Help me find a community?

[KaytePost]

I have a friend who is studying her masters to be a clinical mental health therapist, and has begun to discern a religious vocation. She asked if I could help her look into communities, and I knew my phatmass phamily would be able to help as well! She is 33, and would like to join a community where she could finish and use the masters degree she is working on. She is already looking at the Religious Sisters of Mercy Alma, but what other communities should I recommend? 

[Lou]

Hey!

I thought of the Little Sisters of the Poor and then also remembered an episode of Abiding Together podcast which featured a nun from the Holy Family of Nazareth congregation https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/s12-e18-family-systems-with-special-guest-sr-josephine/id1206416686?i=1000611284898 and I remembered her talking about working with mental health services and psychotherapy.

Honestly though, any community, even contemplative, will benefit from her having experience as a mental health therapist. The Lord will use it somehow, in terms of facilitation or reconciliation or understanding behaviours in mediation and building community. If she just listens to her hearts desire, the Lord will speak through that no matter what her particular inclinations might seem to be now. Would love to hear how her journey develops!

Maybe the Hawthorne Dominicans too? Hospice care I think? But probably a lot of mental health and accompanying services needed alongside palliative. 

 

[GraceUk]

Does she mean she wishes to continue to use her qualification in a professional way?

[Sponsa-Christi]

The Apostles of the Sacred Heart might be open to this. They have a lot of Sisters who are accomplished professionals in different fields.

If she's open to a community that doesn't wear a habit, the Missionary Servants of the Bl. Trinity have Sisters who are mental health professionals. 

[Lea]

There's a whole bunch of communities where sisters work as mental health professionals, also in the Franciscan and ignatian spirituality. 

Maybe also the Carmelita's of the Most Sacred Heart in L.A., if she wants a community with lots of vocations.

It would be helpful to know a little bit about her location (would she be willing to move cross country or even abroad in order to enter?) and her preferences re spiritual and communal life. (; 

[KaytePost]

On 11/6/2024 at 12:50 AM, GraceUk said:

Does she mean she wishes to continue to use her qualification in a professional way?

Yes she would prefer that she be able to able to be a therapist as part of her apostolate. It's not a requirement for her, as she's open to whatever the Lord leads, but she very much enjoys her studies and work. 

 

 

On 11/7/2024 at 8:02 PM, Sponsa-Christi said:

The Apostles of the Sacred Heart might be open to this. They have a lot of Sisters who are accomplished professionals in different fields.

If she's open to a community that doesn't wear a habit, the Missionary Servants of the Bl. Trinity have Sisters who are mental health professionals. 

She is open to communities that don't wear a habit, she is mostly concerned about having a healthy religious community and one that is still receiving vocations on a semi-regular basis. I think one of her concerns when I talked to her, was she doesn't want to join a community where she might have to "turn the lights off" in 20 or 30 years because of a lack of vocations. 

 

On 11/14/2024 at 4:39 PM, Lea said:

There's a whole bunch of communities where sisters work as mental health professionals, also in the Franciscan and ignatian spirituality. 

Maybe also the Carmelita's of the Most Sacred Heart in L.A., if she wants a community with lots of vocations.

It would be helpful to know a little bit about her location (would she be willing to move cross country or even abroad in order to enter?) and her preferences re spiritual and communal life. (; 

She current lives in the Midwest region of the US, and is pretty open to anywhere in the US. As for spiritual life she's pretty open, but she has a mild preference for a more monastic bent. I've also suggested the Benedictines in St. Leo FL, and the Benedictines of Perpetual Adoration as ones to look into, don't know yet her thoughts on those suggestions. She loves prayer, but has mentioned to me that her calling is not to the cloister. As a friend I think a Benedictine or Carmelite community would suit her well.