LaPetiteSoeur Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Today I had the priviledge of speaking to a novice in one of the communities that taught me. We were talking about the religious life and how hard it is for women to go to their dioceses for discernment information. We both feel a bit like this: In our diocese, there's even a little box that says "For women interested in becomming a sister, please contact a member of a local community." But what if women do not know what order they wish to enter? What if they have only a desire. I'm blessed to know that I'm a Dominican at heart, but as Sister G said even if you know your spirituality, (She's Franciscan), that doesn't narrow anything down! Have any of you discerning future had a similar experience? I know there is a lack of priests, but shouldn't discerning women have dioceses that are supportive and have information? Thanks for any input. Dieu vous benisse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vee Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 On my diocese's website they dont even have anything about women's communities just someone to contact if interested in being a priest. That is why Im glad VS exists because it has been such a tremendous resource and source of a sense of community for me. Religious vocations for women are not talked about or promoted at all around here and no young woman from my parish or city has become a Sister in ages and ages. Thank God for the internet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tally Marx Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 Yes. The diocese website provided a list of local religious orders and the proper contact information, that was all. I suppose that is to be expected. All they can do, apart from getting young people to think about the religious life in the first place (which they do via retreats) is refer you to an Order or multiple Orders. Then, you get more information from the Orders you contact and learn about. I cannot say it bothered me much. My Spiritual Director helped when it came to figuring out what I was looking for in an Order, actually contacting and visiting these Orders, etc. I got a lot of info from the IRL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 When my diocese revamped their website, they appeared to add a section for Women Religious on the Vocations part. When I clicked on it, there was just a blank page, and then a few months later, the section was completely gone. No one talks about Women Religious in our diocese more than in prayer during Mass. It really bothers me, especially when I had such a hard time discerning myself. It would be a lot better if there were more resources for women who are discerning religious life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissScripture Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 The vocations director in the diocese where I grew up (and my sister was until she joined the convent) does things for girls/women discerning religious life on his vacation, because he's not allowed to (it's not "part of his job" according to the diocese) as part of his job. The diocese wants him to focus on the seminarians, who will be their future priests. He argues that the more Sisters we have to pray for priests, the more priests there will be. He hasn't won with that argument, yet, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 [quote name='MissScripture' timestamp='1295577975' post='2202441'] The vocations director in the diocese where I grew up (and my sister was until she joined the convent) does things for girls/women discerning religious life on his vacation, because he's not allowed to (it's not "part of his job" according to the diocese) as part of his job. The diocese wants him to focus on the seminarians, who will be their future priests. He argues that the more Sisters we have to pray for priests, the more priests there will be. He hasn't won with that argument, yet, though. [/quote] Which brings up another problem I had during my own discernment: I was unable to get in touch with the vocations director for my diocese as well when I tried to contact him. I was having a very difficult time finding a spiritual director and I was hoping that someone could point me in the right direction. I only got the secretary the two times I called and she kept trying to give me a number to a Sister for Christian Community (SFCC) in our diocese who was a registered spiritual director, whatever that means. I was never able to get a hold of the Sister either. There are absolutely no positive resources for those who are discerning unless you desire to become a priest. It really bothers me. I totally agree that priests are the framework of the Church because without them, we would not have the Sacraments, but religious are very necessary as well because someone needs to do prayer and penance for the sinners in the world. I really wish there was more equality as far as religious vocations and priesthood vocations go. Both are very difficult to discern, especially alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccoli Fiori JMJ Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 +JMJ Our Diocese has gotten a little better over time. This is now what we have for our vocations site: http://www.rockvoc.org/resourcesforwomen.php Granted, before, that was just a page with a prayer at the top and several mismatched and out of date links, but if you look at the current vocations home page, it just talks about the priesthood. It looks like it has been redesigned for the 3rd time though. What also gets me (personally) is when we have petitions/intercessions at Mass for an increase in vocations to the priesthood & diaconate and the other vocations are left out. This is a rare occasion, but it does happen. And when they talk about religious life, the terminology is so obtuse I would never expect someone in the pews to know what the heck they are talking about in the first place! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccoli Fiori JMJ Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 +JMJ Now that I think about it... [b][i][url="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_25031996_vita-consecrata_en.html"]Vita Consecrata[/url] & [/i][/b][url="http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/rc_con_ccscrlife_doc_13051999_verbi-sponsa_en.html"]VERBI SPONSA[/url] should also be included on our Vocation's page for women... Although it does have a link to the PDF from the foryouvocation.com site. Which also confuses me because women have to download a PDF to see the recommended reading and men just have to click a link. Interesting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srmarymichael Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I find this very interesting -- as a "Vocation Director", it's frustrating for me to know that there are several young ladies in our diocese who have questions about Religious Life, and the Diocesan website (or vocation office) has no help for them at all. The website does not even mention women vocations (or at least last time I checked). Interesting. I personally think that the best way to promote vocations is to promote holiness -- men, women, families, and everyone in between! God bless you all! Pray that God will lead you to the right person to help answer your questions and to ultimately help you find where God is calling you to love! Sr. Mary Michael, OSF [quote name='LaPetiteSoeur' timestamp='1295567361' post='2202367'] Today I had the priviledge of speaking to a novice in one of the communities that taught me. We were talking about the religious life and how hard it is for women to go to their dioceses for discernment information. We both feel a bit like this: In our diocese, there's even a little box that says "For women interested in becomming a sister, please contact a member of a local community." But what if women do not know what order they wish to enter? What if they have only a desire. I'm blessed to know that I'm a Dominican at heart, but as Sister G said even if you know your spirituality, (She's Franciscan), that doesn't narrow anything down! Have any of you discerning future had a similar experience? I know there is a lack of priests, but shouldn't discerning women have dioceses that are supportive and have information? Thanks for any input. Dieu vous benisse! [/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fides quarens intellectum Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 [quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1295588580' post='2202459'] There are absolutely no positive resources for those who are discerning [i]unless you desire to become a priest.[/i] It really bothers me. [/quote] And a secular priest at that. I had a friend who was discerning the priesthood, but he didn't know if he was being called to the secular or religious priesthood. All of the diocesan priests he met with or spoke to, except one, were really pushing the secular priesthood on him, telling him he really didn't want to be a religious priest, that it would be better to be a diocesan priest, etc. I am sure it is not like that everywhere, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tally Marx Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 My diocese does a lot of things, actively, to promote religious vocations in young people, both men and women. They do retreats, and at some of the larger ones, Vocation Directors/Directresses from various Orders will set up booths with info about their communities. The Bishop, every now and then, will have supper with fifteen girls (and a separate supper with fifteen guys) who are discerning. The Vocations Director for the Diocese is primarily concerned with those discerning the diocesan priesthood. But, he will give you conact info for different Orders; the diocese website does the same. I guess I never expected them to do more than this.... I must admit that I have wished for more on the parish level, though, as my parish doesn't do much to foster vocations or help out people who are discerning. I don't know why this is so. Perhaps they expect people to be content with what the diocese does, or maybe my parish is too small, or maybe there's just no one discerning, much less anyone who's asked for it. But I always wanted something more personal than the retreats the diocese puts on (a small group of friends discerning, who could make come-and-see trips together?), which would be more feasible on the parish level. If you are looking for a Spiritual Director, whether you are discerning religious life or not, the Diocese should help you find one. They keep a list of registered spiritual directors; it would be easy to help you find one! And I think it is shameful that anyone would try to convince someone considering the religious priesthood otherwise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 I share your frustration! Our parish website currently has THIS on vocations: http://stthomasaquinas.org/vocations-resources.cfm My boss created and populated the site so I don't criticize too much, but I am currently reworking the site and have made it a goal to include more information for both men AND women. Notice the diocesan link doesn't even work anymore! Once you DO get to the diocesan site, it takes some time to find a vocations link if you aren't clicking on the marriage tab or the "become a priest" tab. THEN, when you DO get to the vocations page, you simply land on a page about becoming a priest. No information whatsoever on becoming a sister or consecrated virgin! Our diocese does have a vocations retreat each year. I attended my first year of discernment and was disappointed. There wasn't very much information at all and only a couple sisters showed up. Even if the sisters didn't show, I would have hoped for more instruction or direction on how to find communities. I'm very excited about our new vocations directory here on phatmass. I think that's the most terrific idea dUSt has had since phatcatholic created the CDD. We still enjoy a fairly steady flow of new vocations from our parish to the priesthood (at least it seems so, once a year is pretty good!) but I've only heard of one woman discerning religious life in my whole time at that parish (which is since birth). I support the idea of encouraging women to become sisters so that they can pray for the men to become priests! p.s. FutureNun: those links at the bottom don't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccoli Fiori JMJ Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 (edited) [quote name='hugheyforlife' timestamp='1295638960' post='2202597'] p.s. FutureNun: those links at the bottom don't work. [/quote] Ah... I just copied and pasted because I wanted to make sure the spelling was correct... Sorry 'bout that! If you would like the linkage: [url="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_25031996_vita-consecrata_en.html"]Vita Consecrata[/url] & [url="http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/rc_con_ccscrlife_doc_13051999_verbi-sponsa_en.html"]Verbi Sponsa[/url] ETA: Did someone fix my links or am I looking at the wrong thing? Edited January 21, 2011 by FutureNunJMJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 [quote name='FutureNunJMJ' timestamp='1295640116' post='2202605'] Ah... I just copied and pasted because I wanted to make sure the spelling was correct... Sorry 'bout that! If you would like the linkage: [url="http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_25031996_vita-consecrata_en.html"]Vita Consecrata[/url] & [url="http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/rc_con_ccscrlife_doc_13051999_verbi-sponsa_en.html"]Verbi Sponsa[/url] ETA: Did someone fix my links or am I looking at the wrong thing? [/quote] That's my fault. I should have been more specific. The links at the bottom of your diocesan page don't work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccoli Fiori JMJ Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 [quote name='hugheyforlife' timestamp='1295641128' post='2202610'] That's my fault. I should have been more specific. The links at the bottom of your diocesan page don't work. [/quote] Really? Is it just the two about Secular Institutes & Societies of Apostolic Life? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now