The Personal ‘Hurdles’ in Religious Life?

A Nun’s Life Ministry welcomes guest blogger Sister Hildegard Magdalen Pleva, OSsR. Sister Hildegard is a contemplative monastic of the Order of the Most Holy Redeemer. Visit Sister Hildegard at her blog Contemplative Horizon.

Saint Jane Frances de Chantal co-founded the Order of the Visitation with Saint Francis de Sales in the 17th century. The founders sought to create a community of women drawn to religious life some of whom might not be acceptable to other orders due to age and circumstance but desiring the discipline of the monastic lifestyle. Both founders envisioned a ministry of apostolic service primarily in education but also in other works of charity. In their historical period fully apostolic religious life for women was struggling to be born in the Church. Eventually Saint Frances de Chantal was forced to accept full monastic enclosure in the cloister and end virtually all apostolic outreach except for education. Visitation schools within the monastic grounds gained a high reputation.

Saint Jane Frances had been married and was a mother. She had to arrange for the care of her almost grown children when she established the order. I am a mother who entered contemplative monastic religious life beyond middle age. My three sons were grown so there were no plans to be made for them. In a well-known story Saint Jane Frances’ son lay across the threshold to prevent her departure for the convent. Not to be deterred, she stepped right over his body. In my case there was not body to step over because I was blessed with the full support of all my sons.

Yet, it cannot be denied that for anyone determined to pursue a religious call, there will be any number of obstacles to ‘step over’. In my experience it is not so much a matter of hurdling obstacles but rather the effort to put aside some things that may once have been primary in life. Possessions easily come to mind but more difficult to put aside are ingrained ways of doing things or thinking about things. It is the ego centered preferences and opinions, the expectations about life and people which we carry with us that will have to be gently nudged out of pride of place.

Question to consider for those in discernment: What may I have to ‘step over’ in order to become a religious, a member of a community? What things, habits, preferences, expectations, beliefs may I be asked to go beyond as I walk the path to which God is pointing?

Read more about for the biography of Saint Jane Frances and insight into the spirituality she shared with Saint Francis de Sales.