katherineH Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Hello friends, I feel confident in my vocation to religious life, but have been restless in searching for a community. I discerned for a while with the RSM-Alma whom I loved, especially their commitment to being professional and educated women. Their prayer life didn't settle with me the way I thought it would and feel like that is certainly a deal-breaker when choosing a community. So my question is, can any of you recommend a community similar to the RSM (wearing habit, faithful to the church, educates their sisters, apostolic)? I would appreciate any help you can provide K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNJM Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Did you look at the Nashville Dominicans? I believe they own a college. I will think of more. Do you have a Vision magazine? I believe they are also online. So is the CMSWR communities, but if you want to receive your education, you should look for a community that owns a college. Many communities are suffering from sending their novices & temporary professed to college, only to have them leave, so you such know that's a sore spot for many. Blessings, Rose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sr.christinaosf Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 I am sorry I must disagree. A community would not need to own its own college for you to 'receive an education.' Also, I would recommend the CMSWR over the Vision Magazine if you're looking for a community in habit. They have a wonderful resource online: http://cmswr.org/member-communities This was most helpful for me in finding my community of Franciscan Sisters of Dillingen. I had already received my degree in written communication before entering religious life but our community is definitely not opposed to sending individuals on to school. Actually, our Sister Mary Ruth already had an advanced degree in plant science and is going back to school via correspondence for more theological studies. I guess I don't know that education would be my leading consideration. What kind of prayer life are you interested in? Are you drawn to a certain spirituality? How about a field of apostolate? When I entered, being a written communication major, I was drawn to my community's variety of apostolates; I did not want to go into a community that was strictly teaching, or strictly nursing because I felt my gifts would have more room to be used with a variety of ministries involved since I was into communications and writing and/or public relations/ communications can be applied to just about any apostolate. Now, I work at an assisted-living type facility and do some aide work when needed but I am also able to use my communications background in laying out our monthly newsletter, managing our website, etc. I've also started a couple of blogs in the past year, one for our Home for the aged and vulnerable (St. Anne's in Grand Forks) and the other a blog on our Comunity's religious life and how it is lived on a day-to-day basis. If your interested, check it out: https://ourfranciscanfiat.wordpress.com. Regardless what education you receive, its great when it can be used in the service of our Lord! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sponsa-Christi Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 You might try looking at the Dominican Sisters of Bridgeport: http://www.dominicanvocations.org/ Most of the Sisters wear a very modified habit (i.e., dressing simply in black and white), but they are faithful to the magisterium, have a variety of apostolates, and are supportive of their Sisters' professional development. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Hello friends, I feel confident in my vocation to religious life, but have been restless in searching for a community. I discerned for a while with the RSM-Alma whom I loved, especially their commitment to being professional and educated women. Their prayer life didn't settle with me the way I thought it would and feel like that is certainly a deal-breaker when choosing a community. So my question is, can any of you recommend a community similar to the RSM (wearing habit, faithful to the church, educates their sisters, apostolic)? I would appreciate any help you can provide K. One community that is similar to the RSMs would be the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. They are highly educated, professional women. http://franciscan-sisters.org/ Perhaps one other community would be Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose. https://www.msjdominicans.org/home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katherineH Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 Thanks everyone! I'll look into the communities you suggested. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nunsuch Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 If you are interested in liturgy and a more contemplative life, you might want to look at the Benedictines of Regina Laudis. Most of their members are highly educated, and they send at least some of their sisters for additional education after entrance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Paul Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Dominicans??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orans Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 You may want to take a look at the Sisters of The Company of the Savior. They are a Spanish Religious Congregation, which are a feminine version of the Jesuits. St. Ignatius is their patron saint; they are dedicated to the Sacred Heart with strong devotion to Mary. They have the Mater Salvatoris schools and University Residences besides other apostolates. Like the Jesuits they have a STRONG initial formation that lasts 10 years (7 years of temporary profession) so that the Sisters get well founded intellectually and spiritually both in religious and civil matters (theology and civil grades) before final profession. Founded in 1944, they became a religious congregation of diocesan right in 1952 and of pontifical right in 1986. They have many young vocations. In the U.S.A. they have a community in Bridgeport, Co, and a Mater Salvatoris school in Puerto Rico. They are also in other countries besides Spain. The foundress' Cause for Beatification has already concluded the Diocesan stage and is now in Rome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Here are a few others I just thought of: Sisters of Christian Charity (they operate their own college - Assumption College for Sisters) Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis (primary apostolate in healthcare, including many professional occupations) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Paul Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Mercedarian sisters of the Blessed Sacrament. http://mercedariansisters.org Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNJM Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) Three of the communities mentioned here are incorporated together. Interesting that they were all mentioned by different people. As for my statement regarding education being a "sore-spot," I stand by that as someone who was not only a former member of a community with at least one college, but as a Spiritual Director with a primary focus on vocations/discernment. Regarding communities like Regina Laudis, who do support higher education and excellence for their nuns, if you will notice, this is done for nuns who are already professed and sometimes very much settled into community life. I would suggest you read about their new Abbess, who came to the Abbey with quite an impressive education under her belt as did most of their nuns. I can guarantee that if you approach a community and tell them you want an education, they will be leery. If you look at some communities, like the Nashvilles, who use college as part of their formation, that's a different story. Rose Edited July 21, 2015 by SNJM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katherineH Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 Thanks for the feedback - I already have a graduate degree so the education aspect isn't necessarily so that I can pursue more schooling, I was using education to infer that sisters are professionals in their fields (my bad, that probably wasn't clear). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen777 Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 http://www.familyjacopa.com/ We are a new Franciscan community in the Diocese of Steubenville, The Family of Jacopa Association. We accept women over 40 yrs. old with exceptions for women under that age. Our approval as a Public Association of the Faithful will be coming very soon and we have already received permission for our chapel, the repose of the Blessed Sacrament and Holy Mass. I would be very interested in speaking with you (katherineH) Katherine about your discernment in religious life. May God Bless you. I may be reached at 740-314-4023 --Sr. Kathleen Marshall (Foundress/Community Servant) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now