Entering the Order of Holy Virgins:

 

Mystical Marriage to the Risen Christ

 

Table of Contents

Liturgy of the Hours, Common of Virgins…………………….………………2

Information About the Religious Life for Women…………………………4

Websites or Names of Some Women Religious Orders………………..4

Principal Elements of a Discernment Process for Religious Life……6

Determining the Right Religious Order for You…………………………….7

Visiting an Order of Religious Sisters……………………………………………7

Activities: Transitioning Out of the World and Into the Religious Life……9

Vocation Stories…………………………………………………………….……….……10

Consecrated Virginity Living in the World………………………………..…11

Vocation Prayers…………………………………………………………………….……12

Exhibit I But How Do You Know?  The Basics………………………………12

 

 

Have you been praying the Liturgy of the Hours/Divine Office?  The Common of Virgins is part of that official liturgy of the Church.  The Common of Virgins is a treasury of liturgical prayers revealing the inner beauty and holiness of a consecrated life of virginity. They reveal the incomparable joy of being united with the Divine Spouse both here on earth and in the life to come – immersed and consumed by His transcendent glory for all eternity. In a  special way a religious sister is wedded to Him!  Here are some antiphons and other elements of the Common of Virgins that express that profound, divine relationship:

 

Now this wise virgin has gone to Christ. Among the choirs of virgins, she is as radiant as the sun in the heavens.

 

Come, daughters, draw close to the Lord, and share the splendor of His light.

 

With all our heart we follow you in awe; we long to see you face to face.

 

Sing for joy, virgins of Christ; he is your spouse for all eternity.

 

Keep watch with love, wise virgins, with your lamps alight. See, Jesus the Bridegroom comes; go out to welcome him.

 

Radiant virgin, prudent and wise, you are the spouse of the holy Word of God.

 

I count as nothing the kingdoms of the earth, even the whole world, because of my love for the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Jesus, you have shown me how to live. You will fill me with joy in your presence.

 

With my whole being I worship Christ; I long for Him and desire to be with Him forever.

 

O virgins, praise the Lord with all your heart. He sowed the seeds of your virtue; He crowned the fruits of your life with His gifts.

 

The virgin saints sing for joy in heaven’s glory; radiant is their victory over human frailties.

 

My heart is ever pleading, show me your face. I long to gaze upon you Lord.

 

(For a virgin martyr) Happy the virgin who denied herself and took up her cross. She imitated the Lord, the spouse of virgins and prince of martyrs.

 

What joy to be near my God, to place all my trust in the Lord.

 

How beautiful are they whose purity of life is acclaimed.

 

I found Jesus whom I love. I held Him fast; I would not leave Him.

 

I have kept myself for Jesus alone, and now with lamp alight I run to meet my spouse.

 

Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God.

 

My faith is firmly established, for I have built my life on Christ.

 

The virgins are led into the presence of the King amid gladness and joy.

 

(For a virgin martyr) In this one victim we hail the double crown of purity and devotion; hers the glory of virginity, hers the palm of martyrdom.

 

Come, spouse of Christ, receive the crown the Lord has prepared for you from all eternity.

 

From a 24 year-old woman who has discerned a vocation to the cloistered Carmelite life:

“These are some of my favorite antiphons or scripture verses on virginity.

 

Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your ear;

forget your people and your father’s house,

and the king will desire your beauty.

Since he is your Lord, bow to him;

the people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,

the richest of the people with all kinds of wealth.

 

The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes;  

in many-colored robes she is led to the king;

behind her the virgins, her companions, follow.

With joy and gladness they are led along

as they enter the palace of the king. — Psalm 45:10-15

 

But [Jesus] said to them, “Not all men can receive this precept, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. He who is able to receive this, let him receive it.”(Matthew 19:11-12)

 

 

Some principal sources of information about the religious life for women:

 

1.  A Guide to Religious Ministries for Catholic Men and Women  

www.ReligiousMinistries.com

 

2.   www.ArchChicago.org  >  Offices and Ministries  >  Religious (Consecrated Life)  

https://consecratedlife.archchicago.org/ 

 

3.  Archdiocese of Chicago Vocation Resources  www.VocationsCAVA.org

 

4.  National Catholic Sisters Week  www.NationalCatholicSistersWeek.org

 

5.  Vision Vocation Network  A resource of the National Religious Vocation Conference    www.VocationNetwork.org

 

 

The websites below are portals to just a few of the many congregations of religious women in the Roman Catholic Church.  For more information see Information About the Religious Life for Women immediately above.  All religious orders – including most cloistered orders – have websites (although a particular convent or monastery within a religious order may not have one).  Therefore any Internet search engine will pick them up – just do an Internet search of the name of the order you are interested in.

 

 

An apostolic order is one that is active in the world providing an apostolate/ministry to the Church and the world such as evangelization, teaching, social justice, parish ministry etc.  Apostolic orders usually combine contemplation (the inner dimension of the spiritual life, i.e., prayer, reflection, meditation) with action (the exterior/outer dimension of the spiritual life, i.e., apostolic work/ministry.)  A member of a apostolic religious order is called a religious sister (not a nun. Nun is the term for cloistered religious sisters. That vocation is described below).  A few examples of apostolic orders follow (in alphabetical order).

 

Daughters of St. Paul   Apostolate: Evangelization using the media.

 

Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia   Apostolate: Teaching in Catholic schools.          www.NashvilleDominican.org

 

Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago  “Our community is called the Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago.  It was founded in 2010, so we are a young community in the life of the Church!  Our charism or our way of life includes living in poor neighborhoods and working with the poor, Eucharistic adoration, and evangelization and teaching of the faith as religion teachers, catechists, and speakers.” Visit our website for more information: search on the Internet – Franciscans of the Eucharist of Chicago

 

Little Sisters of the Poor  Apostolate: Caring for the elderly poor.

 

Sisters of Life  Apostolate: Supporting the pro-life movement in various ways.

 

Sisters of Mary Morning Star  Rooted in a previous congregation, this order was established in Spain in 2014. It now has 225 sisters worldwide in 10 countries. They are contemplative and dedicated to a life of joyful prayer but not cloistered because they want to be part of the fabric of society. The order was looking for a home in the United States and the Diocese of New Ulm was looking for contemplative sisters. A match was made.

Ten sisters, coming from six countries and ranging in age from 24 to 50, moved into an old rectory next to St. Eloi Church in the heart of Ghent, a town of 370 residents, primarily farmers, in western Minnesota.

They established the site as their U.S. novitiate and have already attracted a couple of novices. They recently opened a second convent in Wisconsin. 

The sisters’ daily schedule centers around prayerful solitude. They attend Mass, meditate, study Scriptures, complete household tasks and do artisanal work. 

The main source of their income is the sale of their crafts. Each sister has a specialty: candles, soaps, rosaries, leather items, ceramics, calligraphy and sewing.

 

Sisters of Mercy  contact Carol Mocha 708-297-4232; she (or her successor) resides at St. Xavier University 1-855-815-3054   Apostolate: Social Justice.

 

 

A cloistered religious sister lives in a private area in a monastery or convent apart from the world, without contact with the public.  This enables them to live the contemplative life deeply.  It is a hidden vocation whose focus is a deep, personal, loving relationship with the Risen Lord in heaven, to whom they are wedded during the liturgy of their solemn profession.  A member of a cloistered religious order is called a nun. Visit the Institute of Religious Life’s website www.CloisteredLife.com for more information on this profound vocation.  A few examples of cloistered orders in alphabetical order:

 

Carmel of St. Joseph (Discalced Carmelite nuns)  www.StLouisCarmel.com

 

Discalced Carmelites of Des Plaines  www.CloisteredLife.com

 

Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey  www.MississippiAbbey.org

 

Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration  Our Lady of SolitudeMonastery  www.DesertNuns.com 

 

 

1.   Begin the discernment process with an open mind. Be open to all the possibilities available to you.  Do your best to eliminate prejudices against any particular one. Holy  Scripture reveals that God is transcendent with respect to us human beings: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways – oracle of the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thoughts higher than your thoughts” (Is 55:8-9). Human prejudices can be obstacles to God’s will.

 

2.  Pray throughout the process.  Begin by following the example of Samuel, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening” (1 Sam 3:2-10).  This is best done while in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in Eucharistic Adoration.

 

3.  Bring the process to spiritual direction.  Religious orders require a candidate to be in spiritual direction while they are discerning. Since the early centuries of Christianity, spiritual direction has been considered an essential component of the spiritual life, especially when discerning one’s vocation. Contact your parish priest or a local religious order to inquire about spiritual direction. Your diocese may also be able to help you find one.

 

2.  Get to know members of a religious order.  Ask them what it is like, what attracted them to that vocation and how they came to discern that was God’s will for them.  Talk with people from each of the two major categories of religious life (see descriptions above):

 

* nun or monk: cloistered life in a monastery or convent

* religious sister, brother or priest: apostolic life, i.e., they have a ministry in the   world such as serving at a parish, elementary school, high school, university,   homeless shelter, pantry, foreign or domestic missions, preach retreats or     administer a retreat center, work in media ministry, parish religious education,   Order of Christian Initiation of Adults or Children, adult catechesis, hospital or   military chaplaincy, research and publishing etc.

 

3.  Experience a “look and see”/“look and be”.  That means live the cloistered life for at least 2 weeks in a monastery or live and work with sisters who have an apostolate in the world.  Living their life and spirituality with them is an invaluable and essential discernment activity.  See the section immediately below: Discerning a Possible Call to the Religious Life: Visiting an Order of Religious Sisters

 

5.  The principal criterion for determining God’s will in your discernment process is: does this particular form of religious life (apostolic or cloistered) and this particular order and place (monastery or convent) bring me peace, joy and a feeling that I belong here.

 

6.  See Exhibit I But How Do You Know? 

 

 

With so many vocation options, it’s not easy to discern the best path to live out your Christian calling.  Vocation Match (a resource of the National Religious Vocation Conference) was designed to narrow your search. It’s easy and fun!  Check out the following online tool for finding the religious order that is best for you: www.VocationMatch.org

 

 

Some Questions for a Heart-Heart Conversation with Members of the Community Being Visited and (if applicable) Other Women on the Discernment Retreat You are Attending

 

Note: a one day or weekend retreat may not be sufficient to answer all the following questions; a longer period such as a week or two may be necessary.  Religious orders usually welcome a longer stay such as this for discernment purposes.  These times spent living the life of the religious community are sometimes called “Look and see”, “Look and be”, “Live in” or “Check us out”.  Make arrangements for this kind of stay with the order’s vocation director.

 

1.  What does the community’s spiritual life consist of?  Is it compatible with your spirituality?  For example, does it allow the amount of time for personal prayer and reflection that you need?  Will it nourish you spiritually and help you grow closer to the Lord?  Do you sense holiness and spiritual joy in the community?

 

2.  (for apostolic communities) What is the community’s apostolate?  Does it coincide with your gifts, talents and skill set and what you want to do for a ministry?  If not, is there flexibility so that you can do the work you feel gifted and called to do?

 

3.  Are you comfortable with those who will be in authority over you?  What is the degree of communication, consultation and collaboration in the community’s decision making?  Will your point of view be listened to, respected and taken into account?

 

4.  What is the community life like?  What is the schedule for rising, community prayer, meals, social and recreational time? How do members of the community rest, relax and keep a balance in life? What are the living quarters like?  Would you feel comfortable living there?  Do you like the community’s habit (special clothing of a religious sister)?

 

5.  No one can be happy without feeling loved.  How do the members of this community feel loved?

 

6.  Is there a member in the community with whom you can connect with at a deeper level, i.e, someone with whom you can share your deepest thoughts, dreams, hopes, questions, struggles, challenges, problems etc.; someone with whom you can have the type of conversation you might not be comfortable with in front of the larger group.

 

7.  How have members of the community experienced the joys of a life of consecrated virginity?  How do they deal with the sacrifices of that vocation, i.e., forgoing the experiences of romance/falling in love, marriage, sexual love, children and family life?  What is it about the consecrated life in general and this community in particular that make these sacrifices worth it?

 

8. What is the process for entering the community?  What is the formation program for solemn profession?  How does the community support those in formation?

 

9. In general, are you comfortable with the other sisters in the community in terms of their personality, sense of humor, friendliness etc.?

 

10.

 

11.

 

12.

 

 

Family

 

Have a heart to heart conversation with family and friends about your upcoming entry

into the religious order.

 

Communicate the positives, but don’t sugarcoat the challenges

Be honest and sincere, especially if they are having a hard time understanding or accepting your vocation

(for cloistered sisters) Tell them the importance of visiting and how they have to come to you for in person visits

Prepare for the fact that some of them may not accept your vocation or come to your formational events such as entry into the novitiate, temporary vows, solemn profession etc.

 

Spend as much quality time with your family and friends as you reasonably can

 

Talk to a sister from the community or other women who are discerning a vocation to the religious life about dealing with family difficulties concerning your vocation

 

Prayer

 

Prayer overcomes everything, even sadness others have over your vocation

 

Pray for your family’s acceptance, understanding and support

 

Pray for the grace of conviction to deal with what is less than the ideal, for example not having understanding and supportive people walk with you on your journey

 

Meditate more, go to daily Mass, pray the Divine Office, etc. Become accustomed to your prospective community’s daily life and prayer schedule.  Ascertain what does not come naturally to you or what you may struggle with

 

Other

 

Begin the process of disposing of your possessions – the sooner you start the better!

 

Leave the world of money behind unless you have to pay off a debt (which is an obstacle to entering the religious life)

 

Work on eliminating or drastically reducing social media as a part of your life

 

Read material or watch videos on the spirituality you will be living

 

Practice what you will say to others regarding your vocational decision; speak with your spiritual director and/or supportive people first if possible

 

Inform your parish priest and diocesan vocations director about your decision

 

Find a woman who is also getting ready to enter religious life, someone who can be a friend and companion to you at this time of transition in your life

 

Most importantly, don’t be lazy.  Make transitioning your job!

 

Take this time seriously; it will have many joys but also challenges & difficulties

 

Remember the first stirrings of your call, especially in times of hardship and doubt

 

Be prepared to deal with challenges; religious community life can have its difficulties; unfortunately it is possible that not everyone will like you and be kind and helpful to you

 

Don’t be overly concerned when you make mistakes at the beginning of your religious journey; you are human and that means going through learning curves as you embark on a new life!

 

You may have wounds. It would be good to heal from them before you begin life in your religious community. Talk to your spiritual director, a trusted priest, counselor or therapist about things from your past that need healing.  Address any anger or sadness you may have regarding the sacrifices of religious life such as not being able to physically marry and have children.

 

 

Novice Catherine Lamlech entered the Carmel of St. Joseph in Missouri as a cloistered Discalced Carmelite nun in August 2018 at the age of 23:

 

Catherine Lamlech, Young Catholics Respond episode

https://patchworkheart.podbean.com/e/young-catholics-respond-catherine-lamlech/

 

 

 

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where I will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore I will trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my uncertainty and doubts alone.” (Thomas Merton O.C.S.O.)

 

“Good night, my Beloved; I rejoice at being one day closer to eternity.” #679 (Quote taken from Diary of St. Maria Faustina Kowalska: Divine Mercy in my Soul  Marian Press, Stockbridge MA 01263 Mass Market Edition, Third edition with revisions (12th printing): 2015  

ISBN: 978-1-59614-110-0)

 

 

 

The Basics

 

How do you know if you have a vocation to consecrated religious life? How often this question is asked! We look at a few answers to it. We begin with the basics, considering a few discernment initiatives taking place for young people associated with the Little Sisters of the Poor. These initiatives include Lectio evenings, Encounters at our novitiate in Queens NY, the vocation discernment program in the Province of Chicago, outreach to college students across the country and live-in volunteer opportunities.

 

How do we discern our vocation? What must we do to learn God’s plan for our life? 

 

Prayer

The most important element in discernment is prayer. Yes, God is with us, but it is up tos us to be attentive to God’s presence.We are called to pray always. That means letting Jesus live in us and pray in us. Do everything you can to cultivate your intimacy with Him.

 

Sacraments and Eucharistic Adoration

The Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Penance, should be primary factors in our discernment. Do your best to go to daily Mass. Take time to be with Jesus present in the Blessed Sacrament. Receive the graces of the Sacrament of Reconciliation monthly. It is an encounter with the Divine Mercy that attunes us to God’s ways. 

 

The Word of God

The authentic revelation of God and God’s spiritual teachings are found in the Bible. Through it we come to know God’s will. For this reason reading, studying and meditating on Sacred Scripture holds a vital place in our daily spiritual life and especially in vocational discernment. 

 

Stay Close to Mary 

Develop a close relationship with Mary. She, more than anyone else, shows us what it means to respond to God’s call. The Rosary is a meditation on the mysteries of Christ as presented in the Bible. Through it we grow more familiar with the Lord Jesus’ way of thinking and living. This nurtures the contemplative attitude that is necessary to follow Him.

 

Signs

We naturally want confirmation that our decision to embrace a particular way of life is right. Signs are the usual way that God communicates to humans. Some typical “signs” are a deep peace that is experienced when we do God’s will. Also, encounters and experiences that point us to a particular vocation. Sometimes it’s through the people and circumstances that God has providentially placed in our life that we discover the vocation God is calling us to. 

 

 

Two Examples of using Lectio Divina in Discernment

Lectio Evenings have attracted discerners to Homes of the Little Sisters of the Poor across the country. Drawing from the two principle sources of light offered by the Church – the Eucharist and the Bible – many young women find divine guidance when they join the Little Sisters in praying the Scripture together before the Blessed Sacrament. 

 

The Vocation Discernment Program in the province of Chicago gathers young Catholic women who are exploring the possibility of a religious vocation. They participate in a retreat that provides an atmosphere of silence with Eucharistic Adoration and a guided experience of Lectio Divina, the contemplative reading of Holy Scripture. The retreatants are then offered the opportunity to “meet” regularly with a Little Sister in a mutually convenient way. The Little Sister accompanies her as she continues her discernment in the months that follow.

 

Encounters 

Encounters allow young women who are discerning to learn about the vocation of religious life while spending time with religious sisters and those who are in formation such as novices. One such encounter was the Epiphany Experience at Queens. Like the participants at World Youth Day in Cologne, the 15 young women who gathered in Queens for the Annual Epiphany Retreat added to the number of those enthusiastically seeking Christ. Pope Benedict XVI said at the World Youth Day Vigil: “The Magi from the East are just the first in a long procession of men and women who have constantly tried to gaze upon God’s star in their lives, going in search of the God who has drawn close to us and shows us the way.” These retreats can be especially “sacramental” – adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, celebration of the Eucharist, communal participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, conference on the “Sacrament” of Hospitality, and discovery of the mysterious, “sacramental” presence of Christ in their life. 

 

College Outreach

College outreach initiatives can bring you into contact with many wonderful campus organizations such as Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), Catholic Studies Club and Nun Runs where Gospel enthusiasm truly transforms the lives of the young!

 

Live-in Volunteering 

Live-In Volunteering can also be beneficial for young women discerning their vocation. This helps them familiarize themselves with the spirit of a religion order. The young women share in the life of prayer and the ministry of an apostolic religious order while growing in their understanding of the will of God for their lives.