Blog Needs Writers Who Have Been In Religious Life/seminary

[Gabriela]

Hey everyone,

 

I'm now officially the new Blog Manager for Leonie's Longing (see here: http://www.leonieslonging.org/). We're trying to take a new direction with this to make it even more helpful and relevant to women who have left religious life. To that end, we're looking for people (women or men) who have been in religious life who would be willing to write a blog post (one-off or regularly, at your convenience) on a topic of your choice. It could be just the telling of your personal experience (funny, sad, inspiring, or a mix), or advice to those who are fresh out of the convent/monastery, or anything else you think is relevant to this audience given your own experience of leaving religious life/seminary.

 

If you'd be willing to write a blog post sometime, please PM me and I'll put you on our list, then contact you to discuss a topic and schedule a convenient date for you to submit a post.

 

Thanks, all! :)

 

In Him,

 

curiousing

 

P.S. AnneLine, I totally expect you to be the first person on my list! Click "PM" now! :-P

[PhuturePriest]

Why is it relevant for men who left the seminary to write blogs specifically for women who left the convent?

[Gabriela]

Why is it relevant for men who left the seminary to write blogs specifically for women who left the convent?

 

Leaving religious life or seminary is kind of a similar experience, in some ways. And also not, in other ways, of course. But both do have this in common: One day you're convinced you'll spend the rest of your life in "the heart of the Church", and the next day, you're back in the world. That transition is similar, no?

 

Of course, if a man who's left seminary feels he doesn't have anything to say to or share with women who have left religious life, then he need not write for us! But we do think there's some common ground to be shared there, so if a man does feel he can relate to our audience, then he is more than welcome to write for us. :)

[PhuturePriest]

Leaving religious life or seminary is kind of a similar experience, in some ways. And also not, in other ways, of course. But both do have this in common: One day you're convinced you'll spend the rest of your life in "the heart of the Church", and the next day, you're back in the world. That transition is similar, no?

 

Of course, if a man who's left seminary feels he doesn't have anything to say to or share with women who have left religious life, then he need not write for us! But we do think there's some common ground to be shared there, so if a man does feel he can relate to our audience, then he is more than welcome to write for us. :)

 

I guess I just don't understand why it's so gender-specific. Why not write for men who have left seminary and religious life, too?

[Gabriela]

I guess I just don't understand why it's so gender-specific. Why not write for men who have left seminary and religious life, too?

 

Because we're women running the organization, so we don't presume to know what issues men go through. It's reasonable to assume that men view their careers differently when they re-enter the world, that they view relationships differently, etc. A 100-response survey also revealed that men seem to have an easier time getting back on their feet than women do (but we can't conclude this definitively yet). Basically, we're hoping we can set an example with Leonie's Longing that maybe some men will pick up to create a similar organization for men.

 

That being said, men are involved with LL. There are men on the Board of Directors, male volunteers, and male participants in our quarterly online live chats. And of course, if a man came to us for help, we wouldn't deny him. So if a man should be willing to offer advice or share his experience with our readers, we'd be happy to have him.

[PhuturePriest]

Because we're women running the organization, so we don't presume to know what issues men go through. It's reasonable to assume that men view their careers differently when they re-enter the world, that they view relationships differently, etc. A 100-response survey also revealed that men seem to have an easier time getting back on their feet than women do (but we can't conclude this definitively yet). Basically, we're hoping we can set an example with Leonie's Longing that maybe some men will pick up to create a similar organization for men.

 

That being said, men are involved with LL. There are men on the Board of Directors, male volunteers, and male participants in our quarterly online live chats. And of course, if a man came to us for help, we wouldn't deny him. So if a man should be willing to offer advice or share his experience with our readers, we'd be happy to have him.

 

That makes sense. But as you said, because it's run by women, you don't presume to know the issues men go through. So why have men writing their experiences in order to help women?

 

I'm not trying to sound negative or critical (Which I know is the way I am sounding), I'm just trying to figure out the thoughts behind this. It is a very great and amazing idea, and I hope it works out well.

[Gabriela]

That makes sense. But as you said, because it's run by women, you don't presume to know the issues men go through. So why have men writing their experiences in order to help women?

 

I'm not trying to sound negative or critical (Which I know is the way I am sounding), I'm just trying to figure out the thoughts behind this. It is a very great and amazing idea, and I hope it works out well.

 

I would hope that a man wouldn't write a blog post about how hard it was for him to "get back in the game" (i.e., of dating) after leaving seminary. Because that would obviously be irrelevant to us. But if he gave some advice about how he networked to find a job, which diocesan services he used to find housing and clothing, how he felt explaining his "change of vocation" to friends performing the Inquisition on him, etc.—that would be really helpful for anyone who's just left religious life/seminary, male or female.

 

Again, some things are common, and some are not. We can't provide a full range of services to men because we don't know how to, because we're women. But we can share what we experience in common.

[PhuturePriest]

I would hope that a man wouldn't write a blog post about how hard it was for him to "get back in the game" (i.e., of dating) after leaving seminary. Because that would obviously be irrelevant to us. But if he gave some advice about how he networked to find a job, which diocesan services he used to find housing and clothing, how he felt explaining his "change of vocation" to friends performing the Inquisition on him, etc.—that would be really helpful for anyone who's just left religious life/seminary, male or female.

 

Again, some things are common, and some are not. We can't provide a full range of services to men because we don't know how to, because we're women. But we can share what we experience in common.

 

Okay, that makes sense. I would also buy the theory that men have an easier time adjusting back to lay life. Men in general have an easier time finding a job, after all. This of course depends on the job, as some jobs are preferred to women, but generally speaking, men do have an easier time finding most jobs.

[NotreDame]

Curiousing, this blog is great and I wish you the best in your efforts.  I'll PM in you the next few days with some ideas. 

 

On the whole men vs women's experience thing... I've observed that...

 

Women tend to take it harder emotionally - I think this is because of the "bride of christ" element can create a stronger emotional bond to the vocation vs men's (Again, just my opinion and interested what others think on this point.)

 

Men tend to take it harder 'professionally' - In the case of someone who still feels they have a vocation to the priesthood, canon law requires the first seminary to send a letter regarding them to the second, so if they left their first seminary on less than stellar terms, it can impact their future vocation.

 

In the second case, in general men will feel greater financial pressure to provide for a family, yet taking time out for the seminary/religious life is exactly that: "time out".  It can really put them behind the 8-ball if they return to the world.  Of course, it's not the case for everyone and it's not to discount the value of any degree that may be earned pursuing a vocation.

[Cherie]

I have corresponded via email re: some topics (one in particular) that I would love to write about. I'll definitely PM you soon (hopefully before baby #3 is born, but quite possibly after since she's due any day!)

[AnneLine]

Hey everyone,

 

I'm now officially the new Blog Manager for Leonie's Longing (see here: http://www.leonieslonging.org/). We're trying to take a new direction with this to make it even more helpful and relevant to women who have left religious life. To that end, we're looking for people (women or men) who have been in religious life who would be willing to write a blog post (one-off or regularly, at your convenience) on a topic of your choice. It could be just the telling of your personal experience (funny, sad, inspiring, or a mix), or advice to those who are fresh out of the convent/monastery, or anything else you think is relevant to this audience given your own experience of leaving religious life/seminary.

 

........

 

P.S. AnneLine, I totally expect you to be the first person on my list! Click "PM" now! :-P

 

Huh?    I almost didn't open up this thread!   ;)

 

Lemme pray/think about it a bit, but yup, I will write..... can't click PM right now... but nudge me in a day or so if I haven't... I owe a few people a few PMs before I do a new thing.  I think it is only just....