Has Someone Ever Told You?

[4LoveofJMJ]

That they see you becoming a priest or religious? What did you make from it? Take it as a sign from God? Should one start taking it as a sign if people keep telling you that you would make a good priest or religious?

[puellapaschalis]

I went to visit a place and was brought in to have lunch with some guests, one of whom told me that I looked as though I already had one foot in the cloister and just needed to pull the other one through after me.

[TheresaThoma]

I've had it happen a couple of times. Once was in the confessional with one of my parish priests. At the end he asked if I had considered being a Sister, I told him that I was actually going on a retreat in a month. 

It happened again with another lady who I met through RCIA. She told me a couple of months after I met that the first time she saw me she knew I was discerning.

 

I don't nessecarily think that these are signs from God but it is rather encouraging to hear it from other people. And if you haven't considered religious life before it would be worth checking it out.

[4LoveofJMJ]

Several people have told me that they see me becoming a religious sister. Once it was from a very holy priest who was visiting my parish and another time it was from the mouths of the parents I was babysitting for. The dad brought up the subject and the mom said that she could see that "aura" around me.

 

Then again other people tell me what a great mother I will make whenever I am around kids.

[KarenJoanna]

2 of my former co-workers told me I should be a nun and my aunt has also told me. I think other people have an insight and see other's potential to be something and it is good for them to tell us so we can be more at peace and not have too many doubts about our vocation. Sometime's it is God speaking through them.

[PhuturePriest]

When I was sixteen I served a baptism with my spiritual director, and afterwards the family came up to me and asked me if I was a priest. I've had several other instances after that where people thought I was a seminarian.

[SilentJoy]

That they see you becoming a priest or religious? What did you make from it?

 

During my Confirmation interview, my priest asked, "Have you ever thought of religious life?" I thought, 'My hair isn't THAT bad. Is it that bad? Do I need to start using makeup?'

I said, "Well, yes..."

"That's WONDERFUL!" he said. "I'll get you in touch with a Vocation Director. You'll LOVE her."

I thought, 'My, this is moving along fast...'

 

About six months later, I had never heard anything from a Vocation Director and I knew it was too early to 'get serious' in discernment but I wanted to start looking, so I stopped in at the parish office because I didn't know how to go about that kind of thing.

"Hi sweetie!! What can I do for you?" said the priest.

I was super nervous. "Wellum I would like to ahhh...beanun?" 'Dang, now he thinks I'm stupid. But he probably already thought that.'

"Really?? That's WONDERFUL! I'll get you in touch with a Vocation Director. You'll LOVE her."

 

About a month later, he remembered to give me the Vocation Director's number. Several weeks after that, I got up the courage to actually call.

"Yeah, this is Ron," the not-a-Vocation-Director said.

"Ohhhh, wrong number!"

 

"Ron??" cried the priest. "Who's RON?"

A few weeks later, I finally got in touch with the Vocations Director. She hadn't been a Vocations Director for 15 years, but she gave me the number of someone who was. The current VD was sick and gave me the number for Someone-or-other. I met with Someone-or-other and disliked almost everything about the community, their life, their mission, etc., but it had it's bright spot; two retired nuns, one tall and one short, saw me sitting outside the substitute VD's office, and the short one said,

"I wonder who that guy is waiting for!"

"Oh?" said the tall one. "Is it a guy? I don't have my glasses."

She squinted powerfully. "Yup, it's a guy!"

 

The priest looked at my nervous little smiling face after Mass the next day and said, "Aww! YES, you're going to be a great nun."

[Spem in alium]

The provincial superior of the order I've applied to told me a while ago that she thought it was my calling. A few other people have said similar things to me too. Just have to wait and see :)

[4LoveofJMJ]

Lol SilentJoy!!! That is funny!!!!

 

I guess I find it funny that people I have barely met are telling me that they see me becoming a religious whereas those who are close to me say otherwise. Although one of them just recently changed her tune....

 

 

[SilentJoy]

Some people will say "You'd make a good nun!" because one isn't interested in marriage, or they're terribly, terribly shy...neither is a good reason to consider religious life (especially the shy part), although it's helpful if one has already discerned that they aren't called to marriage.

[Anselm]

Yes, a Catholic friend with whom I work regularly tells me that he thinks I should be a monk. When I didn't get a job that I was expected to be offered, his response was "Well, ***** Abbey is calling!".

[PhuturePriest]

Yes, a Catholic friend with whom I work regularly tells me that he thinks I should be a monk. When I didn't get a job that I was expected to be offered, his response was "Well, ***** Abbey is calling!".

 

Speaking of the Abbey, why haven't we spoken in ages?

[Anselm]

Oh, it's you! I wondered, based on posts you had made, but I didn't know you'd changed your user name. I've not been on here since mid-summer, largely because of teaching taking up most of my time. How're you?

[puellapaschalis]

Oh, it's you! I wondered, based on posts you had made, but I didn't know you'd changed your user name. I've not been on here since mid-summer, largely because of teaching taking up most of my time. How're you?

 

Sorry, but every time I see your username I melt a little inside.

 

<--- St. Anselm fangirl.
 

[Anselm]

Sorry, but every time I see your username I melt a little inside.

<--- St. Anselm fangirl.

If only I could love up to it!

[Gabriela]

I think we recently had a discussion in VS about being cautious about interpreting little things like this as "signs". Selective perception, confirmation bias... etc.

 

Of course, if a lot of people are saying it, it might mean something. But even then, I think it's important to consider who's saying it, and why they might be saying it. For example, I work with a woman who was asked to leave religious life, and now that she's back in the world, she goes to daily Mass. Because she's under 70, the ladies at daily Mass often approach her and ask if she's ever considered being a nun. She gets really, really angry about this. Just because she's under 70 and going to daily Mass doesn't mean she's called to religious life, right? They don't know her at all, don't know that she turned out to be a pretty terrible fit for religious life, don't know how much pain she's feeling as a result of that "failure".

 

Similarly, unless someone knows you pretty well, or you know them to be an unusually holy or "prophetic" person, I'd dismiss such comments as (unintentional, well-meaning) stereotyping.

Edited October 11, 2014 by curiousing

[BarbTherese]

Told a few times in my teens by a few nuns and two priests I was nun material.  Not so.

[4LoveofJMJ]

 

I think we recently had a discussion in VS about being cautious about interpreting little things like this as "signs". Selective perception, confirmation bias... etc.

 

Of course, if a lot of people are saying it, it might mean something. But even then, I think it's important to consider who's saying it, and why they might be saying it. For example, I work with a woman who was asked to leave religious life, and now that she's back in the world, she goes to daily Mass. Because she's under 70, the ladies at daily Mass often approach her and ask if she's ever considered being a nun. She gets really, really angry about this. Just because she's under 70 and going to daily Mass doesn't mean she's called to religious life, right? They don't know her at all, don't know that she turned out to be a pretty terrible fit for religious life, don't know how much pain she's feeling as a result of that "failure".

 

Similarly, unless someone knows you pretty well, or you know them to be an unusually holy or "prophetic" person, I'd dismiss such comments as (unintentional, well-meaning) stereotyping.

 

Well the priest I mentioned earlier had only known me for a couple of days really but from the things said about him, he is a very holy man who seems to have certain spiritual gifts. 

 

As for the parents... Well you would think that if people saw me babysitting six children twice a week for months would automatically think of me becoming a mother some day right? When they said that they think that I am called to the religious life, it made me wonder what they saw other then my being great with kids... Unless one of the girls told them that I spent 15 minutes or so looking at a website that had nothing but nun pictures on it. :hehe2: Although I don't think it was around that time... I'm not quite sure. Boy her reaction was so cute!!!! She was all excited and kept telling me that she was going to become a saint one day.  :saint2:  Definitely one of my favorite moments during that time!

[brandelynmarie]

I was told this twice over the summer...one person was a total stranger & the other was an acquaintance. :) I consider them "nudges". ;)

[John Paul]

A nun and a monk say there is no doubt I have a vocation to religious life.