HeavenlyCalling Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 I was wondering about your peoples ideas about entering the convent right out of high school. If I [b]do[/b] have a vocation to the religious life, my attitude is 'why wait?' I know some people (my entire family and a few of my friends) wouldn't like that. PLEASE POST PHAM!!! (oh, if I did enter, it would be to orders like the Nashville Dominicans or the SMME, who will send you to school, so higher education wouldn't be a problem) Thanks all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlterDominicus Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 Well actually, the plan so far or at least what I hope it looks like is that I [b]will[/b] be entering out of High School, I mean I have to go to college either way. (Teaching degree = Sisters of Mary) So I honestly cant be of much help, but I would say The Lord will show you in His own good time. You do one way and it doesnt work out, then there is always the other way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sr Mary Catharine OP Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 [quote name='HeavenlyCalling' post='1081197' date='Oct 1 2006, 09:29 PM'] I was wondering about your peoples ideas about entering the convent right out of high school. If I [b]do[/b] have a vocation to the religious life, my attitude is 'why wait?' I know some people (my entire family and a few of my friends) wouldn't like that. PLEASE POST PHAM!!! (oh, if I did enter, it would be to orders like the Nashville Dominicans or the SMME, who will send you to school, so higher education wouldn't be a problem) Thanks all! [/quote] " I entered religious life 3 weeks after I graduated from High school. I left 2 the novitiate 2 years later because it was not the community that God was calling me to. In His incredible plan he was calling me to the cloister. I don't feel that those 2 years were a mistake. I needed them to deepen my true vocation. So, I am supportive of it. However, I would say that some people need a year or 2 to work and grow a little. If they don't have a certain maturity the vocation could be lost. It all depends on the individual. However, I would also say that most cloisters expect a young woman to have a year or two of work or college before entering and I think that for the cloistered life this is a wise decision. With the active sisters there is more interaction with people, college, etc and that provides something a person needs that you can't get in the cloister. If you feel called to a particular community like the SMME or the Nashville Dominicans and they accept you at 18 than go for it! So, if you find out it's not for you, you can go home and go to college,etc. and you've not lost anything by the experience but have gained much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
be_thou_my_vision Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 Personally, it is God's will that I wait. I was SURE when I was a sophomore that I was called to a certain community and I was to enter out of high school. Well, to say the least, even though I had good intentions, it was not God's will. I am a sophomore in college now, and I feel like I rely more on God's grace. I pray more now because I am not "sure" of God's will for me. It keeps me listening for His voice. But God has different paths for us all, but mine is obviously to wait! Just listen for His BEAUTIFUL voice, and don't rush anything! Enjoy the journey! Much love and roses on St. Therese's feast day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
be_thou_my_vision Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 (edited) PS Make sure you talk to your parents. God will speak through prayerful parents. Edited October 2, 2006 by be_thou_my_vision Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmaD2006 Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 (edited) What Sr. Mary Catharine has said is on the mark. I'm going to add my two cents :-). I'm 35 ... and the Lord 1st started to call me to religious life at 24, about two months after I was received into full communion with the Church. At 28, I thought I was called to be part of one community ... in the middle of candidacy I decided that was not the right community for me (too liberal, but at the time I didn't know it). At 30, I went off a few months to Mexico as a volunteer. At 32, I entered aspirancy and postulancy with another community (and left two months after my 33rd birthday). And right now I had been discerning with two communities, and have narrowed things down to one. I realize now that when I entered the community at 32 ... I wasn't ready for it. You would have thought at my age that I would have been. Once I left, and once I came in contact with a priest who became my spiritual director I realized just how immature I was in certain areas, and that those areas needed to be dealt with before I could successfully live in community. With the help of my spiritual director I can now say that I'm ready to enter, and am now entering for the right reasons. And I can say now that I am much more ready to live a life of dependence and obedience that I was unable to live the first time -- and the experience of religious life that I had was one that I needed in order to grow. Entering at 18 vs 30 vs 40 etc., its not a question of age thing -- its grace. If Jesus is calling you to enter at 18, He will give you all the necessary grace to persevere and become a wonderful and holy nun for His glory. I'd pray, pray, and pray some more ... and ask Jesus and Mary to guide you and prepare you for entrance. If Jesus says wait -- then wait; you'll be able to see the why later on. If He says jump right on in, then do it. You will not regret the decision. The key is to be obedient in what He asks of you. -- Carmen Edited October 2, 2006 by cmariadiaz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavenlyCalling Posted October 2, 2006 Author Share Posted October 2, 2006 Thank you very much for all of your replies. Since I am planning to visit SMME's motherhouse and am starting to spend more and more time with Our Lord, I hope more of this will be revieled. Although this is [b]not[/b] one of my reasons for entering ( I am entering because I want to give my life totally to Christ and to help sprea his love to young children) entering out of high school would most likely be easier for my parents, because they wouldn't have to pay for my colledge. It's not a decieding factor, but it is something to think about. Of course, I am going to talk to the vocation directors of any community I visit, so maybe their wisdom will help me out. Pax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 Sister Mary Catherine has given sound advice and I am sure that Jesus will guide you as you discern. God Bless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stlmom Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 Sr. Mary Catherine is on target. It all depends on the type of community you are looking at, and what kind of background experiences you bring upon your arrival. I would just add that it does help in a practical way to take a year or two out of high school to continue to learn to be responsible for your actions, i.e., to manage your money and time, even though you may be entering a community with a very structured daily schedule. God bless! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sr Mary Catharine OP Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 [quote name='stlmom' post='1081972' date='Oct 2 2006, 02:16 PM'] I would just add that it does help in a practical way to take a year or two out of high school to continue to learn to be responsible for your actions, i.e., to manage your money and time, even though you may be entering a community with a very structured daily schedule. God bless! [/quote] Mom, you are exactly right. This responsibility is really necessary in community life. I've been amazed since I entered the monastery how much these very same values have been so often used! It's part of maturity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeniteAdoremus Posted October 2, 2006 Share Posted October 2, 2006 I think it's different for different people. I'm 21 now (bordering on 22), and if I look back to myself at eightteen - oh my. College is great for me. I spent the last two years growing up, and I know that I couldn't have done that at home. Others can, though. The trick is finding out in which category you belong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uruviel Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 entering directly out of high school is really awesome, only God knows what I'll do but I think it depends a lot on the order, the mother vicar or the vocations directress's advice, I think they can really help you with that. For me it's all just a part of the discernment process, finding the order God wills and when. It takes prayer and patience, I will pray for you! It's all about finding what God has planned for you, and He lets you know in the awesomest ways! God Bless you, -uruviel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlterDominicus Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 [quote name='HeavenlyCalling' post='1081778' date='Oct 2 2006, 08:43 AM'] Thank you very much for all of your replies. Since I am planning to visit SMME's motherhouse and am starting to spend more and more time with Our Lord, I hope more of this will be revieled. Although this is [b]not[/b] one of my reasons for entering ( I am entering because I want to give my life totally to Christ and to help sprea his love to young children) entering out of high school would most likely be easier for my parents, because they wouldn't have to pay for my colledge. It's not a decieding factor, but it is something to think about. Of course, I am going to talk to the vocation directors of any community I visit, so maybe their wisdom will help me out. Pax [/quote] Well... we will all most certainly be in prayer with/for you as you and all of us continue on our journey's - Christ is so truly amazing, and the true gentlemen. I became a prayer fantic shortly [i]after[/i] I contacted the first community in my life, which happens to be our Sister Mary Catharine's, lovely place (check it out! Read her book, hehe), I found that the most attractive thing about the cloistered life which was the solitude, prayer, and the atmopshere of the amazing things the Holy Spirit can do through people and the love meter for one another and God. PRAY! PLEASEEEEE I love praying. Its a way of bondage unity, a form of communication - it never fails. Yes I know we sometimes tend to think God doesnt answer our prayers, and that reason is, HE knows EVERYTHING!!!! He knew that we would stand on the ground outside on a beautiful day and marvel at His creation. He knew that we would be going to our retreats BEFORE [b]we[/b] knew we were going on retreat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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