Discernment

[VeraMaria]

HA!! That's Audrey Hepburn on that avatar!! That just cracks me up b/c she's my favorite actress....has anyone seen her movie A Nun's Story (it's a true story about a nun who is a nurse in the African congo...unfortunately she ends up leaving the order at the end of the movie).

But that avatar is too cute Vera!

i found it at te onerock vocation forum...i thought it might be appropiate in this thread...lol :D

[sista2b]

i'm going to visit some carmelites over this coming weekend. one of my friends was going to come but she can't now. I thought one of you guys might want to come b4 i tell Mother Francis i'm not bringing an extra girl.

They're in Louisville, cloister, and i got to meet one after she had been invited to the Abbey for something. Full habit! Looks like a good order.

I'm going at 10 am on Sat. and leaving around 4 on Sun. I know its not long, but on Fri. i have to do this youth group thing for the middle schoolers. I'm scared! :ph34r: let me know asap if ya wanna go. I think i should let Mother know if they souldn't expect an extra girl soon.

[megrc]

I was discerning, but realized that it wasn't my calling, but I think that the Regnum Christi consecrated women are a fantastic group to join. They are the ones that I wsa with 2 summers ago, and they showed me so much about the church and the pope that I didn't know.

[FaustinaVianney]

Sorry, sista2b, I have a billion and one things to get done with the end of the semester coming up and all, so I can't go to visit the Carmelites with ya. Know of my prayers for your middle school shindig!

mergrc~ You shouldn't be done discerning. Discerning isn't just considering Rel Life. Discerning is asking yourself what God is calling you to do and that is a daily activity. Discerning involves every decision that we make not just whether or not we are to become the bride of Christ. thanks for the info about Regnum Christ consecrated women. We'll be sure to check 'em out!

[JuCa]

Sista2b....it would rock going down there. Wish I could hop a ride. I can't make any commitments though because I don't know how my gramps will be then.

Have a great time and I will be praying for you.

[gunz25]

Did this turn into a Fr. Tony and Burns fan club thread or is it still a vocation thread?? Haha...just kidding. keep the replies coming! I love reading them!

[Schmandi]

ok, sorry it has taken me so long to get back with ya'll

FaustinaVianney-The Ulebelhors are amesome!!!!! You are a very blessed child to be with them. Christ is allowing you to suffer much with your family, He must have great things planned for you.

TEC-- your spirituality is beyond TEC, but it is still a great place to meet others and to celebrate the sacraments. NO age limit, cost....you send in your form, and i have ppl who will cover you...just put at the top "contact brandi burgan for payment 424-8344" i've got you covered, they know who i am.

The outpost is open i'm sure....and FREEZING!!! no heat. but we should be able to find somewhere for a retreat. There is a place called Ulebhlor Ridge, and a catholic family who owns a house right near it who rent it out for a very small fee (like $10/person) I could try to contact them. You would love the place! There are trails all through out the property for 3 decades of the rosary and the way of the cross. It is great. If that doesn't work....and you feel daring... we could contact Sr. Jenny (yeah, i know, drag), but her office in vocations with the diocese could probably get us use of Ravenwood. It's a log cabin near evanville owned by the diocese to use for meetings, priest retreats, and vocation retreats! IT IS VERY VERY NICE!!! It would be ideal. If this is a option, let me know and i'll see if i can pull some strings.

i'm not sure what you guys have in mind, but if you/we can plan something out in advance, i'll have an easier time clearing my schedule. I'm way busy - JuCa and Emalouhow and atest for that. I personally don't mind doing a road trip and staying with an order for a day or two. I've always wanted to visit the Order of St. John Bosco, but have been too scared.....and they are too far away for me to not be serious about visiting them.

Hey Ali!!!!! - I'm so glad you're on here! I thought maybe it was you, but i wasn't sure. You should bring our new friend (FaustinaVianney) to CL. Yes they are new and confusing, but they are trying. I think they need her more than she needs them. Or maybe they need each other.

I dunno

Anyways - FaustinaVianney contact me at work at the number above if you need to. I'll try to keep up with this tread - really, i will.

[FaustinaVianney]

sista2b- I was talking with Br Thomas tonight at Church and he is good friends with Sr Joseph Andrew!!! He said they email back and forth all the time! How groovey is that?? I love Br Thomas. He has a lot of wisdom for a young man, well, for any man! He had some good words of advice for me. God continues to give me great words of wisdom when I'm in such need of them.

Schmandi- Thanks for the info about the TEC and a way to pay for it!!! Where can I get an app??? I know that I am beyond TEC. I was beyond my Cursillo as well. I was the youngest one there by like 8 years and I had people asking me for answers. It was interesting experience, but I don't think I was there for me. I was there for the other people and I think God used me to lift up the spirits of one of the priests. I'll try to make it to a CL when I'm in over Christmas break, which is another couple of weeks. I haven't stayed at the Uebelhors in a while. I don't know them all that well. I've just stayed at their house a few times. I've been mainly staying with the Fritch's, who are a great group. Sara is the biggest sweetheart I've ever met!! Uebelhor Ridge sounds interesting...A place with a Rosary walk..woohoo!

[sista2b]

i'm guessing that Uebehlor Ridge is the same as Uebehlor Farm? I saw it when the first started. I think we may be related somehow or another. My grandma was a Uebehlor. Wait this is southern indiana were all pretty much related.

yeah Sr. Joseph Andrew emails like half the nation i swear. Speaking of pray for her dad, hes been sick for a while. I have to find this email bout him you all would love it.

ne takers for this weekend i know its short notice, but sometimes thats best. Thats what happened w/ Sisters of Mary.

[sista2b]

i found it!

A beautiful gift from my father that I wish to share with you while

asking your good prayers for him and his brother, my Uncle Chet:

As the days go by, daddy stays awake less and less and gets more and

more confused. Always when he opens his blue, blue eyes they are

radiant and his smile suddenly lights up the whole world! The hospice

nurses speak of the Peace which overwhelms them when they come into the

house and of the 'holy gentleness' that daddy and Chet exude. None of

this surprises me or my sister -- for we've live with these holy men for

2 years as it is our privilege (and the goodness of our Community to

allow this!) that we care for them since st.mom went home to Heaven.

Not always 'easy' with ALL the work we have to do in a quickly growing

religious community; but always 'full of the grace' that we and our

sisters need/want/appreciate forever! Daddy and Chet are giving us

'lessons' we will live the rest of our lives.

Yesterday, daddy amazed me as he was quite alert for much of the

afternoon. At one point, he was lying quietly and I noticed he was

seeming to pull an invisible thread between his fingers. I thought he

was, perhaps, looking for his rosary which was lying on his chest so I

tried to put it in his hands. He let it drop back on his chest and

continued to pull the 'thread'. As he looked at me with the most

beautifully radiant smile, he said, "shorter and shorter". I asked him

what he meant while noticing the 'thread' getting shorter each time he

pulled it. He said, "My mama died -- and I didn't think I could live

through that. But God wants us to live and so...we do. My daddy died;

my sister died; my brothers died; my wife died;...and I'm dying." I

pleaded, in my frail humanity, "daddy, please don't say that" but those

blue eye penetrated me. So I rephrased my response, "daddy, are you

happy?" His smile was of total peace as he said, "Yes, honey. Very,

very happy." Then he picked up his rosary, showed it to me and said,

"We will always be together in this. Each time you pray it, I will be

praying it to our Mother with you. We will always be together."

Though it wouldn't seem the 'Pure of Heart" really 'need' our prayers,

the Church teaches us that they have struggles of which we do not know.

So I ask your prayers for our daddy and our Uncle Chet...and I thank you

most sincerely even while assuring you that these two 'Greats' will

repay quickly. Surely Heaven cannot be far away -- and the rosary they

both have always kept in their hands here on earth will unite you, too,

to Mother Mary and help draw you Home as well.

With all the love, prayers, and gratitude of my brother, sister and

myself...in Jesus and Mary,

Sister Joseph Andrew, OP

[JuCa]

Sista2b...I am this close to saying YES! I want to go... its like seriously () that close. I am so afraid that I will say yes and something will happen with my grandpa. : (

If you ever EVER have anything spontaneous like this again....I'm game.

The Ubelhor Ridge was a genius idea Brandi!!!!!!! If we have a large turn out, where would people stay? Thats the only thing. But like, that seriously is the perfect place!!!!!!! It would be a place where we could go and have a serene area. The only thing...is there a church nearby where we could have adoration?

[traichuoi]

i had this thought...tell me what you think:

i don't think we should stop discerning religious life or married life until we are married or vow to take Jesus as our Spouse. because i always hear people say, "I discerned but I'm not called to (insert "religious" or "family") vocation." I think we never really know until we have made our vows...marriage or religious.

does that make sense? we should be willing to turn away from a marriage up to the altar...because it's possible that God call us to religious life up till the minute before we make our marriage vows. and vice versa for religious life.

what do you girls think?

[FaustinaVianney]

traichuoi- I think that you are right in that we should continue to discern, but I also believe that we will NEVER know for CERTAIN that one way of life is the way for us. I mean we must always reflect on the events of the day and talk with God about what we are supposed to do. We have to be careful not to overthink things because the devil is always going to try and confuse us. He doesn't want us doing what God has called us to do. I believe that even though people feel called to one way of life over another they must stay open to anything that God could have for us. I have discerned and I feel called to the Rel Life, but I also know and understand the beauty of the marriage life and if I'm wrong about the whole Rel Life thing than so be it, but I have to follow what God is telling my heart. I hope that helps somewhat.

okay, Father Tony asked if we were gonna advertise this thing throughout the whole diocese. He said that it could get messy with the whole politics thing. Ya know what I'm saying. certain ppl and whatnot. (I'm not afraid to tell people why they aren't invited. I don't want to be rude, but maybe it's time they heard it from the youth.) He said maybe we could just invite people personally and privately. I'm game for that, but we might not reach as many people. We are gonna have to ask people if the sisters can stay with them and if it is an all day thing we are gonna have to ask for donations for food and such, so I don't know how that it could be kept 'secret.' Father Tony also said that he's pretty sure he can secure one day, but more than that is risky and Fr Burns just isn't good at answer emails and such, but we know he'll do his best to be there, so that's great. hehe

*HUGS-n-PEACE*

:)

[JuCa]

Traichuoi- I too agree. We must remain fully open till we have made the final commitment. I was just thinking how amesome God is for putting all these options in front of us. most the time I am upset or confused and I can't stand how many options there are- but in all honesty, He is sooooooooo great for allowing us many opportunities.

FaustinaVianney- I think maybe one day would be better. I think we could get a better turn out and not have to deal with more of the politics. I realize by not advertising it we will reach less, but Fr. Tony may be right...it may get too political if we get too big. But then again- it would be good for them to hear from the youth. See that we care about vocations and discernment and that we want a change. we WANT to hear more about it. We don't just want it in the background rarely mentioned. But if we really worked at it we could reach a lot of people personally.

If it is just one day, I don't think finding food donations would be too hard. Just few people willing to donate 25 or 50 bucks and we could get enough easy. Or we could just make it a day of fasting and prayer...hehe

That's great that Fr. Tony will help us out! So amesome. And yeah- Fr. Dusty probably will- we won't wait years for an email...we'll just tell him the date.

Lets just start really praying for God to do with this as He wills!

I think it'd be good to pick a Saint to help lead us in our way, any suggestions???

[megrc]

mergrc~ You shouldn't be done discerning. Discerning isn't just considering Rel Life. Discerning is asking yourself what God is calling you to do and that is a daily activity. Discerning involves every decision that we make not just whether or not we are to become the bride of Christ. thanks for the info about Regnum Christ consecrated women. We'll be sure to check 'em out!

I know that I'm not finished discerning what He has planned for my life, I just ment that I knew I wasn't called to be religious life. The daily discernment is the hardest part!!!!