Vocation Station Check-In: Welcome To All The New Folks

[Lisa]

Hi all!
We've had a lot of new people stopping in lately, so here's an official !
Also, I thought it would be nice if we shared a little bit of our discernment journey with them- and we would love to hear your stories, too!


Discernment is a time of joy, struggle, and growing in love. Whether you know exactly where you are going to end up and have been accepted or are just beginning discernment, the VS phamily is here for you

[Lisa]

Here's my story:

I think the desire of my heart for an intimate relationship with God has been there for a long time, but I looked for it in all the wrong places first!

I might be biased, but I think the awesomest part of my vocation story is its unique beginnings! Three years ago, my long-term boyfriend had just broken up with me, and I was a broken, desolate mess. Meanwhile, a Sister (S.MJ) was writing a letter to her mother about the upcoming "vocation discernment retreat." Her mother worked a parish along with another woman who had a daughter at my college. Sr. MJ's mom told my friend's mom about a "retreat" coming up and encouraged her to invite her daughter. My friend's mom passed the word along, and my friend, Sam, invited several other women from my college for a "retreat."

Somewhere along the lines, the word "vocation discernment" had been dropped, not by anyone's intention, but more reminiscent of a childhood game of "Telephone." So we decided to go, and after registering rather carelessly without reading about it, we got an email welcoming us... to a discernment retreat. At this point, there were about 9 of us, so we didn't want to back out. After all, there would probably only be like 5 other people there We all followed through and said it would still be a good chance to grow in holiness.

There were definitely more than 5 other people there when we found our way up to Ann Arbor to meet the lovely Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist. The were joyful, beautiful, funny, and so holy. I wanted what they had, and I knew that my own relationship with God was definitely not that sustaining or life-giving. After I left, God drew me closer to Himself and I ignored the thought of religious life, even though it kept popping up frequently.

A year and a half ago, I decided I needed to do something about it. After visiting some other communities and something not quite "fitting," I returned to Ann Arbor and found what I hope may be my future home, Lord willing! There have been doubts, uncertainties, and challenges, but my only desire is that my will is conformed to God's- and I feel like that's where He's leading me.

Also, if you would, pray for me. My mom's having a really hard time with the idea of my vocation.

Edited October 3, 2011 by Lisa

[Starets]

I have been around here for a few years already. if you do a search on the vcation station for MCID you will see my journey. I am in the middle of finding a new monastic home and am waiting for word about a possible spot for me in a small benedictine monastery near Boston.

[she_who_is_not]

I wasn't Catholic but I was really curious about Catholic religious orders, being familiar with the Anglican variety. The only two names I knew of were Carmelite and Dominican. I did a google search for Dominican and found VS. About 3 years later I was received into the Church. The rest is history.

Ooops... I thought this was a thread about how we found Vocation Station. My vocation story is sooo long and sooo complicated and soooooooo very incomplete as yet. I won't bore y'all but will humbly ask for prayers.

Edited October 3, 2011 by she_who_is_not

[Lisa]

[quote name='she_who_is_not' timestamp='1317661858' post='2314668']
I wasn't Catholic but I was really curious about Catholic religious orders, being familiar with the Anglican variety. The only two names I knew of were Carmelite and Dominican. I did a google search for Dominican and found VS. About 3 years later I was received into the Church. The rest is history.

Ooops... I thought this was a thread about how we found Vocation Station. My vocation story is sooo long and sooo complicated and soooooooo very incomplete as yet. I won't bore y'all but will humbly ask for prayers.
[/quote]

That's ok too! I think a lot of us found VS from googling religious orders. No matter what I searched for, Phatmass just kept coming up!

And prayers for you and Staretz!

[LaPetiteSoeur]

[quote name='Lisa' timestamp='1317662632' post='2314672']

That's ok too! I think a lot of us found VS from googling religious orders. No matter what I searched for, Phatmass just kept coming up!

And prayers for you and Staretz!
[/quote]

It still happens! Whenever I search ANY order, Phatmass comes up first. I think it's part of dUSt's plan to take over the internet....or at least have Phatmass take over the internet.

[marigold]

Hello! Thanks for the welcome. I am in my twenties and waiting to enter an Orthodox monastery in the U.S. I think trying to write a vocation story would just be awkward. Maybe the simple way to say it is I want to love God above everything else, and right now of course I love a whole bunch of other things above God, and monastic life is the shortest, quickest, happiest route to remedying that. I want to be saaaaved! Plus I just love living in the convent

I came here to Phatmass because I enjoy seeing what other people in my situation are going through, and don't meet a lot of people, in my daily life, who are doing things like entering monasteries. Even just lurking is quite encouraging

[the171]

I'm the171 and I want to be a nun because of the food. I believe this sums it up. (HAHA)

[marigold]

[quote name='the171' timestamp='1317679542' post='2314797']
I want to be a nun because of the food. (HAHA)
[/quote]

Actually, what she said.

[LaPetiteSoeur]

[quote name='the171' timestamp='1317679542' post='2314797']
I'm the171 and I want to be a nun because of the food. I believe this sums it up. (HAHA)
[/quote]

Well if it's the Lafayette Carmel, I can understand why...

[the171]

[quote name='LaPetiteSoeur' timestamp='1317680695' post='2314805']

Well if it's the Lafayette Carmel, I can understand why...
[/quote]

BEST PO-BOYS, AND COVINGTON MAKES THE BEST MUFFALATAS

[LaPetiteSoeur]

[quote name='the171' timestamp='1317680790' post='2314808']

BEST PO-BOYS, AND COVINGTON MAKES THE BEST MUFFALATAS
[/quote]

Yum! I"m taking my pastor out for beignets (it'll be his first experience with beignets and cafe au lait), as it would be a crime for him not to have it once in his life!

[the171]

[quote name='LaPetiteSoeur' timestamp='1317680861' post='2314809']

Yum! I"m taking my pastor out for beignets (it'll be his first experience with beignets and cafe au lait), as it would be a crime for him not to have it once in his life!
[/quote]

i've never had either.

[faithcecelia]

I'm Faith, Im 31, and am discerning with Notting Hill Carmel in London. Just over 2yrs ago I was sent away from Quidenham Carmel, where I had been for 18mths, and the last 2yrs has been the biggest most stomach churning rollercoaster you could ever imagine. It has also brought me to the point where I trust God to show me the way rather than me trying to map-read, which I have never been any good at

[LaPetiteSoeur]

[quote name='the171' timestamp='1317680901' post='2314810']

i've never had either.
[/quote]

:gasp:

You definitely should try them before entering. Morning Call (I know there's one in NOLA) and Cafe du Monde (there are tons in LA) have delicious beignets and cafe au lait. So on your next trip to Covington Carmel, try them !

[the171]

We were supposed to go themorning before the Mass of Roses, but plans changed and we ate at the hotel.

[LaPetiteSoeur]

[quote name='the171' timestamp='1317681156' post='2314814']
We were supposed to go themorning before the Mass of Roses, but plans changed and we ate at the hotel.
[/quote]
That's disappointing.

[quote name='LaPetiteSoeur' timestamp='1317681286' post='2314816']
That's disappointing.
[/quote]
But I'm afraid I've led the thread to become

[the171]

bahah well. beignets are NEVER off topic.

[marigold]

I've never even heard of po-boys, muffalatas or beignets! Also what is a Mass of Roses? I just have an image of a pile of flowers.

[OnlySunshine]

Welcome to all the newbies!

I started writing out my discernment story, but realized it was WAY too long when it started filling up 3 pages on Microsoft Word.

To save you the trouble of reading that much, I'll give my short version. I've been discerning religious life off and on since December 2007 after I attended a young adult retreat with the Franciscan Friars/Sisters of the Renewal and the Sisters of Life. When I started discerning, I thought for sure that I was called to the Carmelite charism. I went on a vocation retreat with the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus (Central Province) in August 2008 when my friend (who is re-entering in June 2012) invited me to discern there, but I didn't get to participate in much since I was having anxiety attacks everyday (the experience was so new to me). I thought that maybe I should check out other orders. I ended up praying for a sign in December 2008 so I could figure out where to discern next. I received information from the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus (Northern Province) and the Religious Sisters of Mercy. Since I was blind to anything but the Carmelites, I contacted Sr. Immaculata and made arrangements to make a retreat there in February 2009. I loved it so much that I decided to apply in March 2009. I was asked to live with the Sisters from May 16th, 2009 to June 26th, 2009 so I could work in their apostolate and pay off my debt since that was holding back my entrance. I stayed there a total of 3 days and discerned that I was not called there, so I left and withdrew my application (I was never formally accepted).

I decided to attend a vocation retreat with the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal in January 2010 since I had known them from the beginning of my discernment. I loved everything about them, but I knew it was not to be because my circumstances prevented my entrance. I would highly recommend them to anyone, though!

After feeling a bit lost and disillusioned, I gave up for a while, but started discerning again in March 2011 when my new pastor invited some religious to speak at our Church. The Holy Spirit kept nudging me and I could not ignore Him. I spoke to my pastor about what I was experiencing and he agreed that I needed to keep discerning. At the time, I was considering contact with the Religious Sisters of Mercy since I was VERY attracted to them, but got off course again when I found out about the Sister Servants of the Eternal Word. I got in touch with the Vocation Director and had made plans to visit them this fall, but every prayer I made to find a way there was unanswered, so I discerned that it was not God's will for me to visit.

That's when the Religious Sisters of Mercy were presented to me yet again! Everywhere I went, I heard the word "mercy" and still do (the last one was on a shoebox for boots this past weekend ). The first devotion I learned about was Divine Mercy when I came back to the Church in 2007. It seems to be a running theme in my discernment. Anyway, I finally took the plunge and got in contact again with their Vocation Director (I'd done it before, but never responded after Sister replied). This time, I had to wait until after I went on a CRHP weekend and spent time in prayer in front of the Blessed Sacrament. I asked Him for patience and the wisdom to discern if this was the right order for me.

It was the day after I came back from CRHP that I heard from the VD and she invited me to discern on a retreat with them as soon as I could afford it. Again, I started praying for a way to get up there and posted my news on Facebook. One of my friends (and fellow parishioners) offered to pay the full fare to Michigan!!! I contacted the VD by phone and told her the very good news and I have made arrangements to visit them next month (November 11-14). I am excited beyond words and I cannot wait to finally meet them. Whenever I go to God in prayer about these Sisters, I have a sneaking suspicion that this could be THE order, but I have to wait until I visit to know for sure.