News About My Discernment

[Sarah147]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1315862247' post='2303919']

Whoops! I didn't know this...

I can understand the reasoning behind not wanting to further your education, but I tell you in a spirit of love, don't discount the future. You may well find the correct medication and be able to attend college with no issue at all. That's what happened for me.
[/quote]

There is a part of me that has interest in college, but it's not just the pressure, stress, anxiety and depression it caused... Due to my homeschooling, college is just so way over my head. I've never done the things they asked me to write and I was having trouble trying to understand it. And the reading was more advanced. Plus the pressure of deadlines twice a week. It was all just so much. It just seems that God doesn't want me doing that to myself, at least not at this time.

[Sarah147]

I can't find an email for the CFR Sisters. How do they feel about medication?

[Sarah147]

N/A

Edited September 13, 2011 by JoyfulLife

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='JoyfulLife' timestamp='1315872734' post='2303987']
I can't find an email for the CFR Sisters. How do they feel about medication?
[/quote]

Unfortunately, they are unable to accommodate women with any illness. They are mendicant order like the FFIs and Sr. Francis told me that they don't have health insurance and are unable to take on the extra cost of doctor's visits and medication needs.

[Sarah147]

I got a response from the Children of Mary and they think I should look at established Orders because since they are new, they don't have stability as they said.

Too bad about the CFR's.

Am I ever going to find the right Order and get acceptance? Frustrating.


BTW, I loove your photo avatar. It really pops!


Someone said that some of the RSM Sisters are in administrating. So, would they allow some Sisters to do something less stressful that doesn't have to do with college?

Edited September 13, 2011 by JoyfulLife

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='JoyfulLife' timestamp='1315877035' post='2304013']
I got a response from the Children of Mary and they think I should look at established Orders because since they are new, they don't have stability as they said.

Too bad about the CFR's.

Am I ever going to find the right Order and get acceptance? Frustrating.


BTW, I loove your photo avatar. It really pops!


Someone said that some of the RSM Sisters are in administrating. So, would they allow some Sisters to do something less stressful that doesn't have to do with college?
[/quote]

JL, please don't give up. I know that it is weighing on your shoulders, but if it is meant to be, then God will find a way. Look at me -- I was ready to give up last year (in fact, I did for a time), but the Holy Spirit kept nagging me to the point where I couldn't ignore Him anymore. That's when I started investigating again. I'm so glad I did because I wouldn't be in contact with the RSMs now. I'm getting ready to go on retreat with them in the next few months (praise God!). There must be something you are able to do.

I would talk to the Vocation Director and just ask her some questions. It doesn't have to be anything formal. Ask if they would be willing to accept you and place you in a less stressful environment. It's always a possibility that it could happen. Sister is very sweet and has been a great help to me already. I'm sure she'd be open to helping you.

Thank you for the compliment about my avatar. I went on a CRHP retreat this past weekend and the theme had to do with a "Heart for Jesus" and so it stuck with me. Plus, I love the devotion to the Divine Mercy and the Sacred Heart.

[Sarah147]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1316156594' post='2305340']
There must be something you are able to do.

I would talk to the Vocation Director and just ask her some questions. It doesn't have to be anything formal. Ask if they would be willing to accept you and place you in a less stressful environment. It's always a possibility that it could happen. Sister is very sweet and has been a great help to me already. I'm sure she'd be open to helping you.
[/quote]

With my learning disabilities and the improper education and training I've had growing up, plus my mental health issues, there isn't a whole lot I can do. But as you said, there must be something. That sounds good to talk to Sister about it. It does worry me because you said that it's written in their constitutions to go to college, right? But they do have some Sisters in administration. I think that (administration) wouldn't work for me -- I'm not great at organizing, handling phone calls, math, etc.

I'm just back online today, since I was last on around the 12th, and I have a bunch of emails from Orders about my question as to whether they are open to those with a mental issue. It will be interesting to see what they all have to say.

[Sarah147]

Mater, can you or anyone tell me more about these two Orders below?

[url="http://www.scceast.org"]www.scceast.org[/url] Sisters of Christian Charity -- Sister wrote and is very, very open to discussing my health at great length. It sounds like this Order is very open to considering people with mental health issues.

[url="http://www.solisisters.ca/"]http://www.solisisters.ca/[/url] -- Sister wants to talk about my message about my health issues. Maybe they are open? But it's Canada. I don't know about them...


_______________

[font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"]Sisters of Reparation to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus -- they are NOT open to health issues.[/font]

[font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif"]srspreciousbloodnh.org -- They wrote in a nice, indirect way, that gave the indication that they are not open to mental issues.[/font]

Franciscan Sisters, TOR of Penance of the Sorrowful Mother -- they find that convent life can exacerbate health issues, and so they are not open to putting women into that kind of environment.

Sisters Adorers of the Precious Blood, NH -- they want there entrants medication free.

Dominican [b][color="#000000"]Sisters[/color][/b] of St Joseph -- It's against their constitutions and canon law, as Sister said. So, they cannot accept someone with mental issues.

________________

I wrote every order mentioned in this whole thread, and those are just the ones that responded. The other Orders are probably a no-go, too, but just didn't respond.

[Lisa]

Definitely talk to Iggy about the SCC's- there is a convent nearby her, I think. From what she has said, they have an ignatian flare to their spirituality.

You are an inspiration to all of us here at Phatmass. Just follow in the footsteps of Jesus, and he'll lead you home!

[Sarah147]

[quote name='Lisa' timestamp='1316210201' post='2305589']
Definitely talk to Iggy about the SCC's- there is a convent nearby her, I think. From what she has said, they have an ignatian flare to their spirituality.

You are an inspiration to all of us here at Phatmass. Just follow in the footsteps of Jesus, and he'll lead you home!
[/quote]

I'm looking at those two Orders, and I quite like them. Especially the SCC's.

With any Order, it would be a matter to discuss what I could do for apostolate. Hopefully they could have me do simple things, especially involved with homemaker, retreat work, etc.

Edited September 16, 2011 by JoyfulLife

[Sarah147]

I was just dancing in the kitchen; it's great to feel hopeful about religious life again. I'm excited about the SCC's! They have homemaker and retreat work, too! I sent my reply email about my diagnosis and prognosis, etc. I sure would love to have an open door there. They even have a live-in opportunity!

Here's their vocation page, which they must have accidently [url="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:B_fPgjRCiY8J:www.scceast.org/Vocation/vocation.html+http://www.scceast.org/Vocation/Vocation.html&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us"]deleted[/url]:

[url="http://www.scceast.org/Vocation/images/SOCCIntro.wmv"]Video[/url]!!! What a beautiful Order. I really connect with what their about, their spirituality.

They say ages 18-40! Perfect for me since I need to wait, I believe, some more years.

Edited September 16, 2011 by JoyfulLife

[Sarah147]

[url="http://www.scceast.org/Vocation/vocation.html"]This link[/url] (vocation page) is also working, but one of them wasn't.


I messaged iggy to see if she could comment about the Order.


There is a mention on the formation page about possible college courses? What's that all about?


More info: [url="http://db.religiouslife.com/reg_life/irl.nsf/org/16"]http://db.religiouslife.com/reg_life/irl.nsf/org/16[/url]

Edited September 16, 2011 by JoyfulLife

[Sarah147]

More info: [url="http://db.religiouslife.com/reg_life/irl.nsf/org/16"]religiou[/url][url="http://db.religiouslife.com/reg_life/irl.nsf/org/16"]slife[/url]

Phatmass info: [url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/115536-sisters-of-christian-charity-new-sisters/"]here[/url] and [url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php/topic/107145-sisters-of-christian-charity/"]here[/url].

[MithLuin]

[url="http://www.sacredheartsisters.org/"]The Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart [/url]are a contemplative-active group. (not active-contemplative)

They're Polish, and I think they are very willing to work with people and allow them to try out their vocation as a postulant. Meaning, they don't write people off right off the bat or have an unfair expectation of who a 'future sister' should be. So, if they have the type of charism you are interested in, they're probably worth talking to. The province in the US sometimes sends sisters to their mission community in Jamaica. Don't know their take on the whole college thing. I mean, no matter where you join, you'd have to study as part of your novitiate, so you can't avoid future classes!

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='JoyfulLife' timestamp='1316207386' post='2305584']

With my learning disabilities and the improper education and training I've had growing up, plus my mental health issues, there isn't a whole lot I can do. But as you said, there must be something. That sounds good to talk to Sister about it. It does worry me because you said that it's written in their constitutions to go to college, right? But they do have some Sisters in administration. I think that (administration) wouldn't work for me -- I'm not great at organizing, handling phone calls, math, etc.

I'm just back online today, since I was last on around the 12th, and I have a bunch of emails from Orders about my question as to whether they are open to those with a mental issue. It will be interesting to see what they all have to say.
[/quote]

I can definitely understand about the learning disabilities. I am thankful in that my adult ADD wasn't a factor in my childhood (though a doctor seemed to think that it was always there, but never picked up on). I've witnessed several children with learning disabilities and it is not easy. It takes a lot of work for them to be able to learn things, which is not their fault. I'm sorry to hear that you struggle so much with it. I wish there was an easier way.

The RSMs are not for everyone. The website was pretty clear that they take professional studies very seriously, so I'm sure that you would have to have schooling of some kind. Whether or not they would be able to tutor you is unknown and would be a good question to ask should you get in touch with them. They might even have some Sisters who specialize in [url="http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scidis/comm.html"]Communication Disorders[/url]. You can never know for sure until you ask. My mom always says that there is no harm in asking. If they say no, then you are right back to where you are now.

I hope you are able to get a clear-cut answer soon. It seems that things just aren't going well for you in discernment, and that is very difficult to bear. But if Jesus inspired these desires of your heart, He will find a way to fulfill them. It just may take some time. Perhaps, He knows you are not ready yet and is not ready to reveal the next step until you are. That's what happened with me. I'm thankful for it, too, because it would have been too much pressure to do something I wasn't prepared for quite yet.

I'm not sure if I mentioned them to you, but I think you ought to contact the [url="http://www.sistersofthemostholysoulofchrist.com/index-3.html"]Sisters of the Most Holy Soul of Christ[/url]. They are not a semi-contemplative order, but they are open to any women who desires to discern with them. When I told them of my depression, they were understanding and did not turn me away. One of their apostolates is assisting in parishes, which I'm sure you wouldn't need to go to college for.

Please let me know if I can be of any more help. I hate to see you suffering like this since I know exactly what you are going through. I thought I'd never find the right order.