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AS061 Ask Sister – cathedral v. basilica, dealing with depression, the basics on Catholic prayers and practices, encountering less-than-nice vocation/formation personnel
AS061 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 25, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: cathedral v. basilica, dealing with depression, the basics on Catholic prayers, encountering less-than-nice vocation/formation personnel.
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Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!
Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:
- What is the difference between a cathedral and a basilica?
- Do nuns and sisters get depressed? Can prayer help?
- Unpleasant encounters with vocation/formation personnel — should this be a determining factor in whether or not to enter religious life?
- How to listen to Ask Sister in Spain…and other places around the world!
- Is there a comprehensive resource for basic Catholic prayers and practices?
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Answers to Questions…or not.
1) I like the book “Why do Catholics Do That?” by Kevin Orlin Johnson. It is a good overview of some of the beliefs and practices of the Church. The Catechism is another good source, and not as daunting a read as I originally thought it would be.
2) This question, I think was mine from our “Nuns Life: Renovations” excursion when we visited the Basilica of St. John…and look forward to the answer tonight!
3) I look forward to this answer as well…I think like most things, it depends on community…
4) I look forward to this answer too…but, ultimately, we’re all human and need to love and serve one another.
5) God gives us free will. He calls us to serve Him and to follow Him. If we choose to not cooperate or to follow a different path, He gives us the freedom to do so. He loves us no matter what!
6) I download them on ITunes as soon as they’re available…or listen to the rebroadcast on WQUB Sat. Mornings. (even the ones I was able to listen to live!)
There’s so much out there on Catholic prayers and practices. Can you recommend one, comprehensive source where I can learn about all of these things at least on a basic level, and then seek our further information from there on the things I feel most led to? How about the Catechism of the Catholic Church?
Ch. 4 is all on prayer.
What’s the difference between a basilica and a cathedral? Bless me, sisters, for I have been lazy. I looked this up online: “A cathedral is the church of a bishop, any church of any bishop. It can be large or small, gothic or not, just the church of a bishop. A basilica is a church that has received this title from the Holy See as a special distinction among churches. A basilica is often a place of pilgrimage. Examples are St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Joseph’s Oratory in Montréal. (The pope’s cathedral, as bishop of Rome is St. John Lateran.) A church that receives the title of basilica is like a soldier that receives a medal.”
Do nuns get depressed? What happens if prayers doesn’t work for that depression? Are you asking if nuns/sisters are *gasp!* human?! Everyone has the potential to be depressed sometimes to one degree or another, and sometimes the treatment can involve counselling or medicine or both. Compassion and prayerful support really help, too.
What happens when you encounter a less-than-nice vocation director or formation personnel? That’s tough. I’m assuming that said person is from the community you are investigating. You would have to ask yourself is this the attitude of the one person or the majority of the members. If so, you might want to shake the dust from your feet and pray for them as you look elsewhere. And maybe you should inform the community superior/president/general minister about this person. S/He may be in need of psychological help!
How do I reconcile my decision to not move forward with religious life with God’s will? That might be God’s will. You really can’t be 100% certain until you see God eye to eye!
If I miss the live broadcast of Ask Sister, can I still listen to a recording? I do all the time! The live broadcast is always during supper and choir practice! I’m lucky to make it back for the chat room!
About reconciling your will with God’s will: Ignatian spirituality mentions that discernment is about finding the deepest, most intimate desires of our hearts and that these desires, if we truly believe are our deepest desires, then they are the desires of God because God wants us to be happy and fulfilled and discernment is about finding where you will be most happy and fulfilled. So if you have discerned that religious life is not for you, then I think God is fine with that decision.