Petitpelerin Update

[petitpèlerin]

Hey y'all. Well, I've been in Princeville, Illinois for a couple months with the Apostolic Sisters of St John. It's been an incredibly blessed time and thankfully God's providence did not leave me when I left France but followed me even to Princeville!

 

In France (where I spent the last two years studying with the Community of St John) I got to know the spirit of the community very well. Here in Princeville I've gotten to know the lives of the sisters in a way I wasn't able to do in France. I was able to deepen my discernment and had a major development: I realized that the lives of the apostolic sisters are more active than the life I feel called to live, and I should rather be discerning with the contemplative sisters!

 

I realized this fall that I really didn't get to know the real lives of either branch of sisters very well in France: the apostolics because I lived near their houses of formation and studies but never spent any length of time in a priory of apostolic work (a few days' visit is enough to get a taste of their life and work but not enough to really immerse into it); and the contemplatives because I never experienced it from the inside (their life is a "hidden" one so you can't really get to know it by living around the corner or staying in their guesthouse). So, here in Princeville I've gotten to know both branches and I've been deeply drawn to the contemplative sisters. They appear to be living exactly the life I most deeply desire to live, and in the Community of St John, where I feel strongly called. It's almost too good to be true.

 

So, I've just left the apostolics and am beginning the process of discernment with the contemplatives. I can only take it one step at a time but the sisters are very encouraging to me. First step: spend a couple weeks visiting them to get to know their life on the inside. I'll be doing that later this month. Right now I'm back home taking a little break.

 

The providence of it all amazes me. Last spring I was preparing to enter the apostolics in France and got thrown a curve ball when they told me I'd be entering in the US. I got some good advice from a good brother that to begin my religious life with an act of obedience would be only a great blessing. He was so right. For one thing, if I were in the apostolic house of formation in France I would not have had the close contact with contemplative sisters that I've had here and been able to get to know them and be drawn to them. I don't feel like I made a mistake by entering the apostolics, I feel strongly that this is the way God led me, the step he wanted me to take, and so much good has come of it I'm amazed.

 

It's the strangest thing. I arrived in Princeville in early September, and sometime that month a little prayer came out from somewhere in me, I have no idea where, and I said "God, if you want me to discover the contemplative sisters please make it happen fast". I first met them on Oct. 1 (the feast of St Therese) and loved them immediately, and by the 13th (a second feast of Our Lady of Fatima, to whom I made my own Marian consecration) it was all becoming very clear to me.

 

So, that's my news. :)

[TheresaThoma]

Wonderful to hear from you. I'll be praying you as you discern this next step!

[Feankie]

As I like to say, another great day, another great piece of news!  Blessings to you as you continue your discernment.  As an aside, I am a midwesterner (Michigan, then Illinois, now 

Wisconsin) and have no clue where Princeville is.  Hints?

[brandelynmarie]

Oh petipèlerin, that is so wonderful to hear...God bless you as you continue on your journey. I have very fond memories of the brothers & sisters in France outside of Geneva, Switzerland years ago. (I ran away the US...long story :rolleyes: )

[petitpèlerin]

Francis Clare, Princeville is just outside Peoria. The community tends to draw people from all over the area you mentioned, and then some. There's a postulant brother this year from Fairbanks, Alaska! In September we took a weekend pilgrimmage up to Our Lady of Good Help and the Shrine at Holy Hill.

 

TheresaThoma, thank you for your letter, it was so nice to have one waiting for me when I arrived! I was just getting ready to write you back when this all happened very quickly. Let's stay in touch!

[TheresaThoma]

Francis Clare, Princeville is just outside Peoria. The community tends to draw people from all over the area you mentioned, and then some. There's a postulant brother this year from Fairbanks, Alaska! In September we took a weekend pilgrimmage up to Our Lady of Good Help and the Shrine at Holy Hill.

 

TheresaThoma, thank you for your letter, it was so nice to have one waiting for me when I arrived! I was just getting ready to write you back when this all happened very quickly. Let's stay in touch!

 Definite!

[Feankie]

Holy Hill is amazing !!!!!

[kg94]

Do you know Sr Verina? She's one of the novices in France? One of the apostolic sisters. I hope your discernment goes well. I know the CSJ quite well as we have the Bros here in London. Prayers for you on your vocation journey. 

God Bless.

[petitpèlerin]

Yes, Sr Verena is a beautiful person! If I remember correctly she just made her first vows this fall, along with an American sister I knew there, and a couple more American novices are going to receive the habit in a few weeks!

[Gabriela]

God bless you, Petitpelerin, for following Him wherever He leads. As someone whom God has led around on quite a twisted path, I suspect that He led you through the apostolic sisters so you would never think to yourself in hard times, "What if I had tried the apostolic life...?" That is a great blessing! :)

[petitpèlerin]

Thanks, Curiousing. That thought had crossed my mind, too. And so many blessings have come of it, I don't doubt it was the way he was leading me.

[Jennifer]

Many prayers as you continue your discernment Petitpelerin.