As regular readers know, I’m considering joining a group of very groovy sisters. There are many things that lie before me on this road before that happens though. Getting out of debt. Continuing my discernment. Moving on to candidacy and then novitiate and then temporary vows. But first …. the application!
I’m looking at the list of what I have to gather to apply for candidacy. I’m having flashbacks to college applications but that was nothing! I guess it makes sense, but it seems they want to know everything about me from birth till now. My summer will apparently be filled gathering the following:
-Baptism & Confirmation Certificates (an e-mail to my home parish has this already in the mail!)
-Birth Certificate
-College transcripts
-Professional resume (I always have one ready so this is done)
-Medical History
-Dental & Vision exam reports
-Credit check (which we know won’t be rosy)
-Background check
-12 page Application Form with "little" questions like what are my reasons for wanting to be a woman religious and what kind of ministry am I called to.
-4-10 page Autobiography detailing the significant people and events in my life
-Names and addresses of 6 references: spiritual director, pastor, employer!, coworker!, friend and other. They’ll be contacted and asked questions about me.
I also need to schedule a physical and psychological assessment.
Whew! Guess this would winnow out those who weren’t so serious. I understand the reasoning behind it all and will happily start gathering the documentation. But now I understand why they say it can take up to four months.
4 comments:
Whew... sounds intense! It's good to be thorough these days... even for nuns...
Y'know, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have to fill out applications like that for other vocations: say, marriage? parenthood?
:-D
Good luck!
I'm a bit earlier in the discernment process, and have not appied to a community yet. Still working on my short list of whom to visit. But wow! The idea of a credit history as part of the process make me uneasy. Why is this required, when chosing a life of poverty? Can't we just put all financial hsitroy behind us??? Good luck!
Thanks for the comment! I think it all depends on the particular community. But with the groovy sisters, my past credit problems don't seem like they'll be an obstacle, once I get my debt paid off. But they want to know about it. For example, I could have lots of credit card debt because I have a shopping addiction or am unable to live within my means. That would be a trouble sign and would indicate I might not be able to live a life of poverty. Of course in my situation it's more that I bought thousands of dollars of plane tickets when my mom was sick.
At times it seems like a lot of information they want - pretty much everything about me from birth till now. But if I were to get married, wouldn't I want to know all about my spouse? I'm looking at making a life committment, but so are they. To me. It's good to be careful I think.
Keep me posted on your discernment process! I love knowing there are others out there. I have a suspicion that there's a mini-vocation boom in our future!!!!
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