New Year, New Focus!

So for a blog on discerning Religious Life I realise I haven't posted much on that specifically...

I'd like to blame COVID19 for putting a pin in some of my plans! I was hoping to visit the Missionaries of Gods Love and the Sisters of Mercy in Sydney last year but that obviously hasn't been able to happen. 

Discerning is something you do at every moment in life though, and particularly over the past year, I've been discerning what media, movies, books etc. I want to fill my mind with - so that's what's been coming across in my blog posts. 

But 2021 is a new year! I've stepped back from one of my jobs, will be working at St Catherine's 20hrs a week, and have decided to spend the rest of my time focusing on things like my Vocational discernment.

And at Hearts Aflame 2021, I took another step forward in my discernment journey. 

Something that sits heavily on my heart is how isolated you can feel when you're considering Religious Life (RL from now on so I don't have to keep typing it out!). Sr Marie Gore, one of my spiritual directors, often mentions how when she left high school, it was  normal for a few young women to go and try out/enter RL. Now that is totally unheard of!

I want to make it more heard of. I want to help people who are considering RL know that they are not alone, that it is a legit option and they aren't weird for considering it! That was one of my reasons for creating this blog. 

But the biggest thing holding me back from being more open about RL was that my siblings didn't know yet. I didn't want them to hear through the grapevine. I wanted them to find out from me first. So I really prayed about it, and back in July last year, I finally told them (had meant to write about it then but oh well, better late than never!). 

  • My Parents - knew since day one back at Jesus 4 Real camp 2018
  • Anna - knew since our road trip home from Hearts Aflame last year
  • Anton - told him at the breakfast table and he wasn't surprised as Veronica had already told him 😂 
  • Michael - late one night, his response of 'How do you know?' (see blog post with that title) lead into a deep conversation!
  • Veronica - in the car on the way to my flat. "That's cool! I'd have a sister who's a nun!"
  • Maria - after watching The Sound of Music (cause what better time to talk about becoming a nun), had already overheard mum talking about it
  •  Richard & Gerard - 7am one morning, cuddling on the couch. "We could visit Australia and ride roller coasters and listen to for KING & COUNTRY live and see bears!!"
So as of mid 2020 I've now officially told everyone in my family. I was pretty nervous about it all, particularly telling my younger brothers as I wasn't sure how they'd handle it - it was hard enough for them when I went to Christchurch for two years! Maybe they don't fully understand the reality of this all yet - but we'll just take it one day at a time. It was such a blessing and a relief once this was done, and God made sure it was a very beautiful and gentle experience. I am blessed to have the support of not just my parents, but my whole family!

Btw this is my family!! Yes there are 10 of us, and I'm the eldest of 8. I don't think I've shared much about them before now which is shocking! They are a big part of my life 😍

Back Row: Michael, Anton, Dad (Simon)
Middle Row: Anna, Richard, Mum (Mary), Maria, Me (Teresa), Veronica
Front: Gerard

Anyhow, so at Hearts Aflame this year, I took another step forward in my discernment journey. Now I had told my family, I was much more comfortable telling others! My openness about my discernment of RL lead to many beautiful conversations that may not have happened otherwise. My friends at Hearts were able to direct others to me who they heard were discerning, and I was privileged to chat with them about it all. 

Participating in something like Hearts Aflame is such an amazing opportunity to have discussions like this and to be supported in your discernment, surrounded by like-minded people. But I started thinking about what would happen after those 10 days. We'd all go back into the woodwork and journey (mostly) alone again. I wanted to keep these convos going! 

So me and God started brainstorming. I at first decided on a monthly discussion group for young people in Wellington who are discerning (something I've been thinking about for a while!) but as I chatted with people outside of Welly who were also discerning, God was like 'go big or go home.' Sr Monica also told me it was selfish to not include the rest of NZ 😂

So...during the final session at Hearts Aflame I promoted a new FB group for all those considering RL, or just wanting to be a part of the conversation. What exactly that will look like is still being formed, but there are about 12 of us keen to get it up and running! 

I'm very excited about this development, and as I'm only working 20hrs a week this year, God is really paving the way for me to give more of my time and attention to developing things like this!

Watch this space!


  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Vocation Vacation 🚌

Image
For a few months now I've been sitting with a dream, a deep desire I have for the year ahead. And after much prayer & discernment, I'm finally at the point where I can share it with the world! Before I share though...I wrote this back in September as I sat watching the sunset, really wrestling with my big dream: How to articulate my heart's desire?  It's like trying to photograph the sunset Nothing could ever do it justice. I know the thing that sets my soul on fire That lets me soar carefree like a bird Yet why am I so afraid to choose it? If I trust in the Painter of the sunsets,  The Planter of my desires, Giver of good things, Why do I fear? What do I fear? I fear the greatness my yes gives way to. I fear letting go of what I thought would be. I fear the uncertainty I'd be stepping into. What if I'm wrong? What if this isn't my heart's desire? What if I miss what I'm truly made for because I've looked away? Oh, but what if I followed what...
Read more

The Thorn in My Flesh

Image
 In a recent reading of the day, St Paul writes (2 Corinthians 12):   “…a thorn in the flesh was given to me, an angel of Satan, to beat me, to keep me from being too elated.”  I’ve been getting very caught up with a ‘thorn in my flesh’ lately. While the above image is a little uncomfortable, it illustrates this point well!  St Paul boasts of his weaknesses, so here’s one of mine:  I am a perfectionist. I like to have everything worked out well in advance, and achieved to the very best possible standard. I like knowing what’s coming up and how I can prepare for it so I can remain in control.   That’s a bit of an issue when you have a God who isn’t a fan of comfort zones and likes chucking us in the deep end! I know He'd never give us more than we can handle, and being challenged simply makes us rely on him even more, which I’m grateful for. I would definitely not be the person I am today without the Lords promptings to do crazy new things! But whe...
Read more

The Battle

Image
Why is it that being on the brink of greatness is such an invitation for sudden darkness? Why is it that excitement for the future seems to steal the joy in the now? How is it that I am meant to stay grounded while dreams are set in motion? How do I make the most of now when it's so empty compared to what I know will be? When is it that I will step off this precipice and soar into new beginnings? When will the pinprick light win out against the shadows of doubt and fear? What is it that compels me to still hope when worldliness overwhelms me? Or rather Who is it? But Love Himself who meets me right here.  (Poem from my prayer journal, 24th October) Have you ever made a decision which you know will lead to great things, and then all of sudden it seems like the whole universe is conspiring against you? That's been the past couple of weeks for me since I announced my plans for next year! Never have I experienced such stress, exhaustion and anxiety. Not even about the future - but ...
Read more