Religious Life. . .

[JennyKatz]

I find the life of religious brothers and sisters fascinating. I wonder sometimes, if I were to join an order, which would it be? What would I be most suited to? So, I wonder, what about the rest of you?
If you were to join an order, what sort would you join? Would you prefer cloistered and contemplative? Active? And if you joined an active order, which sort of work would you want to do?
For the menfolk, do you think you'd be better suited to life as a parish priest or would you join an order?
Personally, I think I would either join an contemplative order (the idea of being devoted entirely to prayer is a lovely one) or an active one in the healthcare or missions field. I think my personality would be more suited to an active one, but I still like the idea of building my life around prayer.
What about everyone else?

 

[Fantine]

The good news, Jenny, is that you can visit different orders for weekends or longer visits and really have an opportunity to experience their way of life.

And that's what I would do if I were you. If you were contemplating marriage you would be searching for the right husband, wouldn't you? You should take the same care looking at different religious orders.

Now that I'm in late middle age I can see what a beautiful way of life the religious life is. And the sisters I know who joined the convent after raising families seem to have had the best of both worlds. (Of course they were divorced w/annulments or widowed when they joined, and I am still married.) They have their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a caring community of deeply spiritual "sisters" to share their old age with. Who could ask for anything more?

 

[JoabAnias]

If I thought I could be a religious or diocesan priest then that would be my calling and I should be one.

I am what I am and not what I might desire because usually thats not it.

I think for most of my life I have been called to the generous single life. Been a miserable failure at that though. Didn't even realize it was a calling for most of it.

 

[JennyKatz]

The good news, Jenny, is that you can visit different orders for weekends or longer visits and really have an opportunity to experience their way of life.

And that's what I would do if I were you. If you were contemplating marriage you would be searching for the right husband, wouldn't you? You should take the same care looking at different religious orders.?

I thin getting to see them up close and personal would be quite nift-eh. However, I'm not sure finding religious life fascinating equates to a calling to it. It might (I'm still too new a Catholic to really consider it), but I know I have a definite desire to be married and a mum.

 

[Rois]

I don't know much about the different religious orders, but I like the Benedictines. I think it's a beautiful way of life as well, but also very hard.

 

[JoabAnias]

I thin getting to see them up close and personal would be quite nift-eh. However, I'm not sure finding religious life fascinating equates to a calling to it. It might (I'm still too new a Catholic to really consider it), but I know I have a definite desire to be married and a mum.

You should go on a retreat. It would be really good for you.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

I love the Carmelites, and the Dominican sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist

Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist

they're contemplative/active, not cloistered.

Sometimes I wonder if I have a religious vocation, but at this point I don't know. Too early to tell. I have a desire for marriage too, but religious life appeals to me as well. It all depends on what God wants..

 

[Rois]

there is always the option to be an oblate also. the woman who wrote The Cloister Walk is an oblate.

They are women and men, married or single, who, in their own way of life, with their ordinary family and social duties, find support and ongoing growth in holiness through spiritual association with a particular monastic community.

Benedictine Oblates

 

[Gwendolyn]

I was discerning very seriously until I got sick two years ago.

I found two communities that I was very interested in:

The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, in Nashville, TN - the ongoing commitment to education is very, very appealing to me. They are contemplative/active. I like the "mix".

I was also in contact with a congregation of Benedictine nuns out in Vermont. I was feeling very drawn to their contemplative life. Their letters to me were beautiful - and their prioress was Canadian Like me.

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

I dig these cats here Franciscan Friars of the Renewal Fransican Friars of the renewal. I think Benedict Groeschel might have started them.

 

[Michie]

I dig these cats here Franciscan Friars of the Renewal Fransican Friars of the renewal. I think Benedict Groeschel might have started them.

I like them too.

I have no illusions about religious life. I do not have the calling.

If I had to choose it would have to be some sort of missionary work where I stayed busy. As far as the order, not a clue.

 

[JoabAnias]

If anyone likes the Trappists there is a new Monastery going up in upstate NY and they need help getting established.

It would be a chance to get in on a ground floor (so to speak) of a Cistercian Trappist Monastery under Benedictine rule.

For the guys that is.

 

[JennyKatz]

You should go on a retreat. It would be really good for you.

I've considered it, if only to check out what convent life really looks like.

I love the Carmelites, and the Dominican sisters of Mary Mother of the Eucharist

Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist

they're contemplative/active, not cloistered.

Sometimes I wonder if I have a religious vocation, but at this point I don't know. Too early to tell. I have a desire for marriage too, but religious life appeals to me as well. It all depends on what God wants..

I've heard that this order has had a huge upswing in popularity of late. I think, especially since we're both fairly new Catholics, we've got time to figure it out. I know most orders won't accept converts until they've been practicing Catholicism for at least two years.

I was discerning very seriously until I got sick two years ago.

I found two communities that I was very interested in:

The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, in Nashville, TN - the ongoing commitment to education is very, very appealing to me. They are contemplative/active. I like the "mix".

I was also in contact with a congregation of Benedictine nuns out in Vermont. I was feeling very drawn to their contemplative life. Their letters to me were beautiful - and their prioress was Canadian Like me.

The Nashville Dominicans are another order I've heard is growing in popularity. I, too, appreciate their commitment to education. Teaching is one of the fields that I've considered going in to.
Are you ever going to consider going into religious life again or have you ruled it out entirely due to your illness?

 

[JoabAnias]

I've considered it, if only to check out what convent life really looks like.

So far, no retreat I have been on has been much like I expected it to be. I mean, certain things you know will be there but still I always come away with a much different perspective than I went with.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

there is always the option to be an oblate also. the woman who wrote The Cloister Walk is an oblate.

Benedictine Oblates

interesting! that's a good idea too.

I've heard that this order has had a huge upswing in popularity of late.

I've heard that too! which is a really good sign. The orthodox orders are growing the most. And they usually wear habits, which is something I like as well.

I think, especially since we're both fairly new Catholics, we've got time to figure it out. I know most orders won't accept converts until they've been practicing Catholicism for at least two years.

that is true.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

I've always liked looking at these websites of religious orders, but I don't know very much about them. I'd love to visit any of them though.

Home Page

(they have cool vocation stories ) Cloistered Passionist Nuns

Traditional Catholic Carmelite Convent - Religious Community of Contemplative Nuns - Vocation

(then as I mentioned before,) Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist ..I heard they have wonderful discernment retreats, I might go someday if it's God's will

http://www.olamshrine.com/Index.html

There are also the Sisters of Life! they're getting lots of vocations too.
Sisters of Life | Homepage

 

[MoNiCa4316]

I was discerning very seriously until I got sick two years ago.

I found two communities that I was very interested in:

The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia, in Nashville, TN - the ongoing commitment to education is very, very appealing to me. They are contemplative/active. I like the "mix".

I was also in contact with a congregation of Benedictine nuns out in Vermont. I was feeling very drawn to their contemplative life. Their letters to me were beautiful - and their prioress was Canadian Like me.

they look good! I like the mix of contemplative/active too. Although sometimes I feel drawn to the more contemplative orders, where they just pray. I also have the same question as Jenny
I think my problem is that I have to pay off a loan, and also my family might never support something like this. I've only told a couple of friends that I even like the concept of religious life. I'm not seriously discerning or anything right now, I've just become Catholic.. but still. It's on my mind sometimes.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

I like them too.

I have no illusions about religious life. I do not have the calling.

If I had to choose it would have to be some sort of missionary work where I stayed busy. As far as the order, not a clue.

I think religious life is really hard. It's really a supernatural calling.. we need God's grace to live it out. Well this is probably true for our lives as Christians in general.. lol! especially for religious life. It would be soo hard to just leave everything for God. wow. I think they are very courageous.

 

[Rhamiel]

I took a 10 day retreat to a Trappist monestary in the summer of 2007, it was a very nice place to be, but I do not believe that my vocation is as a priest or monk...

 

[Globalnomad]

I'd like to be a Jesuit. Unfortunately, they don't take women, but hey, one can always dream, since it's just a dream anyway...