Chamomile Posted January 17, 2011 Posted January 17, 2011 [quote name='vee8' timestamp='1295282521' post='2201009'] All I can do is His will Sister and it is His will that I window shop right now. All the stores look wonderful because God created them and I want some of what each store has. I walk past, stop, and say ooh that looks nice but all seem lacking after a time. [/quote] I also said something similar to a nun once (not the somenun who posted on your profile, though ). If an Order or community is truly living their charism, which was given to the founder by the Holy Spirit, it [i]should[/i] be very attractive - because they are bringing Christ to the world. It is as if we are seeing Jesus on earth, ministering to all in a particular way. And "window-shopping" has its advantages, because it gives us the perspective to see the different members of Christ's body at work. It reminds us we're not alone; we don't have to do everything. As St. John the Baptist said, we're not the Messiah! I think the beginning of the Gospel of St. Mark gives us a glimpse into the different types of ways one can serve as Jesus did. I see all of these actions of Jesus as possible vocations. Some are called to stay in the desert and pray. Some are called to heal. Some to free others from their demons with preaching & teaching (& a few people to literally exorcise demons as exorcists - I don't think you're one of those, vee ). But there does come a time when He knocks at the door of one's heart and asks that person do to something specific... be it to join a certain religious community, look for someone to marry, join a Third Order, become a priest, etc. It is all good if it is His will. This is how I imagine Him coming to our hearts: [img]http://anjalimoon.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/jesus-knocking-on-the-door.jpg[/img] "Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is full of dew, and my locks of the drops of the nights." ~ Song of Songs
tnavarro61 Posted January 17, 2011 Posted January 17, 2011 [quote name='Chamomile' timestamp='1295299395' post='2201101'] [img]http://anjalimoon.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/jesus-knocking-on-the-door.jpg[/img] "Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is full of dew, and my locks of the drops of the nights." ~ Song of Songs [/quote] How wonderful. I think I am going to print this.
vee Posted January 22, 2011 Posted January 22, 2011 As no one will remember or care ( I like to hear myself type) I wrote to Buffalo, Valparaiso, and Elysburg Carmels. I got a reply today from Elysburg!!! I received their winter newsletter, a brochure titled A Brief Glance at Carmel, and a beautiful letter from the prioress. Lets just say she is giving me extra prayers due to nationalistic favouritism
vee Posted January 22, 2011 Posted January 22, 2011 Their newsletter is very interesting to me because .... it has no news about them! It doesnt say newsletter on it either though. It is totally my motto (the Jesuit motto) "ad majorem Dei gloriam- for the greater glory of God" in that it has an article about the Infant of Prague, St Maravillas, a Mass schedule and thats it. I also cant stop thinking about the letter I received, and a line at the end in particular which reads "Our life is a very simple and joyful one, and to one who has been given the grace of a vocation to be a Carmelite [b]no other way of life can fulfill their longing for intimacy with Our Lord.[/b]" Bold mine. That, right there, thats it. Along with some sayings and exhortations from Teresa of Avila in the Brief Glance at Carmel brochure those really say it all for me. Oh and the part I wrote about praying due to nationalistic favouritism, those are my words not hers. I dont want to misrepresent her, or someone to get the wrong idea etc. She knows, very well, the vocational situation in my area and that is the basis not nationality, although my country can use all the vocations it can get. The Church needs all the vocations it can get.
krissylou Posted January 24, 2011 Posted January 24, 2011 [quote name='vee8' timestamp='1295824122' post='2203577'] I JUST GOT A CALL FROM BUFFALO!!! [/quote] Woo hoo! But this list is not helping with the "Annoy IT" factor one bit. I'll look up a list of lovely Carmels that do not have habits.
vee Posted February 15, 2011 Posted February 15, 2011 In case anyone was wondering, which is highly unlikely, I finally got a reply from the Valparaiso Carmel. A letter on lovely stationary that basically says, there are my words, "forget us, stick to Elysburg." I can do that! Which reminds me I better get a letter written to Elysburg so that they might reply before Lent.
OnlySunshine Posted February 15, 2011 Posted February 15, 2011 [quote name='vee8' timestamp='1297805992' post='2212674'] In case anyone was wondering, which is highly unlikely, I finally got a reply from the Valparaiso Carmel. A letter on lovely stationary that basically says, there are my words, "forget us, stick to Elysburg." I can do that! Which reminds me I better get a letter written to Elysburg so that they might reply before Lent. [/quote] Wouldn't that be neat if both you and "In The Arms of the Lord" were in formation together? Which reminds me, I wonder how she's doing?
vee Posted February 15, 2011 Posted February 15, 2011 [quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1297806229' post='2212677'] Wouldn't that be neat if both you and "In The Arms of the Lord" were in formation together? Which reminds me, I wonder how she's doing? [/quote] That'd be amesome! Every Carmel and convent needs a couple of phatmassers in my opinion. I never really got to know her though, neither of us even knows the others first name, so I wouldnt know who she is nor she I. If someone ever has an update about her though I hope they share if it's ok.
krissylou Posted February 15, 2011 Posted February 15, 2011 [quote name='vee8' timestamp='1297808447' post='2212690'] I never really got to know her though, neither of us even knows the others first name, so I wouldnt know who she is nor she I. [/quote] You see, in most communities "that new postulant" would be a definite clue. For THIS one, you still need to narrow the field! Good golly!
MissScripture Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 [quote name='vee8' timestamp='1297808447' post='2212690'] That'd be amesome! Every Carmel and convent needs a couple of phatmassers in my opinion. I never really got to know her though, neither of us even knows the others first name, so I wouldnt know who she is nor she I. If someone ever has an update about her though I hope they share if it's ok. [/quote] That's when you walk in and say, "Okay, who here knows what 'Phatmass' is?"
OnlySunshine Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 [quote name='MissScripture' timestamp='1297828020' post='2212835'] That's when you walk in and say, "Okay, who here knows what 'Phatmass' is?" [/quote]
tnavarro61 Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 Where is Vee8? Hiding from the Carmelites.
Piccoli Fiori JMJ Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 +JMJ And here I though Vee8 was on the shelves at the local supermarket...
franciscanheart Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 [quote name='FutureNunJMJ' timestamp='1297868976' post='2212946'] +JMJ And here I though Vee8 was on the shelves at the local supermarket... [/quote]
ksterling Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 Why would Valpariso say that to you? You seem like a very nice person, I would think they would be happy to have you. They seem very strict and as I learned when I visited a cloistered order, that life is not for me! Do they think they are too strict for you?
LadyOfSorrows Posted February 16, 2011 Posted February 16, 2011 [quote name='ksterling' timestamp='1297893133' post='2213070'] Why would Valpariso say that to you? You seem like a very nice person, I would think they would be happy to have you. They seem very strict and as I learned when I visited a cloistered order, that life is not for me! Do they think they are too strict for you? [/quote] ksterling, I believe Valpraiso is full to capacity! They started a foundation in Elysburg, PA which I believe has about 15 sisters at the moment. That's probably why they asked her to check with Elysburg.
vee Posted February 18, 2011 Posted February 18, 2011 (edited) [quote name='ksterling' timestamp='1297893133' post='2213070'] Why would Valpariso say that to you? You seem like a very nice person, I would think they would be happy to have you. They seem very strict and as I learned when I visited a cloistered order, that life is not for me! Do they think they are too strict for you? [/quote] [quote name='LadyOfSorrows' timestamp='1297893533' post='2213074'] ksterling, I believe Valpraiso is full to capacity! They started a foundation in Elysburg, PA which I believe has about 15 sisters at the moment. That's probably why they asked her to check with Elysburg. [/quote] What Lady of Sorrows said. I mentioned in my letter that I was writing to several Carmels including Elysburg, so in the reply they suggested I continue to correspond with that particular community as they are basically the same as Valparaiso. If it had to do with the seemingly strict life she would not have said to keep writing Elysburg. She doesnt come right out and say "we are full" but my money is on that. Carmels have a limit of 21 Sisters per monastery as Teresa of Avila wanted it that way since she intended for each to be like a small family. When the number gets to 21 they ship a bunch off to start a new foundation. edited to add So even though Valparaiso started the foundation in Elysburg it seems they are still pretty full and may even (maaaybe) considering another foundation but thats just a guess. Edited February 18, 2011 by vee8
krissylou Posted February 18, 2011 Posted February 18, 2011 [quote name='vee8' timestamp='1298040834' post='2213575'] What Lady of Sorrows said. I mentioned in my letter that I was writing to several Carmels including Elysburg, so in the reply they suggested I continue to correspond with that particular community as they are basically the same as Valparaiso. If it had to do with the seemingly strict life she would not have said to keep writing Elysburg. She doesnt come right out and say "we are full" but my money is on that. Carmels have a limit of 21 Sisters per monastery as Teresa of Avila wanted it that way since she intended for each to be like a small family. When the number gets to 21 they ship a bunch off to start a new foundation. edited to add So even though Valparaiso started the foundation in Elysburg it seems they are still pretty full and may even (maaaybe) considering another foundation but thats just a guess. [/quote] Also, they have tons of young vocations -- it's not as if they have a handful in formation and a handful who are elderly and have been in Carmel for fifty-plus years and a bunch at various points in between. And it doesn't really do to send out a bunch of very very young Sisters to start off a new foundation and fend for themselves, and take in new postulants when they haven't finished formation themselves. They can't keep doing that over and over again. You need a proportion who are more mature in religious life. I'm sure that at some point Valparaiso will be sending out another foundation as they have more solemnly professed Sisters but in the interim I'm sure lots of very nice and promising vocations will get letters like Vee. Which just means God has another place for them.
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