religious life

For the past few years a lot of misinformation has been spread asserting that only “traditional” communities whose sisters wear the habit have been receiving new vocations, while religious communities whose sisters do not wear the habit are “dying out.” Typically this misinformation is accompanied by rather equally untrue and rather uncharitable claims regarding Catholic sisters and nuns who do not wear a habit.

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.

Guest blogger Diane Brown writes about what it was like to formally apply for religious life and how it feels to begin candidacy.

Guest blogger Diane Brown describes her experience of discerning a call to religious life.