Some people have been aware of their call for as long as they can remember. Others may not notice as God removes obstacles cluttering the path; gradually, perhaps unexpectedly, their vocation becomes clear.
A vocation reveals the purpose of a person’s life. It isn’t a single choice, but a continuous discovery. When we recognise our vocation, it brings a sense of joy, peace and rightness, because we open up to being our truest self, the self that God has had in mind for us since our birth, be it within married, single or religious life.
A call to religious life may become evident thanks to external influences – like knowing a religious sister or brother, or taking part in a prayer retreat – but essentially it will come from within, from the place where we connect most deeply with God and experience an overflowing, life-giving hope.
Like any major life decision, the choice to become a religious sister requires courage and careful discernment. Here are some tips that may help.
The key to discernment is opening your heart up to God, setting everything else aside, and really listening. A stance between alertness, receptivity and patience can be helpful in choosing your path in life. Remember, God does not give up!
Picture yourself in the future
Reflect on how you feel when you imagine yourself in a religious order. Be aware of your true emotions and motivations.
The beauty and wonder of creation can help to ground you and focus the mind and heart. Try walking, opening yourself to the sounds and colours of the world.
Read the Bible
Make a daily habit of reading, studying and praying with the Bible. Find a quiet spot, perhaps light a candle, and make yourself comfortable. Soak up what the Bible is saying, and apply it to your life.
Seek some Bible resources to help you.
Pray regularly and go to Mass
Bring your vocation before God and ask for the grace to follow where God leads. Include the Bible in your prayer. Participating in Mass will nourish your discernment.
Other people can support your discernment.
Speak to people you know and who you trust to listen carefully and respond with love. Members of your family, perhaps; or close friends, teachers, or even a person you know who has already gone through the steps to discern their own vocation.
Seek out a spiritual director, who can journey with you at this stage. This might be a priest, a religious sister, or a qualified lay person living near you, who can help you to better understand where God is leading you and give you insights regarding the ways in which God might be calling you to serve in the Church and in the world.
You may already be familiar with a community and feel a strong connection to it. If you are searching more broadly, aim to find a congregation or order that resonates with who you are.
Each congregation has a unique charism that guides the ways they serve.
You may feel drawn to the contemplative life.
Explore different communities through websites and social networks.
We invite you to start by discerning your vocation on your own and with guidance from those around you. If this process affirms your calling to religious life, and you find yourself drawn to Sion’s particular spirituality, values and commitment, let’s be in touch.
We can walk alongside you, just as Jesus walked and conversed with the disciples on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection. We can accompany you as you deepen your knowledge of Jesus and yourself, discover God’s action in your life, and learn how to discern and make life choices in response to God’s call.
For those of you who already know an NDS sister, reaching out to her to explore your vocation further would be a natural next step.
Otherwise, write to us via the contact form. Tell us about yourself, the path of discernment you have trodden so far, and why you see the Congregation of Sisters Our Lady of Sion as the place where you can grow into the abundant life that Jesus speaks of in John 10,10: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”