Discernment

Discerning your vocation can be an intimidating task, but it should not be a frightening one - it should really be exciting, because to discern your vocation is part of the great journey of uncovering the mystery of God's will in your life. And it is a journey well worth the effort! As St. Augustine said, “to fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek him the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement.” 

The journey of discovering your call is not always easy, but it is joyful, because to find and follow God’s call is nothing other than to learn the particular way that God wants to love you. It is God’s desire to romance every human heart, and discerning your vocation is a matter of sifting out how He is asking you to let Him love you.

Before we can understand what God is asking of us, we must learn to speak His language, and that language is prayer. It is a part of every vocation to love God more every day, regardless of whether or not we are called to religious life, so it is essential to develop an intimate relationship with the Lord in prayer. It is in the silence of prayer that God reveals His love for us, that He consoles us in our confusion, and that He shows us who we are in Him.

It is also through prayer that the true desires of our hearts are revealed.  A wonderful way to pray while discerning is to ask the Lord to reveal to you your heart's deepest desires. Prayer keeps us focused on Christ, the one who calls, and this sacred time with Him disposes us to answer His call. 

From a generous life of prayer ordinarily comes a desire to share the love of God received in prayer. Service is a normal part of any Christian life, so you should seek to find formal and informal ways to serve the people in your life. A life of prayer should never tend towards being self-focused or self-serving, but rather should always result in self-donation. Additionally, one of the best indications of growth in the spiritual life is the evidence of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. Ask yourself, “Am I growing in patience, gentleness, self-control, peace? Am I joyful, loving, and forbearing with those whom I live with? Is my life characterized by goodness and faithfulness?” Such questioning is always challenging, but should be marked by a sense of the Lord’s presence and love.

A great help in the life of prayer and service is a spiritual director. Such a person can help to “read the signs” that God gives you in your life and to know how to respond fittingly. Also, as you grow in self-knowledge and awareness, you will probably realize that there are areas in your life in need of conversion or of healing. Take these promptings of the Holy Spirit and the advice of trusted priests or advisors seriously – we are only able to give ourselves freely to God and the world in any vocation if first we reach a certain level of wholeness. While it is part of the human condition to be broken and needy, community life demands a healthy emotional and psychological makeup and resilience. It is crucial to take the time and energy necessary to seek out appropriate avenues for healing in order to be ready to give ourselves wholly to God.

Here are some online resources to assist with personal healing:

• Unbound
• Catholic Therapists - Find a Catholic Therapist Near You
• Healing the Whole Person Events and Resources - Bob Schuchts and the JPII Healing Center

God only desires to love you and to teach you how best to share in His life. Do not fear the Lord! He longs for your true happiness and has more in store for you than you could ever ask or imagine. If Christ is calling you to be His alone, to follow Him in poverty, chastity, and obedience, you will uncover in your heart a corresponding desire to be united with Him in the special bond of religious consecration. So cast out into the deep! You will find that what seems like a stormy sea is nothing but the abyss of God’s merciful love.

Recommended Websites:

• Council of Major Superiors for Women Religious (CMSWR)  - The CMSWR is composed of the major superiors and vicars of about 120 communities of women religious (approximately 6,000 sisters) in the United States. The Council was founded on June 13, 1992 in response to the Second Vatican Council’s call for the renewal of religious life. This website provides links to those communities. There is a good search function in the site which allows you to, for example, search for “Carmelite” or “charismatic” communities.
  • The CMSWR produces a Vocations Directory of their member orders every two years which is available online through their website. You can also request a complimentary hard copy through their website.
• The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Vocations Page
• Laboure Society - This organization can assist with educational loan debt that may be preventing someone from entering religious life.
• Institute on Religious Life (IRL) - The IRL promotes and supports the growth, development, and renewal of consecrated life and you can use their search function to get information on different orders.
• Bishop Robert Barron’s Podcast on Discernment
• Catholic Podcasts - Podcasts dedicated to those on the discerning journey.

Recommended Reading:

• Sacred Scripture
  
• Church Documents
  • Catechism of the Catholic Church (especially #871-945 on vocations and religious life)
  • Vita Consecrata: On the Consecrated Life and its Mission in the Church and in the World by St. John Paul II 
  • Perfectae Caritatis - A Decree of the Second Vatican Council on the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life
  • Lumen Gentium - Dogmatic Consitution on the Church, Chapter VI on Religious Life
  • Essential Elements in the Church’s Teaching on Religious Life by The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
  • On the Dignity and Vocation of Women by St. John Paul II
  • Fraternal Life in Community - Document of the Congregation for Consecrated Life
  • Rejoice! Letter for the Year of Consecrated Life - A Message from the Teachings of Pope Francis to Consecrated Men and Women
• Books and Articles to Aid Your Discernment
  
  • How do I discern my vocation? - Article by Fr. Mike Schmitz
  • Discerning Religious Life by Sr. Clare Matthiass, CFR
  • And Mary’s ‘Yes’ Continues by the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist
  • Discerning the Will of God by Fr. Timothy M Gallagher, O.M.V.
  • What Does God Want by Fr. Michael Scanlan, T.O.R.
  • Discerning Your Vocation by the Community of the Beatitudes (preface by Fr. Jacques Philippe)
  • Discernment Do’s and Don’ts by Fr. George Elliott
  • Authenticity: A Biblical Theology of Discernment by Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M.
  • Sober Intoxication of the Spirit by Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa
• Books on Vocation and the Consecrated Life
  • The Meaning of Vocation: In the Words of Pope John Paul II
  • The Foundations of Religious Life: Revisiting the Vision by The Council of Major Superiors for Women Religious
  • And You are Christ’s: The Charism of Virginity and the Celibate Life by Fr. Thomas Dubay, S.M.
  • "Sponsa Verbi" by Blessed Columba Marmion, OSB

Recommended Videos:

 “For Love Alone” was launched in 2015 by the CMSWR. The DVD is available on iTunes and Amazon.com.

You can also find more videos here.