You Thought That Order Was For You, But It Isn't ....?

[the_rev]

For a long time I thought I was being called to be a diocesean priest. But I think God is leading me a religious community since i have begun applying. I never would have thought that I would be seeking admission to a religious community...

[she_who_is_not]

[quote name='Carmeliteheart726' post='1709570' date='Nov 24 2008, 01:26 PM']LOL, I'll tell you, this discernment thing is not easy at all! I thought I was so sure, but I think I was wrong! I am so moved by the CFRs that I would consider it a blessing and privilege to join the Sisters. Their ministry is amazing and I love the fact that they are both active and contemplative. I was planning to visit the Brooklyn Carmelite monastery this next year, and I think I will visit the CFR sisters as well since the Bronx is close by. Hopefully, I will get clarity somehow. I also plan to go to Mass this week as well as Adoration. I think I have a Carmelite heart, but a Franciscan soul and vocation, LOL.[/quote]

A Poor Clare novice mistress once told me that it is quite common to be mutually attracted to the Carmelite and Franciscan charism. She advised that reading the great Carmelites is as good an introduction to Franciscan spirituality as any.

[Carmeliteheart726]

[quote name='she_who_is_not' post='1710054' date='Nov 24 2008, 07:36 PM']A Poor Clare novice mistress once told me that it is quite common to be mutually attracted to the Carmelite and Franciscan charism. She advised that reading the great Carmelites is as good an introduction to Franciscan spirituality as any.[/quote]

That's great to know I thought I was going crazy for thinking that I was more attracted to the Carmelites when really I am the most attracted to the Franciscans. It is funny because I didn't remember how much I was attracted to the CFR sisters until I was with them again. Plus, being with friars livened my prayer life. They have such respect for the Eucharist and the Blessed Virgin Mary. I am intrigued more than ever! I am planning to visit the convent in the Bronx for the CFR sisters when I can. I was planning to visit the Brooklyn Carmel out of curiosity, so I will visit them both during the same trip.

[johnnydigit]

ya it's very common. even Fr. Groeschel is an Augustinian at heart, but it so happened that the Franciscans were the most compatible at the time..

as long as the community and charism are for me, it doesn't really matter to me what order they are anymore. e.g. the Norbertines and Oblates of the Virgin Mary are probably the two most solid and popular orders, even among young people, in California..

[Carmeliteheart726]

[quote name='johnnydigit' post='1711174' date='Nov 26 2008, 12:24 AM']ya it's very common. even Fr. Groeschel is an Augustinian at heart, but it so happened that the Franciscans were the most compatible at the time..

as long as the community and charism are for me, it doesn't really matter to me what order they are anymore. e.g. the Norbertines and Oblates of the Virgin Mary are probably the two most solid and popular orders, even among young people, in California..[/quote]

LOL, that's funny Have you ever met any of the friars? I met Fr. Glenn for the first time this past weekend and just loved his homilies. I thought it really cool that he helped establish the CFRs.

[the lords sheep]

[quote name='johnnydigit' post='1711174' date='Nov 26 2008, 06:24 AM']as long as the community and charism are for me, it doesn't really matter to me what order they are anymore.[/quote]

Good for you, Johnny. That's a really blessed place to be, because it means your vocation is becoming less and less like you and more closely resembling the will of God for you.

[johnnydigit]

[quote name='Carmeliteheart726' post='1711193' date='Nov 25 2008, 09:38 PM']LOL, that's funny Have you ever met any of the friars? I met Fr. Glenn for the first time this past weekend and just loved his homilies. I thought it really cool that he helped establish the CFRs.[/quote]

well, i spent 9 days there last September when the postulants first moved in. it was such a blessing! i was gitty when i met some of the EWTN CFR celebrities. met Fr. Groeschel and had class with him and the postulants, then with the novices. they formed a circle of chairs in the back near the fountain and he sat me right in the middle facing him and made jokes. it was hilarious. then he got and signed me a copy of his Spiritual Passages.
met Fr. Apostoli when i was visiting his friary and didn't even realize it, i had to ask him who he was to make sure, then got pics.
met Fr. Marius from the Parables show when i stayed at Blessed Sacrament with the novices. he asked me to be a retreatant on the show in the following weeks, but i had to fly back in a few days!
Fr. Augustino from the Fishers of Men film comes to the Catholic Underground here in LA.
Fr. Leo the postulant director.
Fr. Luke the vocation director.
Fr. Augustine took me into Manhattan.
basically i spent a few days at most of the friaries. let's see who else.. well i'll send you a link to the pics so you can see for yourself!

[quote name='the lords sheep' post='1711316' date='Nov 26 2008, 02:06 AM']Good for you, Johnny. That's a really blessed place to be, because it means your vocation is becoming less and less like you and more closely resembling the will of God for you.[/quote]

wow thanks for that reflection, i hadn't realized it that way. i still would prefer to be a Franciscan though.. actually i really just want a big hood and pretend i'm a Star Wars jedi master while filming a vocation video or something.. if not it's cool, it's all up to Him.

[Carmeliteheart726]

[quote]well, i spent 9 days there last September when the postulants first moved in. it was such a blessing! i was gitty when i met some of the EWTN CFR celebrities. met Fr. Groeschel and had class with him and the postulants, then with the novices. they formed a circle of chairs in the back near the fountain and he sat me right in the middle facing him and made jokes. it was hilarious. then he got and signed me a copy of his Spiritual Passages.
met Fr. Apostoli when i was visiting his friary and didn't even realize it, i had to ask him who he was to make sure, then got pics.
met Fr. Marius from the Parables show when i stayed at Blessed Sacrament with the novices. he asked me to be a retreatant on the show in the following weeks, but i had to fly back in a few days!
Fr. Augustino from the Fishers of Men film comes to the Catholic Underground here in LA.
Fr. Leo the postulant director.
Fr. Luke the vocation director.
Fr. Augustine took me into Manhattan.
basically i spent a few days at most of the friaries. let's see who else.. well i'll send you a link to the pics so you can see for yourself![/quote]

Sounds awesome!!!


[quote]wow thanks for that reflection, i hadn't realized it that way. i still would prefer to be a Franciscan though.. actually i really just want a big hood and pretend i'm a Star Wars jedi master while filming a vocation video or something.. if not it's cool, it's all up to Him. [/quote]

LOL!!!

[RosaMystica]

[quote name='johnnydigit' post='1711464' date='Nov 26 2008, 12:54 PM']well, i spent 9 days there last September when the postulants first moved in. it was such a blessing! i was gitty when i met some of the EWTN CFR celebrities. met Fr. Groeschel and had class with him and the postulants, then with the novices. they formed a circle of chairs in the back near the fountain and he sat me right in the middle facing him and made jokes. it was hilarious. then he got and signed me a copy of his Spiritual Passages.
met Fr. Apostoli when i was visiting his friary and didn't even realize it, i had to ask him who he was to make sure, then got pics.
met Fr. Marius from the Parables show when i stayed at Blessed Sacrament with the novices. he asked me to be a retreatant on the show in the following weeks, but i had to fly back in a few days!
Fr. Augustino from the Fishers of Men film comes to the Catholic Underground here in LA.
Fr. Leo the postulant director.
Fr. Luke the vocation director.
Fr. Augustine took me into Manhattan.
basically i spent a few days at most of the friaries. let's see who else.. well i'll send you a link to the pics so you can see for yourself![/quote]

That is so cool!!

[VeniteAdoremus]

Totally almost entered the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara

I still love them, and their charism. But, as PP said... what? three years ago? "My little sister is under the unfortunate delusion that she simply [i]must[/i] be a Dominican." And when I least suspected it... WHAM. Vocation. And Dominican it was.

[puellapaschalis]

[quote name='VeniteAdoremus' post='1711650' date='Nov 26 2008, 11:15 PM']Totally almost entered the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara

I still love them, and their charism. But, as PP said... what? three years ago? "My little sister is under the unfortunate delusion that she simply [i]must[/i] be a Dominican." And when I least suspected it... WHAM. Vocation. And Dominican it was. [/quote]

Two years. And a bit. My little boy hadn't been born yet, and we went and abandoned him!

I still remember that trip. And the Benedictine nuns and monks we met. And how we all [b]howled[/b] with laughter.

Errrr, in order to stay on-topic: I dabbled with the Dominicans for a bit, but St. Benedict called shotgun on me way back in the 6th century and he sure as honeybees isn't letting go of me now. Sorry - I guess I'm pretty boring

[VeniteAdoremus]

[quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1711657' date='Nov 26 2008, 11:27 PM']Two years. And a bit. My little boy hadn't been born yet, and we went and abandoned him!

I still remember that trip. And the Benedictine nuns and monks we met. And how we all [b]howled[/b] with laughter.

Errrr, in order to stay on-topic: I dabbled with the Dominicans for a bit, but St. Benedict called shotgun on me way back in the 6th century and he sure as honeybees isn't letting go of me now. Sorry - I guess I'm pretty boring [/quote]

Oh yes, I remember, we considered throwing him in the river to warrant an emergency baptism.

Two years. Seems very short now

And you're not boring. Although I still think you should dip your toe in Salesian spirituality for a few days.

[BarbTherese]

I have been in two different Orders of enclosed contemplative communities in my lifetime - once in my teens and another in my forties. Both times I thought I had at last 'arrived' with great joy and rejoicing............and on later making my decision to leave and then actually leaving, I certainly had no sense whatsoever of failing or failure - rather of again journeying to seek God's Will for me and my life and leaving behind and certainly in the case of the Order in my forties - with some sadness - to seek God's Will. My sadness was not due to a sense of failure, rather that I was not called to that community and their particular understanding and expression of the enclosed contemplative life.
Barb

[moon_child_anne]

This totally happened to me as well. I spent three years discerning with the SNDdeN only to come to a point where I felt like I was knocking my head against the wall. I didn't realise then what I know now...and I am sooo blessed that their vocation director wouldn't let me go any further than pre-affiliation there because I would have never given a second look at the community that I am currently with.

I am so happy where I am.

Peace,
Anne

[Carmeliteheart726]

[quote name='moon_child_anne' post='1720455' date='Dec 5 2008, 07:15 PM']This totally happened to me as well. I spent three years discerning with the SNDdeN only to come to a point where I felt like I was knocking my head against the wall. I didn't realise then what I know now...and I am sooo blessed that their vocation director wouldn't let me go any further than pre-affiliation there because I would have never given a second look at the community that I am currently with.

I am so happy where I am.

Peace,
Anne[/quote]

Which order are you with now if I may ask? Beautiful name, BTW It's my confirmation name and saint.

[moon_child_anne]

[quote name='Carmeliteheart726' post='1720462' date='Dec 5 2008, 08:49 PM']Which order are you with now if I may ask? Beautiful name, BTW It's my confirmation name and saint.[/quote]

I'm with the Sisters of Notre Dame (different than the SNDdeN).
BTW, St Anne was also my confirmation saint. My baptismal name is Alyson.

[Carmeliteheart726]

[quote name='moon_child_anne' post='1721075' date='Dec 6 2008, 08:18 PM']I'm with the Sisters of Notre Dame (different than the SNDdeN).
BTW, St Anne was also my confirmation saint. My baptismal name is Alyson.[/quote]

Wow, there's a beautiful prayer on their website for discernment:

[b][i]Discernment Prayer

Walk with me, good and loving God, as I journey through life.
May I take your hand and be led by your Holy Spirit.
Fill me, inspire me, free me to respond generously to your call.
For I believe you desire my deepest joy,
and it is only in your company
that my soul will be satisfied
and my life will find its meaning and purpose.
Amen.[/i][/b]

I choose St. Anne strictly because I knew her feast day fell on my birthday, July 26th. I love her very much, but I wish I had chosen St. Therese instead. My aunt/godmother said she felt the same way. Her confirmation name is Bernadette and she wishes she had chosen Therese, too.

[moon_child_anne]

I really like St Therese too. Actually, if I were able to choose a religious name, I'd choose Sister Mary Anne Therese, or Sister Mary Anne Julia (or Julie). St Julie is my patron saint...I wasn't named for a saint (which I wished that I was), so I decided to choose my own saint. St Julie Billiart was the foundress of the SNDdeN and the spiritual foundress of the SND Sisters. I love her story dearly...it's how I first got interested in Religious Life.

There's another good discernment prayer by Thomas Merton. I don't remember the name of it right now...

Peace,
Anne, PND

[Carmeliteheart726]

[quote name='moon_child_anne' post='1721181' date='Dec 6 2008, 10:21 PM']I really like St Therese too. Actually, if I were able to choose a religious name, I'd choose Sister Mary Anne Therese, or Sister Mary Anne Julia (or Julie). St Julie is my patron saint...I wasn't named for a saint (which I wished that I was), so I decided to choose my own saint. St Julie Billiart was the foundress of the SNDdeN and the spiritual foundress of the SND Sisters. I love her story dearly...it's how I first got interested in Religious Life.

There's another good discernment prayer by Thomas Merton. I don't remember the name of it right now...

Peace,
Anne, PND[/quote]

Ok......that is just freaky! The first name that I thought of when I was thinking about religious names was Sr. Mary Anne Therese of the Sacred Heart! I wasn't named for a saint either, so I choose St. Therese of the Child Jesus. I also love Padre Pio, St. Francis, and St. Clare. I love this name now:

Sr. Marie-Therese of the Most Holy Eucharist

I also love this name, and if I was to join the Franciscans, I would use it:

Sr. Mary Clara Therese of the Most Holy Eucharist (or Holy Family)

The prayer you are thinking of probably starts with:

"My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going..."

[DiscerningSoul]

I have closed a chapter in my discement with one community but you know what they say, where God close's one door he opens another.