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Talking To Parents About Your Vocation


the lords sheep

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the lords sheep

Thank you all so much for the encouragement and prayers. You all have no idea how much it comforts me to know that others are holding me in prayer.
In some ways, I am frustrated with them, but I am praying for them.
In other news, I've now finished the essay portion of my application! So things are moving along swimmingly, in spite of opposition on the parental front. God is good, though. I am blessed to have many friends who are so incredibly supportive of me.

Again, thank you all!

In Christ,
Lauren

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My parents freaked out a bit when I told them I had a vocation. I think they felt that I was going to run off and become a full-fledged nun in the next month or so. Even though they did know that it doesn't happen like that, that it is a long process, they still freaked out. My mom also is afraid that if I go to Spain this summer to visit the order, I will never come back. (Which I think that was just her first reaction--think she has calmed down over this since then.)

It's hard for my parents, especially for my mom. But as hard for me as it is to see them upset, I know I have to follow what God calls me to do. Right now, all I can do is pray for them and be patient.

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[quote name='fiat voluntas tua' post='1828218' date='Apr 7 2009, 07:28 PM']My parents freaked out a bit when I told them I had a vocation. I think they felt that I was going to run off and become a full-fledged nun in the next month or so. Even though they did know that it doesn't happen like that, that it is a long process, they still freaked out. My mom also is afraid that if I go to Spain this summer to visit the order, I will never come back. (Which I think that was just her first reaction--think she has calmed down over this since then.)

It's hard for my parents, especially for my mom. But as hard for me as it is to see them upset, I know I have to follow what God calls me to do. Right now, all I can do is pray for them and be patient.[/quote]

I will pray for your parents too.

I was interested in your comment that "they felt that I was going to run off and become a full-fledged nun in the next month or so" because that is exactly what happened to me with one of my employers!

Last November I was working in NJ for a Catholic anti-abortion shelter (live-in housemother) and I asked for time off to go visit the Carmelites of Edmonton for a few days. I told them that I would be discerning religious life for awhile, but that I would only go with their permission and only for an amount of time that suited their schedule. They said ok for the time off and I made plans to visit Edmonton with the intention of returning to save money for a visit to Sheffield next.

Nothing more was said for several weeks, but the day before I was to leave for the visit, two of my supervisors came to see me with a letter stating that since I was discerning religious life, I was obviously not committed to the job, so my services would no longer be required and I was not to come back to work or to live at the house! This threw me into a state of shock because it meant I had no job AND no home to come back to! What I found most astounding was the total lack of understanding about the discernment process and how long it can take. I tried to explain this and reminded them that I had promised not to leave them in the lurch, but they basically just told me that I was fired. Somehow I expected more from a Catholic agency! This also set in train a series of events that made life very difficult for me for quite awhile.

So it is not only parents who don't understand these things - and we can't blame them for feeling a bit overwhelmed. Be kind to your parents and help them to come to an understanding of what you are doing, so that God will be glorified through you. At least they are not going to "fire" you :rolleyes: - we hope!

Prayers :pray:

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elizabeth09

I will pray for you.

:)

You supervisors can not stop you to join the religious life.

:(

They just want to stop you from joining the religious life

:sign:

Beside God, you have the right to join the religious life, not you supervisors.

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  • 4 weeks later...
the lords sheep

I told my dad that I'm quitting my job to move back to the US to enter the "nunnery" as he calls it. All things considered, it went well. He [i]actually [/i]listened to me and asked me lots of questions. I answered honestly as I could and told him if I didn't know the answer. He apologized for asking so many questions but I told him that I've had years (about 8) to ask all his questions, so he's more than entitled to an hour of questions :D

Praise God for his goodness. One parent down, and one to go...

St. Joseph, pray for my father.
St. Anne, pray for my mother.
Our Lady, pray for us all.

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elizabeth09

I am glad that you dad came though. He listened to you and ask you questions about the life.

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