Come-and-see Discernment Weekend

[Dominican Nuns Menlo Park]

 

We will begin our first vocation discernment weekend tonight and we ask that you please join us in praying with and for the young women who are coming to the event.

 

Preparing for the Discernment Weekend Liturgy

 

Blessed Jordan, worthy successor of St Dominic, in the early days of the Order, your example and zeal prompted many men and women to follow Christ in the white habit of our Holy Father.

 

As patron of Dominican vocations, continue to stimulate talented and devoted men and women to consecrate their lives to God. Through your intercession, lead to the Order of Preachers generous and sacrificing persons, willing to give themselves fervently to the apostolate of truth.

 

Help them to prepare themselves to be worthy of the grace of a Dominican vocation. Inspire their hearts to become learned of God, that with firm determination they might aspire to be champions of the faith and true lights of the world. Amen.

[AnneLine]

Prayers for you and those attending, Sister!

 

How many do you expect (if you wish to share), and what kinds of things will they do on the weekend?

 

If possible, can you provide some pictures?

[TheresaThoma]

Prayers for them! I hope it goes well!

[AnneLine]

We are praying for all of you!    We hope the Lord of Love takes aim at you!

 

:think2:    :cupid:   :giveup:   :nun:

Edited January 12, 2014 by AnneLine

[Dominican Nuns Menlo Park]

Thank you all for your loving prayers and support. 

 

It was truly an awesome weekend!  There were 14 young women signed up but one couldn't make it.  All left the monastery very happy and packed with helpful tools and information to digest and homework to do to continue their search for God.  We'll post something soon so stay tuned!

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

14! Way to go! We are lucky if we can get 1 for an afternoon! :cry:

[OnlySunshine]

14! Way to go! We are lucky if we can get 1 for an afternoon! :cry:

 

If I lived closer and didn't have school, I'd want to visit.  :blush:

[Kateri89]

14! Way to go! We are lucky if we can get 1 for an afternoon! :cry:

Sister, aren't you a Summit Dominican? Because I would LOVE to visit y'all :). I don't know that I'm called to Dominican spirituality but your order seems fantastic!

[AnneLine]

Phatmass is privileged :) have two different cloistered Dominican Nuns from Two Houses on opposite ends of the country who share our Vocation Station with us!  

 

Sr. Joseph Marie (the one who hooked 14 fish discerners last weekend) is from Menlo Park, California, and Sr. Mary Catharine is from Summit, NJ (and has a pretty good fishing record herself!).  

 

While my husband would be very unhappy if I decided to discern with either community (!), I have been privileged to visit both houses.  If you haven't had a chance to visit our Lord in their chapels, where he is enthroned above the high Altar in each house, you really need to go visit Him!   And say hello to His brides while you are there!   And, of course, if you are seriously interested in knowing more about the cloistered Dominican vocation, you should contact either/both of these Nuns!

 

We are praying for both of your monasteries to be full to bursting with happy, prayerful potential Dominicans!!!!!!

 

 

Edited January 15, 2014 by AnneLine

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

14! Way to go! We are lucky if we can get 1 for an afternoon! :cry:

 

I think you are being overly humble. Since you don't have discernment weekends, you get your aspirants one at a time--but you seem to get them pretty regularly. As a regular reader of your blog, I'm always looking out for pictures of aspirants, and it looks as if you had 3-5 aspirants doing several-week live-ins each between November and January. I am praying that the Summit Novice Mistress (namely YOU!) will be very busy with new postulants in 2014! The novitiate needs some bluebirds! (Note: The Summit Dominicans have said in their blog that they call their postulants "bluebirds" because their postulant dresses are Marian blue.)

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

It's true! Vocation discernment retreat FLOP for us. I'm teased because supposedly I called Sr. Mary Veronica who hadn't entered yet for our last one and said, "YOU MUST COME!"

 

Yes, we have been blessed with 4 aspirants over the past few months and a number of women visiting. Please pray for the 3 that are in their application process and the others that hope to make aspirancy or have made aspirancy but want to finish school before they enter.  It's really all about God's timing!

[TheresaThoma]

It sounds like you will be busy with lots of bluebirds here soon!

[AnneLine]

Sister Mary Catharine, IT IS HIGH TIME FOR YOU TO GET BACK TO WORK!!!!!   Christmas Season is over!!!   ;)   :evil:  and :pray:

 

(i.e., I hope ALL your Candidates become Aspirants come in and put you to work!!!

Edited January 15, 2014 by AnneLine

[TheresaThoma]

Yup, we can't have idle novice mistresses around here!

[Dominican Nuns Menlo Park]

Yup, we can't have idle novice mistresses around here!

 

Double Yup...:)

[AnneLine]

I was tempted to say we aren't going to let you off easily either, Sr. Joseph Marie... but sounds like you feel the need to get to work as well!   :)

[AuthorOfMyLife]

I would come, Sister Catharine Mary, if I could!

 

Hopefully I'll be able to come someday, when my health issues get better!

 

I'm glad you had so many young women come, Menlo Park Nuns. I remember meeting a Dominican priest who spoke very highly of your community (unfortunately, I can't remember his name--he just came to give a retreat at my parish in the gulf coast of Mississippi).

[AuthorOfMyLife]

I would come, Sister Catharine Mary, if I could!

 

Oh, no! I meant "Sister Mary Catharine"! I blame it on having just woken up, not having much coffee, and remembering that I wanted to get the spelling of "Catharine" right (so I guess my brain made it the most important part of the name--and first!). I apologize.