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Discernment Is Ultimately Good :)


Mary Veronica

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Sister Marie

This is a wonderful thread. I know some of you have had a lot of discernment experiences. The first community I met, I knew was the community I was called to. I did visit other places, just to make sure, but ultimately God continued to call me where I am now. However, I think that God evened things out because my journey from "knowing" to entrance contained a lot of the experiences you are speaking of in this thread.

People sometimes look down on you for not joining a community that is growing by leaps and bounds and is doing the same work as your community is. But charism is everything. I have no desire to be a dominican or a benedictine, although I thank God for them! It isn't in my spirit and it isn't alive in my heart so if I had entered a dominican or benedictine community it would have been bad for me. Not only for me, but it would have been bad for them too.

I see and hear so much passion and desire in all of your posts on this phorum and that passion is exactly what we bring to religious life. If the charism and spirituality of a community is not alive in your heart you won't be able to give it in the way God desires you to give it. Religious life is energizing and full of love and passion and hard work. In order to live it well though it must be lived according to God's will and not popular opinion.

I am young in religion but I have found religious life to be the greatest adventure I could ever imagine for myself. The adventure comes in the hardship though. I know that my community is not bursting at the seams although we do have vocations but that reality calls me to deepen my fidelity to our foundation and our charism so that others can experience the fire that is in my heart. The Church does not need one super-community. She needs all of them, true to their foundation and faithful to her. Together all of us make a beautiful mosaic of the person of Christ.

So, after all that, I guess what I'm saying is to find the place where your heart burns with energy, desire, passion, and love. That is the great gift of God to you in religious life and it is your gift to Him at the same time!

God bless!

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AccountDeleted

[quote name='Sister Marie' date='23 May 2010 - 10:28 PM' timestamp='1274617731' post='2115869']
This is a wonderful thread. I know some of you have had a lot of discernment experiences. The first community I met, I knew was the community I was called to. I did visit other places, just to make sure, but ultimately God continued to call me where I am now. However, I think that God evened things out because my journey from "knowing" to entrance contained a lot of the experiences you are speaking of in this thread.

People sometimes look down on you for not joining a community that is growing by leaps and bounds and is doing the same work as your community is. But charism is everything. I have no desire to be a dominican or a benedictine, although I thank God for them! It isn't in my spirit and it isn't alive in my heart so if I had entered a dominican or benedictine community it would have been bad for me. Not only for me, but it would have been bad for them too.

I see and hear so much passion and desire in all of your posts on this phorum and that passion is exactly what we bring to religious life. If the charism and spirituality of a community is not alive in your heart you won't be able to give it in the way God desires you to give it. Religious life is energizing and full of love and passion and hard work. In order to live it well though it must be lived according to God's will and not popular opinion.

I am young in religion but I have found religious life to be the greatest adventure I could ever imagine for myself. The adventure comes in the hardship though. I know that my community is not bursting at the seams although we do have vocations but that reality calls me to deepen my fidelity to our foundation and our charism so that others can experience the fire that is in my heart. The Church does not need one super-community. She needs all of them, true to their foundation and faithful to her. Together all of us make a beautiful mosaic of the person of Christ.

So, after all that, I guess what I'm saying is to find the place where your heart burns with energy, desire, passion, and love. That is the great gift of God to you in religious life and it is your gift to Him at the same time!

God bless!
[/quote]

That was so sweet, Sister Marie, and so true that charism is everything. We are not only called to religious life, but we seem to be called to a particular charism as well. After I left Carmel the first time, I tried an active community and then went to live with a laura of hermits and tried so hard to become one of them. The desert father told me that he had never had much success keeping a Carmelite at the laura because they seemed to have such a strong sense of identity with Carmel, and usually ended up going back. I tried to tell him that I would be different because I loved them all and wanted so much to belong, but in the end, he was right and our Confessor finally told me that even he felt I belonged back in Carmel. I just love so much about all of the different charisms of religious life, but I also have this strong sense of identity with Carmel that can't be denied.

I think part of the discernment process is finding out not only whether one is called to religious life, but also to which charism - or exactly what you said - '...to find the place where your heart burns with energy, desire, passion, and love."

Thank you for those inspiring words.

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laetitia crucis

[quote name='Sister Marie' date='23 May 2010 - 08:28 AM' timestamp='1274617731' post='2115869']
This is a wonderful thread. I know some of you have had a lot of discernment experiences. The first community I met, I knew was the community I was called to. I did visit other places, just to make sure, but ultimately God continued to call me where I am now. However, I think that God evened things out because my journey from "knowing" to entrance contained a lot of the experiences you are speaking of in this thread.

People sometimes look down on you for not joining a community that is growing by leaps and bounds and is doing the same work as your community is. But charism is everything. I have no desire to be a dominican or a benedictine, although I thank God for them! It isn't in my spirit and it isn't alive in my heart so if I had entered a dominican or benedictine community it would have been bad for me. Not only for me, but it would have been bad for them too.

I see and hear so much passion and desire in all of your posts on this phorum and that passion is exactly what we bring to religious life. If the charism and spirituality of a community is not alive in your heart you won't be able to give it in the way God desires you to give it. Religious life is energizing and full of love and passion and hard work. In order to live it well though it must be lived according to God's will and not popular opinion.

I am young in religion but I have found religious life to be the greatest adventure I could ever imagine for myself. The adventure comes in the hardship though. I know that my community is not bursting at the seams although we do have vocations but that reality calls me to deepen my fidelity to our foundation and our charism so that others can experience the fire that is in my heart. The Church does not need one super-community. She needs all of them, true to their foundation and faithful to her. Together all of us make a beautiful mosaic of the person of Christ.

So, after all that, I guess what I'm saying is to find the place where your heart burns with energy, desire, passion, and love. That is the great gift of God to you in religious life and it is your gift to Him at the same time!

God bless!
[/quote]

+1!!!

Thank you for this beautiful response, Sister Marie. :clapping:

Perhaps you (and/or others here) can help me better understand this (in relation to your post)...

- In discernment (of the religious life) is it best to first start with what [i]spirituality[/i] one is called to (Franciscan, Dominican, Benedictine, Carmelite, etc.), [b]then [/b]pursue what charism one is called to within that spirituality?

- Here is a very specific dilemma that I've come across throughout the past years of my own discernment: I have discerned with an amazing Franciscan community because my heart "burns with energy, desire, passion, and love" for their [i]charism[/i]. However, I am 100% certain that my [i]spirituality [/i]is simply [i]not[/i] Franciscan. No matter how hard I've tried throughout my discernment to have such energy, desire, passion, and love for the Franciscan spirituality... it's just not "me", you know? (I'd feel like a "poser"... or that I was living a lie, so to say. :weep: )

I wondered if there even existed another Order/community that embraced the specific charism of that Franciscan community that I so love. Through investigation, I do not believe there is.... at least none that I know of. :detective:

So... given this, I've had to dig deeper in understanding my specific vocation, and especially my own spirituality. This in itself has been a blessing, but I will admit.. it came with initial confusion, followed by a period of great grief. Being a Franciscan is something I simply cannot "will" myself to be -- no matter how much I want it nor how much I admire it. I think I'm finally at peace about that. And I've learned that the specific [i]charism [/i]that resonates within me... can be lived in other spiritualities, too. (I think. :sweat: )

:scratchhead: ....I hope this makes sense and that I'm not being too vague. :blush:

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Chiquitunga

Interesting thread .. I've been meaning to write something here for a while :) I too have been discerning for some time and it hasn't been easy. Reading just now about charisms, I thought I'd add something that struck me recently on a nun run I went on really quick. The sister was saying how some people complicate discernment so much .. looking for many externals, a pretty chapel, etc. .. and just really stress over having to find it .. (just the couple things I remember her saying .. the pretty chapel part jumped out at me because it's so true, lol .. not that making the chapel look beautiful isn't an important thing to show our love and reverence for Our Lord, but you get what I mean) and she was saying discernment shouldn't be a huge thing to stress over, not that it's not going to be hard, but that we have to realize [b][i]the charism is already written in your heart. [/i][/b]Those words jumped out at me too, so I just thought I'd share them. Happy Solemnity of Pentecost! May the Holy Spirit guide us!

[size="2"]"O Holy Spirit, Soul of my soul, I adore you! Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me; tell me what I must do, and command me to do it! I promise to submit myself to everything You allow to happen to me; only, let me know Your will." [/size]- Cardinal Mercier

Edited by Chiquitunga
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Sister Marie

[quote name='laetitia crucis' date='23 May 2010 - 09:57 AM' timestamp='1274626656' post='2115940']
+1!!!

Thank you for this beautiful response, Sister Marie. :clapping:

Perhaps you (and/or others here) can help me better understand this (in relation to your post)...

- In discernment (of the religious life) is it best to first start with what [i]spirituality[/i] one is called to (Franciscan, Dominican, Benedictine, Carmelite, etc.), [b]then [/b]pursue what charism one is called to within that spirituality?

- Here is a very specific dilemma that I've come across throughout the past years of my own discernment: I have discerned with an amazing Franciscan community because my heart "burns with energy, desire, passion, and love" for their [i]charism[/i]. However, I am 100% certain that my [i]spirituality [/i]is simply [i]not[/i] Franciscan. No matter how hard I've tried throughout my discernment to have such energy, desire, passion, and love for the Franciscan spirituality... it's just not "me", you know? (I'd feel like a "poser"... or that I was living a lie, so to say. :weep: )

I wondered if there even existed another Order/community that embraced the specific charism of that Franciscan community that I so love. Through investigation, I do not believe there is.... at least none that I know of. :detective:

So... given this, I've had to dig deeper in understanding my specific vocation, and especially my own spirituality. This in itself has been a blessing, but I will admit.. it came with initial confusion, followed by a period of great grief. Being a Franciscan is something I simply cannot "will" myself to be -- no matter how much I want it nor how much I admire it. I think I'm finally at peace about that. And I've learned that the specific [i]charism [/i]that resonates within me... can be lived in other spiritualities, too. (I think. :sweat: )

:scratchhead: ....I hope this makes sense and that I'm not being too vague. :blush:
[/quote]

I understand what you are asking. I think the difficult thing with looking at spirituality first is that some communities do not fall under the big umbrella of franciscan, benedictine, dominican, or carmelite. My community's spirituality can best be described as Alphonsian, but that isn't something you would look up and see some kind of organization of "alphonsian" communities.

Basically, I think that this happens in different ways for different people. Someone who has a very strong pull to be a dominican might just look to find the right community within that umbrella. Someone else might meet a community and feel their spirit, or their charism, resonate within them and then after getting to know the community better realize that their spirituality is a great fit for them too. Another person might know that God is calling them to be a teacher or a nurse so they look into communities with that apostolate and then find the one with the spirituality that nourishes their ministry and the charism that inflames their heart. It all depends on the person.

If you would like, I know quite a few communities that maybe are not as well-known or present on the internet, you could let me know what you are looking for as far as charism and spirituality and I could pray on it and see if I know of any communities like that.

Anyway, many many prayers for you!

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Once again, what Sister Marie says is so true and also chiquitunga's comments about not complicating discernment too much.

Maybe ask yourself simple questions at first like... are you looking for an active community or a contemplative one, cloistered or non-enlosed? Then the apostolate, anything in particular, like nursing or teaching or working with kids or elderly etc? This would help you to focus a little better.

Are you working with a spiritual director? I had a lot of help from my SD who was the first to tell me that he thought I was called to a contemplative life, not an active one, and that helped me enormously in discernment.

Then, do you already have an idea of the charism that attracts you? Or a particular saint/founder/foundress etc?

Franciscan spirituality pervades a lot of communities apart from the Franciscans, and some communities actually have more than one spirituality as their guiding principles.. eg Franciscan/Dominican or even as Sister Marie said, some of the lesser known spiritualities. St Frances de Sales has been the guiding light for many different religious communities as well as St Augustine.

And then finally, perhaps you could have a chat with the superior of the Franciscan community you love so much and explain that you love them but don't feel called to them, and ask if they know of other communities that are similar to them. This might sound a bit rude, but I think that most religious want to help you find the place that God has prepared for you, and would be happy to help out this way. My own SD was Benedictine and tried to encourage me to look in this direction, but in the end he accepted that I was a Carmelite and helped me discern this calling.

Prayers for you on your journey :pray:

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I think that one of the biggest helps in discerning would be to know as much as you can about yourself, without letting bias toward any particular spirituality interfere. Know really what you like/ dislike doing, the way you pray most, your favorite devotions and saints, and the meaning that God has in your life. After you have all that sorted out, research different spiritualities and see how they compare. Most communities have a link to information on their spirituality on their website. Then go from there.

Honestly, I did not want to have a Franciscan spirituality. A lot of the Franciscans that I heard of were really into New Age and I didn't want to have any part of that. I wanted to be a loyal Dominican. But the more I learned about myself and [i]true[/i] Franciscan spirituality, the more I realized that I could run from who God made me to be. Now that I have accepted my spirituality, I am truly a lot happier in my vocation. :)

A little quote that I love from my patroness, "So sweet is His voice, that the poor soul, disconsolate at being unable to do His biddings at once, suffers more than if it could not hear Him."

Know of my prayers!!

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OnlySunshine

[quote name='JTheresa' date='23 May 2010 - 11:19 PM' timestamp='1274671184' post='2116329']
Honestly, I did not want to have a Franciscan spirituality. A lot of the Franciscans that I heard of were really into New Age and I didn't want to have any part of that. I wanted to be a loyal Dominican. But the more I learned about myself and [i]true[/i] Franciscan spirituality, the more I realized that I could run from who God made me to be. Now that I have accepted my spirituality, I am truly a lot happier in my vocation. :)
[/quote]

LOL, I sound like the exact opposite! I wanted to be a Franciscan very much because I greatly admire St. Francis and St. Clare. I've contemplated the Poor Clares or the Franciscan religious orders, but it was not to be. After meeting the CFR Sisters and living with them in their convent for a few days, I realized I don't have the Franciscan spirituality.

The more I read about Dominicans, however, the more I realize that I might be called to their charism. :blink:

Edited by MaterMisericordiae
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[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' date='24 May 2010 - 01:40 PM' timestamp='1274672453' post='2116360']
LOL, I sound like the exact opposite! I wanted to be a Franciscan very much because I greatly admire St. Francis and St. Clare. I've contemplated the Poor Clares or the Franciscan religious orders, but it was not to be. After meeting the CFR Sisters and living with them in their convent for a few days, I realized I don't have the Franciscan spirituality.

The more I read about Dominicans, however, the more I realize that I might be called to their charism. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/blink.gif[/img]
[/quote]


And I wanted to be a Dominican because they study and teach and I got my Masters in Education and used to be a university professor and department chair and was going to do my doctorate, so I thought that I would fit right in with them! And besides, they have cool habits.

I also wanted to be a Poor Clare because I love St Francis and St Clare (my confirmation name) and really relate to their love of Lady Poverty, and their habits are way cool too, with bare feet and all.

But God had different plans for my heart. Now I can't imagine a community that didn't do mental prayer for two hours a day like the Carmelites or didn't spend a lot of time alone in one's cell. I am such a hermit at heart, but need the community, especially for the Divine Office. And St John of the Cross just cinched it all for me because everything he wrote echoed in my heart. And St Teresa Benedicta's (Edith Stein) book, [i]The Science of the Cross[/i], explained St John to me in a way that drove his message even deeper, so there can never be any turning away from my Carmelite heart now.

As the calling grows within your heart, it will become clearer to you just what God is asking. There may be some resistance to it at first, but the fire starts to burn so hotly and with so much love that in the end you have to surrender to His will, especially since you know that everything He wills is for our own ultimate good.

All spiritualities are beautiful because they are all of God and for love of God. But He does prepare a place for each one of us that is perfect for us, and discernment is just about learning to hear His voice in our hearts. Discernment is such a precious time for anyone because it is all about seeking the Beloved and listening for Him and surrendering to Him. A person is blessed to even be allowed to think about such things, no matter what the outcome. Any time given to God is pleasing to Him.

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laetitia crucis
:blush: Thank you everyone for your prayers.

I do have a spiritual director, and I have spoken with the VD of that awesome Franciscan community multiple times -- I've spoken to both about my discernment and various struggles therein. ;) They have most definitely been such a help and blessing to me!

I love the advice you all give -- and continue to give. It is a great help in my own self-reflection, especially in times of temptation and/or doubt in regards to my vocation.

God willing, I do believe I know where God is calling me... and I believe I've finally learned what my spirituality really is. :lol: Sometimes I think I'm just a little slow. :dunce: Haha!

When I first began discerning six years ago, I was very much drawn to the Dominican spirituality and living their motto, "to contemplate and share the fruits of contemplation", as well as "Veritas". I always been a "lover of Truth" and the kind of person that practically bursts at the seams when Truth has been found -- the desire to share what I've learned is almost unbearable at times. However, despite that deep desire I have never in my life felt called to the vocation to be a schoolteacher. So, during those early years of discernment, I pretty much scratched off "Dominican" from my vocation radar as it seemed in the U.S., that's pretty much what non-contemplative/cloistered Dominicans do. I began looking elsewhere.

I had fallen pretty hard for "Lady Poverty", though I've never really been drawn to St. Francis or St. Clare. :paperbag: What draws me most is love of Our Lady and the thirst for Truth. I wish to live out my vocation in service of our Blessed Mother, to bring all souls to her, so that they may come to know her Son, Divine Truth. Yet, I've always realized that I desire to reach people where they are...and then bring them up to the lofty heights of the fullness of our Catholic faith. I desire to take the "low road" of "common sense" and of the "Common Doctor", so to say... this is the road I have taken in my own conversion to Roman Catholicism. Logic, faith, and reason. ;) To immerse myself within the study of Sacred Truth, then to share this with others, to help them come to know Our Lady and God in such a way.... this inflames my heart.

After reading William Hinnebusch's [url="http://www.domcentral.org/trad/domspirit/default.htm"]Dominican Spirituality: Principles and Practice[/url] (I'd highly recommend reading this, MaterMisericordiae! ;) ), I felt like God was smacking me upside the head with a huge 2x4. :getaclue: That's the only way He was able to bestow a bit of common sense into my thick head -- in addition to my discernment with a previous community. :duh:

Anyhoo... I'm quite certain I am called to be a Dominican. We'll see where exactly God wants me to be a Dominican, hopefully soon. :sweat: And I guess all I can say is that I'm hoping I can live out a Dominican vocation "in service of our Blessed Mother, to bring all souls to her, so that they may come to know her Son, Divine Truth." :sign:
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Yay!!! I'm so excited for you laetitia crucis!!! Finding ones spirituality is so relieving!! (and I definitly know the 2 by 4 feeling :getaclue: )

here's a website I found that does a really good job of summarizing the different spiritualities:
www.religious-vocation.com
there is link toward the top called "discerning orders".
It was really helpful when I was discerning!!!
Let the adventure begin!! Enjoy!

Jessica

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Mary Veronica

[quote name='laetitia crucis' date='23 May 2010 - 10:57 AM' timestamp='1274626656' post='2115940']
+1!!!

Thank you for this beautiful response, Sister Marie. :clapping:

Perhaps you (and/or others here) can help me better understand this (in relation to your post)...

- In discernment (of the religious life) is it best to first start with what [i]spirituality[/i] one is called to (Franciscan, Dominican, Benedictine, Carmelite, etc.), [b]then [/b]pursue what charism one is called to within that spirituality?

- Here is a very specific dilemma that I've come across throughout the past years of my own discernment: I have discerned with an amazing Franciscan community because my heart "burns with energy, desire, passion, and love" for their [i]charism[/i]. However, I am 100% certain that my [i]spirituality [/i]is simply [i]not[/i] Franciscan. No matter how hard I've tried throughout my discernment to have such energy, desire, passion, and love for the Franciscan spirituality... it's just not "me", you know? (I'd feel like a "poser"... or that I was living a lie, so to say. :weep: )

I wondered if there even existed another Order/community that embraced the specific charism of that Franciscan community that I so love. Through investigation, I do not believe there is.... at least none that I know of. :detective:

So... given this, I've had to dig deeper in understanding my specific vocation, and especially my own spirituality. This in itself has been a blessing, but I will admit.. it came with initial confusion, followed by a period of great grief. Being a Franciscan is something I simply cannot "will" myself to be -- no matter how much I want it nor how much I admire it. I think I'm finally at peace about that. And I've learned that the specific [i]charism [/i]that resonates within me... can be lived in other spiritualities, too. (I think. :sweat: )

:scratchhead: ....I hope this makes sense and that I'm not being too vague. :blush:
[/quote]

that's what happened to me when I entered the Poor Clare Colettine Order, I felt like a "poser"...but the VD kept insisting that it takes time to get to know the charism and come to the devotion of St. Francis and St. Clare and St. Colette (apparently, it's common among the sisters that they entered not knowing anything about the Franciscan spirituality, but because they witnessed it lived faithfully by others, they discovered it to be their vocation.).

But Obviously since I'm PM'ing:blush: I had chosen to stop discerning with the Poor Clare's. although I still hold kind affections for them *sigh*...

You seem well-rounded in spirit, which many religious consider as ideal! but it looks like it's also a big reason why your wondering "where am I called to?"

well wherever you're discerning leads you (and all of us here), I wouldn't doubt that the specific charism inside you will "click" with it surprisingly, and it'll come so natural to be a Spiritual Mother of Souls <3

God Bless you sister :lol:


Come to think of it...my director said it's really important to discover that spiritual motherhood inside us, because naturally, mothers are the kind to survive countless ordeals (danger, oppositions, trials, etc) out of love for their children.

GOD BLESS ALL MOTHERS!

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"Yet, I've always realized that I desire to reach people where they are...and then bring them up to the lofty heights of the fullness of our Catholic faith."

You're such a Jesuit :hehe: Its too bad they don't have a female branch or I would have gone to discern with them too! I know there are Sisters who use Ignatian spirituality but it's just not the same :sadder: :sadwalk:

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laetitia crucis

[quote name='Mary Veronica' date='24 May 2010 - 06:38 AM' timestamp='1274697509' post='2116469']
that's what happened to me when I entered the Poor Clare Colettine Order, I felt like a "poser"...but [b]the VD kept insisting that it takes time to get to know the charism and come to the devotion of St. Francis and St. Clare and St. Colette (apparently, it's common among the sisters that they entered not knowing anything about the Franciscan spirituality, but because they witnessed it lived faithfully by others, they discovered it to be their vocation.). [/b]

But Obviously since I'm PM'ing:blush: I had chosen to stop discerning with the Poor Clare's. although I still hold kind affections for them *sigh*...

You seem well-rounded in spirit, which many religious consider as ideal! but it looks like it's also a big reason why your wondering "where am I called to?"

well wherever you're discerning leads you (and all of us here), I wouldn't doubt that the specific charism inside you will "click" with it surprisingly, and it'll come so natural to be a Spiritual Mother of Souls <3

God Bless you sister :lol:


Come to think of it...my director said it's really important to discover that spiritual motherhood inside us, because naturally, mothers are the kind to survive countless ordeals (danger, oppositions, trials, etc) out of love for their children.

GOD BLESS ALL MOTHERS!
[/quote]

Awwww, thank you for this post, MV! :blush:

I've heard similar things as the bolded bit, and pretty much just told myself, "It'll just take some time...", yet somehow -- I suppose it's grace, really ;) -- it's much easier to find out where you are [i]not[/i] called. Although, some do seem to "get lucky" with the first go around, and I think that's pretty cool.

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. :grouphug:

[quote name='vee8' date='24 May 2010 - 09:27 AM' timestamp='1274707629' post='2116490']
"Yet, I've always realized that I desire to reach people where they are...and then bring them up to the lofty heights of the fullness of our Catholic faith."

You're such a Jesuit :hehe: Its too bad they don't have a female branch or I would have gone to discern with them too! I know there are Sisters who use Ignatian spirituality but it's just not the same :sadder: :sadwalk:
[/quote]


:lol: Believe it or not, when I first became Catholic and discovered Ignatius and his Jesuits, I very much wanted to BE a Jesuit! I wanted to enter the Jesuits and reform them, much like St. Teresa of Avila did for the Carmelites. :hehe: :shield:

While going to my very first ever "Come and See" (to a super-liberal community :ohno: -- it was the first "Come and See" postcard I received in the mail. Hah!), one of the Sisters had recommended another Order that had Ignatian spirituality. I looked into them, but soon found out they were very similar to the community that recommended them. To say the least, I was disturbed. :mellow:

I think perhaps part of my own personal vocation will be to be a spiritual mother for Jesuits. ;)

:bigpray:

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[quote name='laetitia crucis' date='24 May 2010 - 09:12 AM' timestamp='1274710355' post='2116505']


:lol: Believe it or not, when I first became Catholic and discovered Ignatius and his Jesuits, I very much wanted to BE a Jesuit! I wanted to enter the Jesuits and reform them, much like St. Teresa of Avila did for the Carmelites. :hehe: :shield:
<snip>
I think perhaps part of my own personal vocation will be to be a spiritual mother for Jesuits. ;)

:bigpray:
[/quote]

*cough* You know Teresa has a nice little order she reformed that does a lot of praying for priests *cough* :deal: :whistle: They are VERY Marian too, and brown doesn't show stains so easily as white ;)

Sorry I know you're a die hard Dominican but I couldnt resist! I think I've been infected or something :lol: :help: Of course you can pray for the Jesuits in any order or state in life and I feel called to do that too. Lord knows they certainly need it! :mellow:

edited for typo

Edited by vee8
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