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I Need Some Help...


HisChild

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I know I've read about these souls before but I can't recall the details. Do you know of any religious in history, Saints or saints, who have entered more than one community before they discovered where our Lord wanted them?

Any help you're able to give would be most helpful.

Thank you.

God bless you,

HisChild

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[quote name='HisChild' date='19 August 2009 - 10:45 PM' timestamp='1250739928' post='1953079']
I know I've read about these souls before but I can't recall the details. Do you know of any religious in history, Saints or saints, who have entered more than one community before they discovered where our Lord wanted them?

Any help you're able to give would be most helpful.

Thank you.

God bless you,

HisChild
[/quote]


I beliee Leonie Martin, St. Therese's sister entered more than one community.

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[quote name='dakurgie' date='19 August 2009 - 09:07 PM' timestamp='1250741221' post='1953085']
I beliee Leonie Martin, St. Therese's sister entered more than one community.
[/quote]


YES! I thought one of the Martin sisters was one on my mind. I wonder if there are any others...

http://www.helpfellowship.org/Sr_Francoise-Therese.htm


I've entered more than one community and for a while was really depressed (not clinically, just befuddled and disappointed). This is a great help to me. Thank you SO much.


Any others?

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VeniteAdoremus

The first Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, but she isn't a Saint :)

In the old days, there were several who were dragged from community to community a lot, if not actually leaving and re-entering. Bl. Lucia de Narni springs to mind.

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Well, St Teresa of Calcutta had to leave and found her own Order.
The same is true of our own foundress, Mother Francis Murphy (not a canonized saint) who left the Poor Servants of the Mother of God to found our congretation the Francican sisters Minoress.
http://www.stclaresconvent.fsnet.co.uk/
Sr Marianne

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Maria Faustina

Didn't Saint Faustina visit a lot of different convents and then enter the one that accepted her? Maybe I made that up haha.

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There are several male saints who spring to mind. Most of them went on to found religious orders and congregations.

- St Peter Julian Eymard was a diocesan priest who then joined the Marist Fathers and afterwards went on to found the Blessed Sacrament Fathers.

- St Camillus de Lellis tried his vocation with the Capuchin Franciscans but was dismissed from their novitiate. He went on to found the Ministers of the Sick.

- St Anthony Mary Claret spent some time in the Jesuit novitiate before ordination as a diocesan priest and then founded the Sons of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

For me that seems to indicate the Holy Spirit may lead us into all sorts of unexpected places. Even if we think we have made some terrible mistake in discerning the Lords will, have faith and perhaps in time we will see that even the 'dead ends' were part of His Providence.

Peace and Joy in the Lord.

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VeniteAdoremus

[quote name='puellapaschalis' date='20 August 2009 - 02:12 PM' timestamp='1250766761' post='1953177']
St. Anthony of Padua (or did I dream that?)
[/quote]

Oh, right, he was an Augustinian canon! Good one :)

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Indwelling Trinity

Nazarena, an American Camaldolese anchoress had been in many communities before receiving a papal indult to live as a Camaldolese anchoress in Rome.

:bigpray:

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[quote name='Maria Faustina' date='20 August 2009 - 07:16 AM' timestamp='1250766987' post='1953178']
Didn't Saint Faustina visit a lot of different convents and then enter the one that accepted her? Maybe I made that up haha.
[/quote]

Actually it is true that St. Faustina knocked on many convent doors in Warsaw before one would admit her. :saint:

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Thank you all! I'm so grateful to all your responses. I will have a lot of reading this weekend I can just tell! :))

You've all really edified me. I was told by a well meaning someone (a religious) that since I'd been in more than one community (only as a postulant) that must mean I wasn't called to religious life. Perhaps that IS true :unsure: I'm still discerning and praying... but have you ever placed two or more things before our Lord asking for direction? All are good choices, but only one makes your heart calm? That's me and religious life. I'm not sure I'm meant to found a religious community, although I've journalled my ideas of what came to mind one night after a particularly vivid dream. I DO know whatever I do will be somewhat if not completely cloistered. I also feel called to the Carmelite charism, but our Lord will reveal Himself and His will for me. Sighs. In His time...that's what I continue to tell myself, but sometimes I don't listen.


[quote name='ortus' date='20 August 2009 - 04:28 AM' timestamp='1250767707' post='1953182']
...For me that seems to indicate the Holy Spirit may lead us into all sorts of unexpected places. Even if we think we have made some terrible mistake in discerning the Lords will, have faith and perhaps in time we will see that even the 'dead ends' were part of His Providence.

Peace and Joy in the Lord.
[/quote]


Yes. I still say, even to my own family, 'for some reason I've entered and left...it's Providential, and eventually the rest of the story will be revealed.'

But I still hang my head in shame and sorrow thinking my past was a failure. I try to be kind to myself. That's sometimes difficult.


[quote name='Indwelling Trinity' date='20 August 2009 - 05:10 AM' timestamp='1250770241' post='1953185']
Nazarena, an American Camaldolese anchoress had been in many communities before receiving a papal indult to live as a Camaldolese anchoress in Rome.

:bigpray:
[/quote]

I'm reading Nazarena's book right now! Isn't her story wonderful? Her life builds mine up. She too thought she was called to Carmel and ended up Camaldolese. Her story is why I continue to be open to the gentle guiding wind of the Holy Spirit.

Thank you all for your assistance. May God reward you!

HisChild, who never ceases to be amazed in the love God has for me

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Oh! By the way, when I said Saints and saints (with a little 's'), I asked for those well known like Saints, only because it's easier to find written material about them... But I'd certainly be interested in any servant of our Lord whose story can be found. I didn't mean to imply that only canonized saints matter.

God bless.

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VeniteAdoremus

Well, in that case ;) my dear Mother Milagro was a Carmelite before she became a Servant of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara.

One of the Dutch SSVM sisters in temporary vows has been a postulant in a German cloistered monastery, and an older SSVM in temporary vows left to become a volunteer with a Trappistine community, where she later discerned a call, was accepted and is now a novice.

My future Prioress transferred just before final vows, one of the OSB postulants at Tyburn in England was a novice at Colwich before, while one of the sisters at Colwich transferred there from another OSB monastery...

Mmm... that's most of the ones I can come up with in one go, I believe :)

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