TheresaThoma Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 I've finally decided that it is time for me to actually start contacting orders.I'me kind of nervous about this as I really don't know what I am doing. So I have a few questions for you all. I know a few of you on here have contacted the DSMME and/or the Nashville Dominicans in the past. For the Nashville sisters is it good to use their Inquiry form or is it better to just e-mail their VD? Is emailing her an ok thing to do for a first contact? I've read pretty much everything on their websites, met a sister (or two) from both the orders so I guess that I am looking for a bit more detailed information. Not exactly sure what though. I exchanged a couple of e-mails with the VD of the DSMME a long time ago but since I wasn't officially part of the Church at that time I didn't pursue anything beyond that. I'm thinking of just sending her another e-mail. I e-mailed the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma and my letter was about a page long. I wrote a quick bio and my faith journey. I asked a couple of questions but nothing too specific. Is that too long/not enough? Any advice would be wonderful and greatly appreciated!
faithcecelia Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 I have emailed almost every time, one or two I wrote. I only write a paragraph or two, just enough to let them know I am discerning. Almost always, they reply will ask for the information they actually want at that point, rather than me waffling on!
OnlySunshine Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 I've emailed both the Ann Arbor Dominicans and the Nashville Dominicans and both were pretty quick in their response. As far as the Ann Arbor Dominicans, Sr. Joseph Andrew keeps her Blackberry with her at all times so she can answer emails from anywhere. Email is always the best way to contact them. For the Nashville Dominicans, the inquiry form, in my opinion, is best because Sr. Mary Emily asked me all the same questions that were on it when I sent her email instead. If you fill it out in advance, it saves time and energy replying to email in a long format. For the Religious Sisters of Mercy, I'm not sure what way of contact is best. I've contacted them by email before and it always took Sr. Catherine Marie a long time to respond since she was always so busy. I think that if I do get in touch with them again, it will either be by phone or by a snail-mail letter. I think what you have written to their VD is long enough. She'll more than likely have more questions for you in her email response.
MithLuin Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 I think that in general, the purpose of the initial inquiry is to share a little bit about yourself, and simply express some level of interest in their community. If you don't have specific questions yet, you could always pick the aspect of their order that you find most appealing and say something like, "I'd like to learn more about your apostolate/prayer life/locations/discernment visits" or whatnot. Don't worry about saying everything in your initial contact! If you're afraid you've given the wrong impression or not come across clearly enough, you may consider allowing someone to proofread it for a second opinion. But this isn't a college application essay! Don't stress too much. Be concise, but make it clear that you are in the process of discerning their order. Good luck!
TeresaBenedicta Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 Yup- just a quick intro e-mail that says you're discerning and feel an attraction to that specific order. You can even say that you're not really sure what to do/where to go from here, but that the Holy Spirit has prompted you this far, at least. Then leave it in the Vocation Director's hands... she'll know what to do
faithcecelia Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 Actually, thinking about the very first time I ever emailed a community, I think all I said was 'I don't really know what I am doing but I think I might have a vocation, so can I visit you?'!!!!!
TeresaBenedicta Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 [quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1314384652' post='2295346'] Actually, thinking about the very first time I ever emailed a community, I think all I said was 'I don't really know what I am doing but I think I might have a vocation, so can I visit you?'!!!!! [/quote] Pretty much, LOL. Vocation Director's are used to every sort of contact you can imagine- from something like this to a person's full life story!
OnlySunshine Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 [quote name='TeresaBenedicta' timestamp='1314384930' post='2295349'] Pretty much, LOL. Vocation Director's are used to every sort of contact you can imagine- from something like this to a person's full life story! [/quote] I'm definitely guilty of sending my full life story to VDs on first contact. So much so, that Sr. Louise from the SsEWs didn't have much to ask me since I had covered most of it in my email. LOL!
TheresaThoma Posted August 26, 2011 Author Posted August 26, 2011 (edited) Thanks guys. I tend to overly complicate things. [quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1314384652' post='2295346'] Actually, thinking about the very first time I ever emailed a community, I think all I said was 'I don't really know what I am doing but I think I might have a vocation, so can I visit you?'!!!!! [/quote] LOL That is great Faith. I'm not quite at the "can I visit you?" stage yet. Oh I forgot to mention I filled out the Nashville Sister's form so waiting to hear back from them now. I think I will keep my e-mail shorter with Sr Joseph Andrew. I can only imagine trying to read people's life stories in emails on a Blackberry! Edited August 26, 2011 by TheresaThoma
LaPetiteSoeur Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 I email Sr. Mary Emily yesterday and asked to go on the May Retreat!!! My parents said I could go!!!! So email works, but sometimes Dominican Communications is a bit slow, but school DID just start and there were a ton of ND postulants...so it's completely understandable! The DSMME reply REALLY FAST to emails. I mean, at least for me, it was a day. Not even, actually, it was the day I emailed them. The Sisters of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus reply the same day or the next day, too.. Good luck! And it doesn't have to be a long email either. Mine tend to be a few sentences, because I'm so nervous.
InPersonaChriste Posted August 26, 2011 Posted August 26, 2011 I contacted the Nashville Dominicans last year, Because I was so young they asked me to continue living my life out as a teen. But I did recieve a package in the mail after i sent an e-mail with a personal letter and some discerning goodies!
OnlySunshine Posted August 27, 2011 Posted August 27, 2011 [quote name='LaPetiteSoeur' timestamp='1314392428' post='2295439'] I email Sr. Mary Emily yesterday and asked to go on the May Retreat!!! My parents said I could go!!!! So email works, but sometimes Dominican Communications is a bit slow, but school DID just start and there were a ton of ND postulants...so it's completely understandable! The DSMME reply REALLY FAST to emails. I mean, at least for me, it was a day. Not even, actually, it was the day I emailed them. The Sisters of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus reply the same day or the next day, too.. Good luck! And it doesn't have to be a long email either. Mine tend to be a few sentences, because I'm so nervous. [/quote] I received a response back from Sr. JA the same day, too! It was not even an hour later, and it was really surprising to receive a response so quickly. I'm happy that you get to attend the ND retreat. I wish I could attend a retreat with the SsEWs in Alabama, but I am still saving up money. Someday, I'll get there!
LaPetiteSoeur Posted August 27, 2011 Posted August 27, 2011 [quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1314408088' post='2295602'] I received a response back from Sr. JA the same day, too! It was not even an hour later, and it was really surprising to receive a response so quickly. I'm happy that you get to attend the ND retreat. I wish I could attend a retreat with the SsEWs in Alabama, but I am still saving up money. Someday, I'll get there! [/quote] Unfortunately, I haven't heard back from St. Mary Emily, so I don't know if I'm signed up or not But I'm hoping she'll email me tomorrow or early next week. I kept checking obsessively--and I pretty sure everyone thought I was crazy!
Sarah147 Posted August 27, 2011 Posted August 27, 2011 I, too, have found the RSM to take a while to email back as Sister is very busy. I think if I seriously discern with them after the SsEW, I should send my bio by email, because with the SsEW, when I sent snail-mail, it took much longer to hear back, and I suspect that could happen with any Order.
TheresaThoma Posted August 27, 2011 Author Posted August 27, 2011 Ok just sent off my last e-mail, to Sr Joseph Andrew. Now I guess it is just a waiting game!
TheresaThoma Posted August 30, 2011 Author Posted August 30, 2011 Just a quick question/update. I have yet to hear back from any of the orders that I contacted. It feels like forever since I e-mailed them (though now I look at the calendar its only been 4 days or so). I'm just kind of wondering how long I should wait before trying again (2 weeks?). I don't want to be annoying but at the same time I know e-mails ans such can get put off to the side and then forgotten about!
faithcecelia Posted August 30, 2011 Posted August 30, 2011 [quote name='TheresaThoma' timestamp='1314747908' post='2297703'] Just a quick question/update. I have yet to hear back from any of the orders that I contacted. It feels like forever since I e-mailed them (though now I look at the calendar its only been 4 days or so). I'm just kind of wondering how long I should wait before trying again (2 weeks?). I don't want to be annoying but at the same time I know e-mails ans such can get put off to the side and then forgotten about! [/quote] Personally, I have never followed up when I have not had a reply, just accepted that wasn't where I was meant to be. Oh I lie, I did once - but still decided it wasn't where I was meant to be very early on, well before the planned visit, which I cancelled.
OnlySunshine Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 [quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1314748390' post='2297708'] Personally, I have never followed up when I have not had a reply, just accepted that wasn't where I was meant to be. Oh I lie, I did once - but still decided it wasn't where I was meant to be very early on, well before the planned visit, which I cancelled. [/quote] This is real for me, too. Sometimes, I will contact an order and never hear back from them. But then, sometimes, I will hear back from orders the very next day like I did with the SsEWs. The RSMs aren't too good at getting back to me until a few months later when I've forgotten I've contacted them. I'm starting to think that I'm not called there. The SsEWs appeal to me very much and I'm the most interested in them than any other order I've looked at.
TeresaBenedicta Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 [quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1314748390' post='2297708'] Personally, I have never followed up when I have not had a reply, just accepted that wasn't where I was meant to be. Oh I lie, I did once - but still decided it wasn't where I was meant to be very early on, well before the planned visit, which I cancelled. [/quote] In general, I think this is a good point. Sometimes with e-mail, though, it's worth a follow-up after two-three weeks, if you are particularly interested. Sometimes things get lost, people get swamped, etc. It's easy for an e-mail to get lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday convent life.
das8949 Posted August 31, 2011 Posted August 31, 2011 Just as an FYI right now the Nashies received 16 new postulants on 8/15 plus a brand new class of Canonical Novices. The DSMME's receivied 17 new postulants on Sunday the 28th and have 36 novices - 18 new ones. This is their busy time. Also both orders had retreats in August for their Professed Sisters. The Nashies have not updated their website for about 3 weeks now and the DSMME's in the last 2 weeks. Pray, Read, and Write!
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