Lady-Indis Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 (edited) Dear everyone, WOW, it's been a long time! I hope you are all doing well. Recently, I asked if I could enter a Poor Clare cloistered community. Mother wrote me back, telling me that they would very much like to start the application process, but because I am younger and from a tightly knit family (I am very close to my siblings) she recommended I look into the Mater Redemptoris House of Formation in La Crosse, Wisconsin. She suggested that I stay there for a school year in order to acclimate me from being away from my home town/family and to help me be more prepared for cloistered life. This is their website: http://www.materredemptoris.blogspot.com (It was not very helpful for me, though.) Do any of you know about this order/house? Also, I would like to know if anyone has gone to a house of discernment and if you have, would you be willing to share your experiences/stories about that time? I would really like to know more about them in general as well. Thank you all so much! God bless, Indis Edited October 25, 2015 by Lady-Indis looked like it needed more information. :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sr.christinaosf Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Before I entered religious life, I spent five weeks with the RSMs in Jackson, MN. They had a "land program" where they welcomed people who needed a time of discernment, whether or not it be for religious life. At that time, a young man was even there from Germany! For me, it was offered as a more extended experience of religious life. It was a beautiful time, during the Easter season of 2004. I helped plant trees on their farm and worked a bit in their clinic, too. A few months after that is when I found my community of Franciscan Sisters of Dillingen in Hankinson ND through the CMSWR (a wonderful organization!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriela Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I looked at the website, and it does not appear to be an "order", but a sort of "clearinghouse" for women/girls who want to know more about what RL is like. Basically, it's a place run by the diocese where girls and women can go to try out and learn about RL in a generic sort of way. The whole idea behind it seems rather experimental, but if the Diocese of La Crosse feels it's a good investment of money, then there's probably something valuable coming out of it. Normally, round these parts, if Mother Abbess makes a recommendation, most of us will say, "Do what she says." After all, she knows you better than we do, and she knows the formation house better than we do. That being said, if you have strong reservations about the place, or questions about it, you should express those to Mother Abbess. (I'm not saying don't also ask here, too. I realize I haven't answered your question. I expect someone will get in here soon and do that.) If you are so attached to your siblings that Mother Abbess fears you will have trouble separating from them upon entrance, you could always make like the Martin family and just bring your sisters with you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheresaThoma Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 I have met the Sisters that run this house and some of the women who are there. It is really a great place and would probably be a great experience for you. From my understanding it is there to allow young women to live in community and experience a communal prayer life. They have a variety of options from weekend retreats to the full year program. There is a cost associated with the program and I believe that they expect you to either have a part time job or be going to school while you are there. I know there has been some talk of the possibility of a neighboring diocese starting something similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nunsuch Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Here is an article about the Magnificat House of Discernment (for women) in New Orleans: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/18/magnificat-house-of-disce_n_1799922.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AveMariaPurissima Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 In Michigan, there's also Saint Catherine House in Ann Arbor and Emmaus House in Lansing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthfinder Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 Madonna House in Combermere has similar program for men who are discerning priesthood, and the archdiocese of Vancouver has a men's house of discernment which again is similar. I know of more informal women's houses that pop up organically and then quickly dissolved in a couple of years as the households either enter convents or get married. I do not know anything about the house you have linked, but I have heard good things about the sisters who run it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SophiaMaria Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 I know Some people who lived at the formation house in LaCrosse. They said they did a good job of exposing Women to different communities, it wasn't just about discerning their community but to help women discern their vocation in general. Some women had gone on and entered the community of Saint John, Carmel in Denmark Wisconsin, the Martyrs of St. George and Several other communities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vyvy07 Posted October 28, 2015 Share Posted October 28, 2015 This is a great place!! I've gone there for the past five years on various retreats. I've stayed for a week long immersion retreat for 3 years now, but the sisters there are very wonderful. There is not any pressure for you to join their order, and they do a phenomenal job of helping you figure out where you should go. It's a place that has about 4 sisters and a number of aspirants. Maybe you should try staying there for a week or a few days first to see if you like it, I think they offer that, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady-Indis Posted October 29, 2015 Author Share Posted October 29, 2015 Thank you, everyone! It does appear that I shall be looking much more into it--my spiritual director recommended it as well, and my parents are open to me being there. Wherever/whenever God wants me, then, I guess.......... Thank you again! Indis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vyvy07 Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 I'm not sure if you've noticed, but they just updated their website with more info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrysostom Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 (edited) and my parents are open to me being there. Well that's very nice to hear! Edited November 5, 2015 by chrysostom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Paul Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 It says they updated the website because of seeing this topic if you read the latest blog post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriela Posted November 5, 2015 Share Posted November 5, 2015 LOL. Vocation Station: Changing the face of the web... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady-Indis Posted November 5, 2015 Author Share Posted November 5, 2015 Yeah....I saw It was a surprise, to say the least. But the updated page told me a lot more than before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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