Sarah147 Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Hello, I remember talking a little about this with someone a while back. It came up that some people enter for the wrong reasons. Now, how common do y'all think this is? How could they possibly live the life if [i]not[/i] called? Wouldn't the order discerning with them pick up on the fact that they aren't called? God bless you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissylou Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 I often hear "The reason you entered does not matter. The reason you STAY -- that's what matters." Makes sense to me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah147 Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 [quote name='krissylou' timestamp='1304122624' post='2234828'] I often hear "The reason you entered does not matter. The reason you STAY -- that's what matters." Makes sense to me! [/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MithLuin Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Agreed. My sister's order contains women who entered because WWII was going on, and entering the convent was a safer option than staying home, or helped them avoid being deported, or something. Probably not the best reason to enter religious life! But, you know, they didn't stay their whole lives just for that reason..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 (edited) Whenever I think about this topic, I am reminded about St. Teresa of Avila who entered religious life because she thought that it was the only safe place for someone as prone to sin as she was, but eventually discerned that it was God's will for her to be a nun. I think it can work out. It's certainly not recommended, especially if someone is afraid of married or has been abused in the past without seeking medical counsel, but orders are so good at weeding these problems out that I don't think it's something to worry about. If someone did enter under the wrong reasons and it wasn't God's will, they would not find the grace to stay. God knows us better than we do. Edited April 30, 2011 by MaterMisericordiae Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Magdalene Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 [quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1304126519' post='2234859'] Whenever I think about this topic, I am reminded about St. Teresa of Avila who entered religious life because she thought that it was the only safe place for someone as prone to sin as she was, but eventually discerned that it was God's will for her to be a nun. I think it can work out. It's certainly not recommended, especially if someone is afraid of married or has been abused in the past without seeking medical counsel, but orders are so good at weeding these problems out that I don't think it's something to worry about. If someone did enter under the wrong reasons and it wasn't God's will, they would not find the grace to stay. God knows us better than we do. [/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopefulBride Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 I totally agree with MM. This was one of my worries at the start of my discernment. I felt this urge and this calling to the Religious life but yet I was unwilling to give into it because I didn't fully trust that I was doing it to truly Glorify God. My SD asked me why I first moved to my city and I told him, he then asked why I am still there (reason was school) and I responded. He then pointed out that it is not about why we start something (that is irrelevant) but rather why we stay. The key is to try and live out your faith and your vocation day by day. Live every day for him and live everyday with the purpose of serving and Glorifying him and you will find that it matters not why you decided to enter only why you stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilllabettt Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 [quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1304126519' post='2234859'] Whenever I think about this topic, I am reminded about St. Teresa of Avila who entered religious life because she thought that it was the only safe place for someone as prone to sin as she was, but eventually discerned that it was God's will for her to be a nun. [/quote] I've heard this story multiple times, and its always told in this context of "here's an example of someone entering for the wrong reasons but staying for the right ones." Which I don't get. This was one of the reasons I gave to the Sisters I eventually entered - and they were like: what?!?!? So I had to explain myself. But I think its a good reason - she discerned that holiness was more possible for her in religious life vs. the world. And isn't that the entire point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted May 1, 2011 Share Posted May 1, 2011 [quote name='Lilllabettt' timestamp='1304286164' post='2235428'] I've heard this story multiple times, and its always told in this context of "here's an example of someone entering for the wrong reasons but staying for the right ones." Which I don't get. This was one of the reasons I gave to the Sisters I eventually entered - and they were like: what?!?!? So I had to explain myself. But I think its a good reason - she discerned that holiness was more possible for her in religious life vs. the world. And isn't that the entire point? [/quote] Another beautiful quote: "If the Church is the hospital for sinners, then the convent/monastery/abbey is the intensive care unit." It's hard to understand how someone could enter with "wrong" intentions, but be able to stay. But I like to think that God knows our intentions and uses them for good. No intention is ever wrong if we do our best to serve Him with all that we have. We may have run away from the world, but find comfort in the fact that we eventually stayed there for the right reasons--service to God and to others and prayer. Heaven on earth--that is the entire point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cherie Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Yes, there was the story of a Nashville Dominican way back in the day who entered in order to get a good education, and then she'd leave; and then she always said, "But God tricked me - He gave me a vocation!" Sometimes a religious community does a good job of knowing when a person truly isn't called to religious life. But sometimes they don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InPersonaChriste Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 Basically you dont enter an order for selfish reasons like "to get away from the world" or "to be comfortable (as in a place to die without worry and always having someone to take care of you etc)" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah147 Posted May 2, 2011 Author Share Posted May 2, 2011 [quote name='CherieMadame' timestamp='1304301333' post='2235510'] Yes, there was the story of a Nashville Dominican way back in the day who entered in order to get a good education, and then she'd leave; and then she always said, "[b]But God tricked me - He gave me a vocation!" [/b] Sometimes a religious community does a good job of knowing when a person truly isn't called to religious life. But sometimes they don't. [/quote] HA! Love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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