New Member

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

Welcome! I hope that you enjoy your time with us! I am sure that if anything you will always have support from us all Welcome again! Enjoy your stay! (And check out some of the other fun places, and check in on Open Mic if you haven't already...)
-Angela

[LilyofSaintMaria]

Wow you guys/gals! Talk about a warm welcome! Never had that happen before on a board. I so very much appreciate the prayers. Surely can never have enough!
I think I'll answer all your questions in just one long "blab" if you don't mind. Can't keep track of all the posts and who's who!
So, I have been discerning my vocation for quite a few years. I'm leaning toward the religious life - open to anything God has planned though. I'm looking into active contemplative communities - I've contacted so many! I have been so busy lately that I kind of put the searching on a hold. Not a good thing is it? But I have to do what I have to do - I have been busy with mainly trying to get the last issue out of the magazine my sister and I publish - Saint Maria's Messenger. It keeps me soo busy all the time. Rebekah (my sister) and I started it in 2002 - it is for Catholic girls. It's still so very small, but we are trying our best to play our part in evangelizing and spreading our great Faith. I love to write, so the magazine is a good outlet I think. In my vocation search, I said that I contacted so many communities. If I am called to the religious life, I just have no idea which community God wants me to be in. It's so confusing, and to go on a "Come and See" experience will have to be one of my last resorts to know if it is the "right one." That's just the way it has to be for now, unless things change here. So, any suggestions on what I can do if I don't have the option of visiting any communities? I am always open to learning about new ones if any of you want to share - believe me though, it'll be hard to find one I have contacted. I can't help myself really, I see a sister dressed in a traditional habit and a smile on her face, I have to go and email her and ask for vocational material. So, who here is from Michigan? You Michiganders know what I mean when I say, where are all the sisters/nuns? There are so few Faithful communities around here - it makes me kind of jealous when I hear that some live right by an order or to hear about how it was back then during the 40's and 50's. Well, open to any advice you have, and vice versa, too. I will try to help any one who needs some suggestions or whatever.
Thank you again for the welcome!
God bless you all!
Bernadette

[magnificat]

Welcome welcome! I'm not from MI but I can understand where you're coming from in terms of few communities wearing habits because I don't think there are any in the area where I grew up. But you do have the Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist up in Ann Arbor that are on fire!

What communities have you been in contact with? If you're looking for active/contemplative communities, I highly recommend the Sisters of Life (I'm slightly partial to them ) if you haven't checked them out.

[LilyofSaintMaria]

Sister Mary Catherine,
You sent a personal email to me, but when I went to reply it was sent back to me, so I thought to post my reply on here.
Thank you, please do pass along our site! God bless! And you are probably right about the Oblates of Mary, I am really not sure. But anyway, I wish they were coming over here! I wrote our bishop a week or so ago suggesting that it would help our diocese so very much if he would invite traditional, orthodox orders over here. Religious play such a big part in the lives of so many, by just being there if not actually working with lay people, you know. So, thank you again, Sister! Have a blessed weekend!

Bernadette

[Marieteresa]

Welcome to PM Bernadette! Iam not from michigan but my brother lives up in GR....I dont know if thats anywhere near where you are. I know theres like 4 carmelite monasteries in Michigan and that they have an extremely large third order up there. Again welcome to PM!!


In JMJ