In High School- Live at the Convent?

[Laurentina1975]

Since when did "I" say age was an issue? You may want to re-read the posts. I never said anything about people being to young. I am all for it!

[magnificat]

I agree...I don't think it's too young, so long as the girl really wants to go there of her own draw towards religious life, not because of outside influences.

Personally, I definately wouldn't have been ready or interested to do something like that in high school...although now, I'd love that enviornment. God works and prepares us for our vocations in different ways because of our uniqueness. He was definately preparing me to seriously discern and to discover my vocation while I was in high school, but not in a way that would have worked to go to a Formation House. For other girls, high school is when they are seriously discerning and He does reveal to some girls their vocation when they're teenagers. So I'd be hesistant to say that it's too young, particularly since they also are able to do some normal "teenager" stuff. And the girls I met who are in the Formation House are all bright, funny teenagers.

[Laurentina1975]

Has anyone lived there?

[HisChild]

[quote name='Laurentina1975' date='Apr 13 2006, 11:31 AM']Since when did "I" say age was an issue? You may want to re-read the posts.  I never said anything about people being to young.  I am all for it! 
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Lauren,

Domine ut Videam, ALSO named Lauren (she mentioned that earlier in an introductory post on another thread, and she signed her post here also with "Lauren") was replying to a poster who stated that it might be too young. When I said "Lauren", I quoted her in my posts, thus clarifying who I was replying to (and agreeing with).

God bless you.

[Laurentina1975]

There are a lot of Lauren's on phatmass these days. Thanks for the clarification, I was worried!

[magnificat]

[quote name='PCPA2Be' date='Apr 13 2006, 01:15 PM']Domine ut Videam, ALSO named Lauren (she mentioned that earlier in an introductory post on another thread, and she signed her post here also with "Lauren") was replying to a poster who stated that it might be too young.  When I said "Lauren", I quoted her in my posts, thus clarifying who I was replying to (and agreeing with).

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Sheesh...that was confusing enough to read...I had to parce that sentence a few times harhar.

Laurentina--Yes, girls have (and do) live there : I don't know of any PMers though, which I think is what you meant

I'm kind of surprised that more orders haven't revived this to some extent, particularly those with apostolates in teaching and working with youth.

[Sixtina87]

If I may add, Ave Maria college in Florida has a discernment program for those who are discerning!!!! They are the only college in the USA to have such a program. the Sisters and you and others live in a dorm and eat, prayer and study together!!! Its kinda like living at a convent but on college campus.....just an idea for the future!!!!

[jgirl]

[quote name='Sixtina87' date='Apr 13 2006, 12:44 PM']If I may add, Ave Maria college in Florida has a discernment program for those who are discerning!!!! They are the only college in the USA to have such a program. the Sisters and you and others live in a dorm and eat, prayer and study together!!! Its kinda like living at a convent but on college campus.....just an idea for the future!!!!
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Steubenville had something like this long before Ave Maria started! There is a household called, "Mary, Spouse of the Spirit," for girls who are discerning. They pray some of the Liturgy of the Hours together, eat meals, have Lord's Day, and live on wing together. The ubiquitous Martyrs also head them up; although, they are student Sisters. They used to live in the dorm (I actually lived on the Sisters' wing for a year), but now they have a house off-campus.

I think they are a really good order to run those kinds of things!

[stlmom]

[quote name='alicemary' date='Apr 13 2006, 06:57 AM']actually, this is not a new idea, but very old indeed. Pre Vatican ll this was the rage. Alot of the congregations had this, but decided that sequestering young girls was not such a good idea.  I guess as long it is an integrated progam, it is ok, but personally I think it is too young an age.
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Having lived as an aspirant student like this many years ago, as I look back on my experience, I have to agree with Alicemary. The order I lived with was a teaching community, and an estimated 3/4 of our sisters entered from the high school aspirancy. During the days of re-examining religious life, unfortunately, many of the sisters who were the first to leave were in the aspirants group. Many believed they didn't have the sufficient maturity to make a life altering decision at 14-15.
With very good reason, most orders now have a minimum age of 18-19. The adolescent brain, though full of zeal and good intentions, is still not yet fully mature. Who you are at 15 is not who you will be at 21.
Even the Amish delay commitment of their youth to their communities until the late teens and early twenties in recognition of the inconsistency of that stage of life.
I am not saying that it can't be the way for a few young women to begin to explore religious life, but I doubt that you will see very many orders resurrecting this practice.

[alicemary]

For the same reason you can not vote in this country until you reach an age of maturity, so you should not be making such a decision to live in a convent. I know what you are saying....at 14 I know what I want to do, well surprise, surprise, you do not. It is nice to have an inclination toward religious ife, but I do not advocate spending your youth devoted just to that. You will not be a well rounded person who has to live at some point in society. And, yes, I was in an aspirancy program at age 16 would I do it again....no way.
I want to see the statistics of sisters who stay when they entered a convent at 17.....when they are 28 they are totally different women. If you never explored life, when will you grow up and realize you might have missed something..sure just about the time you are making final vows and leave.
I am not talking about any one community. I don't even know what the group is that has this live in aspirancy. Could care less. It is just a poor idea that died in the late 1960's and should have stayed buried.
Lets discuss this, not attack each other. Sometimes people get a bit on the nasty side in this forum, and there is no room for healthy debate and sharing of knowledge. That means you must listen when someone who you don't agree with is trying to share an opinion.
It is Holy Thursday and I must work till Midnight, I would appreciate if someone going to services would say a prayer for me.
Am

[stlmom]

Alicemary, you are included in my prayers tonight.

[magnificat]

First off, prayers for you alicemary. Bummer you have to work tonight

[quote name='alicemary' date='Apr 13 2006, 04:59 PM']For the same reason you can not vote in this country until you reach an age of maturity, so you should not be making such a decision to live in a convent....You will not be a well rounded person who has to live at some point in society...I am not talking about any one community. I don't even know what the group is  that has this live in aspirancy. [right][snapback]946488[/snapback][/right]
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First off, I don't believe that the Formation House (or the situations at Ave Maria & Steubenville) could properly be called aspirancies. As stated before, the girls are not there to discern the Martyrs; they are there because they are discerning their vocation. Nor is any commitment at all made to join the Martyrs until [i]after[/i] high school. They are merely in a prayerful enviornment with other girls who are discerning as well. The girls who have entered the Martyrs after living in the Formation House have joined after 18, some having completed at least some college...at which point, as you and stlmom have said, seems to be a point of general "sufficient maturity" to make such decisions, particularly since many orders will allow girls to enter at 18.
Furthermore, I don't think that being a well-rounded person necessarily means going off to college or working for a few years. These worldly experiences are not something exclusive to the years immediately following high school. Nor do I think that living in the world for a few years when one knows that she has the call and knows where it is to will necessarily benefit her in any way.

[quote name='stlmom' date='Apr 13 2006, 02:29 PM']The order I lived with was a teaching community, and an estimated 3/4 of our sisters entered from the high school aspirancy. During the days of re-examining religious life, unfortunately, many of the sisters who were the first to leave were in the aspirants group. Many believed they didn't have the sufficient maturity to make a life altering decision at 14-15. [/quote]
Seeing as I wasn't alive then, I don't know much about the atmosphere in the days immediatley after Vatican II. True, some people are not mature enough to decide at 14. Some people are not even mature enough at 30. I don't think that it's impossible, or even unlikely, however, that God wouldn't stir up the desire to explore religious life at 14, though, nor is impossible that they would be mature enough at 14, 15, 16, 17, or 18. As I think most of us would agree, God's call is so unique to the individual that it would seem unwise to say that there is a definitive age where one is "too young" to be thinking about, interested in, or discerning a vocation.

[quote name='alicemary' date='Apr 13 2006, 04:59 PM']Lets discuss this, not attack each other. Sometimes people get a bit on the nasty side in this forum, and there is no room for healthy debate and sharing of knowledge.  That means you must listen when someone who you don't agree with is trying to share an opinion.
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I haven't read any attacks up to this point. I'm listening to your opinion, however, I respectfully disagree with your opinions and would like to assert mine as well.
Peace.

[AlterDominicus]

[quote name='jgirl' date='Apr 13 2006, 06:23 AM']They started it in 2000. Sister M. Gianna was one of the first aspirants, and she entered the Martyrs in 2003. Sister Stephania was on the core team of my youth group and their last weekend before they left was my last weekend before I went to college.

Sister Philomena is pretty cool. I met her when she was a postulant and again before she made first vows. She gets mad props for her accordian skills!

Even if you just go one year, it would be a cool place to be.
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Dude, Sister Philomena rocks!!!!!!!! Oh, I love her so much, she is soooooo awesome, plays guitar pretty dang well to, asked me if I wanted to. LOL.

[ruso]

It's a good think whenever the things are made well, in central and south America several congregations practice like aspirancy.
I believe that who better do it they are the Apostles of the Sacred Heart
in Brazil the pain is that it is in Portuguese look in galerias for images and vocacional, it is a good example [url="http://www.apostolas-pr.org.br/"]http://www.apostolas-pr.org.br/[/url]
Direction in USA [url="http://www.ascjus.org/"]http://www.ascjus.org/[/url]
Others however are under suspicion to press to the girls and boys in order to assemble in the corresponding congregation and to despise them if they do not do it.

Edited April 14, 2006 by ruso

[Veritas]

+

Greetings. It does seem there are important distinctions to be made between the Martyrs program and the pre-Vatican II programs recently referenced. While I am not in a position to comment about the older programs of which I am not adequatly aquainted, it seems that the low-pressure committment of the Martyrs is simply a beautiful time for young women to be surrounded by others who want to follow God's will in their lives; they have prayer and community support from faithful sisters -what a beautiful and charitable opportunity!

Best!
Veritas

* On another note, I, too, have noticed that at times posts could be or seem to have been made or taken in a somewhat "offensive" manner. Alas, I'm afraid it is one of the downfalls of "faceless and voiceless" communication! I am reminded, however, of a wise professor's admonitions, "Only a fool takes offense where none was intended." In the sorrowful cases where it does appear at times that individuals are not practicing complete charity, may I humbly suggest that we follow the words of the Lord and not become combative but, "turn the other cheek".

-Let's put on the Armor of God! -Ephesians 6:10

(I love all these emoticons!