Mags Posted July 11, 2015 Posted July 11, 2015 Hi, I'm new on here but have read many posts which I have found very useful. It's great to know that there are others out there feeling the same way as me, needing prayers and getting answers to questions. I'm discerning a possible call to the Carmelites of Notting Hill in London. Next month I'm visiting for a month and am both nervous and looking forward to it. I was there for a week a few months ago and, without wanting to sound too trite, it felt right. This month will be a truer test I know, so I would be very grateful if you would pray for me. Thank you
Sister Leticia Posted July 11, 2015 Posted July 11, 2015 Welcome - I'm assuming you're from or based in the UK , so welcome from one UK Phatmasser to another! I've only been to Notting Hill as a visitor a long time ago, but of course I've seen the film about them Would you be happy to say what attracts you to Carmel and to this one in particular?
vee Posted July 11, 2015 Posted July 11, 2015 hello and welcome Prayers for you as you go on your live in.
Mags Posted July 11, 2015 Author Posted July 11, 2015 (edited) Welcome - I'm assuming you're from or based in the UK , so welcome from one UK Phatmasser to another! I've only been to Notting Hill as a visitor a long time ago, but of course I've seen the film about them Would you be happy to say what attracts you to Carmel and to this one in particular? Hi Sister Leticia, my discernment started more seriously after completing the Vision Vocation Match Questionnaire. The Carmelites really stood out for me so I made general enquiries about them. I was directed to their website which describes their life, and the communities there are in Great Britain. I would regularly read the information but could not get the courage to actually contact them for some time! As I don't drive I made a pragmatic decision to visit the one which would be easiest by public transport - Notting Hill (I live in Northampton). I made several visits for chats with a few of the sisters; the superior, Sr Mary of St Joseph, then suggested a week long stay. Whilst there I felt a sense of purpose and "wholeness" which I don't really get from my work. I like the simplicity of the life, that all of the sisters are working towards the same goal, ie, serving God. I'm not entirely sure I have answered you question, I find it hard sometimes to put into words what I feel and I hate to sound soppy!! I had not heard of the film before I met them, it was interesting to see them in it after having met some of them in the flesh Sorry I managed to merge two posts!! Hello and welcome Prayers for you as you go on your live in. Thank you! Hi Mags, welcome! I've been there, it's lovely Thank you, it is, and the sisters are great too Hi Sister Leticia, my discernment started more seriously after completing the Vision Vocation Match Questionnaire. The Carmelites really stood out for me so I made general enquiries about them. I was directed to their website which describes their life, and the communities there are in Great Britain. I would regularly read the information but could not get the courage to actually contact them for some time! As I don't drive I made a pragmatic decision to visit the one which would be easiest by public transport - Notting Hill (I live in Northampton). I made several visits for chats with a few of the sisters; the superior, Sr Mary of St Joseph, then suggested a week long stay. Whilst there I felt a sense of purpose and "wholeness" which I don't really get from my work. I like the simplicity of the life, that all of the sisters are working towards the same goal, ie, serving God. I'm not entirely sure I have answered you question, I find it hard sometimes to put into words what I feel and I hate to sound soppy!! I had not heard of the film before I met them, it was interesting to see them in it after having met some of them in the flesh Sorry I managed to merge two posts!! Thank you! Thank you, it is, and the sisters are great too What is going on??!! I keep merging posts Edited July 11, 2015 by Mags Error in post
Mags Posted July 11, 2015 Author Posted July 11, 2015 Welcome! I hope your live in goes well! Thank you ☺ hello and welcome Prayers for you as you go on your live in. Thank you ☺
:o)Katherine:o) Posted July 11, 2015 Posted July 11, 2015 (edited) Prayers for you Mags! Welcome to Phatmass! Edited July 11, 2015 by :o)Katherine:o)
Mags Posted July 11, 2015 Author Posted July 11, 2015 Prayers for you Mags! Welcome to Phatmass! Thank you ☺
vee Posted July 11, 2015 Posted July 11, 2015 Dont worry about your posts merging, its just how phatmass works and nothing you did. The only way to prevent that is to wait a few mins between posts in the same thread, or if someone else posts in between yours.
Sister Leticia Posted July 14, 2015 Posted July 14, 2015 As I don't drive I made a pragmatic decision to visit the one which would be easiest by public transport - Notting Hill (I live in Northampton). I smiled at this: so often it's some unrelated, random or seemingly insignificant thing which God uses to determine our life's course... God bless!
Mags Posted July 14, 2015 Author Posted July 14, 2015 I smiled at this: so often it's some unrelated, random or seemingly insignificant thing which God uses to determine our life's course... God bless! That is so true. I had never before considered the Carmelites as I thought of them as so strict. My experience so far is that the community are "normal" and that their life is possible!
Gabriela Posted July 17, 2015 Posted July 17, 2015 Welcome, Mags! Also, we love the merge posts function. It's new and really helps to keep threads organized!
Mags Posted July 17, 2015 Author Posted July 17, 2015 Thank you to everyone who has replied. It means a lot to know that people are praying for me. It's not long now until I go. I'm looking forward to it, and not just because work is crazy!! ☺
Sister Leticia Posted July 17, 2015 Posted July 17, 2015 Well, it's good that you can get a month off work (or will you be between jobs?) Work commitments, and the need to have an income and pay bills, can be difficult to tie in with the need to take an extended time off. And of course, some people might not be in a position to tell their employers why they need the extended leave. We have someone doing a live-in at the moment, who lives too far from any of our communities to be able to carry on her job (we're contemplative/apostolic, so going out to work each day in addition to community life and prayer is a good way of experiencing our life), but luckily she was able to negotiate the time off. She now does voluntary work in local projects where the sisters work. We have another discerner who lives and works quite near one of our communities, so it would be easier for her to live in. But we don't make a live-in an obligatory part of the process - we do it if a discerner really seems to need it to help her come to greater clarity or dispel anxieties about being able to live in community. But of course it's different for a monastery - the life is so different, with the horarium, enclosure, silence, asceticism and the whole lifestyle - I think you really do have to try it as part of the discernment. Good for you, for being willing to do so!
Mags Posted July 18, 2015 Author Posted July 18, 2015 Well, it's good that you can get a month off work (or will you be between jobs?) Work commitments, and the need to have an income and pay bills, can be difficult to tie in with the need to take an extended time off. And of course, some people might not be in a position to tell their employers why they need the extended leave. We have someone doing a live-in at the moment, who lives too far from any of our communities to be able to carry on her job (we're contemplative/apostolic, so going out to work each day in addition to community life and prayer is a good way of experiencing our life), but luckily she was able to negotiate the time off. She now does voluntary work in local projects where the sisters work. We have another discerner who lives and works quite near one of our communities, so it would be easier for her to live in. But we don't make a live-in an obligatory part of the process - we do it if a discerner really seems to need it to help her come to greater clarity or dispel anxieties about being able to live in community. But of course it's different for a monastery - the life is so different, with the horarium, enclosure, silence, asceticism and the whole lifestyle - I think you really do have to try it as part of the discernment. Good for you, for being willing to do so! Hi, yes I really am very lucky, I had been expecting some resistance to that amount of time off but had none. I had planned on taking unpaid leave, and had been saving up for this, work though gave me my annual leave. I can feel for those who are not as fortunate as me. The superior at Notting Hill recommended a month stay so that I could get a true sense of their life, that is the norm for them. The week I had a few months ago was only a taster and could not properly reflect the life of a Carmelite. I know that for me there will be some real challenges re. technology, I'm so used to having my mobile on me and my laptop at hand and then there is the TV! I'm used to there being noise of some description in my life, either at work or at home so a month of silence will be different but I'm looking forward to it. Something I hadn't mentioned above was that for some years I had been a Benedictine, leaving when I was a Junior, so I have some understanding of the way of life but I'm older now and used to doing things how and when I want. Doing this will help me to know for certain whether I am called to this life.
marigold Posted July 18, 2015 Posted July 18, 2015 Hi, yes I really am very lucky, I had been expecting some resistance to that amount of time off but had none. I had planned on taking unpaid leave, and had been saving up for this, work though gave me my annual leave. I can feel for those who are not as fortunate as me. The superior at Notting Hill recommended a month stay so that I could get a true sense of their life, that is the norm for them. The week I had a few months ago was only a taster and could not properly reflect the life of a Carmelite. I know that for me there will be some real challenges re. technology, I'm so used to having my mobile on me and my laptop at hand and then there is the TV! I'm used to there being noise of some description in my life, either at work or at home so a month of silence will be different but I'm looking forward to it. Something I hadn't mentioned above was that for some years I had been a Benedictine, leaving when I was a Junior, so I have some understanding of the way of life but I'm older now and used to doing things how and when I want. Doing this will help me to know for certain whether I am called to this life. I suppose the question I was going to ask, how was your week's live-in, is a bit redundant then Better to wait and see, really, even if there are nosy people on the internet!
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