Hey..

[AugustineA]

There are alot more women than men entering religious life, at least on this board. What's the deal guys? We're droppin' the ball! :flex:

[TheresaThoma]

YES! Go out and gather some more guys!

[arfink]

Have at it AugustineA. The field is open for you. :hehe:

[AnneLine]

This has been encouraged before!   By the guys and by the women!   Come on down, Gentlemen, the price is right!

[AugustineA]

Unfortunately I have student debt, so it looks like I'm relegated to non-religious life.  :pinch: I'm also 25 and still catch myself looking at girls, soo.. maybe not the best fit haha. 

 

There was a time when I was seriously considering becoming a dominican.

[Kateri89]

Unfortunately I have student debt, so it looks like I'm relegated to non-religious life.  :pinch: I'm also 25 and still catch myself looking at girls, soo.. maybe not the best fit haha. 

 

There was a time when I was seriously considering becoming a dominican.

 

Well don't be too quick to cross religious life off the list.  As far as student debt, there is the Mater Ecclesiae fund and the Laboure Society which might be able to help.  Besides, being attracted to women isn't solely an attribute of the laity.  I still find myself attracted to some guys but I believe that I'm most likely called to religious life anyway.  Just sayin...

[AnneLine]

hehehe  Augustine, neither of those is going to get you off the hook of discerning if God could be calling you... Especially with the name Augustine.

 

We'll be praying for wisdom for you.... and benefactors!  ;)

 

And... a lot of men's communities WILL work with someone with debt...more often than women's communities.... And debt by itself isn't an issue for a secular priest anyway..... as far as I know.....

Edited September 24, 2013 by AnneLine

[AugustineA]

Well don't be too quick to cross religious life off the list.  As far as student debt, there is the Mater Ecclesiae fund and the Laboure Society which might be able to help.  Besides, being attracted to women isn't solely an attribute of the laity.  I still find myself attracted to some guys but I believe that I'm most likely called to religious life anyway.  Just sayin...

 

Hm, maybe I will look into that a bit. I had kind of closed off that option for a longg time. 

 

hehehe  Augustine, neither of those is going to get you off the hook of discerning if God could be calling you... Especially with the name Augustine.

 

We'll be praying for wisdom for you.... and benefactors!  ;)

 

And... a lot of men's communities WILL work with someone with debt...more often than women's communities.... And debt by itself isn't an issue for a secular priest anyway..... as far as I know.....

 

haha, why did my namesake have to set the bar so high.. Thank you for prayers! I don't know. Maybe I'll wait until I'm settled into my new parish and then talk to the priest and see what he thinks. 

[AnneLine]

I wouldn't close off ANY options, Augustine.   Just keep your eyes open.   Lots of good opportunities for people who want to serve God, both in religious life, in secular priesthood, and as lay persons.   Figure out what kinds of things God wants you to do with your gifts and what your desires are, and then give those to God... He'll help you figure out where you can best serve Him.

 

(You and me both got high bars to live up to... AnneLine was one of the martyrs of England who kept house and hid priests during the persecutions in Elizabethan England.   She was a childless widow; she and her husband had been persecuted for being Catholics, and he died in exile leaving her alone.Worked with the Jesuits to set up safe houses for the priests and arrange for Mass for the faithful... and she was caught at it and condemned to die.   She admitted to the 'crime' at the gallows, and said her only regret was that she could not have done so for 1,000 more!     That's the spirit!)   But... I wish she would help me figure out how to get my housework done more easily.... but I'm working on it...

 

So... guys... what DO you want for your thread to attract guys here to VS?   do you want us ladies to vacate the space..???. or do you want to have us find some guys to come jump in the pool????

 

 

[Catherine Therese]

Maybe its just a thing where guys aren't as prepared to open up about it? Maybe the numbers are pretty even and the guys are just lurking ;-) 

 

I have had 3 separate guys confide in me about their hopes to enter seminary in the past few months, but they're all keeping it super quiet on the outside, and just asking for prayers of immediate family and a few close friends in the meantime. Two of them are looking to enter in my Diocese next February (when our school year starts) and one of them, I found out, has entered this past August in the neighbouring diocese, quietly and without fanfare. 

 

 

[Catherine Therese]

There are alot more women than men entering religious life, at least on this board. What's the deal guys? We're droppin' the ball! :flex:

 

BTW just wanted to say its AWESOME to see you spurring on your brothers :-) 

 

When we read St. Augustine's account of his conversion, and the impact that had on his friend... the resulting sort of spiritual competitive-ness where each one brought out the best in the other... wow, I mean, it seems your Phatmass handle is more than coincidental :)

[AugustineA]

I wouldn't close off ANY options, Augustine.   Just keep your eyes open.   Lots of good opportunities for people who want to serve God, both in religious life, in secular priesthood, and as lay persons.   Figure out what kinds of things God wants you to do with your gifts and what your desires are, and then give those to God... He'll help you figure out where you can best serve Him.

 

(You and me both got high bars to live up to... AnneLine was one of the martyrs of England who kept house and hid priests during the persecutions in Elizabethan England.   She was a childless widow; she and her husband had been persecuted for being Catholics, and he died in exile leaving her alone.Worked with the Jesuits to set up safe houses for the priests and arrange for Mass for the faithful... and she was caught at it and condemned to die.   She admitted to the 'crime' at the gallows, and said her only regret was that she could not have done so for 1,000 more!     That's the spirit!)   But... I wish she would help me figure out how to get my housework done more easily.... but I'm working on it...

 

So... guys... what DO you want for your thread to attract guys here to VS?   do you want us ladies to vacate the space..???. or do you want to have us find some guys to come jump in the pool????

 

LOL, isn't that the case? I have to go save the world! But first I have to read these 50 pages and make a cup of tea..  :pinch:  I love hearing stories of the Saints past. I'm definitely keeping my eyes open. I stayed up later last night than I should of looking into these sorts of things. I'm thinking in general we should just post more guy related stuff. You ladies are doing a fine job. So I'll post more where I can.

 

Maybe its just a thing where guys aren't as prepared to open up about it? Maybe the numbers are pretty even and the guys are just lurking ;-) 

 

I have had 3 separate guys confide in me about their hopes to enter seminary in the past few months, but they're all keeping it super quiet on the outside, and just asking for prayers of immediate family and a few close friends in the meantime. Two of them are looking to enter in my Diocese next February (when our school year starts) and one of them, I found out, has entered this past August in the neighbouring diocese, quietly and without fanfare. 

 

I suspect this is also the case. Most of the guys I've met going into religious life were incredibly quiet.

 

BTW just wanted to say its amesome to see you spurring on your brothers :-) 

 

When we read St. Augustine's account of his conversion, and the impact that had on his friend... the resulting sort of spiritual competitive-ness where each one brought out the best in the other... wow, I mean, it seems your Phatmass handle is more than coincidental :)

 

Thanks Catherine. :) It's an incredible story isn't it.. I've got it right here. I remember one of his friends was being pulled away from the Church. He fell into a fever, and when he woke up he reaffirmed his vows and told Augustine to bug off with his pagan ideas haha. He died unfortunately, but found his Catholic faith just in time. Really incredible story..

[Luigi]

Unfortunately I have student debt, so it looks like I'm relegated to non-religious life.  :pinch: I'm also 25 and still catch myself looking at girls, soo.. maybe not the best fit haha. 

 

There was a time when I was seriously considering becoming a dominican.

 

It's never too late to consider becoming a Dominican. 

[TheresaThoma]

Just FYI the Dominicans of the Central Province allow men with bachelor's degrees to have up to $25,000 in student loan debt and still enter. The limit for holding a master's degree is $30,000. Plus they take men well into their 30s....

Therefore I find your reasons for why you couldn't be called null and void. :P

[Aya Sophia]

Unfortunately I have student debt, so it looks like I'm relegated to non-religious life.  :pinch: I'm also 25 and still catch myself looking at girls, soo.. maybe not the best fit haha. 

 

There was a time when I was seriously considering becoming a dominican.

 

 

Well don't be too quick to cross religious life off the list.  As far as student debt, there is the Mater Ecclesiae fund and the Laboure Society which might be able to help.  

At the risk of repeating what has already been said, I repeat:  http://labouresociety.org/  The only reason for existence for LS is to resolve the student loan debt of candidates for the priesthood and RL (and they have just been allied to the USCCB so they're stepping up operations in a big way).   Thanks to LS and other such organizations, "Debt" has effectively been removed from the official list of  "Reasons Why I Cannot Try My Vocation" (or its subsidiary, "Reasons Why I Cannot Try My Vocation - Yet". :P  !

[ToJesusMyHeart]

Seminarians and priests don't suddenly lose their sexuality when they enter religious life. It's normal to still find women attractive as a priest/religious. 

 

In fact, there would be red flags if you suddenly became asexual and didn't find women attractive. Big difference between acknowledging beauty and lusting after them! 

[arfink]

Or you could, you know, be a dad. That also rocks.

[AugustineA]

Sorry guys, I'm doing an omnibus post.

 

It's never too late to consider becoming a Dominican. 

 

lol, I know you're being positive, but there is some age limit isn't there, usually? 

 

Just FYI the Dominicans of the Central Province allow men with bachelor's degrees to have up to $25,000 in student loan debt and still enter. The limit for holding a master's degree is $30,000. Plus they take men well into their 30s....

Therefore I find your reasons for why you couldn't be called null and void. :P

 

That's pretty incredible. How do they repay their loans? I know alot of people in religious life work at various institutions, but for some reason I thought they weren't paid. I guess I've been called out huh, lol.

 

At the risk of repeating what has already been said, I repeat:  http://labouresociety.org/  The only reason for existence for LS is to resolve the student loan debt of candidates for the priesthood and RL (and they have just been allied to the USCCB so they're stepping up operations in a big way).   Thanks to LS and other such organizations, "Debt" has effectively been removed from the official list of  "Reasons Why I Cannot Try My Vocation" (or its subsidiary, "Reasons Why I Cannot Try My Vocation - Yet". :P  !

 

Woa! One of their aspirants was $190,000 in debt! That sure makes me feel better about my student loans haha. This program is fantastic... So are you discerning right now? 

 

Seminarians and priests don't suddenly lose their sexuality when they enter religious life. It's normal to still find women attractive as a priest/religious. 

 

In fact, there would be red flags if you suddenly became asexual and didn't find women attractive. Big difference between acknowledging beauty and lusting after them! 

 

That's a very good point. I hadn't thought of it like that, but it's a good thing to have red-blooded priests doing their job. I think we really ought to look after our priests. I can see how it would get lonely being a priest, always running around helping people but not having close contacts. 

 

Or you could, you know, be a dad. That also rocks.

 

Dude, I am totally not cut out to be a dad haha. Dad-hood is way out of ma league.  :saint2:

[arfink]

Dude, I am totally not cut out to be a dad haha. Dad-hood is way out of ma league.  :saint2:

 

I used to think that too. My personal reasons did fall apart over time, and I got some very good positive reasons to actively pursue it. Why do you think it's out of your league?

[Luigi]

"lol, I know you're being positive, but there is some age limit isn't there, usually?"

 

First of all, you don't say how old you are, how much debt you're carrying, or what your field of expertise is. So we've got not a lot to go on. But that's okay, because none of us here are vocation directors. I do know you're in Canada. 

 

Here's a link to the Canadian province's requirements for admission to the novitiate. They take guys up to 40 - and even older under certain conditions. http://www.dominicans.ca/Vocations/conditions.html