Skyrocketing Fuel Prices And Religious Vocations

[stlmom]

Just wondering if the high cost of fuel these days is changing your approach to discernment. Visiting convents/monasteries closer to home these days? Obviously I'm thinking of the USA where we are abysmally behind in mass transit.

[Marieteresa]

[quote name='stlmom' post='1541418' date='May 25 2008, 08:10 AM']Just wondering if the high cost of fuel these days is changing your approach to discernment. Visiting convents/monasteries closer to home these days? Obviously I'm thinking of the USA where we are abysmally behind in mass transit.[/quote]


Personally the high fuel costs have put off any visits to convents

[irishdancer]

Using all my "vacation money" for the gas tank.

[DiscerningSoul]

If you check bus prices its lower then flying or taking the train, but it takes longer to get there, but worth it.
In terms of my church attendance, I still drive about 45 mins to my home parish each Sunday.
I goto Little Sisters of the Poor once or twice a week, and at least once a week to a church that is an hour away, they have an afternoon Mass, confession, and adoration.
All worth it.
In terms of spending money or going out with friends/ just for fun, I don't do that hardly.
If you think about it, we are discerning a life of proverty. Think of those who don't have a car, or don't have a job, look in other countries where people are eating mud cookies, there are others out there with nothing.
I am thankful for what I do have, and I just have to TRUST in God for EVERYTHING, something in the past I had trouble with.

As far as visiting communities for my discernment, currently I an not planning on visiting any.

$40 tank of gas
20+ miles to church
Visit with God = PRICELESS!!!

[Alycin]

I wish I lived somewhere that I could just walk everywhere.

[DiscerningSoul]

[quote name='Alycin' post='1542285' date='May 25 2008, 10:18 PM']I wish I lived somewhere that I could just walk everywhere.[/quote]

Me too.
The bike went to the shop and I can't wait to get it back.
I might be getting an electric bike, but that's a big might.
I want to bike on sunny days to work it's 12 miles round trip.

[Saint Therese]

Maybe its time to start making pilgrimages on foot again.

[photosynthesis]

When I discerned I mostly stayed in the areas where I lived, so it was mostly with Baltimore, NJ and NYC orders--CFR sisters, Little Sisters of the Poor, Nashville Dominicans (@ Mt. De Sales in MD), Daughters of St. Paul, Summit NJ Dominicans, etc. I kind of lusted after the PCPA's for awhile but I never ended up visiting them.

I'd say you have to pick & choose what orders to visit... there was this really pushy lady from VocationsPlacement.org who really pressured me to fly out to Kentucky to visit this Trappistine order, but I really wasn't sold on the idea because flying is expensive and I couldn't see myself as a Trappistine nun anyway. But if there's a spirituality you're intrigued by and they're not in your area, I guess that can be your only option.

[Laudem Gloriae]

I have a few places I want to visit so I am saving, working extra shifts and selling lots of things on Ebay!

[Paladin D]

[quote name='Alycin' post='1542285' date='May 25 2008, 10:18 PM']I wish I lived somewhere that I could just walk everywhere.[/quote]

New York City, Chicago, and Philadelphia are like that (to name a few).

[the lords sheep]

[quote name='Paladin D' post='1543924' date='May 26 2008, 07:34 PM']New York City, Chicago, and Philadelphia are like that (to name a few).[/quote]

Depends on where you live in said regions... some of them require busing as well.

Anyway...
I can commiserate with the high gas prices, though. It didn't stop me from taking a 3 hour fligh on my last convent visit, but it certainly hurt my bank account more than I would have liked....

In Jesus and Mary,
Lauren

[fides quarens intellectum]

i have absolutely no interest in either of the local communities, so i don't know how i will travel for come and see's when i am ready to start visiting.

[DiscerningSoul]

[quote name='fides quarens intellectum' post='1544910' date='May 27 2008, 01:22 PM']i have absolutely no interest in either of the local communities, so i don't know how i will travel for come and see's when i am ready to start visiting.[/quote]

Pray, be still and listen, let our Lord lead you!

Good Luck and Prayers,

Jessica

[nowak.chris]

[quote name='Paladin D' post='1543924' date='May 26 2008, 08:34 PM']New York City, Chicago, and Philadelphia are like that (to name a few).[/quote]

Some of them require body armor (pray for philly).

I am luck enough to be discerning with an order 2.7 miles from my front door (well, maybe 2.8 to the monastery, 2.7 is to the parish). Of course, not having a car anyway I don't even follow gas prices

[Thomist-in-Training]

[quote]In terms of my church attendance, I still drive about 45 mins to my home parish each Sunday.[/quote]

Oh, DS, I feel your pain... my parents' church is 10 minutes away, but the TLM church I go to while at school is 13 minutes from school, but 40 minutes each way and $10 of gas roundtrip from my house.

To answer StLMom's question, though, I'm driving up with my family, and then flying back, pretty dang far away for a convent visit. I thought the plane ticket price was pretty good... then a few days later I realized the $189 would have been a pretty good price for a ROUNDTRIP ticket! Oh well.