A Random 'tell Me' Thread

[LaPetiteSoeur]

[quote name='BarbaraTherese' timestamp='1308230069' post='2254549']
The site is excellent, LaPetiteSoeur, and I had no problems accessing it. I will pass it on, thank you.

It is not the one I had in mind, which to a dreadful memory was sort of pinkish with flowers, but Google does not respond well to "catholic - women mature aged vocations - pinkish site with flowers"

But the one you have given me is doing the same thing as my "pinkish site with flowers"

Thanks again - and God bless - Barb
[/quote]


You're welcome! I really like this site. I was flipping through the pages and saw one taken in my old high school.

The CMSWR site has great information and since it's run by sisters, no one has to worry about orthodoxy!

[HopefulBride]

[quote name='MargaretTeresa' timestamp='1308173560' post='2254234']
OOOH! Thanks! While my first call tomorrow with Covington probably wouldn't use the first set of questions, the second set's very interesting! (Although Louisiana, being very Catholic, might not have a shortage of priests...)
I shall be making a list of questions tonight.
[/quote]

ooooh, please say a big hello to Sr. Grace for me. I love these sisters and miss them.

One of the questions that I asked was about the formation community. I don't know but I was curious as to how many were in formation and how many were expecting to enter when I would be (of course this is a question for much later in your discernment)
How is the Office prayed? is it chanted? How many of the offices are prayed? these types of questions... At one community, I even asked if knowing how to sing was a requirement because the sisters just sang so well.

I am very close to my family so of course I asked about letters and phone calls. Like how many are allowed and how are they arranged. I actually had a book that I wrote stuff down in.

I think the key is to be open about any questions you may have and that will make you discernment with the community that much easier.

Praying that your call with Covington goes well.

Pas,
HB

[HopefulBride]

[quote name='TeresaBenedicta' timestamp='1308182085' post='2254356']
My question:

What will my life be like (if I am) living with the sisters? What level of commitment to community life will I need to give? Will I be able to hang out with friends? What will the parameters of our (me and the community) relationship look like? What obligations will I have to them?

But I don't think anyone but Mother can answer those questions for me. And I haven't been able to get a hold of her. So I wait. And wonder. I can ask in general... for those who know anything about candidacy programs [b](living with a community while still working in the world[/b]), what does that relationship look like?
[/quote]

Does that mean you got offered the job?

[Lisa]

Barbara Therese: http://www.pathsoflove.com/religious-communities.html#latevocations This has some listed.

[FutureSister2009]

I should really write all these questions down, especially TradMom's big list of questions!

[TeresaBenedicta]

[quote name='HopefulBride' timestamp='1308230682' post='2254557']
Does that mean you got offered the job?
[/quote]

No, not officially. I just can't keep my mind from thinking about potentials any longer!

[LaPetiteSoeur]

[quote name='FutureSister2009' timestamp='1308233069' post='2254570']
I should really write all these questions down, especially TradMom's big list of questions!
[/quote]

They're really great. I pared it down a bit and sent it in an email to the NDs. Sr. Mary Emily was probably when she saw it. there were many...

[krissylou]

[quote name='MargaretTeresa' timestamp='1308184471' post='2254369']
Thanks Krissy! You posted this twice... So when I got on here, the scroll bar doo-dah was super small and I was like "I know there wasn't [i]that[/i] many responses yet..."

Pax and God bless.
[/quote]

Ooops. Vee has said (correctly, in my view) that this list can never be posted enough, but one immediately after the other is probably not helpful.

How do I make one of them go bye-bye?

[img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/blink.gif[/img]

[faithcecelia]

One thing to be aware of is that some of those questions will have different answers depending on who you are, your personality and how your formation progresses. For example, I was allowed to keep my hair conditioner as my hair was waistlength, I never did run out but if I had it would have been bought for me. The answer would probably have been no for someone with short hair. Another time I had 3 visits within a fortnight, one being on Holy Saturday! Although Q did allow visits in Lent, that didn't include Holy Week and the Triduum, but I had a phonecall from a friend on Good Friday who was camping literally a few hundred yards away so an exception was made. One of the other 2 visits was also out of the blue. There were other things I had to go without but the other novice was allowed. People have different needs, and a good community will, as far as possible, allow for needs but maybe not wants!

[BarbTherese]

[quote name='LaPetiteSoeur' timestamp='1308230414' post='2254553']
You're welcome! I really like this site. I was flipping through the pages and saw one taken in my old high school.

The CMSWR site has great information and since it's run by sisters, no one has to worry about orthodoxy!
[/quote]


Often a joy to find one's past crop up in places.

Thank you for the info, will pass it on today.

God bless - Barb

[BarbTherese]

[quote name='Lisa' timestamp='1308231963' post='2254564']
Barbara Therese: http://www.pathsoflove.com/religious-communities.html#latevocations This has some listed.
[/quote]

Another excellent site for later vocations - thanks Lisa. I will be keeping these sites on file so I dont loose them again. They were on my other computer until it died on me.

God bless - Barb

[Chiara Francesco]

[quote name='BarbaraTherese' timestamp='1308220784' post='2254501']
Someone in the USA has contacted me re religious orders that will consider later or mature aged vocations. I know there is a site somewhere that gives a long list of communities in the USA and their locations, including a section of those that will consider mature aged vocations. Can anyone post the link for me please? I cant find it.

Thank you - God bless.........Barb
[/quote]

Hi Barbara Therese,

Some of these "later/mature vocations lists" aren't always accurate so one should not depend on them. I have found many orders who will consider older vocations who are NOT on the list. The person who asked you should also write orders that they feel attracted to and see if they will accept older. I've found that often some communities will accept/consider older but it is not stated on their website and while it gives stated age limits.

Then there are orders who have wrong info on them on sites like IRL (Institute of Religious Life) - you write them because it says considers older vocations when they don't (maybe an IRL mistake or the community DID take older but no longer and their IRL page is not updated).

Then you can visit an order who says they consider older and then some sisters say "yes" others say "no" so then you're told "no" in the end because the council, etc have to all be in agreement of a postulant.

THEN you can write orders that say they take older and have take older but then you write and they say no and/or they don't take older! But in the end any strange responses like this and others just is God directing you to where He wants you and where He doesn't want you!

I found the 2-3 I am narrowing down by writing orders I was interested in that were not on these "older/mature vocations" lists/sites! So just tell her to write and email away! It is good to write about personal things like why you feel you have a vocation to their order and community, and other important info like health, etc up front rather than just a short email/letter asking if they accept older women.

I have had 2 communities write me very positively and they both said that while they occasionally get older vocation requests, mine was the only one they wrote back and considered (when they don't consider older women) because of what I wrote, "wore my heart on my sleeve"!. One of these communities that I LOVE and pray is for me, I put my heart and soul into a long letter (covering all bases, why I felt I could live the life, etc.) and when the Mother Abbess saw I did have a true vocation, she wrote back a wonderfully warm and loving letter asking for a visit and sent me a pre-app interview form that they loved and based on this they would take me as an applicant to enter with them - and I haven't even visited yet! This is based on the several letters and the Mother said they have never done this before and she felt prompted to by God so here is praying this is so! If it is with them I should be, they would accept me and if not, they would give me a good reference to another of their order - and this is a very good strict, traditional Poor Clare Colettine order whose age limit is to 40 (stated) and I am past this.

Sure, 10 other women could write this same community they could tell them no - it really all just comes down to the doors GOD opens for you and hearts GOD changes/softens/opens to you.

Edited June 17, 2011 by Chiara Francesco