A Spiritual Director Would Sure Come In Handy.

[tinytherese]

I've been discerning for nine years. the last few have been more off and on discerning. There were also "complicated" times when I wasn't sure what I was called to. I kept religious life as an option, but didn't desire it. I remember last semester when a professor told this story about a young woman who was a nun that never felt one moment's peace in the convent, but her spiritual director insisted that it was a temptation. She took final vows and even then felt no peace. Later, she got a dispensation, got married and had children. This really spoke to me. I remember officially breaking off discerning and my soul was in such great peace. Lately, though especially, the thought that I haven't discerned the religious life properly is haunting me. I haven't been able to get another spiritual director and it looks as if I have to wait for the how manyeth time again for one in the fall. I'd also prefer to have spiritual direction face to face and not by correspondence. There's just no replacing doing it in person.

In all honesty, I don't want to enter the religious life. I like the idea of having a husband that I can actually see, hear, and touch with my own natural senses and give and receive physical affection for. I know that Our Lord is the perfect man, but I really haven't gotten over this itch that He doesn't scratch (apart from Holy Communion of course.) As a bride of Christ you don't get to actually hug or hold the hand of your husband or hear His audible voice. I also see family life as an area in the Church that really interests me, especially the Theology of the Body. When I picture my life if I were to design any way I wanted I would have myself be with a loving and true blue Catholic husband and me being a mother, taking care of the babies doing family catechesis. I'm willing to do what is best for the family, even if it's hard to do. I just can't see the evangelical counsels as liberating for me, especially not obedience. I'm really drawn to the fact that a married couple is supposed to serve as a team that mirrors the love of God to the world in this messed up world that often can't tell the difference between real love and counterfeit love. I also adore the idea of serving as witnesses to other people on what a marriage should be like. (I know that there's no such thing as a perfect marriage, but we all know that the majority of married couples today don't get it.) I've definitely seen how relationships go wrong and I've especially learned that from the marriage of my parents. There has been at least some good from what my family has been through and what other couples I've observed who were definitely not living out marriage for what it is supposed to be. Somehow, I miraculously saw that this isn't how it is supposed to be and know that with the help of God and the cooperation of a worthy husband that it can be done. God is the author of love after all.

I've been to multiple community visits and have lost track of all of the communities that I've been in contact with. I know that there was this one thread on here a few months ago where some ladies mentioned that even though they were happily married with children that they had this haunting feeling within them that they hadn't discerned the religous life carefully enough and wonder what might have been. I've also heard that you should look into the religious life first before considering the vocation to marriage. A part of me just feels guilty though. It's like there's this monkey on my back pushing me to discern more. I think that we've all pretty much heard about how there's a "vocation crisis," that there are not as many religious out in the world in schools, etc., and that a lot of people are definitely called alright, but don't adequately respond to the call. Sometimes, I just feel guilt-tripped. I don't want Our Lord to sigh and tell me that he had a far better plan for me in the religious life that I refused to keep persevering to discern and live that out for and all of the souls that could have benefited from my vocation. Yet, I don't have this great hunger for souls like St. Therese did and I fell uneasy when people talk about giving up ALL that is good for the conversion of souls and how the saints were so eager to do this and I'm not. I also think that in the religious life I wouldn't grow in holiness. It would be as if everyone but me benefited from my life, yet I still want to make my Beloved Lord happy. I've asked Him before what would make Him happy and He is so unclear about it.

[organwerke]

I don't think you are in perpetual discerning land. I think you have discrned that religious life is not for you.
About those married women who sometimes think of a "lost vocation"...well, I think it could be a temptation the same way for a professed sister who thinks of marriage...
You have discerned religious life, but you don't feel attracted by it...I think it is quite clear that you haven't a vocation, isn't it?
This is not a fault, this is simply a matter of fact, and a result of your discernment.
Let me say that reading you sometimes I think that you are a bit complicated.
You seem to think of your life mostly with your brain...I'm not saying that you haven't to consider very much the important choices of your life, but I think you should be less influenced by so many thoughts and more "spontaneous" in your choices.
I hope you won't get this as a judgement, but simply as an advice: put away the anxiety that sometimes seem to block you, and listen to what your heart is saying to you!
And about a spiritual director: a SD is always very useful, but no SDs can do your choices in your place. This is very important, because, at the end, we can be happy only when we do what WE really feel, not what others tell us to do.

[organwerke]

I don't think you are in perpetual discerning land. I think you have discrned that religious life is not for you.
About those married women who sometimes think of a "lost vocation"...well, I think it could be a temptation the same way for a professed sister who thinks of marriage...
You have discerned religious life, but you don't feel attracted by it...I think it is quite clear that you haven't a vocation, isn't it?
This is not a fault, this is simply a matter of fact, and a result of your discernment.
Let me say that reading you sometimes I think that you are a bit complicated.
You seem to think of your life mostly with your brain...I'm not saying that you haven't to consider very much the important choices of your life, but I think you should be less influenced by so many thoughts and more "spontaneous" in your choices.
I hope you won't get this as a judgement, but simply as an advice: put away the anxiety that sometimes seems to block you, and listen to what your heart is saying to you!
And about a spiritual director: a SD is always very useful, but no SDs can do your choices in your place. This is very important, because, at the end, we can be happy only when we do what WE really feel, not what others tell us to do.

Edited April 1, 2010 by organwerke

[vee]

I think [url="http://www.lafayettecarmelites.org/god_calling.php"]this article[/url] might help you if you havent already looked at it before. If you arent familiar with the Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius that article is a good little intro and can be used as a jumping off point with a director. You might also find these two prayers by Ignatius helpful.

Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty, my memory, my understanding and my whole will. All that I am and all that I possess You have given me: I surrender it all to You to be disposed of according to Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace; with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more. Amen.

Grant, O Lord, that my heart may neither desire nor seek anything but what is necessary for the fulfillment of Thy holy Will. May health or sickness, riches or poverty, honors or contempt, humiliations, leave my soul in that state of perfect detachment to which I desire to attain for Thy greater honor and Thy greater glory. Amen.

Edited April 1, 2010 by vee8

[osapientia]

[quote name='tinytherese' date='01 April 2010 - 03:22 AM' timestamp='1270102951' post='2084687']
I've asked Him before what would make Him happy and He is so unclear about it.
[/quote]

As my SD's Carthusian novice director said to him constantly: FOLLOW THE PEACE!!!!!!
Psalm 34:14: Seek Peace and Pursue It.

tinytherese, God is not playing some kind of game, hiding some "right thing" behind His back, holding it out to you, one item in each hand, and if you happen to choose the wrong one, you're in some kind of BIG "life trouble". I've never believed that and I never will. It is very easy for some people to make decisions, that's likely a matter of personality combined with one's life experiences...but it's not so easy for some and God knows that..

Listen to what St. John Chrysostom says in his Easter homily: (just a little taste, I'll post more on Easter)
[i]To this one He gives and on that one He showers rewards, whether you were a success or whether you only tried. He will greet you, make much of your effort and extol your intention. Let everybody therefore crowd into the exhilaration of our Savior. You the first and you the last, equally heaped with blessing. You the rich, and you the poor, celebrate together. And you the carefree and you the careless enjoy this day of days. You who have kept the fast, you who have broken it, be happy today the table is loaded, feast on it like the princes. The milkfed veal is fat, let no one go hungry. Drink, all of you. Drink the cup. The vintage is faith. Feed sumptuously all. Feed on His goodness, His sheer abundance, no one need think he is poor for the universal empire is emblazoned and wide open for all.[/i][b][/b]

tinytherese, THIS is the Jesus we serve. In the words of JPII, "Do not be afraid"

Have you considered that perhaps God is offering BOTH vocations (married and religious) to you and you simply get to choose one? Maybe you're His favorite...I always thought it was me, but maybe it's you. OK, I JUST HAD TO BRING IN A LITTLE LEVITY....don't mean to offend.

If you are motivated by a concern that you honestly think religious life might be for you, but you just haven't discerned adequately, then continue discerning...but if your motivation is guilt (because there aren't enough vocations???) then perhaps you can consider that it is not your responsibility to fix the vocation crisis....it's God's responsibility and He can handle it.

Just one more "word".....physical affection: marriage versus religious life....Bl Teresa of Calcutta had no problem with "reality" in this regard...she saw, touched and felt her Spouse because she saw, touched and felt Him in every person she served. Talk about the best of both worlds huh????

I think St John Chrysostom makes it quite clear what makes "Him" happy....us, coming to Him makes Him happy......perhaps you don't yet know what will make you happy, and therein lies your lack of peace, dear heart.

Peace to you, this Sacred Triduum and may you have a ROUSING celebration of the Resurrection.
Osap

[Lilllabettt]

TT, you are 21. No way are you a perpetual discerner.

I was given good advice, once, not to make any decisions in the midst of heavy personal turbulence.

There's a fork in the road, and one path must be chosen. But while you're trying to make a decision, there's an earthquake going on! It's really hard to think objectively in the midst of all that. When things have stopped shaking for a little while, you can take the time to look around and find out how stuff has re-settled. And who knows, things may look a lot different than you remember them being before or during the earthquake.

This is hard to do, especially if you're like me, and prefer to get decisions over with. But I think it is worth it, ultimately.

It is a way of honoring both yourself and the process of discernment.

[tinytherese]

[quote name='organwerke' date='01 April 2010 - 07:42 AM' timestamp='1270125775' post='2084739']
Let me say that reading you sometimes I think that you are a bit complicated.
You seem to think of your life mostly with your brain...I'm not saying that you haven't to consider very much the important choices of your life, but I think you should be less influenced by so many thoughts and more "spontaneous" in your choices.
I hope you won't get this as a judgement, but simply as an advice: put away the anxiety that sometimes seems to block you, and listen to what your heart is saying to you!
[/quote]

Thank you. I don't take offence at this. I'm afraid that that just might be my worst flaw. I know that I've been told when it comes to discernment that one should have a balance of both heart and head, but it seems as if I'm so head focused more than heart. There have been times in my past where I seemed to follow my heart, but ended up getting hurt and even discovering that I've been deceived, so I think that that's where my head domination seems to have kicked in. Unfortunately, I went to the other extreme instead of using both. I just have to learn how to do that. I'm not sure how, other than working with my therapist about my anxiety and praying for healing in this area.

[zunshynn]

I remember one time, this young lady that was visiting at the Shrine asked to meet with Mother Vicar about vocations, and when they were talking, apparently she mentioned that her boyfriend had actually brought her... And she really wanted to be open to religious life, and her boyfriend was really supportive of her discerning that, but Mother Vicar could tell she really wanted to marry the man she was in a relationship with. So Mother Vicar said it sounded to her like she really wanted to get married and have a family with this man. The girl said she did, but she didn't want to reject religious life.... So Mother Vicar said, "Well I think you should marry him" and I think gave her a little spiel about how the best way to know God's will is by what gives you peace, and there's nothing wrong with not being attracted to religious life, that God needs holy women to become wives and mothers as much as he needs holy religious. The girl was so relieved I think for someone to affirm that to her. So she went back out to see him, and he proposed right then and there.

They've been happily married for a couple of years now, and I think they have 2 kids! They still come up to the Shrine every year too.

As for the guilt thing about the vocations crisis... Don't feel that way. Trying to make yourself have a vocation to help solve the crisis will never work. In my own experience, I still have a hard time understanding why when I wanted to be a religious, and there is a need for them, I didn't have a vocation to religious life, ultimately. I just have to remember that I'm a part of the puzzle He has going. He has to solve the crisis. We can't. If he's not calling, your attempts to force yourself to feel called won't help... the best way for you to help the vocations crisis if you feel called to marriage is to be open to that and someday became a wife striving to be holy and to do your best to raise holy children!

As others have said... follow the peace!

Obviously, I'm not a SD... thank God! But these might be some things to think about.

[tinytherese]

[quote name='zunshynn' date='01 April 2010 - 12:28 PM' timestamp='1270142900' post='2084865']
As for the guilt thing about the vocations crisis... Don't feel that way. Trying to make yourself have a vocation to help solve the crisis will never work. In my own experience, I still have a hard time understanding why when I wanted to be a religious, and there is a need for them, I didn't have a vocation to religious life, ultimately. I just have to remember that I'm a part of the puzzle He has going. He has to solve the crisis. We can't. If he's not calling, your attempts to force yourself to feel called won't help... the best way for you to help the vocations crisis if you feel called to marriage is to be open to that and someday became a wife striving to be holy and to do your best to raise holy children!

As others have said... follow the peace!

Obviously, I'm not a SD... thank God! But these might be some things to think about.
[/quote]

That got me thinking about how the parents of St. Therese originally thought that they were called, but when that didn't work they got married and their children went into the religious life. My potential kids might not all do that, but maybe one will or join the priesthood.

[organwerke]

Very good posts from you all!
Sorry for my double post it was a mistake.
Tinytherese, again, I told you that things only because I fear that you could make choices not because you feel them, but because you are persuaded that you HAVE to do that.
Maybe it is only an impression, but reading you it seems to me that you don't feel really attracted to religious life, but you feel as if you SHOULD be a religious...maybe I am mistaken, but this is what I understand from your words...
You are very young, so I advice you again: do simple what makes you feeling well and at peace, without hurry, without anxiety, without forcing yourself through a way rathen than another...and with freedom and serenity inside yourself you will understand what your vocation in life is.
I pray for you.

[Cherie]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"][size="2"]I'm not a spiritual director by any stretch of the imagination, but I do come from the perspective of a woman who was given by Goda vocation to the married state, who spent years pursuing a religious vocationthat I never had to begin with. I spenta lot of time thinking of how to put this, so please forgive me if it doesn't seem coherent! I sincerely tried!

It's important to remember, and I'm sure you do, that just as it's important for those entering religious life to make sure they're not looking at it through rose-colored glasses, it's important not to look at the married state with rose-colored glasses, either. Married life has so many joys and blessings,but it also has a great deal of difficulties. St. Paul says while the married woman is worried about the things of earth, the virgin is occupied with the things of Heaven, and I know from experience how true that is! Of course married people are all called to be Saints, but we DO have to worry about a great deal more "earthly" things than consecrated religious do, and it can be very difficult to keep our eyes on Our Lord in the midst of those worries. I remember when I was in religious life, an older woman during a women's retreat told me, with her thick Tennessee accent, "I know nuns think they've got the hard vocation, but I'll tell you what, after 40 years of marriage I know that it's really the MARRIED people who have the harder vocation!" And I thought at the time, wow, in certain respects she's right.[/size][/font][font="Microsoft Sans Serif"][size="2"] Both vocations have aspects to them that are difficult in different ways. And then also, both have different aspects that fill one with extreme joy and gratitude! They are very different vocations, but neither can be taken for granted, and both are vital to the Church! [/size][/font]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"][size="2"]That being said, for myself and my own story, I should have taken the clues that God was giving me that I [i]wasn't[/i] called to religious life after all. Before I entered religious life, I was attracted to both religious life and the married state. Part of me wanted to dedicate myself to God, and part of me wanted to life my life as a devoted Catholic wife and mother. For a while, it was so hard to make a decision! But I became weary of the world, and truly desired to sacrifice everything for love of Christ. I later made up my mind – I wanted religious life SO badly! But once I entered religious life, after the "newness" and the "glamour" (if it can be called that!) wore off, an unrest would come over me, and thoughts of wanting to be somewhere else, and even wanting to be married, came to my mind. I fought them violently …I saw it as a temptation, I was embarrassed and ashamed that after having given my entire self to Christ and after continually striving to become a better religious I would have these thoughts come to my mind; my questioning whether or not a different life was meant for me seemed terribly wrong. I remember class with the Novice Mistress,when she somewhat lightheartedly said, "If you're constantly thinking of getting married, it's obvious you don't have a religious vocation!" And all my fellow novices laughed … I did too, but at the same time I was terrified!Certainly, I wasn't [i]constantly[/i] thinking of getting married, but the thought sure came to my head more often than I would have liked, and it scared me. "NO!" I told myself, "I want to be a religious! This is [i]holy[/i] ... it HAS to be what God wants!!!" [/size][/font]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"][size="2"]Then something would come along, like reception of the habit, or first vows, or some other event in religious life that made me forget about the disquiet that was going on in the depths of my soul. I spoke to my difficulties to my spiritual director (not a priest, by the way – in our community it was the rule that a Sister would be our spiritual director, not a priest, although I also sought advice from my confessor) and was regularly told that it was a temptation from the devil, etc. etc. I tried to put it away. Ican't tell you how troublesome that time was for me! [/size][/font]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"][size="2"]In the end, I came to discover that religious life was not God's will for me. It took a long time, much prayer and discernment, many discussions with my spiritual director, confessor, extraordinary confessors, and other professionals. I often told myself I was"at peace" as a religious, but I had only been fooling myself. When it came right down to it, I WASN'T at peace, and deep down, I knew that, I was justs cared of what would result. [/size][/font]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"][size="2"]I've met some married women who are so attracted to religious life they sincerely think they missed their calling. Honestly (and this is just my opinion)…but I think much of that is just each person's yearning for God – there is a "God-shaped hole" in all of us that no one, not even our wonderful husbands or beautiful children, can fill. Many married women yearn for more silence, more prayer, more time to spend with our dear Lord.Unfortunately, their duties as a wife and mother demand that they take care of their"earthly" duties first. For these women, talking with a spiritual director about how they can fit more time for prayer, or consecrate their work to our Lord, etc. would do them a WORLD of good! [/size][/font]

[font="Microsoft Sans Serif"][size="2"]Anyway, I guess all that is just saying that we are all called to be Saints, but in different ways. St. Therese was filled with a great desire to save souls – other Saints dealt with incredible darkness most of their lives. Don't feel bad if you don't share the sentiments of St. Therese –we're all different, God works with each one of us and gives us all different desires, different sentiments, different temperaments, etc. Each Saint lived God's will for them, and that is our goal here, as well. God's will is different for everyone, whether He calls to you religious life or not. But I guess what I'm trying to say is in line with what other people have said:FOLLOW THE PEACE!!! Our God is a loving God, He isn't going to trick you! If you ask for His guidance, although He won't (usually!) send you a message in a bottle or a burning bush, He will give you direction through your life's circumstances and the advice of your spiritual directors. Trust in Him.
[/size][/font]

Edited April 2, 2010 by CherieMadame

[OnlySunshine]

I think all of the above posts are really good. I, too, am facing a "vocation crisis" of sorts because for a few years, I thought for sure I was called to religious life. Everything about it attracted me and I wanted so badly to be called and accepted by a community. But the more communities I visited, the more I realized that I haven't found peace in any of them and I've felt more and more turned off by religious life. The vocation directors I've spoken to have alluded to the fact that I probably don't have a vocation since I cannot pinpoint why I want to enter. My reasons are more superficial than anything else.

I've recently become interested in the "Theology of the Body for Beginners" and "The Good News about Sex and Marriage." Both of them showed me that marriage is a sacrament--a mystery of the Church--and I CAN serve God by being married, just as I can by being a religious.

I think you have really found your peace in the calling to married life. I think it's a mistake to continue to torment yourself by making yourself have a vocation to religious life. Not everyone is called to be a religious, just like not everyone is called to be married. You have to find what God is calling you to, and I think you have. It's good to remain open to religious life should your desires change, but don't force yourself to visit other communities when you have no desire to.

[HisChild]

What wonderful posts! Cherie, I really like what you wrote. I think it mentions almost everything that I wanted to say after initially reading the OP (although I'm sure I'll still be verbose), especially the part about the 'God-sized hole' in one's heart. Many people do believe in their call to religious life because nothing can fill that desire other than God. As St. Augustine said: Our hearts are restless until they rest in You, O Lord.

Your 'job' is to discern how that 'resting in the Lord' will manifest.

I am not an SD by any means. But while spiritual directors can be very important in discerning a vocation, if they're a GOOD SD, they're only there to help you find that decision within you. They don't, and cannot, tell you what to do. If you get a 'bad' SD, they can actually do more harm than good, and having none at all would be the better path in that situation. So not only do you have to discern what vocation you're called to, you also have to discern if your (if you ever get one) SD is right for you! Anyway...

Many people think that somehow religious life is 'the better part'. Our universal vocation is holiness, regardless of how that vocation is manifested. While the Church tells us this, many lay people I've come across (and a few religious sprinkled in there) still believe that religious life is somehow a far superior vocation. That's just not true. If we do not have good and holy parents to raise their children to consider religious life or the priesthood, who will be our future sisters and priests? Granted, many religious vocations DO arise from non-spiritual and dysfunctional families, but we do need holy laity to be a witness to others in the world.

I don't think our Lord will EVER say to you, 'Therese, Therese, Therese. Did you not SEE My signs in your life, pointing you to religious life? You blew it.' That may sound humorous, but when I was in the communities I was in, and then left for various reasons, my entire trip home would be fraught with almost this scrupulous panic that I'd somehow failed God and that He'd look at me more harshly because I failed to do His will. I had to learn that our Lord might potentially want me to go down one road, but as long as I have my eyes on Him, He will not steer me wrong. And should I somehow go off the path that He might want for me (we do have free will, after all, and we are human, constantly making mistakes), my simple efforts to always do His will for me will still be pleasing to Him. I love the Prayer For Discernment by Thomas Merton. It explains what I mean:

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this, You will lead me by the right road.
Though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me. And you will never leave me to face my struggles alone.

The one point of discernment that is the MOST important part is desiring to do God's will and as Merton says 'never do anything apart from that desire'. That does take some peaceful reflection of all major decisions, but it does also take (which is the second most important part of desiring to do God's will) making a decision! And sometimes the lack of making a decision is, in fact, also a decision.

The only other thing I'd like to point out is this. You have to sit down and take a good honest look at how you will best become holy.

Cherie pointed out the woman who said to her that vocation to the married life is a harder vocation. In a way, she's right! In religious life, you have the horarium as a discipline. It tells you when to pray, although I'm sure there are many religious out there that while they stick to the horarium faithfully, haven't had a personal conversation/unstructured prayer with our Lord in a long time. I'm just saying that in religious life, you at least have that time set aside for you. In married life, or even as a single person in the world, YOU have to make sure you're praying and keeping our Lord ever in your sight. You actually have to be MORE self-disciplined and self-directed as a layperson. So you have to decide if you have those qualities/talents to keep our Lord as your first priority while surrounded by people and things of the world. As a friend says to me, 'Are you easily distracted by the pretty, sparkly things?'

Some people (and I don't mean to be critical, just honest) consider religious life, then decide it's not for them. That's perfectly fine. But then, once back in the world, they become distracted by all the noises and temptations and everything the world has to offer. Sure, they're still Catholics, they still go to Mass every week and may even be in a ministry, like as a lector every few weeks, or in the choir, but aside from that, they've got no other spiritual life. Meaning, they do not (or rarely) do any spiritual reading at home, they don't pray the rosary or the LOTH, etc. (listed only as examples). In short, they become the proverbial 'Sunday Catholics', rarely going to the Adoration chapel to pray, rarely praying the rosary with their spouses or children, etc. They don't choose their reading material, TV shows, movies, etc. based on how these choices might affect their souls, their bond with God. Were someone to take a peek into their lives, he would not really see how they live their Catholicity throughout the week. But since we're ALL called to holiness, lay people still need to persevere in their relationships with Christ. And that relationship has to take precedence over ALL other relationships, even work.

Yes, yes, I know that many lay people will say, 'but we as lay people are BUSY! We have to do this and go there and do that. We don't have TIME to do all those things!' I once read something about 20 yrs ago that has affected me to this day. It says 'Your calendar (PDA, iCal, Daytimer, etc) is your Bible. You make time for what you believe in.' If God is a priority in your life, you'll make time for Him, however that manifests to you specifically. People say they don't have time for prayer throughout the week, but I would bet many have time to watch hours of American Idol/Fringe/Lost/etc. a week, go to lunch or clubs with friends, go to a movie, or surf the net, posting on Facebook, Twitter... or even here.

So, the short end of my very long post is this: Do you feel that you COULD be a good religious, but you're just not sure you want to say 'yes' to that vocation? It sounds like the answer to that question is 'yes'. OK. That's fine. Then answer: Do you feel that you COULD be a very good and holy layperson in the world, like Therese's parents, the Martins, keep God at the forefront of their relationship and at the forefront of the family? If yes, then you have your answer. But it's an answer that only you can honestly reflect upon and make.

[HisChild]

Phooey. I hit enter before I could say that you will be in my prayers during this most blessed Triduum. God Bless you and keep you as you discern your call to holiness.

[laetitia crucis]

Awesome post, CM!

I tried "+1"-ing it, but alas... I have none to give.

Anyhoo -- I hope you don't mind, but I forwarded your response along to two of my best friends. I think they would get a lot out of it.

ETA: HisChild!! Another +1 if I had it to give! Forwarding your response as well.

This morning has been packed full of great information! Thank you!

Edited April 2, 2010 by laetitia crucis