trustandgratitude Posted October 17, 2009 Author Posted October 17, 2009 [quote name='osapientia' date='16 October 2009 - 07:48 PM' timestamp='1255736902' post='1986611'] Since St. Scholastica's web site is down they might not have gotten your email. Would you consider writing to them snail mail? I had an email from the Prioress last night and I told them the site is down, they didn't even know it. They had scheduled getting some help to update it next week...it's possible that the person who is helping them took it down to work on it. You can snail mail them at: St. Scholastica Priory, Vocation Director, 274 North Main Street, Petersham, MA 01366. In the meantime, I'll say a prayer for you. Pax, Osap [/quote] Are you sure about that St. address? I did send them a letter by mail but the address I found was 271 N. Main St. I sent it last Tuesday, I can always sent it agian. Thanks for tell the Prioress about the website. Since you are in contact with her would you give her my email address? It's lisa1207@aol.com. I just checked the web site today and it is still down. In regaurds to what I said in my last post I was referring to the Visitation monastery that Tyringham, MA.
osapientia Posted October 17, 2009 Posted October 17, 2009 [quote name='trustandgratitude' date='17 October 2009 - 11:44 AM' timestamp='1255790663' post='1986938'] Are you sure about that St. address? I did send them a letter by mail but the address I found was 271 N. Main St. I sent it last Tuesday, I can always sent it agian. Thanks for tell the Prioress about the website. Since you are in contact with her would you give her my email address? It's lisa1207@aol.com. I just checked the web site today and it is still down. In regaurds to what I said in my last post I was referring to the Visitation monastery that Tyringham, MA. [/quote] OOOPsss....TYPO on the address. Let me think about the email address request...I'm not sure it's the way to go. Too "third party" if you know what I mean. I KNOW, KNOW KNOW it is hard to be patient...you could call them to see if they have received your letter.
trustandgratitude Posted October 17, 2009 Author Posted October 17, 2009 [quote name='osapientia' date='17 October 2009 - 12:34 PM' timestamp='1255797251' post='1986970'] OOOPsss....TYPO on the address. Let me think about the email address request...I'm not sure it's the way to go. Too "third party" if you know what I mean. I KNOW, KNOW KNOW it is hard to be patient...you could call them to see if they have received your letter. [/quote] Osap, You are RIGHT it is so hard to be patient. You are also right about the email address so please don't pass it on. Please pray for an increase in patients.
moon_child_anne Posted October 18, 2009 Posted October 18, 2009 I know that you said that you're considering a contemplative order, but keep in mind that apostolic communities are also contemplative in their own way. I'm a postulant with the Sisters of Notre Dame www.snd1.org and live with a Sister who has epilepsy that is controlled by medications. Let me know if she can answer any of your questions. I'd be glad to ask her. Anne, PND
osapientia Posted October 18, 2009 Posted October 18, 2009 [quote name='trustandgratitude' date='17 October 2009 - 02:15 PM' timestamp='1255799729' post='1986983'] Osap, You are RIGHT it is so hard to be patient. You are also right about the email address so please don't pass it on. Please pray for an increase in patients. [/quote] Just received from Mother Prioress at Petersham......praying for patience. PS. We have a problem with our website – it is being worked on. Our address is held hostage by internet bandits! What a crazy world. Someone is working on it.
trustandgratitude Posted October 20, 2009 Author Posted October 20, 2009 [quote name='osapientia' date='18 October 2009 - 09:44 AM' timestamp='1255873470' post='1987286'] Just received from Mother Prioress at Petersham......praying for patience. PS. We have a problem with our website – it is being worked on. Our address is held hostage by internet bandits! What a crazy world. Someone is working on it. [/quote] Thanks for the update. Mother Prioress should have recieved my letter but not but I just realized I forgot to include my email address in it so I will either have to wait (more waiting) to hear by mail or phone. I also sent of a letter to the Visitation monastery in Tyringham since I never heard back from my email. So we wait, in patience.
osapientia Posted October 20, 2009 Posted October 20, 2009 [quote name='trustandgratitude' date='20 October 2009 - 02:54 PM' timestamp='1256061273' post='1988483'] Thanks for the update. Mother Prioress should have recieved my letter but not but I just realized I forgot to include my email address in it so I will either have to wait (more waiting) to hear by mail or phone. I also sent of a letter to the Visitation monastery in Tyringham since I never heard back from my email. So we wait, in patience. [/quote] Just so you know, Mother Prioress is leaving on Oct 21st and won't be back home until Nov 2nd. More waiting, I know. You could call them tomorrow during the day and at least ask if your letter was received....it's up to you, but I do know they WILL get back to you....you just may have to wait a while. Yikes...I know that is hard.
trustandgratitude Posted October 20, 2009 Author Posted October 20, 2009 I'm still so frustrated! I riecved a letter today from the Novice Mistress at St. Scholastics. So much for the more understanding part. Apperently, they feel that my epilepsy would be difficult in an enclosed community. Like In His Love said, Gods will be done and I guess it has.
InHisLove726 Posted October 20, 2009 Posted October 20, 2009 (edited) [quote name='trustandgratitude' date='20 October 2009 - 05:55 PM' timestamp='1256075701' post='1988598'] I'm still so frustrated! I riecved a letter today from the Novice Mistress at St. Scholastics. So much for the more understanding part. Apperently, they feel that my epilepsy would be difficult in an enclosed community. Like In His Love said, Gods will be done and I guess it has. [/quote] I have felt the same pain you are experiencing right now. It's so difficult to hear that we are not understood, but I learned that each denial is one step closer to acceptance. God has a plan for you, and you cannot see it yet, but it's so beautiful. Put your arms around Him and let Him carry you through this trial. You will find the place you were meant to be all along soon enough, and when you find it, you will think to yourself, "Why was I worrying?" You have not yet heard back from Tyringham Visitation, and I would encourage you to write others as well. Let me know if you need help finding addresses. I'm praying for you. Edited October 20, 2009 by InHisLove726
Saint Therese Posted October 20, 2009 Posted October 20, 2009 I think it might be inappropriate to reveal details such as which congregation or community your are discerning with if that might put them in a bad light.
Nunsense Posted October 21, 2009 Posted October 21, 2009 [quote name='trustandgratitude' date='21 October 2009 - 08:55 AM' timestamp='1256075701' post='1988598'] I'm still so frustrated! I riecved a letter today from the Novice Mistress at St. Scholastics. So much for the more understanding part. Apperently, they feel that my epilepsy would be difficult in an enclosed community. Like In His Love said, Gods will be done and I guess it has. [/quote] We always need to focus on what it is that God wants for us, because He knows better than we do what is for the good of our soul, not just our human desires. There are many people who have obstacles to religious life, not just medical or physical ones like epilepsy, but also bipolar, schizophrenia, disabilities like blindness or deafness, or even that really simple one like -- age! What we need to do is to be open to what God is trying to show us at every step along the way. Do you have a spiritual director? Are the two of you working on this together? Sometimes we think that we can storm the gates of heaven by our efforts, but God wants humility and trust from us as well, and no matter how hard we try, without a childlike faith and trust, all our efforts will come to nothing. The most important effort you can make right now is prayer, lots of it, and if possible, a lot of time in front of the Blessed Sacrament. This is the foundation of any vocation, because a deep and rich prayer life is the way our relationship with our Beloved grows. Without the personal relationship... well, you get the picture I am sure. All He wants is your love. He will give all else to you in His time, according to His will. Trust in how very much He loves you. Prayers for you
trustandgratitude Posted October 22, 2009 Author Posted October 22, 2009 [quote name='Saint Therese' date='20 October 2009 - 07:27 PM' timestamp='1256081267' post='1988672'] I think it might be inappropriate to reveal details such as which congregation or community your are discerning with if that might put them in a bad light. [/quote] You are absolutly right and I apoligize I didn't mean to put anyone in a bad light. I'm not angry just disapointed. I feel very drawn to the Benedictine life and had high hopes after much disapointment but as someone else on this board mention I will have to think out side of the box. Gods ways are truely His own and as soon as we think we have a leg up He shows us how much we have to go.
trustandgratitude Posted October 25, 2009 Author Posted October 25, 2009 I need some help, agian. I really hate turning to cyber space for help but I guess you go where you think people will understand. First, let me say yes I have a spiritual director but I just switched directors and am still getting to know this one. He is also on vacation for the next 3 weeks so i am on a limb. That being said.... I have stuggled with spiritual dryness over the past year to varying degrees. Well for the past 4 or 5 weeks it have gotten worse and I am at a loss of what to do. There are boubts and temptations of all kinds but mostly agianst faith and hope; I have been fighting agianst them and I have even tried welcoming them and offering my poverty to Jesus but they persist. I feel so overwelmed and Jesus seems so far away now. It would be so easy to stop going to daily Mass To stop sitting in adoration. I have been reading some books that were recommeded and have found some comfort in that but it seems very little in the face of such temptation. I am sure some of you, if not all, have been in this situation can you please help? Thank you in advance.
Saint Therese Posted October 25, 2009 Posted October 25, 2009 I would recommend talking to your pastor.
HisChild Posted October 25, 2009 Posted October 25, 2009 Spiritual dryness is so difficult. I've been there many times myself. A very wise person once said that it is during this dry time that our Lord wants to see if we are in love with the God of Consolations... or the Consolations of God. It is at this point where our faithfulness is really necessary. It doesn't help when we are feeling dry, but there it is. It's also at this time where the evil one really tries to weasel in on those doubts and tries to convince us that we've been abandoned. All I can do is tell you to continue to pray and if it's the God of Consolations you love, He will reveal Himself in His time. I'll pray for you. In Christ, HisChild
organwerke Posted October 25, 2009 Posted October 25, 2009 I don't know very well how to help you. I have experienced too, but sincerely I thought it was something more like depression than spiritual dryness...but actually, it is difficult to distunguish since they are similar in their aspects, in those persons who have the faith of course. I am really sorry for you, and I have to say that in these moments speaking to the spiritual director too is often very difficult and don't give any consolations! Anyway, the very important thing is that you ask and accept every kind of help that you can receive from the others, especially from those persons who can give you friendship and comprehension. I would also say that even if you can't feel God He is really near to you, and always loves you with infinite love! I will pray for you.
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