I read the chapter on Thomas Merton with great interest, and am looking forward to reading the entire book. I could relate to how you were not happy in your corporate job! I would like to do more meaningful work [than my corporate job], and am wondering what your thoughts are on how people discerning a non-religious vocation might go about determining their calling.

Many thanks in advance for your answer.

Jackie

hoyasaxa … James Martin, SJ, on variety of religious communities and on fear discerning

Sylvester … James Martin, SJ, on whether Protestant churches recognize saints

Sister Florence Vales OSC … James Martin, SJ, on young people entering and on fostering vocations

Peace and all good.

I am a Poor Clare in Chesterfield, NJ and am delighted to be able to ask you a question.

Why is it that young women are not entering Religious life?
We all know the typical answers, more choices for women etc but in the Franciscan Friars they receive young men, late 20’s to early 30’s. we have a woman in her 50’s, married before etc. A young woman from Nigeria, 19 but much to young to enter so she is an affliate. So what are your views?
We knoiw there are vocations out there. Most of our vocations come from a Friar suggesting us but that is far and between.

Is there anything we can do to foster vocations? We do pray everyday for vocations to our way of life and to the Church.

By the way I am reading a Jesuit Offbroadway
some of the anwers to our culture are there. Good stuff.

Sister Florence Vales OSC

I’m not a Catholic but I’m fascinated by everything Catholic. What I want to know is whether or not Protestant churches recognize saints? If so, how do Protestants get to become saints if only the Vatican approves them?

First of all, thank you for your visit to this blog, I’m looking forward to following the conversation throughout the day.

Based on Sister Julie’s question about your vocation to the Jesuits in particular, I was wondering if you had any advice on sorting through the truly vast number and variety of religious communities out there. The idea of “shopping” for just the right “fit” in a congregation makes me a bit uncomfortable, but sometimes that’s how it feels!

Sister Julie also brought up that great moment when Thomas Merton was asked if he had come to Gethsemani to stay…for me it was his “terrified” reaction that really struck a chord! In the process of discerning a vocation to religious life, fear has been a big struggle for me. There’s fear of commitment, of losing control, of making the “wrong” decision, of family and friends’ potential reactions to such a decision, etc. How do you prevent these fears from becoming paralyzing without simply ignoring them?

Thanks again, Father Martin!