Do not refuse the calling

Some time ago I received a letter from a tearful girl wishing to launch a heartfelt appeal…

Dear brother in Christ,

                                     I am writing to offer my experience which I hope can be of help to all those girls who feel the calling to a religious life. I am a 20 years old girl who, despite such a young age, has lived intensely and enjoyed every minute, with no regrets.

When I was only 12, I started almost by chance to attend a strict order which led me to love Christ and his Church immensely. Since I was a little girl, I have always thought that one day I would give myself to Christ […] and live in what I called my true home: a convent of my order. My parents never gave me permission to enter a convent and so I waited in trepidation to reach the age of 18. Then, while everybody was busy organising a party for my special birthday, I started in great secret to prepare my soul to donate myself to my beloved. A few months after my eighteenth birthday, I left home telling my parents that I was going on a retreat like no other, and that I would be back in a month or two. And so I started my journey under the guidance of holy sisters: loyal to the order and observant people who would donate their own lives to remain faithful to their creed. I felt such a joy inside that I thought nobody would ever be able to take it away from me. I was aware that I would meet some difficulties on the way but also aware that this equally happens to two people who are in love. Soon my parents realised that mine would have been a journey with no return and so, heartbroken, they came to see me and with tears in their eyes begged me to come home […] I went home but with the hope that I would be leaving again soon. And indeed, only after a few weeks, I left home again to get back to the same order but, this time, to its enclosed section. And I am talking about a strict and truly enclosed order: the nuns of the Poor Clares of the Immaculate Conception, whom you also mentioned in your blog. I have never felt such an immense joy in my whole life and I am sure I will never experience it ever again. Despite being behind the grille, I felt free, which may be difficult to believe, but that was the way I felt and for me it was the antechamber of Heaven. And even today, I would give anything to be able to go back there. I am writing with tears in my eyes and heartbroken to beg you not to spur anyone to abandon their path of consacration to Christ because by doing so, believe me, one dies for real. Currently I am engaged and live in a wealthy family. I am studying and I have everything one could wish for… yet, I am missing everything and I would give my own life to turn back time by a few years. But unfortunately this is not possible. I carry on living in the hope of being able to experience once again at least a little happiness. I beg you in the name of Christ and of the Virgin Mary to do anything to encourage and help those who are tempted to give up and leave. Please tell them that happiness lies only in the path which Christ has chosen for us.

Thank you for your blog.

Dearest sister in Christ,

                                      Thank you for your testimony which I believe will be helpful to all those people who are unsure about which way of life to choose.

But in your letter, I noticed some discouragement. Dearest, every Christian must have hope in God and so one will not be afraid of anything, and spiritual happiness must always harbour in one’s soul. So, cheer up! Even though your situation may appear jeopardised to you, you must hope against hope. Are you sure you are not able to embrace a religious life with the Poor Clares of the Immaculate Conception or in another religious order? And what if perhaps God wants you to be the new Zélie Guérin (mother of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux)? But anyway, you can not live the rest of your life in regret, entrust yourself to Mary, Mediatrix of all graces, and you will be able to see that there is a solution.

Should you wish to write to me again, I hope with all my heart to hear you in a cheerful mood and full of spiritual joy. I care very much for the eternal salvation of your soul, because Christ paid on the Cross a dear price for you. Be always confident in Jesus and in the Virgin Mary!

I encourage you to embrace God’s will and I greet you fraternally in Cordibus Jesu et Mariae,

Cordialiter

Letter of encouragement

A Polish girl wrote me a letter of encouragement ...

Dear Friend!

I have read your blog with joy - it is a great and beautiful work to encourage to follow Jesus. I have spent some time in different congregations and still have a beautifull memory of them. Unfortunately, my health does not permit me to be a sister. Every time I was in convent I was sick, and sickness was dissapearing when I came home. It was a difficult experience... my greatest dream was to become a cloistered dominican, but I am not worthy of this vocation... still, I look Jesus into His Heart and know He loves me... and I desire to answer that Love... With time, I have learned to accept my humble vocation in the world... but still I have contact with dominicans, they are a sign for me, a sign of brightness in the middle of incredulity so much present today... and I pray for holy vocations, hoping that in Heaven we will all meet in the Love of God, sisters and me... and the souls.

I wish I could return to the convent!

Your friend in Jesus,

(signed letter)

Dear sister in Christ,

                                  I'm glad you like the blog on the religious vocations. I'm italian, do you speak my language?

I really hope you can return to live in a convent, if this is the will of God.

Sincerely in Jesus and Mary,

Cordialiter

Can you help me?

Dear, questo blog riporta tradotti nella vostra lingua alcuni post del mio blog italiano sulla “Vocazione religiosa”. Se tra voi c'è qualcuno che comprende sufficientemente bene l'italiano ed è disposto a tradurre in inglese alcuni brevi post, è pregato di contattarmi all'indirizzo: cordialiter@gmail.com

Grazie per la collaborazione!

Confession

The enemy of human kind tries to keep souls away from Jesus Christ by instilling absurd fears in us such as an exaggerated worry of not being able to confess properly. Here is a passage from a letter I received from a girl:

One of my main problems is that I am not sure whether I do things in the right way: whether I confess correctly or whether I receive Communion the way I should or whether I pray well and so on… and this uncertainty makes me avoid taking Communion, praying and so forth. If I only knew that the Lord would be happy with my confession, even before starting, I would run and do it. Unfortunately, I halt in front of a God of Love, who is perhaps calling me to dedicate myself to Him but I am afraid of approaching Him. Pray for me, that the Lord will give me the courage to do what He is expecting of me!

Dear sister in Christ,

                                   We have been in touch by email for the past few months and I am glad that during this time you have kept following the path of spirituality and of vocational discernment. You must never give up and always progress on the path of Christian perfection. Do not worry excessively about the sins you have committed because the Lord is kind and willingly forgives us when we confess with sincere contrition. Nobody is worthy to become Jesus’s bride, because He is God and we are Eve’s children and therefore sinners. When the Lord grants the gift of vocation to someone, He doesn’t choose according to that person’s merits, it is just a gift of pure love. If you are to become a sister (and I do hope you do), it won’t be because of your merits, but only because this is what Jesus wants, because He is Good.

The devil does not want you to live according to Christianity and so he tries to keep you away from Jesus by making you sad and discouraged. When people are discouraged and demoralised, the devil finds it easy to keep them away from praying and from Communion. You must not fall into this trap!

You cannot live without Jesus anymore because, if your love for him is cold, you will experience much suffering in your heart. You must love Jesus even if the world is full of distractions and temptations; this is why I hope you will enter a monastery. There, it will be easy for you to live in Christian fervour and concentrate on loving Jesus with all your heart, without being distracted by the pointless earthly things.

You must try to live Christianity with joy and stay away from unnecessary fears. You must pray every day without being afraid of “praying wrongly”, the only important thing is not to let your mind wander during prayer. It would also be good if you start a dialogue with Jesus and Mary. Yes, you can talk to them frankly, telling them your problems, your sorrows and your wishes but, most of all, telling them that you love them and that you will love them for the rest of eternity. Saint Alphonsus wrote a very nice booklet explaining how to have a dialogue with God.

Do not be afraid of Confession; the important thing is to be truly sorry for the sins one has committed, and whilst it is sufficient to confess only the mortal sins, one can also mention the venial ones. To commit a mortal sin one must have followed this path: “this thing that I am going to do is a serious sin which will certainly offend God and I am fully aware of it and I accept that I am totally responsible for it”. If you are not aware of the seriousness of the sin or you are not fully aware of your actions or if it is something which happens against your will, then you can be certain that you haven’t committed a mortal sin.

If you are not absolutely sure that one of your actions is a mortal sin, you do not need to confess it. Absolution has the power to forgive all sins, even the ones you haven’t confessed because you were sure they weren’t mortal. Anyway, if your confessor is a good clergyman, you can talk to him and tell him your doubts and what is on your conscience and he will help you to understand whether what you have done has to be considered a mortal sin, a venial one or even simply a minor worry.

The devil does not want you to take Communion, because this is the way you become one with Christ: He becomes yours and you become His. When Jesus is inside you, you must talk of love to Him, tell Him that you love Him and that you will love Him more and more because He deserves so. You must tell Him that you are prepared to offer your life to Him, that you love only Him and that you wish that everyone would love Him and that He could reign in everybody’s heart. Tell Him that you wish for all souls to be saved and that they join Him in the sky, loving Him to eternity and tell Him that you would prefer to die than commit even one single conscious sin.

Your conscience is very delicate and so, if you are not sure whether you committed a mortal sin, you should assume that you have not. People with a delicate conscience like you, do indeed know when they commit a mortal sin, they are absolutely certain about it, with no doubts whatsoever.

After you have confessed your sins, you can keep receiving Communion until you are sure you haven’t committed any mortal sin. Theologians teach us that if you are in doubt whether you committed a mortal sin or not, you can still take Communion but you should recite beforehand an act of contrition. This is a prayer with which you ask God forgiveness for all your sins, not because you would deserve a punishment, but because you have offended Him who is infinitely good and worthy of our love beyond anything else. Taking Communion will keep away all your doubts and worries but, most importantly, will keep away the temptations of the devil who wants to prevent you from taking Communion and therefore keeping you away from Jesus Christ. Taking Communion will give you strength to resist temptations, will give you more fervour in praying and will make you more charitable towards God and your fellow man.

I hope I have been of some help to you but I am always available for any further clarification.

In Jesus and Mary,

Cordialiter

Communion in the hand

"Wherever I go in the whole world, the thing that makes me the saddest is watching people receive Communion in the hand".

(Mother Teresa at St. Agnes Church, New York in 1989)

Vocation priest

Dear Cordialiter,

                              [...] I often visit your interesting blog!

It does my soul good to know that there are so many witnesses of people (also young people) who do speak about spiritual things, while everything which surrounds us so superficial is. Thank you also for your answers which arrive directly to my heart.

Because your blog treats vocations and because I thing that wittiness’s of holy priests are necessary I would like to remember Father Angelo, since a year has passed from his death, happened 21st November 2010. He was always available for everybody, always ready to comfort those which were in suffering, with little words but with a huge charity. One glance, one word from him and difficulties seemed easier to overcome. Coherent in everything he taught and indicated: he was the first to practice what he said. Patience, discreetness, mildness and humility were his characteristics. He has totally lived the charisma of Don Bosco. Father Angelo has never spared himself and he knew how to involve and interest people. He was animated by a strong spirituality, by love to Our Lord Jesus, to Mary Help of Christians, to Don Bosco and to the Catholic Church.

Thank you for everything,

(signed letter)

Dear sister in Christ,

                                   I am happy to know that you continue to follow my blog. It’s a joy for me to know that there are other people who still interest themselves in spiritual arguments.

Don Bosco said that a Priest never alone goes to Paradise or hell: with him always go a lot of souls, or saved by his holy Ministry and his good example, or lost with his negligence in fulfilling his duties and with his bad example.

Therefore we have to pray the Lord that He sends us many and holy Priests who zeal for the goodness of the souls.

I greet you cordially in Corde Regis,

Cordialiter

Looking for the Happiness

Every human being wants to find her/his own happiness. However this good could be given only by God. A blog reader was overwhelmed by sadness, until she found the joy of life thanks to Jesus Eucharist.

Dear Cordialiter,

                            How are you? I have just come back from a wonderful experience. I had volunteered in a camp for kids organized by a parrish which was in great need of help. I must say that I really needed it. It was the greatest gift of the Lord. When I first arrived, I was sad and listless. I came back happy and willing to shout loud the love of our Lord with everybody. Many things happened. The Lord spoke to me in every possible way through the questions to the kids, through the various activities and games, through the people I met, through the Eucharistic adoration. I would have stayed for hours by contemplating my Beloved. The Lord made me meet a group of nuns who were always very welcoming and nice to me. They asked me if I never thought to dedicate my life to the Lord. A seminarian, who is just one year older than me, made me feel every day the embrace of our Father.

It was a wonderful experience. It was a camp of ongoing sharing among the other educators and it was the camp where my Beloved was with me every day and let me touch Him by hand. I still have a lot of fear to dedicate myself to Him, but I am happy now and I want to understand more in depth if I will become engaged to Him in order to become His bride. [...]

A hug, let's keep united to Christ and Mary,

(signed letter)

Dear sister in Christ,

                                  I am so happy you found the serenity of the Christian life. It is encouraging to know that the nuns noticed your potentiality for a religious life. I have understood from what you wrote that you feel very unconfortable in the secular world. I can't wait to know that you have abandoned this treacherous world to join an ardent and devout religious order, where you could live with the good Jesus for the rest of your life.

In Corde Matris,

Cordialiter

Soeurs de clôture

I thank Our Lord that He let me find nothing but bitterness in human affections. I should have been caught easily, and had my wings clipped...Our Lord knew that I was far too weak to face temptation; He knew that I would certainly have burnt myself in the bewildering light of earthly things, and so He did not let it shine in my eyes. Where stronger souls find joy but remain detached because they are faithful, I found only misery.

[Quoted in "The Hidden Face", Ida Gorres]

Blog in French Marie de Jésus Deluil-Martiny and Soeurs de clôture.

To sanctify my life to God

A young Italian woman wrote me a wonderful letter. She titled it: “To sanctify my life to God” and I would like you to read it in order to edify your spiritual life. Here is the translation:

Dear Brother,

                       this week I had wonderful news! In spiritual direction, my director has joyfully welcomed my insistence in wanting to consecrate my life to God. He had recommended me some “time for a proper discernment”. In these three months I have not missed a day of going to Mass and to pray fervently to understand what the Lord wants from me, so I could accomplish His will in the best way. It is now clear to me the awareness of having to be all His.

Jesus seduced me with his extraordinary beauty, and with the words that He gives me every day through Holy Mass, He has conquered in Communion, took possession of my heart and my soul. Day after day he is courting me in a thousand ways. Sometimes takes over my human frailty and my boundless misery. He tests my loyalty, but Satan tries in every way to sow doubt in me. It happens especially during the Eucharistic adoration, the moment you look forward, as a fiancée who wants to run and keep from falling in love with him. He tries to destroy me with the suspicion that they are my wishes, that I'm too stupid and weak to join and consecrate my life to Jesus. But the good Lord knows our hearts and our fragility and He doesn’t make us do more than we are capable of.

With His grace, I'll get, stronger than before and even more convinced. So I understand that the test is a great grace that God gives us, because, clenching his hand and through His strength, we come out stronger than before. I fall in love with Him every day. In the morning I feel as close as only a lover can be. He fills me with attention during the day. His tenderness comes over me whenever I think of him and say his sweet name. So, you might be wondering what this “good news” is. I told the spiritual director that I cannot stay long in the world, so called for the establishment of the new congregation, we were talking about. And he said that before the summer they will start to build the church in the center of [...] and the monastery will be built close by there. The Heavenly Mother will let him know how this congregation will be. I'm so happy not to stay longer in my skin; literally, at times my soul seems to soar toward the heavenly homeland. At the moment no one knows my vocation, but the director and the friend I was telling you about, she has also received the call to consecrated life.

My mother is going to suspect something, but I have not said a single word on the subject. A few mornings ago, she wondered what these "secrets" were that I have with Father A., given that for three months we talked more often. She asked me if I wanted to become a nun, and I suggested to her that she asks God. She is doing the same journey of faith I am, with the difference that she has always been close to God and thanks to her prayers, God attracted me to him. She also always wanted a son, a priest, so I expected a very different reaction. She said that I should not become a nun (when people say "become a nun or a monk," they say it contemptuously), that I must have a family, who are not apt to live “shut in” and that we can love God even in this way. I waited until she went away, to hide tears. I didn’t say a single word to her about the issue, but now I am concerned for that day when I will talk about this to my parents. My friends certainly will laugh in my face and turn their backs; my relatives won’t understand and will tease me. Perhaps Jesus wants it. I am a very sensitive person and I hate in having to feel pain at every little foolishness, but with Jesus I am ready to face all the foes. If He wants me as his spouse, no one in the world can oppose His will.

For me and this project of life, I ask you for lots of prayers. I will return it certainly.

Best wishes in Jesus and Mary

(Signed letter)

Roeping

New Dutch blog about religious vocation: Roeping.

For contacts, write to cordialiter@gmail.com

Vow to Mary

The Servants of the Lord and of the Virgin of Matarà profess the traditional vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience plus a forth vow of servitude to Mary, according to the spirituality of Saint Louis Marie Grignon de Monfort, the great apostle of the devotion to Mary. The vow to Mary means that the Servants do belong entirely to Mary Queen of the Sky, who will use the servants, by making herself present in their apostolate. The Servants make available all their talents to Mary's saving mission. The result of this practice is to make your life more close to the path of Mary's life.

The ultimate goal of our life is God, and it is easier to reach him by following the path and the prayers of the Virgin Mary. If you want to bring souls to God, you have to spread the devotion to Mary. She has participated fully in the redemption of the world. She is mediator between the grace of God and us. The vow to Mary is a vow to her love to all the human beings and those who profess that love will find fullfilment and joy by Her, who is a Mother.

Numerous Vocations to the Servidoras Order in the United States

In the United States, it is surprising to see how many vocations the Servidoras Order receives as a gift of God. There are currently 5 postulants and 13 novices. This is extraordinary!

Several American religious orders have not attracted any vocation for the past 40 years. How could it be possible for the Servidoras Order to get so many vocations? First of all, this is merite and gift of God, for He calls people to the religious life. Second, I think that those graces have been generated by the contemplative branch of the Order, the enclosed nuns. Third, the vocational success also depends upon the life style conducted by the active branch of the Order. A life style which is fervent, joyful, and apostolic. The nuns' good example is a powerful magnet drawing young girls in vocational discernment.

I hope that the "Servants of God and of the Virgin of Matara'" will continue to grow and to spread widely. The world is in great need of apostolic nuns working ardently to safe the souls for the greater glory of God.

xzx

Institute of the Incarnate Word

One of the blog's main purposes is to give the broadest possible publicity to the best religious orders. Among the male orders, I personally deem particularly well the Institute of the Incarnate Word, which was set up in 1984 by Fr. Carlos Miguel Buela.

I do appreciate very much the devotion whom the affiliates celebrate the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with. I do also highly esteem their faith to the Pontifical Ministry, their adherence to St.Thomas of Aquinas' doctrine, and the frequent use of cassock. I also like very much their missionary spirit, as they have sent missionaries in very difficult scenarios, i.e. Irak, Palestine, Egypt, Kazakstan, Albania and other countries where the priests' life is in constant danger. The Fathers of the Institute of the Incarnate Word are mainly employed in the apostolate of the parish activities.

Their apostolic zeal attracts many young men. The Institute gathers many new vocations and it is nowadays one of the few expanding religious institutes. I hope that the vocations will keep increasing, because the Catholic Church needs new priests and consacrated father endowed with a good ascetic and doctrinal preparation, with fraternal charity, and strenous dedication to the salvation of the redeemed by the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ.

Young men and boys interested in the Institute may contact the American community for a vocational experience. Their e-mail address is prov.immaculate.conception@ive.org

Servidoras

The Institute Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará (Servidoras), is a religious community founded on March 19, 1988 in Argentina. The Institute Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará and The Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE), make up the Religious Family of the Incarnate Word. The two religious Institutes share the same charism, have twin constitutions and both include active and contemplative branches.

Vocations Director

Mother Maria Lumen Christi Fitzharris, SSVM

149 East 117th Street

New York, NY 10035

Phone: (917) 492-3668

m.lumen@servidoras.org

Gregorian Chants mp3 free download

The glorious and immortal gregorian chanting engenders great spiritual fruits. The religious people and the cantors defending and widespreading the gregorian songs do a great work for the benefit of the souls and therefore for the major glory of God. We must not allow that such a precious treasure transmitted by our ancestors will be lost.

You may find amatorial records of several gregorian songs sang by the Benedectines of Sao Paulo, Brazil. You can download the songs for free and you can also reproduce and forward them widely. Please, note that the server might be slow. About 40 songs have been uploaded in a zip file, which should be quicker. The chanting's quality is not professional, but the record will be useful to help become more familiar with the Gregorian tradition. I usually listen to these songs while I am doing spiritual readings or I am praying. Please, click here for download.

Institutes completely devoted to contemplation

Institutes completely devoted to contemplation, composed of either women or men, are for the Church a reason for pride and a source of heavenly graces. By their lives and mission, the members of these Institutes imitate Christ in his prayer on the mountain, bear witness to God's lordship over history and anticipate the glory which is to come.

In solitude and silence, by listening to the word of God, participating in divine worship, personal asceticism, prayer, mortification and the communion of fraternal love, they direct the whole of their lives and all their activities to the contemplation of God. In this way they offer the ecclesial community a singular testimony of the Church's love for her Lord, and they contribute, with hidden apostolic fruitfulness, to the growth of the People of God.hus there is good reason to hope that the different forms of contemplative life will experience continued growth in the younger Churches as an evident sign that the Gospel has taken firm root [...].

[Text from "Vita Consecrata, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation", John Paul II, LEV]

Thérèse of Lisieux

I thank Our Lord that He let me find nothing but bitterness in human affections. I should have been caught easily, and had my wings clipped...Our Lord knew that I was far too weak to face temptation; He knew that I would certainly have burnt myself in the bewildering light of earthly things, and so He did not let it shine in my eyes. Where stronger souls find joy but remain detached because they are faithful, I found only misery.

[Quoted in "The Hidden Face", Ida Gorres]

Blog on Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face in French Sainte Thérèse de Lisieux and in Italian Santa Teresa di Lisieux.

Vocaţie religioasă

Romanian blog about religious vocation: Vocaţie religioasă.

Photos of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux

Photos and images of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus (Thérèse of Lisieux)

The consecrated life: a gift to the Church

Its universal presence and the evangelical nature of its witness are clear evidence — if any were needed — that the consecrated life is not something isolated and marginal, but a reality which affects the whole Church. The Bishops at the Synod frequently reaffirmed this: "de re nostra agitur", "this is something which concerns us all".In effect, the consecrated life is at the very heart of the Church as a decisive element for her mission, since it "manifests the inner nature of the Christian calling"and the striving of the whole Church as Bride towards union with her one Spouse.At the Synod it was stated on several occasions that the consecrated life has not only proved a help and support for the Church in the past, but is also a precious and necessary gift for the present and future of the People of God, since it is an intimate part of her life, her holiness and her mission.The present difficulties which a number of Institutes are encountering in some parts of the world must not lead to a questioning of the fact that the profession of the evangelical counsels is an integral part of the Church's life and a muchneeded incentive towards ever greater fidelity to the Gospel.The consecrated life may experience further changes in its historical forms, but there will be no change in the substance of a choice which finds expression in a radical gift of self for love of the Lord Jesus and, in him, of every member of the human family. This certainty, which has inspired countless individuals in the course of the centuries, continues to reassure the Christian people, for they know that they can draw from the contribution of these generous souls powerful support on their journey towards the heavenly home.

[Text from "Vita Consecrata, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation", John Paul II, LEV]

Consecrated Life

The Consecrated Life, deeply rooted in the example and teaching of Christ the Lord, is a gift of God the Father to his Church through the Holy Spirit. By the profession of the evangelical counsels the characteristic features of Jesus — the chaste, poor and obedient one — are made constantly "visible" in the midst of the world and the eyes of the faithful are directed towards the mystery of the Kingdom of God already at work in history, even as it awaits its full realization in heaven.

In every age there have been men and women who, obedient to the Father's call and to the prompting of the Spirit, have chosen this special way of following Christ, in order to devote themselves to him with an "undivided" heart (cf. 1 Cor 7:34). Like the Apostles, they too have left everything behind in order to be with Christ and to put themselves, as he did, at the service of God and their brothers and sisters. In this way, through the many charisms of spiritual and apostolic life bestowed on them by the Holy Spirit, they have helped to make the mystery and mission of the Church shine forth, and in doing so have contributed to the renewal of society.

[Text from "Vita Consecrata, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation", John Paul II, LEV]

Nuns blog

Nuns Blog in Italian http://suore.blogspot.com/

Vida Religiosa

Blog on the religious and priestly vocations in Spanish http://vocacion-religiosa.blogspot.com/

Photos nuns

Images and photos of the nuns. Religious Life.