Vocation Station Check-In: Welcome To All The New Folks

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1317871233' post='2315919']
Ok you guys...*sniffle*. amesome!





[/quote]

Why don't you come with us?!?

[brandelynmarie]

I would so love to... ( [size=2]but since I work, I have to choose my use of vacay time carefully[/size]. [size=2]And I think He wants me to be a Dominican![/size] ) I do love road trips, however.






Mornin' MM

Edited October 6, 2011 by brandelynmarie

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1317881788' post='2315964']
I would so love to... ( [size=2]but since I work, I have to choose my use of vacay time carefully[/size]. [size=2]And I think He wants me to be a Dominican![/size] ) I do love road trips.
[/quote]

Are you the same one I read about a few years ago who was going to visit the Summit Dominicans but couldn't because you got in a car crash? I can't remember if it was you or passionheart.

Edited October 6, 2011 by MaterMisericordiae

[brandelynmarie]

Oh my goodness! Yes! That was me . Ok. I had 2 weeks off in October of 2006. I had planned to fly down to visit Summit for a few days one week & then drive 3 hours to Buffalo the next week. The first day of vacation I got sick. Upper respiratory infection, chest congestion, snoogies, cough, you name it, I had it. I kept thinking it would clear up enough to fly & to go visit the sisters without being contagious. Well, the night before I was to fly down on the red eye, I called Summit to explain I had to cancel because I was still too sick. Poor Sister Mary Catharine didn't get the message & showed up at the airport! Oh my, I felt so bad about it, but when she called later we had a good chuckle over it. Well, then I got pink eye. I only wore contacts at the time, so after seeing the eye doctor for drops, I was stuck at home for 3 days with no glasses, no contacts, no real vision. On the 3rd day, I got ready for Buffalo & that morning I stopped at the eye doctor to get new contacts. (Yes, I drove very very carefully to the doctor's! I could see, um, shapes!) I popped them in, got a coffee, & I was on my way to Buffalo. Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking about what 3 days with no contacts would do to me & I ended up with a migraine on my way to Buffalo. Got to Buffalo safely & Sister Bernadette Marie helped me to get settled in. It might have been 2 days later that the worst snowstorm in like, 123 years hit Buffalo. Complete with thunder & lightning! I was a little scared, but I thought, if crazy weather is gonna happen, this has got to be the [i]best [/i]place to be. There were power outages everywhere, but we were fine. We even joked about how I may get stuck with them a little longer! Well, the roads were clearing up & the snow was melting the day I left. I had made it about 1/2 an hour from Buffalo when I had turned off at an exit for Hamburg. That was when my little Chevy was rear-ended by a big Dodge truck. When he hit me, I hit my head on the part between the windshield & the driver's window. I snapped my head up just in time to see a station wagon swerve in front of me & I was able to manuver my car into the empty lane to the right. If my airbag would have gone off, I would have t-boned that station wagon. I remember being in such shock, that I refused to go with the EMT's, & when the officer questioned me on how I was gonna get home, I said I could drive home! (I truly thought only my bumper was missing!) He looks at my car, looks back me at me & says, "I don't think so." I tell him I am not leaving my car! (Still in shock, I guess.) He says, "Listen, if you want to stay in a junkyard all night with your car. Fine. But your car is totaled & I don't think you want to do that. You need to call someone or we can take you to a motel." For some reason they wouldn't take me back to Buffalo. So I called the sisters & Sr. BM & the NM came & got me at a Denny's. I stayed with them for 2 1/2 days to recover & until my friend Dan could come pick me up. Sr BM took wonderful care of me. Oh, & Sr. BM had given me a holy card of St. Michael the night before. I had it with me when I was rear-ended. And I showed it to her when she picked me up. I will never forget that. Thanks for asking, MM.

Oh my, I didn't mean to make it so long!

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1317884413' post='2315970']
Oh my goodness! Yes! That was me . Ok. I had 2 weeks off in October of 2006. I had planned to fly down to visit Summit for a few days one week & then drive 3 hours to Buffalo the next week. The first day of vacation I got sick. Upper respiratory infection, chest congestion, snoogies, cough, you name it, I had it. I kept thinking it would clear up enough to fly & to go visit the sisters without being contagious. Well, the night before I was to fly down on the red eye, I called Summit to explain I had to cancel because I was still too sick. Poor Sister Mary Catharine didn't get the message & showed up at the airport! Oh my, I felt so bad about it, but when she called later we had a good chuckle over it. Well, then I got pink eye. I only wore contacts at the time, so after seeing the eye doctor for drops, I was stuck at home for 3 days with no glasses, no contacts, no real vision. On the 3rd day, I got ready for Buffalo & that morning I stopped at the eye doctor to get new contacts. (Yes, I drove very very carefully to the doctor's! I could see, um, shapes!) I popped them in, got a coffee, & I was on my way to Buffalo. Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking about what 3 days with no contacts would do to me & I ended up with a migraine on my way to Buffalo. Got to Buffalo safely & Sister Bernadette Marie helped me to get settled in. It might have been 2 days later that the worst snowstorm in like, 123 years hit Buffalo. Complete with thunder & lightning! I was a little scared, but I thought, if crazy weather is gonna happen, this has got to be the [i]best [/i]place to be. There were power outages everywhere, but we were fine. We even joked about how I may get stuck with them a little longer! Well, the roads were clearing up & the snow was melting the day I left. I had made it about 1/2 an hour from Buffalo when I had turned off at an exit for Hamburg. That was when my little Chevy was rear-ended by a big Dodge truck. When he hit me, I hit my head on the part between the windshield & the driver's window. I snapped my head up just in time to see a station wagon swerve in front of me & I was able to manuver my car into the empty lane to the right. If my airbag would have gone off, I would have t-boned that station wagon. I remember being in such shock, that I refused to go with the EMT's, & when the officer questioned me on how I was gonna get home, I said I could drive home! (I truly thought only my bumper was missing!) He looks at my car, looks back me at me & says, "I don't think so." I tell him I am not leaving my car! (Still in shock, I guess.) He says, "Listen, if you want to stay in a junkyard all night with your car. Fine. But your car is totaled & I don't think you want to do that. You need to call someone or we can take you to a motel." For some reason they wouldn't take me back to Buffalo. So I called the sisters & Sr. BM & the NM came & got me at a Denny's. I stayed with them for 2 1/2 days to recover & until my friend Dan could come pick me up. Sr BM took wonderful care of me. Oh, & Sr. BM had given me a holy card of St. Michael the night before. I had it with me when I was rear-ended. And I showed it to her when she picked me up. I will never forget that. Thanks for asking, MM.

Oh my, I didn't mean to make it so long!
[/quote]

It amazes me what my brain can remember out of the blue after several years but I can't remember what happened to me a few days ago.

I'm glad you were not seriously injured. Wow, what a story! I don't care if it's long (I'm guilty of that, too, sometimes).

[brandelynmarie]

Yeah, for weeks after I said, "Just call me Sister Job."

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1317884983' post='2315973']

It amazes me what my brain can remember out of the blue after several years but I can't remember what happened to me a few days ago.

[/quote]

You know? Me too! But I guess I just proved that.

Edited October 6, 2011 by brandelynmarie

[Blessed&Grateful]

I am one of the "new" ones. I found this place, read posts and decided I enjoyed the discussions, so I stayed. I discerned years ago but God had a different idea for me. So I wait patiently and am trying to "listen" (which is hard for me.)

My discernment is "Life Vocation" rather than Religious Life specific. I enjoy and find great insight reading everyone's posts; there is much joy in this place even in the hardships

The commonality is, we are all searching, the paths may be different but the Journey and the One who wishes to lead us are the same.

God Bless!.

[HopefulBride]

Wait what are we supposed to do?

I'm HB and I want to say a big welcome to all the VS folks. My vocation story, I can honestly say that it is still being written. Especially when I think of the different ways God is trying to get my attention.... I'm working on a short VS version.

[marigold]

[quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1317884413' post='2315970']
Oh my goodness! Yes! That was me . Ok. I had 2 weeks off in October of 2006. I had planned to fly down to visit Summit for a few days one week & then drive 3 hours to Buffalo the next week. The first day of vacation I got sick. Upper respiratory infection, chest congestion, snoogies, cough, you name it, I had it. I kept thinking it would clear up enough to fly & to go visit the sisters without being contagious. Well, the night before I was to fly down on the red eye, I called Summit to explain I had to cancel because I was still too sick. Poor Sister Mary Catharine didn't get the message & showed up at the airport! Oh my, I felt so bad about it, but when she called later we had a good chuckle over it. Well, then I got pink eye. I only wore contacts at the time, so after seeing the eye doctor for drops, I was stuck at home for 3 days with no glasses, no contacts, no real vision. On the 3rd day, I got ready for Buffalo & that morning I stopped at the eye doctor to get new contacts. (Yes, I drove very very carefully to the doctor's! I could see, um, shapes!) I popped them in, got a coffee, & I was on my way to Buffalo. Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking about what 3 days with no contacts would do to me & I ended up with a migraine on my way to Buffalo. Got to Buffalo safely & Sister Bernadette Marie helped me to get settled in. It might have been 2 days later that the worst snowstorm in like, 123 years hit Buffalo. Complete with thunder & lightning! I was a little scared, but I thought, if crazy weather is gonna happen, this has got to be the [i]best [/i]place to be. There were power outages everywhere, but we were fine. We even joked about how I may get stuck with them a little longer! Well, the roads were clearing up & the snow was melting the day I left. I had made it about 1/2 an hour from Buffalo when I had turned off at an exit for Hamburg. That was when my little Chevy was rear-ended by a big Dodge truck. When he hit me, I hit my head on the part between the windshield & the driver's window. I snapped my head up just in time to see a station wagon swerve in front of me & I was able to manuver my car into the empty lane to the right. If my airbag would have gone off, I would have t-boned that station wagon. I remember being in such shock, that I refused to go with the EMT's, & when the officer questioned me on how I was gonna get home, I said I could drive home! (I truly thought only my bumper was missing!) He looks at my car, looks back me at me & says, "I don't think so." I tell him I am not leaving my car! (Still in shock, I guess.) He says, "Listen, if you want to stay in a junkyard all night with your car. Fine. But your car is totaled & I don't think you want to do that. You need to call someone or we can take you to a motel." For some reason they wouldn't take me back to Buffalo. So I called the sisters & Sr. BM & the NM came & got me at a Denny's. I stayed with them for 2 1/2 days to recover & until my friend Dan could come pick me up. Sr BM took wonderful care of me. Oh, & Sr. BM had given me a holy card of St. Michael the night before. I had it with me when I was rear-ended. And I showed it to her when she picked me up. I will never forget that. Thanks for asking, MM.

Oh my, I didn't mean to make it so long!
[/quote]

What a story! Talk about signs... either you were really, really supposed to do that trip or you were really, really not supposed to do that trip Glad you survived and are (I think?) still working out your vocation.

[linnie]

[quote name='HopefulBride' timestamp='1317895198' post='2316011']
My vocation story, I can honestly say that it is still being written.
[/quote]

Yes, yes, yes! What a great statement! No matter what our station in life, our stories are still being written. The trick, as you've pointed out, is recognizing this and listening. As St. Ben says "listen with the ear of your heart".

blessings, linnie

[LaPetiteSoeur]

So since I actually have time, I'll write mine!

I was taught by an amesome order of religious sisters grades K-5. Sr. Mary, my "favorite" sister, was really wonderful in helping to expose me to the religious life. She'd let me go into the chapel and pray with her. I even saw her room! (I was helping her bring back habits from the school!) She taught me about the saints of her order, and when we performed a play for the 150th anniversary of her order, I got to play a founding sister. Pictures were taken and sent to....JPII!! The order is very big in Poland, and so there are tons of fun signs that say "Thank you for your prayers, Holy Father" in Polish. So from an early age, I wanted to be a "nun and a doctor." I told everyone this Unfortunately, after 5th grade, my parents put me in the local public school, due to academic problems. That same year, we switched parishes. I started to tell myself that no one became sisters, that i was supposed to be a mother and have twelve children. While I still was very involved in my new parish, my prayer life was suffering, and I wasn't really "feeling" it.

After three interesting years in public school, I got to go to a wonderful Catholic high school run by the Felician sisters. My freshman year I started going to the daily communion services, just to do something in the morning. It wasn't until the end of my sophomore year that I finally realized "duh, LPS, you're called to be a sister." I didn't want it. I didn't. So I got mad at God for a few months. It was AWFUL. Finally, after i realized I had been given quite the gift and if God was calling me to be a sister, that was the way I'd be most happy (as I'd be following God's will), I told the campus deacon. He was so helpful and just let me sit on the couch in his office and tell him everything. I had already contacted the NDs. He told me I HAD to talk to Sr. C, the other campus minister, as she was actually a sister and could help me way more than he could. For some reason, I had this idea that Sr. C. would eat me if I told her. But I went to her office that day and talked for an hour! I finally felt peace in my soul.

Deacon and Sister C suggested I go to a day of discernment our diocese held. I participated in Mass, LOTH, adoration....by the end of the day, I knew.

Now, I recently discovered another order that does everything I feel called to: education in poor areas, work with the poor...etc. I wrote to them, and are hoping to hear back, soon! I have no idea where I'm going, but since my parents said I had to finish university (3-3.5 years left!) first, I have time to just enjoy God and discover His great love for me!

[Feankie]

Good morning, everyone. Since my status changed from lurker to newbie the beginning of last week, I don't know if that qualifies me as being "new". I posted my story elsewhere, but here it goes again. And no, I am not discerning, but am here to pray for all of you that are, as I remember being in the same situations at various points in my life.
I always wanted to be a nun/sister, but my parents weren't so thrilled. They said, "Go to college first and then see if God is still calling you." And I did. And He was. Then it was, "Go to graduate school and get your degree and see if that's what God still wants you to do." And I did. And He was. And then it was, "Why don't you try out your career that we've poured in so much money for you to get (doctor)" And I did. But the thought of still entering a convent or monastery was still tugging at my heart. I met my future husband at one of the hospitals we were both working at. He actually had thought at one point about studying for the priesthood after he finished his medical training. We met, started dating, and that was that. God definitely had other plans as we've been happily married for 39 years, have 3 adult children, and 4 grandchildren.
As much as I'd never admit it to him, if anything every happened to my husband I would still love to be able to enter the convent. But age is a huge barrier, although I know there are order that take much older vocations. My SD agrees with me that the yearning and the spark is still there, so I use it in other ways. I am heavily involved in my parish, the Archdiocese, hospice, etc. And.....I am heavily invested in praying for all of you on PhatMass and are or have been discerning.

[Lisa]

I love these stories! And, just speaking for myself, you don't know how much I appreciate hearing your that discerned the life and/or lived it, either recently or many years ago.

[HopefulBride]

[quote name='Francis Clare' timestamp='1317914932' post='2316138']
Good morning, everyone. Since my status changed from lurker to newbie the beginning of last week, I don't know if that qualifies me as being "new". I posted my story elsewhere, but here it goes again. And no, I am not discerning, but am here to pray for all of you that are, as I remember being in the same situations at various points in my life.
I always wanted to be a nun/sister, but my parents weren't so thrilled. They said, "Go to college first and then see if God is still calling you." And I did. And He was. Then it was, "Go to graduate school and get your degree and see if that's what God still wants you to do." And I did. And He was. And then it was, "Why don't you try out your career that we've poured in so much money for you to get (doctor)" And I did. But the thought of still entering a convent or monastery was still tugging at my heart. I met my future husband at one of the hospitals we were both working at. He actually had thought at one point about studying for the priesthood after he finished his medical training. We met, started dating, and that was that. God definitely had other plans as we've been happily married for 39 years, have 3 adult children, and 4 grandchildren.
As much as I'd never admit it to him, if anything every happened to my husband I would still love to be able to enter the convent. But age is a huge barrier, although I know there are order that take much older vocations. My SD agrees with me that the yearning and the spark is still there, so I use it in other ways. I am heavily involved in my parish, the Archdiocese, hospice, etc. And.....I am heavily invested in praying for all of you on PhatMass and are or have been discerning.
[/quote]

That is beautiful. The constant call from him.

Thanks for sharing and thanks for all of your prayers!

[Queen'sDaughter]

I love this forum, and I finally made my account!

I have been discerning a vocation for almost two years now, and my story is basically one of God smacking me upside the head one day, shattering all my plans for the future, and sending me from my goal of professional school to the goal of a convent.

God' Richest Blessings on All of You!

Queen