St. Jane de Chantal, whose Feast is August 12th, was a spiritual Mother and guide par excellence. In her Answers, St. Jane shares traits and characteristics both discerner and guide should look for as a candidate considers religious life, especially as a Visitation Nun.
The assumption is that a candidate has a great desire, not only for religious life, but for growing interiorly as a spiritual person, in virtue.
Both discerner and guide need to evaluate this desire.
St Jane says: “ How may we know this great desire..?
Doubtless, not by their talking such language, but by their showing a desire and a determination to live in perfect obedience: this is what may be required of them, with a good vocation, of which strict inquiry must be made of them, and of how they have profited by it, from the time when they received it from God; as, if they have been more given to frequent the Sacraments and read good books, if they have withdrawn their affections from the world; if they have become more gentle in their conversation, more obedient, by which their dispositions may be seen.”
As a common expression goes, a candidate needs to walk the talk. And the walking is according to obedience, not a virtue often treasured in the secular world, so as a discerner considers religious life, this difficult but necessary evangelical counsel must be considered and sought with determined focus.
Don’t be surprised by the questions a vocation director or formator may ask- do you attend weekly or daily Mass, what books do you read, how are you changing as you grow closer to Christ; what aspects of secular society have you already renounced?
Face yourself honestly and within your heart, ask yourself these questions before they are asked of you, and answer them truthfully.
Each is a path leading to your discernment of a religious vocation.