cmaD2006 Posted May 17, 2007 Share Posted May 17, 2007 [quote name='Ave Maria Totus Tuus' post='1275304' date='May 16 2007, 08:45 PM']Such incredible words from all of you. You are wonderful! I will continue to pray and I appreciate everything you all have said. It has really helped bring some clarity to my mind. I will no doubt finish my commitment with the Navy, and I will use all my experiences and bring them with me when the day comes that I enter the convent! Any more opinions or words of advice would still be much appreciated. I love my pham! :[/quote] One more set of words ... when I first entered religious life and let my office mates know; one of my coworkers (who is a retired Air Force servicewoman) made the analogy that formation seems like boot camp :-). I started thinking about it and you know -- she's right. So ... you're service in the military I believe will prepare you for religious life. I also think that the Lord will reward you for keeping your commitment ... and who knows whether or not the Lord will get you out of it in a way only He can do. God bless you and give you perseverence while you wait to enter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ave Maria Totus Tuus Posted May 18, 2007 Author Share Posted May 18, 2007 (edited) As part of my time in Navy ROTC, we do summer training for a month each summer. This summer, I will be going underway on a ship in the Pacific; four weeks from Japan to Australia. Before I left Nashville this summer after the semester ended, I spent an afternoon with the Novitiate at the Motherhouse in Nashville. I'm sitting in the community room when all of a sudden I hear drum beats and marching...who comes in to the community room but a "platoon" of sisters marching to a military drum beat. I stood up and was so excited, then they stop and begin singing "Anchors Aweigh" to me! Sr. Rosaria, who used to be in the military, was leading this "platoon" and read me my "orders" from the sisters, and gave me a little cardboard model of a ship! Inside the ship were a rosary, holy water, prayer cards, a rosary novena book, and a miraculous medal. My orders stated that these were my weapons and I was to bring them on the ship and pray and continue to discern! It was so funnyl, I knew you'd all enjoy that story! Here are some pictures! [img]http://photos-561.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v74/56/84/4707561/n4707561_31870025_6537.jpg[/img] [img]http://photos-561.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v74/56/84/4707561/n4707561_31870026_7753.jpg[/img] Yay! Edited May 18, 2007 by Ave Maria Totus Tuus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlterDominicus Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 [quote name='Ave Maria Totus Tuus' post='1276183' date='May 17 2007, 09:55 PM']As part of my time in Navy ROTC, we do summer training for a month each summer. This summer, I will be going underway on a ship in the Pacific; four weeks from Japan to Australia. Before I left Nashville this summer after the semester ended, I spent an afternoon with the Novitiate at the Motherhouse in Nashville. I'm sitting in the community room when all of a sudden I hear drum beats and marching...who comes in to the community room but a "platoon" of sisters marching to a military drum beat. I stood up and was so excited, then they stop and begin singing "Anchors Aweigh" to me! Sr. Rosaria, who used to be in the military, was leading this "platoon" and read me my "orders" from the sisters, and gave me a little cardboard model of a ship! Inside the ship were a rosary, holy water, prayer cards, a rosary novena book, and a miraculous medal. My orders stated that these were my weapons and I was to bring them on the ship and pray and continue to discern! It was so funnyl, I knew you'd all enjoy that story! Here are some pictures! [img]http://photos-561.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v74/56/84/4707561/n4707561_31870025_6537.jpg[/img] [img]http://photos-561.ll.facebook.com/photos-ll-sf2p/v74/56/84/4707561/n4707561_31870026_7753.jpg[/img] Yay! [/quote] AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHA. I love that picture with you and Sister Mary Emily, see hehe, Sister Mary Emily was the one who picked my confirmation name, I live in Minnesota so I get to see the three Nashville Dominican Sisters in Stillwater, MN quite often, I had never met Sister Mary Emily and I went to a team vianney night at the University of Saint Thomas in Saint Paul, she was there, I think I sort of intimitdated her a little bit, hahaha, but it was so COOL! And I know about 10 other sisters who I have met and seen on occassion, vocation camp, other team vianney nights. Its great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ave Maria Totus Tuus Posted May 18, 2007 Author Share Posted May 18, 2007 And the little flag on the ship there says "Ave Maris Stella" How appropriate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
be_thou_my_vision Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 What a great idea! It looks like you have the sisters' blessings!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ave Maria Totus Tuus Posted May 26, 2007 Author Share Posted May 26, 2007 Just wanted to say hi to the Vocation Station phatmass pham! Greetings from the Pacific Ocean! I'm at sea on my summer training. The views are stunning. The ocean is a beautiful place! Your advice in this thread has been so helpful to me. I'm understanding my vocation better and better everyday. God be with you all! Ave Maris Stella! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 Have a wonderful time !! God Bless!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starets Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 This is very positive news indeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alicemary Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 A vocation doesn't start the second you cross the threshold of a convent or seminary. A vocation is what is deep inside you that is formed by living a God centered life. Enjoy this summer, and breathe in some of that nice ocean air for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daugher-of-Mary Posted May 27, 2007 Share Posted May 27, 2007 A friend of mine is going into the military to pay off her college debts so she can enter religious life. She will be working as a chaplain's assistant...apparently there is a great need for people to help the chaplain's out! Maybe that's something you could look in to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ofpheritup Posted May 27, 2007 Share Posted May 27, 2007 [quote name='alicemary' post='1281714' date='May 26 2007, 12:03 PM']A vocation doesn't start the second you cross the threshold of a convent or seminary. A vocation is what is deep inside you that is formed by living a God centered life. Enjoy this summer, and breathe in some of that nice ocean air for me.[/quote] Alice Mary, absolutely right. Might I add and I know this is a little extreme but we could also say "Our vocation starts the moment we are born." Our vocation is to love God. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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