Sacred Heart, Hospitality, Chant, older vocation

[Lil'Nun]

Well, 

I fell in love with a community. But, again, I am too old. So I am a little bit heart-broken at the moment. My ideal is a community with particular devotion to the Sacred Heart, Regular Adoration, an interest in Hospitality and an emphasis on chant and sung prayer (to me this is praying twice). They have to be open to older vocations and open to aspirants who live in the UK.

I have reservations about Tyburn - but I am guessing I am looking toward Benedictines because of the hospitality but I am open to others too!

Does anybody have any suggestions? It seems the ones I want don't want me, and the ones who would accept me don't have that spark. Maybe God is trying to tell me something? But somehow, this feeling of vocation keeps coming back.

Your confused and questioning Lil'Nun x

[truthfinder]

Well, 

I fell in love with a community. But, again, I am too old. So I am a little bit heart-broken at the moment. My ideal is a community with particular devotion to the Sacred Heart, Regular Adoration, an interest in Hospitality and an emphasis on chant and sung prayer (to me this is praying twice). They have to be open to older vocations and open to aspirants who live in the UK.

I have reservations about Tyburn - but I am guessing I am looking toward Benedictines because of the hospitality but I am open to others too!

Does anybody have any suggestions? It seems the ones I want don't want me, and the ones who would accept me don't have that spark. Maybe God is trying to tell me something? But somehow, this feeling of vocation keeps coming back.

Your confused and questioning Lil'Nun x

​If you haven't already, you should check out the Visitation nuns.  They are typically open to mature vocations (how old is dependent on the community) and since St. Margaret Mary Alacoque was a part of the order, they would have a devotion as well.  Some convents do have guest quarters, and they are usually very welcoming of allowing any women discerning vocations to spend time in the community (regardless of whether or not they are discerning with that particular community or not).  

[NadaTeTurbe]

ALso, the VIsitation rocks so much. 

I have a list of Sacred Heart related order, but it is not at my home. I can have it tomorrow, I will write it here ! What you're looking for is Sacred Heart related, with adoration, but not with a strict enclosure (like the Victims of the Sacred Heart in Marseille) ? 

[hoosieranna]

Some links that might help:

UK Visitation (in Sussex)

Mater Ecclesiae Convent (in Warwickshire, founded specifically for mature women)

fairly comprehensive list of UK communities

the English Benedictine Congregation (each house is independent, some might be more flexible than others)

Good luck.

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

Lil Nun, your "combo" is quite a tall order. It's not that the Lord couldn't actually surprise you will all these but it may be that the Lord is showing you WHERE but you aren't seeing it because of your "list". Ask him to purify your desires so that you will know what is ESSENTIAL in your following of Christ. Actually, THAT is the first thing: following HIm totally first as a disciple like our Lady in whatever way He is asking.

[NadaTeTurbe]

Sacred Heart communities :

a) Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

The motto of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, "Caritas Christi Urget Nos"—The Love Of Christ Impels Us—summarizes the moving force of our lives. We believe that Jesus has called each of us to leave all to follow Him with an undivided heart and to reveal His heart to others.

The Aim of the Apostles is to attain a perfect love for God by making the Heart of Jesus known and loved, by living the law of charity among all people, and by embracing the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience.

We voluntarily follow Jesus in order to imitate His virtues according to the Gospel and to understand, in the genuine spirit of the Congregation, the loving secrets of His Heart.

Mother Clelia wanted her spiritual daughters to be like the first Apostles, to be animated by the same apostolic fervor and strengthened by their consecration to Christ, to bring to all they would encounter in their ministries:

·         the message of salvation

·         faith in the love of God who became man to save us

·         the hope of eternal life

·         the witness of charity in their own lives.

The Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus place ourselves in the service of the Church and of the people of God. By virtue of our consecration, we Apostles are sent in mission. The power and creativity of our missionary zeal flows from the living out of the charism of profound love for God and for others as envisioned by Mother Clelia

There’s nothing about belated vocation

http://www.ascjus.org/who-we-are/index.aspx

b) Franciscan missionaries sister of the sacred heart

« Led by the Lord, let them begin a life of penance, conscious taht all of us must be continuously and totally converted to the Lord. As a sign of their conversion and consecraton to Gospel life, they are to clothe themselves plainly and to live in simplicity »
« our primary mission is the evangelization of God’s people »

http://www.fmscusa.org/

c) Handmaids of reparation to the sacred heart of jesus

« Seeing all the misery in wich the world has enmeshhed itself we, in the words of Pius XI, « endeavor to expiate our own faults and those of others, to repair the honors of Christ, and to promote the eternal salvation of souls »

http://www.sistersofreparation.org/

Age 18-35

d) Handmaids of the heart of jesus

« live in imitation of Mary as handmaid, virgin and mother (…) living out the New Evangelization in parishes. » « contemplative-active consecrated life of humble service to the heart of Jesus »
« catechesis/faith formation, youth ministry, marriage preparation, liturgy coordination, liturgical music, sacristy work, visitation of the sick and elderly, and education in catholic schools »

http://www.handmaidsoftheheartofjesus.com/

e) Little workers of the Sacred Hearts
United as a religious family through their special devotion to the Sacred Hearts and by their profession of the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience, the Sisters, Little Workers, live, pray and work together. Their life of communion, grounded in the contemplation and imitation of Jesus and Mary, is the source and support of all they do.

The Little Workers' principal ministry embraces a wide range of catechetical activity in parishes, such as directing religious education programs, teaching religious education, and educating catechists to form others in the Faith.

http://www.littleworkers.org/lwsh2/mission_statement.html

f) Oblate sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The Oblate Sisters are consecrated women who strive to attain union with God by offering their lives of the holiness and support of diocesan priest and by fostering vocations to the priesthood. »
18-35

http://www.oblatesister.org/

g) Sister Servants of the most sacred heart of Jesus
« A contemplative active congregation of pontifical right, affiliated with the order of friars minor conventual, whose mission is to worship the Triune God in te Mistery of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus and to spread the kingdom of love of His Heart through works of mercey. »

18-30

http://www.sacredheartsisters.org/

h) Society devoted to the Sacred Heart

T                                           I know them, they have a super cool special method of cathechism, and they pray a LOT.

http://www.sacredheartsisters.com/

i) The order of the sacred and immaculate heart of jesus and mary

Those who enter are foremost called to a life of humble service. They are called to first serve the Hearts of Jesus and Mary humbly, without seeking any personal gain, then to serve their fellow community members, and then to go out into the world to serve the starving hearts of these times, to bring them the balm of the Hearts of Jesus and Mary.

 
They are contemplative

http://heartsofjesusandmary.com/charism/

 

Source : http://cmswr.org/documents/other/121-vocations-directory/file

Here we go for non-US congregation :D I will be short !

1) Esclavos Misioneros Del Sagrado Corazon de Jesus
Funded in 2012 in Paraguay. Adoration and reparation of the Heart of Jesus, and work of mercy.
http://comunidadesclavosdelsagradocorazon.com/

2) Fraternité Monastique du Cœur de Jésus
They are in Canada. They are contemplative : mass, lectio divina, one hour of adoration, liturgy of the hour, manual work and free time. Patron Saint : Bx Charles de Foucault, Ste Terese of Lisieux, and Padre Pio. Some little aposolate (retreat, visit to the sick…)

http://www.monasterecoeurdejesus.com/

3) Servos de Maria do Coraçao de Jesus
I think they are in the spirit of Fatima, with a cotnemplative and an active community.
They are in Brasil

http://www.comunidadesmcj.org.br/

4° Suore Vittime Espiatrici di Gesu Sacramentato
« Reparation of the offence that the Sacred Heart received, like sacrilege communion, bad reception of the communion, mass not well listened, offense of the priest… » Italia, Colombia, Brasil, Filipinas, Indonesia

http://divinavocacion.blogspot.com.es/2013/01/356-hermanas-victimas-expiadoras-de.html

5) Hermanas de Betania del Sagrado Corazon
« contemplative life, oration and immolation ( ?) for the priest. » Patron Saint : St François de Sales, and st John

South America

6) Adoradoras del Corazon Eucaristico y Sacerdotal de Jesus

They are in Colombia, and they do perpetual adoration.

7) Misioneras de la misericordia del Sagrado Corazon

They are apostolic/contemplative. They are in the US : http://www.misionerasdelamisericordia.com/Secciones.aspx?Id=29

This is it ! Hope it helps !

 

[oremus1]

I would actually take out the residence requirement, and also the English language requirement.
this will open your opportunities. the UK is a small island with few orders and is internationally renowned of gravitating towards a particular theological ilk. America would be better, and there are many great orders in France.

saying that, I think it will still be fairly hard to find because adoration, sung/chanted monastic office are usually more for enclosed /contemplative orders, whereas the interest in hospitality seems like you are looking for more of an active apostolate. as for the devotion to the sacred heart as a spirituality, that is quite niche .

Edited April 18, 2015 by oremus1
dum dum dum beep bop!!

[beatitude]

I agree with Sister Mary Catharine. Also, have you checked out the Sisters of Our Lady of Reconciliation at Walsingham?

[Sister Leticia]

First of all, Lil' Nun, I also agree with Sr Mary Catharine. You may have to revisit your ideals and pray with them, asking God to show you which ones are integral to wherever you might be being called, and which ones are ideals God is calling you to live without (at least as a central part of your daily life). I can say from experience that in my discernment I came to realise the congregation God was calling me to was not the same as the one I initially imagined I might want to be called to! And I know someone else who had a list of her own which began with Franciscan, because she so loved St Francis, but was actually called to an Augustinian-based order.

I live in England, and from what I know of other communities in England, Wales and Scotland, the nearest to what you're looking for is indeed Tyburn (or one of the other communities which is part of their order). However, I've seen an old thread on here about Tyburn and I can understand why you have reservations. Other communities have some of your list, eg the Benedictines chant office and offer hospitality, the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart have daily adoration and so on.

There's a full list of congregations and monasteries in England and Wales here http://ukreligiouslife.org/religious-orders/links-to-websites 

and in Scotland here http://www.religiousordersscotland.org/ourstandard.asp?pageid=81

I would actually take out the residence requirement, and also the English language requirement.
this will open your opportunities. the UK is a small island with few orders and is internationally renowned of gravitating towards a particular theological ilk. America would be better, and there are many great orders in France.

saying that, I think it will still be fairly hard to find because adoration, sung/chanted monastic office are usually more for enclosed /contemplative orders, whereas the interest in hospitality seems like you are looking for more of an active apostolate. as for the devotion to the sacred heart as a spirituality, that is quite niche​

Oremus1 - Great Britain is indeed a small island, with fewer than 6 million Catholics, but relatively speaking, we have a lot more than a "few" orders. We even have people coming from the US, Canada and other countries to enter here. So I'm not sure what you mean by our "particular theological ilk", but I hope discerners won't be put off from continuing to discern here.

 

[Egeria]

Have you considered the Bernadines of Esquermes:
http://www.bernardine.org/

or the Cistercians of Whitland?

http://www.hcawhitland.co.uk/

I don't know their age policy nor your age (and I think there would probably be  difference between being 45 and 70) and neither would have a big Sacred Heart or Adoration emphasis, but then I tend to agree with Sr Mary Catherine and Sr Leticia's comments above (quite apart from my own reservations about these things).

 

[Vin]

Listen for the Lord to draw you. Be open to being willing rather than having many requirements. Go Visit. Look here:

http://www.adorationsisters.info/#events

 

a lay woman who was associated with them:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Mysticism-Kindness-Lucie-Christine-Story/dp/1589662067

[Vin]

Listen for the Lord to draw you. Be open to being willing rather than having many requirements. Go Visit. Look here:

http://www.adorationsisters.info/#events

 

a lay woman who was associated with them:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Mysticism-Kindness-Lucie-Christine-Story/dp/1589662067