June 28, 2005
Visit with the ASCJ's!
Ahhh what can I say about this weekend? A LOT actually! hehehe. I'll make a good update later but I had a great, peaceful and fun time! For those wondering what the heck is going on, I was on retreat with the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus this weekend. Basically, I fell in love. I was so resistant to it, but God is a God of surprise and boy did He pull a doozie on me! I didn't want to love them, I just wanted to cross them off the list so I could enter Nashville happily. I had on of those big revelation moments after confession and I realized that I was focusing on the "little things" like home visits and habit patterns and not on my heart. The priest who was doing confessions said a very wise thing to me. He said "you can't be a lawyer and add all these little contracts and requirements on to religious life. You just have to hand God a blank sheet of paper." It was just what I needed to hear just then! I had been so caught up in everything and that just made such sense. Now I'm no longer worried that my Mother Superior will send me to teach 3rd grade or something. I'll accept it because that's what one of my vows is; obedience.
I love the community because they are in the world, but not a part of it. They're a little more liberal about using technology than the Nashville Dominicans, but have all of the orthodoxy of prayer and love of the Church. For example, the Sisters are allowed to use email, but only a certain times, I think you can email friends once a month. Like I said, I didn't want to love them, also because they don't have as many young sisters as the Nashville Sisters. But I learned that that doesn't matter. God calls you where He needs and wants you.
Now I'm not saying that I'm definitely going to enter the Apostles, but they a really great. I'm going to look at a few more orders before I make a decision and I have to finish college (1 more year!).So pray for me, and I'll be praying for all of you!
I love the community because they are in the world, but not a part of it. They're a little more liberal about using technology than the Nashville Dominicans, but have all of the orthodoxy of prayer and love of the Church. For example, the Sisters are allowed to use email, but only a certain times, I think you can email friends once a month. Like I said, I didn't want to love them, also because they don't have as many young sisters as the Nashville Sisters. But I learned that that doesn't matter. God calls you where He needs and wants you.
Now I'm not saying that I'm definitely going to enter the Apostles, but they a really great. I'm going to look at a few more orders before I make a decision and I have to finish college (1 more year!).So pray for me, and I'll be praying for all of you!
June 14, 2005
Convent Visit!
+JMJ
Feastday of St. Albert Chmielowski
Well, on Sunday I had Vespers and dinner with the Apostles of the Sacred Heart and it was great! I was so nervous walking up to the convent, but it was a good nervous, I can't really describe it....anyway, Sr. Colleen met me at the door and showed me up to the convent. It's on the the 7th floor about the school they teach in. The convent was really nice; holy and peaceful. We talked in the living room for a bit and I got to meet all the Sisters. There are only four living at that convent because one got cancer a while back and had to leave. The Sisters were so down-to-earth and funny! Most of them are from St. Louis so they were really anxious about the Cardinals v. Yankees game. At one point they were like wonder what the score is? then Sr. Doretta got this mischievous look and Sr. Colleen said oh go ahead and turn it on! So we watched the final five minutes of the game (the Cardinals won).
Next was Vespers which was soooo nice! The last time I prayed the Office was in October with the Dominicans and my soul had missed it! The funny thing is that I kept losing my place in the book and Sr. Colleen had to help me. See, in Nashville with 150+ Sisters I could hide, but with four I couldn't! So embarrassing...
After Vespers was dinner which was quite yummy. Something I found interesting is they don't have silence at meals. I didn't hit me until later and then I was like oh okay then. Dinner was so funny, just telling crazy stories and their vocation stories. Sr. Colleen also has a sister in the order, ain't that crazy? At one point they stopped and said, we've been talking all this time, do you have any questions for us? It was a funny moment. Before leaving Sr. Colleen gave me vocation info and discernment stuff. We also talked about pre-postulancy, which is something new to their community. Basically, it's geared to each particular situation. You keep your bank account and things but you can live in the community and work in their schools. It's a time for deeper discernment with no commitment. So in the end I really liked them and I wanna go back....NOW. LOL
Feastday of St. Albert Chmielowski
Well, on Sunday I had Vespers and dinner with the Apostles of the Sacred Heart and it was great! I was so nervous walking up to the convent, but it was a good nervous, I can't really describe it....anyway, Sr. Colleen met me at the door and showed me up to the convent. It's on the the 7th floor about the school they teach in. The convent was really nice; holy and peaceful. We talked in the living room for a bit and I got to meet all the Sisters. There are only four living at that convent because one got cancer a while back and had to leave. The Sisters were so down-to-earth and funny! Most of them are from St. Louis so they were really anxious about the Cardinals v. Yankees game. At one point they were like wonder what the score is? then Sr. Doretta got this mischievous look and Sr. Colleen said oh go ahead and turn it on! So we watched the final five minutes of the game (the Cardinals won).
Next was Vespers which was soooo nice! The last time I prayed the Office was in October with the Dominicans and my soul had missed it! The funny thing is that I kept losing my place in the book and Sr. Colleen had to help me. See, in Nashville with 150+ Sisters I could hide, but with four I couldn't! So embarrassing...
After Vespers was dinner which was quite yummy. Something I found interesting is they don't have silence at meals. I didn't hit me until later and then I was like oh okay then. Dinner was so funny, just telling crazy stories and their vocation stories. Sr. Colleen also has a sister in the order, ain't that crazy? At one point they stopped and said, we've been talking all this time, do you have any questions for us? It was a funny moment. Before leaving Sr. Colleen gave me vocation info and discernment stuff. We also talked about pre-postulancy, which is something new to their community. Basically, it's geared to each particular situation. You keep your bank account and things but you can live in the community and work in their schools. It's a time for deeper discernment with no commitment. So in the end I really liked them and I wanna go back....NOW. LOL
Go check out their vocation site under the cool communities section of my links!
June 10, 2005
Life goes on.....
+JMJ
Feastday of Blessed Joachima
I just wanted to say a big thank you to all my friends for their support during this time. Things here have calmed down a bit, so that's nice. Mom and I are adjusting to being on our own, but it's strange. I've started summer classes (ugh!) but they're only until July 12th so maybe I'll survive :)
In other news, I'm going to visit the Apostles of the Sacred Heart on Sunday!!! I'm soo excited and I hope it all goes well. This is my first visit to a convent since Nashville in October and I hope I don't compare them in my head the whole time. It's just that I really fell in love with the Dominicans, but I wanna give the Apostles a fair chance. Back to the Dominicans (ha I just can't escape them!) They are celebrating their 200 anniversary for the province of St.Joseph aka the northeast. This morning five brothers have been ordained to the Holy Priesthood, pray for them! That's all for now, be good kids!
Feastday of Blessed Joachima
I just wanted to say a big thank you to all my friends for their support during this time. Things here have calmed down a bit, so that's nice. Mom and I are adjusting to being on our own, but it's strange. I've started summer classes (ugh!) but they're only until July 12th so maybe I'll survive :)
In other news, I'm going to visit the Apostles of the Sacred Heart on Sunday!!! I'm soo excited and I hope it all goes well. This is my first visit to a convent since Nashville in October and I hope I don't compare them in my head the whole time. It's just that I really fell in love with the Dominicans, but I wanna give the Apostles a fair chance. Back to the Dominicans (ha I just can't escape them!) They are celebrating their 200 anniversary for the province of St.Joseph aka the northeast. This morning five brothers have been ordained to the Holy Priesthood, pray for them! That's all for now, be good kids!
June 02, 2005
R.I.P.
+JMJ
I wanted to let everyone know that my father died on May 28th after a short battle with cancer. Mom was the last person to see him and she said that he was peaceful and seemingly not in pain. I will be forever grateful that I was able to come back early from study abroad and see him. God has given Mom and I enormous strength and I think we'll be okay.
Life and living definitely have new meaning for me because I know how quickly they can be taken away. I will try my best not to take people for granted and live for the moment. Finally, I am very pleased to say that Dad was accepting of my vocation before he died. It was a big step for him but he told me that I have to do what makes me happy. Having my fathers blessing makes me more confident to pursue my vocation, whatever/wherever that might be.
I wanted to let everyone know that my father died on May 28th after a short battle with cancer. Mom was the last person to see him and she said that he was peaceful and seemingly not in pain. I will be forever grateful that I was able to come back early from study abroad and see him. God has given Mom and I enormous strength and I think we'll be okay.
Life and living definitely have new meaning for me because I know how quickly they can be taken away. I will try my best not to take people for granted and live for the moment. Finally, I am very pleased to say that Dad was accepting of my vocation before he died. It was a big step for him but he told me that I have to do what makes me happy. Having my fathers blessing makes me more confident to pursue my vocation, whatever/wherever that might be.
