Catherine Therese Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Hi y'all. Making a tentative return to the Phatmass community, mirroring my recent return to the world outside the cloister. For a little while, I was Sr. Catherine Therese. (I suspect the 1st of October will be something of a bitter sweet day for me.) I wanted to ask all of you for your prayers, please? Here's why. There is a beautiful freedom in following God's call... but it doesn't come with a safety net. It took a great deal of trust in Him to move to the other side of the world having never travelled previously, and join a religious order having really only known the corporate world prior to that. It took even more trust to leave religious life and trust that I really WAS discerning correctly when I concluded that whilst He had called me to live religious life for a time and for a purpose known only to Him, that He was NOT calling me to make vows and live religious life for keeps. The things is... since returning to the world and trying to figure out what it means to live faithfully out here again, knowing what I now know, but not really sure of the direction He wants me to take...? Well, its safe to say that my trust has faltered a lot of late. I very much need your prayers. I need Jesus, and by extension, I also need each one of you, the members of His Mystical Body. So I ask you please - please pray for me! And know of my prayers for you, offered in all sincerity. (Gotta love Lumen Gentium Chapter 7!! :) ) Thanks so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Dear CT. How incredibly brave of you to come back and post here. Having been through what you have myself, I know just how hard it is to make that first post again. We welcome you back to a place of support and love and comfort and assure you that you are in our prayers and our hearts. Your heart belongs to Jesus, and that can be the constant in your life. Whatever happens in the future, know that your efforts to love and serve Him in religious life, and that your continuing efforts now to trust Him and find His will in your life, are gifts of love that please Him. Trust needs testing - so don't worry if sometimes it seems a hard thing to do - He hasn't left you and He won't leave you. Bless you for your courage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilllabettt Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 welcome back from a fellow return-ee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriela Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 CT, welcome back, and thank you for posting. I will surely pray for you. I encourage you—if/when you feel comfortable doing so—to get involved with a ministry for women who have left religious life, called Leonie's Longing: http://www.leonieslonging.org/ Peace to you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graciandelamadrededios Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Be assured of my prayers. Which cloistered order did you join? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Be assured of my prayers. Which cloistered order did you join? Gracian - it's a good idea not to name communities online. If you want to know - perhaps you should PM her???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spem in alium Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Holding you in prayer, CT. God bless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graciandelamadrededios Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 (edited) I do not understand that at all but I respect your opinion. I did not ask for the specific address of the community. I was just asking what Order and that is general enough unless that Order or Congregation has only one house. For example: if someone ask me what former order did I come from. I would say I joined the Carthusian Order and left before perpetual vow. Edited September 22, 2013 by graciandelamadrededios Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 I do not understand that at all. I did not ask for the specific address of the community. I was just asking what Order and that is general enough unless that Order or Congregation has only one house. Say of example: if someone ask me what former order did I come from. I would say I joined the Carthusian Order. I understand your confusion but it's still probably better if you talk about specifics via PM or email and not on a thread. There have been problems when doing this before. It's just a suggestion so do as you see fit, but perhaps it still might be a better idea to view her profile and then if you have more questions, PM her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graciandelamadrededios Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 It's fine. I just pray for her for general intentions. I'm cool with it. :saint2: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximillion Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Prayers for you CT, from another 'reternee'! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Therese Posted September 22, 2013 Author Share Posted September 22, 2013 Thank you so much all for your compassionate support! GracianDelaMadreDios - I say cloister because I was living my canonical novice year when I left, meaning that for that time I was living in cloister. I belonged, however, to an order that walks an active/contemplative tightrope :) Thanks for protecting my privacy and setting a boundary for what is best kept private vs. what is disclosed, Nunsense :) In my case, however, I think my secret is out of the bag - the shield in my picture displays my affiliation :) I'm OK with that much being generically known, but I agree with you, always best to protect the Congregation. Just in case I'm somehow traceable: all opinions my own :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Many prayers for you at this time CT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freedomreigns Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 I am a returnee also, and also left as a canonical novice in an active-contemplative community. I may write more later, but for now I am praying for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneLine Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 Praying for you, Catherine Therese. Another returnee veteran of long ago... let us/me know if we can be of any help. I was and am very grateful to the returnees of the 1980's who helped me to make that transition... and it is one of the reasons I choose to be here now. 'Pay it forward'.. that and I like the community here. ;) . I am convinced that God gave me a temporary vocation to my community. I was at peace making the choice to enter, and at peace leaving. Like yourself, it is almost more difficult doing the discernment to leave... but I am glad I took the time to do it. I would both go in and leave in a second, and God is not outdone in generosity. From over 30 years distance, I can see more of what God intended... and none of it was lost time. There were connections that were vital, experiences that were vital. Our God is... amazing. Transition back was... interesting. And funny in retrospect, but tough at the time. There are reasons why veterans go off by themselves to share stories.... Here if I can be of help. Feel free to PM.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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