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Showing posts with label vocation discernment. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vocation discernment. Show all posts
Monday, August 27, 2018
Tuesday, April 10, 2018
A Window into our life
Welcome to a new ‘feature’ on our web-site …
We shall call it a
‘Window into the Life of a Dominican Nun,’ in a rather loose way.
Through this ‘window,’
we hope to give you an idea of what the life of a contemplative nun of the
Order of Preachers consists in; to offer some food for thought; maybe also help
you to encounter God in a more personal way; and to help any young women who
might be discerning a vocation, to understand better who we are and whether how
we live, is how they also seek to live, for the glory of God and the salvation
of souls.
The beginning of our
Constitutions shows how we are so closely connected to our brothers and sisters
in the Dominican Family:
“… the first reason for which we are
gathered together in community
is to live in harmony, having one
mind and heart in God.
This unity transcends the
limits of the monastery and attains its fullness in
communion with the Order and with
the whole Church
of Christ
One mind and one heart
in God. It is a rare, rare gift, to live
in a community where everyone is intent on loving the Lord with every fibre of
their being, especially in a world in which He is for the most part ‘an
inconvenience’ and unwelcome. But here
we are, with like-minded and like-hearted sisters, and we each share the same
fundamental and consuming desire:
That the Lord may be
loved; and that everyone on earth might come to know Him and the immensity of
His love for them.
Sunday, May 7, 2017
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Poster & Prayer for our Vocation Discernment Weekend in March
The poster for our Vocation Discernment Weekend (10th-12th March) is finally available.
Please feel free to download and spread it around (pdf file available here).
We would also ask our readers to with us in praying this special prayer for Vocations between now and then.
Father, send your spirit to renew us (the Dominican Nuns) through your Word. Help us (them) to live our (their) calling fully, as we ask you to draw young women to our (their) community. With us (the Sisters), may they seek you, find joy in your truth and reflect the unity and love of your life to the world in need. Grateful for one another (the Sisters) and for our (their) calling, we ask you to hear our prayer. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Novena to St Dominic - Day 5
One of the things that strikes me about Dominic is his openness to God’s will and his willingness to take the step he sees in faith without a clear vision of where it will finally lead. As Augusta Drane says in her account of his life:
“His call was not sudden, or miraculous, or even extraordinary; it was that which is the likeliest to come to people like ourselves; particular impressions of mind were given just at the time when circumstances combined together gradually to develop the way in which those impressions could be carried out. He was always being led forward, not knowing there whither he went. As sub-prior of Osma he probably saw nothing before him but the ordinary community life of the cathedral chapter. Then came the journey to Denmark, on a mission whose ostensible object was a failure, but whose real end in the design of God was accomplished when it brought him into the presence of the heresy which it was his destiny to destroy. Yet though we have reason to believe that from the time of his first collision with the Albigenses a very clear and distinct idea was formed in his mind of some future apostolate of preaching, it is evident that he had no equally clear and determinate view in what direction he was to work; … He was on the road back to his old home, preparing to take up again the old duties and the old life which had been interrupted by two years, rich with new thoughts and hopes now, it seemed, to be forever abandoned; and then when he had made what was probably a painful sacrifice of great desires, those mysterious orderings of Providence, which we call chance and coincidence, had prepared for him, under the walls of Montpellier, a combination of events which was to make all clear.” And mark the beginning of his preaching mission.
This, I think, is reflected in our Lord’s teaching "Well done, good and trustworthy servant; you have shown you are trustworthy in small things; I will trust you with greater; (Mt 25:21) As we proceed step by step doing (and seeking) God’s will, we are drawn more fully into His plan. While this is particularly important in discerning a Vocation it is necessary at all times and for everyone. In this dark time in Ireland we do well to remember that the first 10 years of Dominic’s preaching mission were marked by little or no progress or success. He committed himself to living what he recognised as God’s will and waited further guidance. It is that faithfulness to God’s will that counts and bears fruit in ways we might never even see: “one sows, another reaps” (Jn 4:37)
“His call was not sudden, or miraculous, or even extraordinary; it was that which is the likeliest to come to people like ourselves; particular impressions of mind were given just at the time when circumstances combined together gradually to develop the way in which those impressions could be carried out. He was always being led forward, not knowing there whither he went. As sub-prior of Osma he probably saw nothing before him but the ordinary community life of the cathedral chapter. Then came the journey to Denmark, on a mission whose ostensible object was a failure, but whose real end in the design of God was accomplished when it brought him into the presence of the heresy which it was his destiny to destroy. Yet though we have reason to believe that from the time of his first collision with the Albigenses a very clear and distinct idea was formed in his mind of some future apostolate of preaching, it is evident that he had no equally clear and determinate view in what direction he was to work; … He was on the road back to his old home, preparing to take up again the old duties and the old life which had been interrupted by two years, rich with new thoughts and hopes now, it seemed, to be forever abandoned; and then when he had made what was probably a painful sacrifice of great desires, those mysterious orderings of Providence, which we call chance and coincidence, had prepared for him, under the walls of Montpellier, a combination of events which was to make all clear.” And mark the beginning of his preaching mission.
This, I think, is reflected in our Lord’s teaching "Well done, good and trustworthy servant; you have shown you are trustworthy in small things; I will trust you with greater; (Mt 25:21) As we proceed step by step doing (and seeking) God’s will, we are drawn more fully into His plan. While this is particularly important in discerning a Vocation it is necessary at all times and for everyone. In this dark time in Ireland we do well to remember that the first 10 years of Dominic’s preaching mission were marked by little or no progress or success. He committed himself to living what he recognised as God’s will and waited further guidance. It is that faithfulness to God’s will that counts and bears fruit in ways we might never even see: “one sows, another reaps” (Jn 4:37)
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Vocation's Sunday
On this Vocations' Sunday we would like to share with our readers a talk on Vocation Discernment by Sr Mary Teresa - in particular her method of discerning her own vocation and what attracted her to our Order and Monastery - with images from our monastic life. Sr Mary Teresa is currently preparing to make her solemn profession on the 29th of June.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
“Jesus looked steadily at him and loved him”
Last Sunday’s Gospel (the story of the rich young man, Mk ch 10) is a very rich one for vocation discernment. Every vocation grows from an awareness that, just as He did with the young man in the Gospel, Jesus is looking at me with love and saying, “come, follow me”. It is also important to see that a religious vocation is given to those who “lack” something – a religious vocation is not given to one who is holy but to one whom God wishes to make holy. Jesus looks at each one, just as we are, and loves us and calls us to follow him. It is out of that deep love that he says, “there is one thing you lack” – he loves us so much that he wants us to be complete and whole, loving God and our neighbour with our whole being. And so he calls us and says, “there is one thing you lack … come follow me”. Jesus is not saying we must be perfect to be called to religious life but He is calling us to religious life because He knows that this is the best way for us.
A vocation is not so much what we do for God as what God is doing for us. The particular vocation to which Jesus calls each one of us is intended to help us to overcome what we are ‘lacking’. Many people speak of the ‘feeling that something was missing’ in their everyday life before they discerned their vocation. For me personally I experienced this sense that something was ‘lacking’ during my discernment regarding where the Lord was leading me and which Order I should to enter. As I searched I kept feeling that there was something missing until I discovered this community of Dominican Nuns.
Jesus continues to guide us and to say, “there is one thing you lack”. We must be willing to listen to Jesus speaking in the depths of our hearts, helping us to see what we lack. And as we grow and become more open to God’s loving action in our lives we will see more clearly what Jesus is telling us and correct it with His help, until at last, in heaven, we will lack nothing.
A vocation is not so much what we do for God as what God is doing for us. The particular vocation to which Jesus calls each one of us is intended to help us to overcome what we are ‘lacking’. Many people speak of the ‘feeling that something was missing’ in their everyday life before they discerned their vocation. For me personally I experienced this sense that something was ‘lacking’ during my discernment regarding where the Lord was leading me and which Order I should to enter. As I searched I kept feeling that there was something missing until I discovered this community of Dominican Nuns.
Jesus continues to guide us and to say, “there is one thing you lack”. We must be willing to listen to Jesus speaking in the depths of our hearts, helping us to see what we lack. And as we grow and become more open to God’s loving action in our lives we will see more clearly what Jesus is telling us and correct it with His help, until at last, in heaven, we will lack nothing.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Vocation Discernment Weekends
Our vocation discernment weekends, last February/March and May/June, proved very helpful to those who participated . We will host two more such weekends in October (23rd - 25th)and Novemeber 2009 (20th - 22nd). If you are discerning the Lord's call in your life and would like to know more about our Dominican contemplative way of life you will be welcome. During the weekend there are some conferences; opportunity to share in sung liturgy and Eucharistic Adoration; time for prayer and reflection.
These weekends offer an opportunity to meet with other young people who are also discerning as well as meet with our young sisters who, after a process of discernment, have committed themselves to this way of life.
In the event that the above dates are not convenient and you would like to avail of such an opportunity it is always possible to arrange for a visit or stay in our guest room or retreat house.
For further information contact Sr M Breda OP at siena3@eircom.net or visit our web site.
These weekends offer an opportunity to meet with other young people who are also discerning as well as meet with our young sisters who, after a process of discernment, have committed themselves to this way of life.
In the event that the above dates are not convenient and you would like to avail of such an opportunity it is always possible to arrange for a visit or stay in our guest room or retreat house.
For further information contact Sr M Breda OP at siena3@eircom.net or visit our web site.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Vocations Discernment Weekend
19th - 21st June
(Friday evening - Sunday after lunch)
Young women, interested in learning about our contemplative way of life, are invited to a weekend of prayer and reflection - with sung liturgy, Eucharistic Adoration, conferences and opportunity to meet with sisters.
There is still a place for anyone interested.
Contact Sr Breda OP at siena3@eircom.net
More information on our main website at www.dominicannuns.ie
(Friday evening - Sunday after lunch)
Young women, interested in learning about our contemplative way of life, are invited to a weekend of prayer and reflection - with sung liturgy, Eucharistic Adoration, conferences and opportunity to meet with sisters.
There is still a place for anyone interested.
Contact Sr Breda OP at siena3@eircom.net
More information on our main website at www.dominicannuns.ie
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Monastic Retreat House
After being closed for all of last year for renovation work, our retreat house is now up and running again and we are happy to be able to provide this facility for those who wish to come apart for some quiet time. For the Easter Triduum all four rooms were engaged.
Those who come are welcome to join us in the main chapel for liturgy and Eucharistic Adoration. In addition there is a small oratory in the retreat house.
The retreat house is self catering - with a fully equipped kitchen. To facilitate those who desire greater solitude two of the rooms have individual kitchenettes. .
During February and March we were also able to resume hosting our vocation discernment weekends - which proved helpful to those who attended.
Our next vocation discernment weekends are 8th - 10th May and again 19th - 21st June.
Those who come are welcome to join us in the main chapel for liturgy and Eucharistic Adoration. In addition there is a small oratory in the retreat house.
The retreat house is self catering - with a fully equipped kitchen. To facilitate those who desire greater solitude two of the rooms have individual kitchenettes. .
During February and March we were also able to resume hosting our vocation discernment weekends - which proved helpful to those who attended.
Our next vocation discernment weekends are 8th - 10th May and again 19th - 21st June.
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