Catholic Religious Life?

[Cecilia]

For about the past 2 years, I've been feeling a strong pull toward a religious vocation. I would like to do foreign mission but becoming a religious has also crossed my mind. Has anyone else felt such a call? How did you deal with it? My family is not supportive of this saying that I'm too impatient and stubborn to love God in that way. I am stubborn in my beliefs and my morals, but I always thought that was a good quality to have..? Any comments would help..Thanks!

 

[FullyMT]

Has anyone else felt such a call?

You're in the right place! There are a lot of members of OBOB here who are discerning their vocation. Here's a thread if you want to talk about updates on your discernment or if you just want to relax and give a quick update every now and then and don't want to make your own thread Reilly's Pub Discernment Room

How did you deal with it?

Pray, pray, pray. Find a good spiritual advisor, and talk to members of religious communities (esp the ones you feel God is calling you to).

My family is not supportive of this saying that I'm too impatient and stubborn to love God in that way. I am stubborn in my beliefs and my morals, but I always thought that was a good quality to have..?

Being impatient isn't a good thing. Learn to let go and let God be in control. Everything will happen when and how He wants it to. Being stubborn can and can't be a good thing. It's good to have an opinion and know where you stand on your beliefs, but when it comes to the small things, LET GO. I have this same problem too sometimes. Like I said though, it depends on what you're being stubborn about.
Will pray for you as you discern your vocation!

 

[Carrye]

I would like to do foreign mission but becoming a religious has also crossed my mind. Has anyone else felt such a call? How did you deal with it?

As Mike said (FullyMT), you pray, and pray, and pray some more. And you find yourself a spiritual director - a priest preferably - someone who can guide you, help you grow, and help you discern your vocation.

My family is not supportive of this saying that I'm too impatient and stubborn to love God in that way. I am stubborn in my beliefs and my morals, but I always thought that was a good quality to have..?

Patience is a virtue, and something that can be gained by purposeful acts. It's mind over matter, and a daily (hourly, minute by minute) decision. But your impatience can be overcome with lots of work and the grace of God.

But that's something you'll need to learn whether you're called to the religious life or to married life. Loving someone demands patience. You will always have a relationship with God, and you may one day have a relationship with a husband and children, or with religious sisters - all will demand patience. So it's not that your present impatience rules out a religious vocation, but that it's one area of your life that you want to work on. Offer your little struggles, and your accomplishments to the Lord as your little way of loving Him.

 

[wellab]

Cecelia, as stated already here, pray and talk with a spiritual director. I believe many of the most well-known Saints we have became part of the religious at your age, so it is not unusual for you at 16 to be pulled quite hard in that direction, but a spiritual advisor could help you with your discernment process.

I myself was strongly pulled into the marriage vocation after meeting the man I am now married to. But over the years, at times, I feel like I am pulled into the religious life. It is confusing, but I have learned over time that being married does not mean I cannot be a part of the religious life too. There are the 3rd orders of different religious societies, that mean you can be married and still do some of the religious life duties. I have not looked further into this yet for myself, (many reasons for that) but it is something I am considering.

Third Order of the Society of Saint Francis
http://www.tssf.org/

Third Oder Dominican
http://www.opthird.com/oplaity.htm

 

[Carrye]

And remember, any true religious vocation must be confirmed by the Church (that's how you know it's true), and so a spiritual director will be your first step in that direction.

 

[JaneKaty13]

I want to serve God in this world, but I also want to marry when I'm older and have a family. What could I do? Should I go on a mission for a few years? I want to do that.

 

[Carrye]

I want to serve God in this world, but I also want to marry when I'm older and have a family. What could I do? Should I go on a mission for a few years? I want to do that.

There are thousands of ways for you to serve. See where God leads you ... He often speaks in the most seemingly ordinary circumstances. Think about what you're good at, and what you like to do. He didn't give you your own particularities for no reason. Take a look at those. And of course, pray.

 

[FullyMT]

I want to serve God in this world, but I also want to marry when I'm older and have a family. What could I do? Should I go on a mission for a few years? I want to do that.

Hmm...Homeless shelters, convalescent homes (spelled wrong, I know), habitat for humanity...so many programs out there to work with. Ever considered a job in social services or teaching?

 

[Adammi]

For about the past 2 years, I've been feeling a strong pull toward a religious vocation. I would like to do foreign mission but becoming a religious has also crossed my mind. Has anyone else felt such a call? How did you deal with it? My family is not supportive of this saying that I'm too impatient and stubborn to love God in that way. I am stubborn in my beliefs and my morals, but I always thought that was a good quality to have..? Any comments would help..Thanks!

I feel the same way and my parents don't even know I'm "journeying home".