What Exactly IS a Vocation?

 

  

God calls each of us to the fulfillment of our vocation in a unique way. No two vocation stories are identical. Some desire to live the Religious Life from the early years of their youth, while others discover their vocation after having lived in the world for a few years. Yet, in each of us, God has placed a special call that we are bound to respond to - this is the universal call to holiness.

 


Our way of responding to this call as Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration revolves around our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament. We begin each day at His feet in the Most Blessed Sacrament - greeting our Eucharistic King with the Church’s official prayer of the Divine Office. This, and a period of silent meditation, prepares our hearts to receive our Lord in Holy Communion at the Sacrifice of the Mass. Strengthened by this great Sacrament, we are able to begin our daily work.

Our day has all the elements of a normal day in the world - work, meals, recreation - but here we are drawn time and again back to the Chapel. Jesus is the Heart and Center of our lives - and as we turn away from the busyness of our work to spend time with Him, we learn to raise our hearts and minds from the natural to the supernatural.

" You have not chosen Me, I have chosen you."   It is a beautiful thing to see a community blossom and grow, for each new member has responded to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. God calls each one of us for a specific vocation, a specific Order, even a specific Monastery. Each is endowed with unique gifts and a particular mission. We rarely recognize this in ourselves, but to God, each soul is irreplaceable and unique. Our response, our "yes", echoing our Lady's fiat, places all our trust in a loving God to guide us in the path of holiness He has chosen for us.

Where To Begin
  "Heavenly Father, I love You. Help me to know Your will, and to have the courage to do it;
 wherever it is,whatever it is, however it is, through Christ, our Lord. Amen. "

Do you find yourself asking these questions: How do I know if I have a vocation? How am I supposed to know where to go? Could I really make all those sacrifices and leave my family and friends? First of all, know that God works with each of us individually. Each Sister has a different story to tell of how God brought her to her vocation. The biggest help in discerning is to be truly open to His will. We can easily tell God what we want, but we have to listen a little harder sometimes to hear what He wants. When we are searching, God puts people in our path at the right time, who by a word or comment may unknowingly guide us where He wants us. Pray. Listen. Follow. We have to ground ourselves in prayer, listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and follow those inspirations. If God is truly calling you to the Religious Life, He will supply the grace you need to follow Him.

Requirements:  Candidates must be single women between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five, with at least a High School education. They must be Catholics in good standing, with good physical and psychological health.