very interested in becoming a social worker for Catholic Charities in the future and I'm taking up a volunteer position with them very soon.

I don't know what the future holds. At this point, I'm decidedly putting my vocation discernment on hold to concentrate on school. Meanwhile, I'm staying close to the Sacraments in case God tells me something different. :)

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laetitia crucis

[quote name='Ephrem Augustine' date='30 January 2010 - 11:30 PM' timestamp='1264908638' post='2048012']
well i voted and realized that i may have been the only priest discerner in this place lol!!!
[/quote]

:woot:

Thank you for voting, Emphrem Augustine! (Even if you're the only one so far!)

The other day when I saw some of the male-options voted for I was THRILLED! :twothumbsup:

May God continue to bless you in your vocation. We are most definitely in need of good and holy priests. :priest_halo:

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KeenanParkerII

[quote]I've discerned to become a religious sister (active/contemplative). There is one order I am especially fond of, but at this time, the vocation director thought it best that I spend a few more years out in the world before seriously discerning. After hearing this advice and finally accepting it as God's will, I have decided to return to school to get my Bachelor's degree even though it is not a requirement for entrance. I hope that if God is pointing me in a different way than religious life (like married life or single life), that my major will give a good start in a lucrative career that I love. I am very interested in becoming a social worker for Catholic Charities in the future and I'm taking up a volunteer position with them very soon.

I don't know what the future holds. At this point, I'm decidedly putting my vocation discernment on hold to concentrate on school. Meanwhile, I'm staying close to the Sacraments in case God tells me something different. [/quote]

Good luck and God Bless! I'm working through a bachelor's degree right now, and sometimes the currents of life get so strong that you just want to abandon the world, pay off your student debts, and go into religious life. But I agree we need to attain some life experience before making a decision like that. It's still nice to know that there is always that option though. And then there's the whole religious life vs married life thing. Oy! :blink:

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AccountDeleted

[quote name='KeenanParkerII' date='02 February 2010 - 05:24 PM' timestamp='1265091847' post='2049560']
Good luck and God Bless! I'm working through a bachelor's degree right now, and sometimes the currents of life get so strong that you just want to abandon the world, pay off your student debts, and go into religious life. But I agree we need to attain some life experience before making a decision like that. It's still nice to know that there is always that option though. And then there's the whole religious life vs married life thing. Oy! :blink:
[/quote]

KPII - you bring up a really good point, that religious life should not be a retreat or escape from the world. But I think it can also work the other way as well. Sometimes I think that the whole process of discerning is too hard and I want to just give up and 'escape' back into the world and give up the whole idea of even thinking about religious life. Sounds funny I suppose, but discernment of anything involves work, and that can get tiring, boring, disheartening or whatever so the secret (if there is one) is perseverence in prayer and commitment to just keep trying to do God's will in all things. Prayers for your discernment and for freedom from 'the currents of life' :)
:pray:

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