hopeful1 Posted December 5, 2003 Share Posted December 5, 2003 sorry i jumped into this topic kinda late. i've never really thought much about being a nun, (actually my dad had something to do with being turned off to it, but more on that later) until this year. It's always been a dream of mine to get married and have children, but recently i've been wondering if i'm really ment for marriage. Theres alot that concerns me about the whole thing, sometimes i'm just wondering if i'm considering going into the convent out of dispair. i posted my this on lifeteen if you want to check it out http://www.lifeteen.com/TeenTalk.asp?Actio...wBoard&ID=27766 i guess i'm a little more open to it than i have in the past, i've met some cool, goofy nuns ( and i say that with love) that kind of changed my perspective of the vocation. I think the sad thing about the mindset of kids in catholic schools ( and probably just about anyone else that doesn't have exposure to religious life) is that the word "nun" has almost become the equivalent of "spinster" or "old maid" was back in victorian times, or think they have to have live up to perfect standards that are impossible to live out. That and many of the kids don't have much exposure to the religious life outside of sunday mass. i have a friend of mine whose family was really close to the pastor of my church, and told one guy that they had dinner with him and the other guy was like "whoa....what the heck do you guys talk about?" it's so different when you go online and read about REAL catholics that actually consider the vocation, there's so much more support. that's why its so cool that you guys are talking about it on here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaustinaVianney Posted December 5, 2003 Share Posted December 5, 2003 Hopeful1, hun I'm so sorry to hear that your father would make fun of you for getting an A in religion class. Becoming a Rel is something very special and I'm so glad that you are opening up to such a vocation. I, too, used to be totally turned off because I wanted a husband and childrenand other reasons. I think most of us would love such a calling, but we love God so much that we want to be where ever He needs us most. I know what you mean about finding a place to talk to REAL Catholics. I go go to a Catholic University, but no one knows the Faith. It seems as if the Jesuits don't know the faith very well. I know they are good people devoting their lives to God, but they want to incorporate everyone at the expense of taking away from our Faith, and it smells of elderberries. Most of the Jesuits I've talked to don't talk about prayer. How can you be a priest/brother and not talk about prayer?!? Girl, continue to be open to whatever God's Will is. Continue praying to Him and ask for Him to reveal to you what you should do. There will always be doubts. The devil will ALWAYS try to take you away from the Good Lord. There are no perfect answers we just have to keep praying for the wisdom to know what is of God and what isn't. God calls us all in different ways, so I can't tell you what God wants from you, but He will tell you, just listen...Have a Blessed day and know of my prayers!!! "If you were doing what you were supposed to you would catch the world on fire." St Catherine of Siena *HUGS-n-PEACE* :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuCa Posted December 6, 2003 Author Share Posted December 6, 2003 Hopeful1 it is good to have you on board! I love hearing of more women thinking about religious life. I think we are all on the same boat. Would love to have families...but open to whatever God leads us to do. A family would be wondeful- have many kids and foster their vocations! But- if that is not what God is calling us to do...we may not fill fulfilled. Of course we will never be totally fulfilled for we will always desire more of whatever it may be. A good friend nun of mine once wrote me this when I was thinking of religious life. This is her response to an email that I may have told her of how I felt attracted and at home in the monastery. The first reaction is from God and then human doubts and reasonings come in, or even the little demon muddies the waters, and we get confused. God is not in the muddy water so you would do well to avoid it and cling to our Bl. Mother when the clouds of doubt and confusion try to invade your soul. Our God is a God of peace and He wants you to be at peace. There will always be a time of confusion...religious life or marriage. Our humaness will not allow us (or me) to just pick up my things and go! I am definitely in the muddy stage and have been for a while. Lord please clear up my mind! One may think that entering a religious life would be too much suffering and too much sacrifice. The great thing is is that it is not! Just think of all the worldy things one would not have to put up with. One could devote their whole life to the Lord- I don't think that is classified as suffering! When one does God's Will they truly get 100 fold back. Such a beautiful thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopeful1 Posted December 6, 2003 Share Posted December 6, 2003 Thanks guys for the support, but to be totally truthful, i'm still leaning toward the marriage side, but i'm starting to be a little more open to the idea of becoming a nun or sister than i have in the past. I've just encountered some things that make me question if either one is right for me and what God wants me to do Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuCa Posted December 6, 2003 Author Share Posted December 6, 2003 That is amesome that you are becoming more open. Just because you are open to it doesn't mean it's for you. God definitely could have a marriage life in plan for you. And there is always single life! You will be in my prayers : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sista2b Posted December 6, 2003 Share Posted December 6, 2003 The first reaction is from God and then human doubts and reasonings come in, or even the little demon muddies the waters, and we get confused. God is not in the muddy water so you would do well to avoid it and cling to our Bl. Mother when the clouds of doubt and confusion try to invade your soul. Our God is a God of peace and He wants you to be at peace. This is exactly what i needed thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuCa Posted December 6, 2003 Author Share Posted December 6, 2003 This is exactly what i needed thank you! thanks to Sr. Mary Veronica of the Passionists... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaustinaVianney Posted December 6, 2003 Share Posted December 6, 2003 Hopeful1- Just like JuCa said, it's great that you are opening up to Rel Life and you might not be called to it, but because you are open to the idea that 'yeah maybe' you can help your children or others that you know that could be thinking 'yeah maybe.' The big thing we need these days is support, so many people condemn Rel Life and the priesthood, so it makes it tough for those that are feeling called to say 'Yes' to the good Lord. God is good!!! JuCa-those are great words. Those nuns are wonderful!! I don't feel as if the waters are muddy for me, but I get tired of hearing people telling me to "not rush because I've only been Catholic for a year, so I couldn't possilby know that I belong in Rel Life and what order that God wants me in." Some people don't understand that God works quickly at times. I have talked to people that are supposed to help you out and they have only made it worse. It seems as if they don't know what God wants of them, so how could I 'a Catholic toddler' know what I'm supposed to be doing. I talked with Br Thomas the other day, which is kinda like talking with the good Fr Burns (that's what Fr Tony calls him). Br Thomas said that no one knows what is going on inside of us. We are the only ones that knows what God is telling us, so we must be true to that. If do what others tell us instead of what God tells us we can get confused and get on the wrong path. I usually think about things for a good while (a few months or so) before I actually tell anyone what I'm thinking, so that I don't get influenced by others thoughts or opinions. The downfall to that is when I finally tell someone a week or two later I'm acting upon those thoughts they think that I'm acting too quickly and that I didn't give myself enough time to know what God wants. Just because they weren't aware that I was thinking and praying about it doesn't mean I wasn't. Sorry, I just get a heated when people try to run my life instead of their own. I love them for helping me out, but there's a point where they have to let me live and make mistakes. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopeful1 Posted December 7, 2003 Share Posted December 7, 2003 That is amesome that you are becoming more open. Just because you are open to it doesn't mean it's for you. God definitely could have a marriage life in plan for you. And there is always single life! You will be in my prayers : ) Thanks! I appreciate that JuCa! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLAZEr Posted December 7, 2003 Share Posted December 7, 2003 Look who is the featured community at the Institute for Religious Life . . . http://www.religiouslife.org/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuCa Posted December 7, 2003 Author Share Posted December 7, 2003 ROCK ON! Thanks BLAZEr. That one pictured is Sr. John Mary...she's from Southern IN! I didn't know her until I went down there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaustinaVianney Posted December 8, 2003 Share Posted December 8, 2003 BLAZEr, you always have great sites!! Fr Tony is checking on how much the retreat place that is near St Wendel. I don't know where we want the retreat thingy, but I figure we might as well keep open to where ever. If St Wendel isn't too much we could have it there and it being owned by the diocese there should be a place to have adoration... About the sisters here in Cinci. When I first chatted with them i didn't have the intention of spending a whole day with them because there are only four here on the mission and they are EXTREMELY busy, so I was just gonna spend a few hours with them. If anyone wants to come out that last week of December and stay a whole day with them let me know and I'll ask them. Does anyone want to come out for a few hours with them and then tour a bunch of holy places?? sista2b- we are waiting to hear from you about the Carmelites.... :) 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