What Life Do You Feel Drawn To?

[OnlySunshine]

I was just curious as to what way of life our discerners in VS feel called to. Do you feel drawn to cloistered life, active/contemplative, active, missionary, semi-contemplative, or monastic? As far as I know, these are all the expressions that can be lived out in religious life. Please feel free to elaborate.

As for me, I feel drawn to both active/contemplative and missionary life. There was a time, not so long ago, where I would have said "NO!" if you asked me if I wanted to be a missionary or felt drawn to it. It was not something I could EVER see myself doing. All that changed when I listened and meditated on "The Summons" and read a chapter on being a missionary religious in a book about discerning vocations. It made me realize that there are people in the world who are hungry for God and there is not enough missionaries to teach them the Truth.

[emmaberry]

I voted both cloistered and monastic. What a wonderful topic! I will keep my eye on it, as I am very curious about the results of the poll here in VS. Just a guess to start off: I think most people here will check the 'active/contemplative' box. Even if that's not right, I love VS because people are so supportive of all the charisms and forms of religious life-heck, people are super enthusiastic about the married state here too!

Anyways, my guess is contemplative/active because it seems that most active orders today deem themselves to be quite prayerful and contemplative-even those orders like Missionaries of Charity, etc.

Thanks for the topic!

[PhuturePriest]

Definitely cloistered, Monastic, things of that degree. My spiritual director firmly believes I am called to the Monastic life.

[Spem in alium]

Judging by the way things feel for me now, I believe I am most drawn to a life that is both active and contemplative (with potentially a greater focus on the contemplative side). Either that or a missionary life.

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='emmaberry' timestamp='1341293667' post='2451844']
I voted both cloistered and monastic. What a wonderful topic! I will keep my eye on it, as I am very curious about the results of the poll here in VS. Just a guess to start off: I think most people here will check the 'active/contemplative' box. Even if that's not right, I love VS because people are so supportive of all the charisms and forms of religious life-heck, people are super enthusiastic about the married state here too!

Anyways, my guess is contemplative/active because it seems that most active orders today deem themselves to be quite prayerful and contemplative-even those orders like Missionaries of Charity, etc.

Thanks for the topic!
[/quote]

Some of the active orders I was thinking of include ones such as the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas who place a bigger emphasis on the apostolates and don't have as much prayer time as the active/contemplative orders.

[Nunsense]

How do you define the difference between cloistered and monastic? Could you give me examples of different communities? I know both the Carmelites and the Benedictines are cloistered (although types of enclosure) and they are both monastic as well. I was wondering what communities you considered cloistered and not monastic or vice versa?

[Papist]

Sacrament of Marriage. It's a vocation too.

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='Papist' timestamp='1341320104' post='2451899']
Sacrament of Marriage. It's a vocation too.
[/quote]

Yes, I agree, but I dUSt recently mentioned that he didn't want this board turning into a forum about marriage. He made it specifically for religious life and priesthood discerners.

[Papist]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1341337125' post='2452036']
Yes, I agree, but I dUSt recently mentioned that he didn't want this board turning into a forum about marriage. He made it specifically for religious life and priesthood discerners.
[/quote]

Yes, I know. My post was to answer your question, not to correct you. Sorry

[PhuturePriest]

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1341309682' post='2451879']
How do you define the difference between cloistered and monastic? Could you give me examples of different communities? I know both the Carmelites and the Benedictines are cloistered (although types of enclosure) and they are both monastic as well. I was wondering what communities you considered cloistered and not monastic or vice versa?
[/quote]

Hm... I honestly do not know. I think Benedictines are Monastic, but they aren't particularly cloistered. They are allowed to go out, teach in colleges, have guests, etc. Cloistered would imply that you were barred off from the world with only selected guests at times.

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1341309682' post='2451879']
How do you define the difference between cloistered and monastic? Could you give me examples of different communities? I know both the Carmelites and the Benedictines are cloistered (although types of enclosure) and they are both monastic as well. I was wondering what communities you considered cloistered and not monastic or vice versa?
[/quote]

When I think of monastics, I think of Benedictine, Camaldolese, Carthusian, Trappist, Cistercian, and Brigittine charisms -- basically any charism where the male counterpart is called "monk" in religious life. But, that can be rather confusing when you consider the Carmelite Monks in Wyoming or that many cloistered orders call their houses "monasteries." The word "monk" comes from the Greek word [i]monachos[/i] which means "single, or solitary." Within western monasticism, it is important to differentiate between monks and friars. Monks generally live a contemplative life of prayer confined within a monastery while friars usually engage in an active ministry of service to the outside community. Such as the Carmelite Monks in Wyoming, they do not participate in ministry outside of the cloister.

[quote]The monastic orders include all Benedictines (the Order of Saint Benedict and its later reforms including the Cistercians and the Trappists) and the Carthusians, who live according to their own Statutes, and not according to the Rule of St. Benedict proper. Orders of friars include the Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites, and Augustinians. Although the Canons Regular, such as the Norbertines, live in community, they are neither monks nor friars as they are characterized by their clerical state and not by any monastic vows.[/quote]

I'm sorry if I made the poll confusing! I hope this helps.

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='Papist' timestamp='1341337529' post='2452039']
Yes, I know. My post was to answer your question, not to correct you. Sorry
[/quote]

Ah, OK. I didn't think that was your intention.

[Papist]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1341338016' post='2452044']
Ah, OK. I didn't think that was your intention.
[/quote]

I do wish there was a Marriage board.

[Nunsense]

[quote name='FuturePriest387' timestamp='1341337706' post='2452040']
Hm... I honestly do not know. I think Benedictines are Monastic, but they aren't particularly cloistered. They are allowed to go out, teach in colleges, have guests, etc. Cloistered would imply that you were barred off from the world with only selected guests at times.
[/quote]

There are different types of enclosure therefore different types of cloistered religious.

[Nunsense]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1341337924' post='2452043']
When I think of monastics, I think of Benedictine, Camaldolese, Carthusian, Trappist, Cistercian, and Brigittine charisms -- basically any charism where the male counterpart is called "monk" in religious life. But, that can be rather confusing when you consider the Carmelite Monks in Wyoming or that many cloistered orders call their houses "monasteries." The word "monk" comes from the Greek word [i]monachos[/i] which means "single, or solitary." Within western monasticism, it is important to differentiate between monks and friars. Monks generally live a contemplative life of prayer confined within a monastery while friars usually engage in an active ministry of service to the outside community. Such as the Carmelite Monks in Wyoming, they do not participate in ministry outside of the cloister.



I'm sorry if I made the poll confusing! I hope this helps.
[/quote]

No, just curious because obviously the Carmelite friars are not cloistered or monastic, since their work is not limited to praying, but the nuns are both cloistered and monastic. Just interested in how people see different communities.

[PhuturePriest]

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1341338784' post='2452055']
No, just curious because obviously the Carmelite friars are not cloistered or monastic, since their work is not limited to praying, but the nuns are both cloistered and monastic. Just interested in how people see different communities.
[/quote]

Actually, there is a group of Carmelite Monks in Wyoming. They are the only Carmelite Monks in the world, if I understand correctly. I am discerning with them. They live the same life the Nuns do, and they are strictly cloistered.

[Nunsense]

[quote name='FuturePriest387' timestamp='1341339685' post='2452062']
Actually, there is a group of Carmelite Monks in Wyoming. They are the only Carmelite Monks in the world, if I understand correctly. I am discerning with them. They live the same life the Nuns do, and they are strictly cloistered.
[/quote]

Then they are not friars are they?

[emmaberry]

[quote name='Papist' timestamp='1341338085' post='2452045']
I do wish there was a Marriage board.
[/quote]

What would you talk about on this marriage board? "I am engaged!" "My new girlfriend just met my family!" "Our friday night date went splendidly!" etc. Sorry -it is just funny to imagine.

Edited July 3, 2012 by emmaberry

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='Papist' timestamp='1341338085' post='2452045']
I do wish there was a Marriage board.
[/quote]

You're not the only one. There were a few people here at one time who said the same thing.

[Papist]

[quote name='emmaberry' timestamp='1341340245' post='2452071']
What would you talk about on this marriage board? "I am engaged!" "My new girlfriend just met my family!" "Our friday night date went splendidly!" etc. Sorry -it is just funny to imagine.
[/quote]

Stuff like, my wife wants to name our son Herman Jr. and my name is not even Herman. What do I do?