I’ve just returned home after family and nun festivities and work in four different states. I had some time in Monroe, Michigan, home of my IHM Motherhouse. There’s absolutely nothing like being home with one’s nuns. Although I had some work to do, I feel renewed and encouraged. Community life is such an amazing bond — it is unlike any other relationship or way of being that I have ever experienced.
Now that I am home in Chicago, I am preparing myself for tomorrows Online Conversation with Father James Martin, SJ - rereading chapter 4 of his book My Life with the Saints. The chapter discusses part of his vocation story. Here’s a PDF of the chapter for you to read: My Life with the Saints: Chapter 4. It’s not necessary to have read it to participate in the conversation, but it may give you some ideas of stuff you’d like to ask Father Martin or talk with him about.
Here are some things I’d like to ask Father Martin about …
1) You write about Thomas Merton being asked by the Gethsemani monastery porter, “Have you come here to stay?” (page 57) When did you feel that this question was being posed to you as well? How did it feel to first get a glimpse that God might be calling you to religious life? How did you respond? What did you do with any feelings of uncertainty, fear, resistance, etc.?
2) “For me, Thomas Merton’s description of religious life was an invitation to new life” (page 59). Could you say more about this? How is religious life an invitation to new life? What did that mean for you?
3) You are so right about people (myself included when I was younger) thinking that a call from God is “something of an otherworldly experience”. What can religious, vocation ministers, parents, and parish leaders do to help people sense God’s call in the ordinary “language” of every day life?
4) How did you feel called to the Jesuit way of religious life? Were you attracted by any other kinds of religious communities?
5) How can the saints help people who are discerning a major life commitment? How about the “smaller” discernments in life?
6) What other saints have been your friends along your journey into and within religious life? why?
This conversation is for you so please ask your questions and engage with Father Martin. Feel free to pose your questions now or as we go along tomorrow. See you tomorrow morning!
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
hoyasaxa 06.02.08 at 5:12 pm
Hi Father Martin,
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!
Sylvester 06.03.08 at 5:48 am
Father,
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?
Sister Florence Vales OSC 06.03.08 at 7:00 am
Hi, Father Martin.
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
Sister Julie 06.03.08 at 9:03 am
links to Father Martin’s responses:
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
SMX 06.03.08 at 9:34 am
Good morning, Fr. James,
I read chapter 4 — thanks for putting it online! My question is about “classifications” of religious orders. Thomas Merton belonged to a cloistered order, yet he was a world traveler. Today there are a number of cloistered religious who are electronic world travelers, in that they have websites and other ways of directly connecting with the outside world. I don’t have any opinions about that one way or another. But I’m wondering if the traditional categories of “cloistered nuns” and “aposotolic sisters” are still useful?
Jackie 06.03.08 at 10:45 am
Hi Father Martin,
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
Sister Julie 06.03.08 at 11:12 am
SMX … Father Martin’s response to your comment is here: James Martin, SJ, on “cloistered” and “apostolic” distinctions
Sister Julie 06.03.08 at 11:32 am
Jackie … Father Martin’s response to your comment is here: James Martin, SJ, on discerning a non-religious vocation