franciscanheart Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 Please help me improve Vocation Station! Give me feedback on what you like and dislike, what works and what doesn't. What would you like to see? Are there resources that would be useful here? What are they? Do you have any big ideas? Let me know. I for one would like to see Vocation Station flourish and blossom as we continue to receive new members. I would also like this space to be of great value to all who seek God's will in their vocation, whether that will be married life, single life, or religious life. That in mind, I would like to hear from EVERYONE - even if you are not discerning a religious vocation! It is you that will make Vocation Station what it needs to be. Those of you who use this space know what works and what doesn't and what could be helpful to future members. Those of you who do not often visit because it seems geared toward religious vocations, you can help us implement ideas that would help draw from all areas of vocational discernment. It is up to you to help make this happen, so get busy! Put your thinkin' caps on, y'all! [b]I'm all ears![/b] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lil Red Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 i would love for VS to be more about all vocations, not just religious. while religious life is (obviously) important, it would be nice to talk more about single and married life as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmj Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I'd like to see more about secular orders, as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share Posted November 9, 2006 [quote name='jmj' post='1116214' date='Nov 9 2006, 04:37 PM'] I'd like to see more about secular orders, as well. [/quote] Great idea! : Perhaps The Little Way would like to help us with that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritas Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 (edited) + I would be disappointed to see this turn into a place for "all vocations". In theory, that sounds great, but I think it would just be too broad and too muddled. It's important for us to have a place to go just to talk about religious life... where else in this world can we do that? I'm down with talking about the married and consecrated single life, but I think it should be a separate phorum Note, the phorum title specifically spells out, discerning a RELIGIOUS vocation. I think that's important. Vocation Station is unique and important and shouldn't morph into something else. That's my opinion. Edited November 9, 2006 by Veritas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share Posted November 9, 2006 I think that's sad. I think a lot of people feel left out. Where are they supposed to go? I hardly think adding a whole other phorum is the way to go. Perhaps we should have a main vocations phorum with the religious vocations section being a child phorum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmj Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 [quote name='hugheyforlife' post='1116263' date='Nov 9 2006, 04:07 PM'] I think that's sad. I think a lot of people feel left out. Where are they supposed to go? I hardly think adding a whole other phorum is the way to go. Perhaps we should have a main vocations phorum with the religious vocations section being a child phorum. [/quote] I've loved watching people discern to various communities and such because it's helped with my discernment to the Benedictine Oblates. And it's encouraging, to know that there are people who are still interested in becoming priests and nuns and such. I've posted a couple times in the "Benedictines Strike Back" thread about becoming an Oblate, because I don't know where else it would go. It's a vocation, but not in the same sense as most of the other people on this board. So sometimes I feel awkward/left out talking about it because it's not the same vocation that this board focuses on (and so I think who would want to hear about that!). There's not too many secular order peoples here, so it's like YAY Vocation but not to the convent so alot of experiences and pictures I just stopped posting/talking about because I feel it just doesn't belong here. (sorry if that seemed a little "woe is me" ) But would too many child phorums be too hectic? Confusing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
be_thou_my_vision Posted November 9, 2006 Share Posted November 9, 2006 I vote for making it for all vocations. Discerning a call to marriage and the single life is very difficult, confusing, and lonely at times, just like discerning a call to the relgious life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
franciscanheart Posted November 9, 2006 Author Share Posted November 9, 2006 [quote name='jmj' post='1116323' date='Nov 9 2006, 06:13 PM'] I've loved watching people discern to various communities and such because it's helped with my discernment to the Benedictine Oblates. And it's encouraging, to know that there are people who are still interested in becoming priests and nuns and such. I've posted a couple times in the "Benedictines Strike Back" thread about becoming an Oblate, because I don't know where else it would go. It's a vocation, but not in the same sense as most of the other people on this board. So sometimes I feel awkward/left out talking about it because it's not the same vocation that this board focuses on (and so I think who would want to hear about that!). There's not too many secular order peoples here, so it's like YAY Vocation but not to the convent so alot of experiences and pictures I just stopped posting/talking about because I feel it just doesn't belong here. (sorry if that seemed a little "woe is me" ) But would too many child phorums be too hectic? Confusing? [/quote] There would only be on child phorum. It would be specifically for those discerning a call to the religious life (in convents and monasteries). The whole I idea still seems a bit wrong to me but if that were the vote and we had dUSt supporting that, then I think that would be what it was. (Like in Transmundane Lane where you have The Word.Werd. and The Fuzzy Bunny Crusade) [quote name='be_thou_my_vision' post='1116329' date='Nov 9 2006, 06:19 PM'] I vote for making it for all vocations. Discerning a call to marriage and the single life is very difficult, confusing, and lonely at times, just like discerning a call to the relgious life. [/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritas Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 (edited) + P.S. If all the discernment threads are no longer going to be pinned, it would be nice to have a "Vocation Resources" pinned thread too. If you want links, I can help. (p.s. I don't do well with change ) Edited November 10, 2006 by Veritas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veritas Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 + Reflecting... Is vocation station just not good enough as it is? Haven't the fruits of insane numbers of vocations proven what a great place it is? Again, I have nothing against marriage -it is a BEAUTIFUL and AMAZING gift from God, for those who are called. However, married people have tons, and tons of places to go to talk with other married people. Where do discerners to religious communities go for fraternity? Why do we have to "expand" to be "inclusive" if it means loosing our focus and tight family of discerners? More isn't always better. Honesly, I'm really annoyed at making this "inclusive land". That's no reason to do anything, tell me WHY. I feel like England and the EU! Blessings, Fiat, V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmb144 Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 Ok, here is my 2 cents worth. I feel the best way around things would be to have a number of pinned threads at the top of the vocation station dealing with specific paths, in that way no one is left out. EG- One for the guys discerning priesthood One for the guys discerning to a religious order [i]Why separate them, well they are two different things, not all guys that join an order are ordained, so I think there needs to be separation there. Also there may need to be further separation of those discerning to active and contemplative orders [/i] One for the singles [i]As it is a calling in itself with its own challenges that need to be talked about.[/i] One for those who are thinking marriage [i]More or less for the same reason as the singles[/i] Now here is where it gets sticky.... I felt the thread on discernment for girls had its limits for me personally.....you see 18 was a long time ago and I am in the older group when it comes to discernment, so what I would ask can there be a younger and older say.....30 and over thread? We may also want to contemplate a separation of active and contemplative life for the women to......as we all know it is two different forms of life..... Ok that is my 2 cents, Belinda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavenlyCalling Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 I understand that marriage is a gift from God, and a wonderful gift at that, but there are other places you can go for that. Discerning a vocation, however, is definatly the path less traveled, and it can be very scary. I have a hard time talking even to my family and friends about my vocation, because even though they support me with their prayers, they really dont understand the religious life. For me, having a place to go and people to talk to has been a big help. It has been wonderful to talk about the differneces in orders, habits, charisms, and not have people think I am crazy for wanting that. What I am trying to say, I gues, is that the vocation station has seemed to me like a tight-knit group of people with the same gaol in mind. Even though I have never met and may never meet any of you, you have shared your problems with me and let me tell you mine. I think it sould stay about vocations; mens, womens, priesthood, brotherhood, sisterhood, or cloistered life. I dont really think that it is excluding people, because there are those like Gemma (not to pick on you!) who are [u][b]not[/b][/u] discerning, but still have a great deal of insight to offer to us. Bottom line, the vocation station should stay about vocations to the religious life. Just my two cents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
be_thou_my_vision Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 It's not like the religious vocation part would go away... it would all still be here. Just something to think about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary-Kathryn Posted November 10, 2006 Share Posted November 10, 2006 (edited) I feel it might be beneficial to invite different Vocational directors to answer a [limited] number of questions here. It could be with men or women's orders. Someone could get in contact, get approval, gather questions and then place the answers here if the director had no desire to come on-line. Some info about the Order would be very inviting and might click with a young woman here. Is this do-able? I don't know...I'm just an old married woman, you young-uns go for it : Edited November 10, 2006 by Mary-Kathryn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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