A Call to This Life

• Age 18 – 35

• A high school education

• Normal good mental and physical health

• Emotional and psychological stability

• Maturity proportionate to one’s age

• A teachable heart and readiness to learn

• A wholehearted desire to follow the poor Christ unreservedly according to the radical demands of the Gospel

• A generous spirit of sacrifice and a willingness to leave all to respond to God’s call

We do not require a dowry.

Upon entrance to the monastery women begin a process of initial formation into our Franciscan enclosed contemplative life that lasts between 9 to 12 years.  During this time, new members are led personally through the stages of aspirancy, postulancy, novitiate and juniorate.  Attention is given to the formation of the whole human person in accordance with the requirements of the Church and of the Order.  “Formation is both a continuous examination of the capacity to lead our life faithfully and forever, and a sustained effort to strengthen personal dedication to that life.” (Constitutions)

Aspirancy

The candidacy is a period of pre-postulancy that can vary according to individuals and circumstances. It serves as an introduction to our particular way of life and as a time to distance oneself from so much that is familiar and taken for granted. A willingness to learn and a spirit of openness will stand candidates in good stead.

Postulancy

The next formal stage in the monastic culture is the postulancy. This is “the period of monastic orientation during which ‘the tenor of our life is thoroughly explained,’ and the postulant is ‘lovingly guided to adjust positively and intelligently to all that is essential and conducive to a profoundly contemplative life’ while seeking to discern whether or not she is truly called to a wholehearted commitment to God’s service in our community.”

Novitiate

Membership in the monastic family begins at the reception of the postulant. In this ceremony she is clothed in the habit of our Order and given her religious name, thus becoming a novice. During the novitiate, “the novice strives to intensify her personal fidelity to Christ, to deepen her understanding of our form of Gospel living, and to grow in maturity of judgment and all aspects of womanliness. The Novice should gradually learn detachment from everything not connected with the Kingdom of God, the practice of obedience, poverty, prayer, habitual union with God in availability to the Holy Spirit, and charity.” (Constitutions)

Juniorate

“When the novitiate is completed, those novices who give positive signs of a divine vocation and are judged suitable” are admitted to first profession of vows. This is the final stage of initial formation, normally lasting 5 - 8 years, “which prepares the young religious for solemn or perpetual profession” in our Order.

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A Poor Clare Nun answers your vocation questions

Question:  How do know if you are called to an active Order or a contemplative Order?  If someone is talkative and extroverted are they probably called to an active Order, whereas quiet introverts are called to the contemplative life?

Answer:  Many people ask this question and from the personalities we have here in our cloistered community, we can definitely answer that God calls all types of personalities and temperaments to the contemplative communities!  The best way to know your vocation is by much prayer and listening to the desires of your heart – not just your wants, but listening to what really sets your heart on fire.  Then it is helpful to contact a few different types of communities and see about scheduling a discernment visit.  Most often, God’s invitation can be heard during these visits. He often gives a great sense of peace, joy and a feeling of being at home. On my first visit to the monastery, I knew this is the place where the deepest desires of my heart would be fulfilled.

Question:  How do you not get bored doing the same thing every day?

Answer:  Actually, most people would be surprised to learn that boredom is not a problem here!   You could compare it to a new mother who is taking care of her baby.  She does many of the same things every day such as changing diapers and feeding her baby, but she is never bored!  She loves her baby so much that she is thinking about her baby, not about the fact that she did these same things yesterday and the day before.  She is just so happy and grateful to be able to do these things for her baby that she loves.  It is much the same for us.  While we may have the same general schedule each day, we are doing it for love of Jesus, our Spouse, and for the good of our spiritual children.  Our hearts and minds are on Him and on praying for all God’s children.  We are happy and grateful to be able to do so!  And there is never a dull moment around here; God always seems to surprise us with new adventures even within the cloister and within our daily schedule.

Question:  Do you like being a nun or do you love being a nun?

Answer:  I can only say that “love” does not even seem like a big enough word to describe how much I love my life: belonging totally to God, Who is love.  Yes!  I love being a nun, but even more than that.  I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world.  There is nothing else I would rather do or be!

Question:  What is some helpful advice you received when you were discerning your vocation?

Answer:  The first time I visited a convent, a Sister told me, “God will turn your heart to want what He wants.”  I found this to be true.  When I started to attend daily Mass and Eucharistic adoration, I was able to listen to God’s quiet voice whispering to my heart and revealing His amazing plan for my life.  God did turn my heart to want to belong to Him alone.  So when I visited the place where God was calling me, as I was praying, I said, “Lord, I want this more than anything else.”  I knew He had turned my heart to His will because initially my idea of religious life was that it was a life of constant unbearable sacrifices.  However, He turned my heart to see religious life as the only desire of my heart, where I would belong to the One Whom my heart loves.  When the heart loves, it is willing to sacrifice many things for the Beloved.  The sacrifices required seemed so small compared to the joy of belonging totally to Love!

Question:  If I want to get married and have kids, does that mean I am not called to religious life?

Answer:  That is a great question that many young women ask.  The desire to be a wife and mother does not mean that you do not have a religious vocation.  It means that you are a normal, healthy woman!  This is a holy desire given to us by God.  Sometimes God elevates this desire to the supernatural level and calls a woman to be a spouse, not of an earthly husband, but to be the spouse of Jesus Christ.  It is to Him that we give our whole life, our whole self and all our love.  It is saying “yes” to the most tender, loving, generous, beautiful Spouse!  The desire for children is also fulfilled in a very real way through spiritual motherhood – giving birth to souls by our prayers, love and sacrifices.  Religious women discover that their desire for marriage and children are fulfilled in religious life, just in a very different way.

Question:  What was your family’s reaction to your decision to join the monastery?

Answer:  Like most families, they found it difficult at first, but as time went on and they saw how happy and fulfilled I am here, they came to not only support my vocation, but to love it as well.  It has been beautiful to see how their faith has grown as a result of my vocation.  I have also seen how God takes them to His Heart in a special way and takes care of them in so many wonderful ways.  What surprised me is that despite the limited contact I have with my family, I am so much closer with them now than I was before I entered the monastery.  I think this is because we pray so much for each other and our relationships have grown more into supernatural relationships, which are so much deeper than when we are just physically present to each other.  It is also because when they visit, we spend our time talking about the things that really matter without so many distractions of phones, T.Vs, and so forth.  We cherish our time together more now than we ever did before.

Question:  Do you ever feel limited in what you are able to do in the cloister?

Answer:  I have found that I can actually touch many more people than I would be able to if I had a more “active” apostolate.  For example, a religious Sister who is a nurse in a hospital may take care of 5-7 sick patients in a given day.  But here, the whole world is our apostolate.  God truly expands our hearts to embrace every person, especially those who suffer. We are not only praying for the physically sick, but the emotionally and mentally ill, those living in poverty or sin, the unemployed, the lonely, families with difficulties, victims of all kinds and all the other needs of humanity.   At a time when my family was suffering, this question came up in my heart and something I read helped me very much and confirmed what I already knew.  The book I was reading said that we can do more for people by praying for them because prayer can work miracles and we cannot.  In the end, God taught me through many answered prayers that He was doing more for them than I ever could if I were physically there with them.

Question:  What do you like most about being a nun?

Answer:  I love many things about my life and my vocation!  I love being the Spouse of the most loving, tender, generous One than I could ever ask for or imagine!  He knows me better than I know myself and shows His love to me in so many touching ways.  I love knowing that I am doing all I can to get as many people to heaven.  I love living this vocation with 24 other women who share the same spirit and ideals that I do and are committed to helping me become as holy as I can.  Their love and example teach and inspire me to give God my all.

• Daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, Frequent Confession — Fall in love with Jesus!

• Daily Prayer & Praying with Scripture — Spread time with the One you love!

• Cultivating a life of silence and simplicity

• Schedule a visit to religious communities that you are drawn to

• Sr. Clare Matthiass’ Book: Discerning Religious Life

  • Give 6 months to focusing on praying about your vocation, giving extra time to prayer, freedom from dating relationships, visiting some communties

  • See how God speaks to your heart in prayer and when visiting the communities.

• See where God is opening doors

• Listen to the desires of your heart — is a desire for this growing?

• Notice what scripture passages speak deeply to your heart.

• Reflect on the moments where God entered your life very deeply, when you felt most alive, joyful, love.d What was in your heart at those times? What type of a life do those moments point to?

• Look at what He places in your path. It’s not a big mystery to solve, but a loving invitation He is putting before you. Open your heart to hear His silent voice and you will discover His plan of love for your life!

• For further reading:

  • About vocation discernment: Discerning Religious Life by Sr. Clare Matthiass, CFR

  • About the contemplative life: My Beloved: The Story of a Carmelite Nun by Mother Catherine Thomas

  • About the Poor Clare life: A Right to be Merry by Mother Mary Francis, PCC; The Spiritual Legacy of Sr. Mary of the Trinity ed By Fr. Silvere Van Den Broek, OFM

  • About St. Clare of Assisi: St. Clare of Assisi: Light from the Cloister by Bret Thomas, OFS

1. Recall God’s presence and ask the Holy Spirit to be with you.

2. Read the Scripture passage slowly and thoughtfully 2-3 times. Start with the Gospels or suggest passages below.

3. Ponder what the passage means. Ponder what it means for you.

4. Open your heart in prayer. Ask the Lord what He is speaking to you through this passage. Notice what moves in your heart. What are your desires? What sets your heart on fire? What attracts your heart? Speak to the Lord about your desire, your love for Him.

5. Make any resolutions the Lord may be inviting you to.

6. Thank the Lord for graces received.

Helpful Scripture passages for meditation when discerning your vocation.
How does the Lord speak to your heart through these passages?

Samuel 3:1-10
Hosea 2:14, 19-20
Jeremiah 29:11-13
Song of Songs 2:10-14
Isaiah 61:10
Psalm 45
Psalm 63:1-8
Psalm 84
Acts of the Apostles 2:42-47
Acts of the Apostles 4:32-35
Romans 12:1-2
1 Corinthians 7:32-35
Ephesians 1:3-14
Philippians 3:8-11
Colossians 3:1-4
Revelation 3:20
Matthew 22:34-36
Matthew 15:24-25
Mark 10:17-21
Mark 10:24-30
Luke 10:38-42
Luke 1:26-38
John 15:9-17