Convent Stay -- Update!

[Spem in alium]

Last night I went to visit the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth :)

 

I went on a retreat with them a few months ago and planned with the community's Vocations Director to come and stay. It took me about two hours to get there, but the trip was well worth it. I spent about two hours speaking with the Sister who invited me and had Evening Prayer with her. This morning was Morning Prayer and the Angelus, Mass, breakfast and a talk with the Sister and the community's Provincial Superior. I also got to listen to Russian Orthodox chants, and any day involving chants is a good day for me :)

 

Believe it or not, it was my first time praying the Angelus (and I loved it). Mass was beautiful. The church has a large icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa, and I enjoyed meditating upon the image. I also got to sing in Maltese, which was a nice surprise for the Sisters!

 

The community I visited has nine Sisters, but most were away. There are 22 Holy Family Sisters in Australia. Most of them are Polish and they have strong connections with the Polish community here. I got to learn a lot about their formation process (which sounds so thoughtful and wholesome) and their apostolate. They are hoping to build on their Australian mission by doing more work with the Australian community and attracting more Australian women, so I think they were very happy to have me. 

 

The Sisters are so beautiful. I feel so enriched by their visit and definitely hoping to visit again!

 

 

 

[TheresaThoma]

That sounds wonderful! I hope you get to go back soon!

[Spem in alium]

That sounds wonderful! I hope you get to go back soon!

 

Thank you! I hope so also. They are such a welcoming community.

[Spem in alium]

And as a sidenote, this is one of the Russian chants I listened to. It's the first track from the album The Nuns: Uplifting and Spiritual Voices, and was produced by the choir of the Convent of St Elisabeth of Minsk (who, judging by the information that came with the album, was an extraordinary woman).

 

 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4oDcBODmHg[/youtube]

 

 

[Spem in alium]

Oh, and here they are on Amazon. I loved the Beatitudes/Remember Us, O Lord track.

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Nuns-Uplifting-Spiritual-Voices/dp/B0046XP8YU/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1370838709&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=the+nuns+uplifting+and+spiritual+voices

 

[Mary's Child]

This sounds wonderful congrats Spem. It is so exciting though when you find the place :bounce: I am so happy for you and hope that things continue to go well for you :) .

[Golden Years]

So glad for you! :clap:

[Spem in alium]

This sounds wonderful congrats Spem. It is so exciting though when you find the place :bounce: I am so happy for you and hope that things continue to go well for you :) .

 

 

So glad for you! :clap:

 

Thank you both! I really like the feel of the convent and their chapel too. Very peaceful :)

[Spem in alium]

Random question guys:

 

Tomorrow I am meeting up with the guy I've really liked for the last couple of years (I love him a lot, but don't think I could date him). I want to tell him that I'm discerning, but not sure if I should confess my feelings for him too. If he said he liked me back, I am fairly certain I would not stop discerning religious life, so the real benefit of doing so would be to get it off my chest.

 

Has anyone ever had to do anything like this? If so, how have you done it? And would you recommend I tell him I like him at all?