This past year has brought a number of surprises my way. I have been discerning a religious vocation for several years, on and off, but only in this last year did I take it to a higher level. To make a long story very short, I knew that yes, this may actually be my calling, and I needed to go and visit the communities that I felt most drawn to. This gave me the opportunity to come to know some of the individual sisters, as well as see and live their daily life.
God granted me the great blessing of guiding me to four very different, very wonderful orders of religious women. Each are strong in their love of the authentic Catholic faith, for the Eucharist, the Blessed Mother, the Magisterium. Each wear the full habit distinctive of their order and live in community. Each is growing, with young girls continuing to join them, and each sister embraces the call to live as a bride of Christ, serving Him through the apostolate of the order to which she is called.
In the wording of their website, these sisters work "To enlighten minds and inspire hearts with knowledge and love of the Truth, especially the Person of Christ, the Source of all Truth" by following an active apostolate, out among the people, teaching in schools.
Click here to watch part of a documentary that was made about them.
It is fantastic, and everyone needs to see it!
I then visited the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles,
near Kansas City.
These sisters are entirely different, in that they are a contemplative order, who dedicate themselves to prayer. This particular order prays especially for priests, as Our Lady prayed for the Apostles, the first priests, after the Ascension. They also offer priests a place to come for retreats, and sew beautiful vestments and alter linens for use in the holy Mass.
The next order I visited was the Sister Servants of the Eternal Word,
in Birmingham, AL
These sisters live a mainly contemplative and prayer-filled life, but run a wonderful retreat house (the retreats are mostly given by visiting priests). They are very unique in that they blend Franciscan with Dominican life, and a contemplative life with an active apostolate. You have to see it to believe how beautifully it works :)
The last sisters I visited were the Dominican Sisters of the Monastery of St. Jude,
near Birmingham, AL.
Like the Benedictine sisters, these Dominicans are also contemplative, dedicating themselves to prayer on behalf of the world and to console the wounded heart of Jesus. Moreover, they are cloistered, living apart from the world so as to keep their hearts and minds free of the distractions of the world. Being Dominican, study is of great importance to them, and they also keep perpetual adoration and a perpetual rosary throughout the day.
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I am so grateful for having the opportunity to visit these communities. The experience of being with the sisters and living that life, and most of all getting to know so many of the sisters themselves was unforgettable. I especially came to know the vocation directresses, who helped me to learn about the communities and to carefully discern what God is asking of me. I am so grateful for the advice, encouragement and prayers of every one of the sisters.
Women entering religious life follow a personal calling from the Lord God Himself, and in doing so find a joy and peace indescribable. It is a life all for Jesus, a life of love.
Please pray for me, and for all who are discerning religious life!
May it please the supreme and divine Goodness to give us all abundant grace
ever to know His most holy will and perfectly to fulfill it.
~ St. Ignatius of Loyola
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