I feel alive with anything that has to do with God and the Faith. The zeal to live and share God’s love is something that won’t lie dormant within me. My closest friends tend to be those who are committed Catholics.
Yes, there is real value in women giving themselves completely to God. Celibacy is a good thing because it frees a person to devote herself completely to God. If a person chooses celibacy for the kingdom of God, she is giving up the good of marriage for a greater good.
No matter who I’m dating, the job I have, or the car I’m driving, the idea of religious life keeps popping back into my mind. When I see a religious sister, I think about what it would be like for me to become a sister. I think my talents and gifts could be used for the good of the Church.
Prayer and contemplation are the things that bring me a deep sense of joy. In addition to Sunday Mass, I sometimes attend daily Mass. The cloistered life of enclosure attracts me. It’s like staying in one place for God in the same way that He stays still in the tabernacle. I can see how the Salesian spirituality can be manifested in two ways as a Visitandine Sister – one as contemplative and the other with the 'mixed' life of contemplation and teaching in the school.
I’m somewhat fearful about a calling to religious life. But it’s exciting at the same time. Seeing a religious, I’ve sometimes thought, 'Maybe I could be good at that.' Sometimes I envision myself living as a sister, and spending time in prayer and fellowship with other sisters.
The vows of poverty, chastity and obedience might be difficult, but don’t seem out of the question for me. I can see how the thought of living with other religious could be an opportunity to develop deep, life-long friendships. Family, friends or co-workers have said, “You’d make a good religious.”
The essence of Salesian spirituality, found in the book by St. Francis, 'Introduction to the Devout Life,' sounds interesting. The Salesian monastic life, with its celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, chanting and reciting the Liturgy of the Hours, monastic solitude, silence with personal prayer, and the Holy Rosary seem appealing to me. A set schedule of prayer and activity, which includes rising early, and having fixed times for prayer, meditation, manual labor, meals, and so on, might take a while to get adjusted to, but seems agreeable to me.
When I pray about this idea, it brings a peace within me. I have been seeking the advice of a good spiritual director, or someone else, such as my parents. In prayer, God seems to speak to me in a positive way about religious life.
Say this Salesian Direction of Intentions prayer: “My God, I give you this day. I offer You, now all the good that I shall do and promise to accept, for love of You, all the difficulties that I shall meet. Help me to conduct myself this day in a manner pleasing to You.”
If you have 17 more statements checked, you may have a vocation as a Visitandine Sister. Contact the Visitation Sisters today. (Some of this questionnaire has been adapted from the website of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Concordia, KS.)
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