vocation plug

We interrupt this day of sorting through piles, purging and organizing the “stuff” of a soon to be groovy novice for a brief vocation plug. Hey, if Steph can have shameless plugs I can too!!!

First of all, to those of you who maybe just maybe have periodically been having those persistent thoughts that possibly some day you think you should at least consider the idea of religious life or the priesthood … my advice is this: the thoughts will keep creeping up, so you owe it to yourself to check it out. Talk with your pastor or local spiritual guru. Check out some communities online. Visit a few. Meet with their vocation directors – there’s no pressure, honest! Get to know real life people who are following their own call to religious life. You never know how the Spirit will move you. Maybe you’ll realize this isn’t for you. Or maybe, just maybe, you’ll realize this is where God is calling you and you’ll be crazy enough to say yes. I for one was completely surprised at how that first “YES” made me feel – more happy than I’d ever been before.

Second, this whole blog documents one woman’s discernment journey. But there are others documenting their journeys who are at various stages of discernment and formation … may I recommend you visit my bloggy friends Joy, Richard, Omis, Lauren, Natty, Steph, Joe, Seeking Something, Jonathan, Mark and others. The most wonderful thing in my opinion about the blogosphere is realizing that you are not alone … people do in fact still do this!

Third, I don’t have any cool weekend getaways to advertise like Steph, but you can peruse my very own groovy sisters’ vocation newsletter online. There are pictures of me, and a great description of the mysterious process of becoming a groovy sister which I will excerpt below. It will give you a good idea I think about the steps for exploring (and possibly joining) any religious community – realizing of course there are variations. (And for the record, weekend visits to groovy sister hq can be arranged!)

Peace Out (and back to my projects, or else the day will come to move on to Novitiate and I won't be ready!!)
Susan

What are the steps in joining the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace?
INQUIRY AND EXPLORATION: This is a time to pray, discern, ask questions, seek advice, explore a variety of communities, learn about qualifications. Through this process the inquirer is discerning if religious life is the best way for her to live out her life in a healthy, happy and holy way. She is also seeking to find a community where she feels ‘at home’ and where she identifies with the community’s charism and spirit.
PRE-CANDIDACY: When the inquirer wishes to make the initial step in the process of becoming a Sister of St. Joseph of Peace, she discusses her desire to become a Pre-Candidate with the Vocation Director and, with her encouragement, writes a letter to the Director of Initial Formation. The Pre-Candidate continues to live at her own residence and is self-supporting in the work of her choosing. The Vocation Director serves as her mentor and invites her to attend community events, retreat days, social activities and helps her become acquainted with the community and its members. After a period of six months to a year, the Pre-Candidate may apply to become a candidate. In preparation, the candidate fills out application forms and collects personal documents. Letters of recommendation, psychological assessment and medical/dental exams are also part of the application process.
CANDIDACY: When accepted to candidacy, the candidate lives in a CSJP community household with other Sisters. She continues to be self-supporting. As a candidate, a mentor assists her in the on-going discernment and introduction to religious life and community living. Candidacy usually lasts about one year. All personal debts need to be paid off by the end of candidacy. With the mutual discernment of the religious community and the candidate that the novitiate is the appropriate next step, the candidate becomes a novice.
NOVITIATE: The novitiate, a two year period of prayer, study and ministry formation, takes place in a setting with other novices of the Congregation and the Novice Director. The novice is no longer employed at her previous job and is supported by the Congregation. After mutual discernment and acceptance, the novice celebrates profession of first vows: poverty, celibacy and obedience.
TEMPORARY PROFESSION: The newly professed sister lives in community and begins a new ministry or continues her previous ministry. Perpetual profession of vows takes place three to six years after temporary profession.