Signs of a Call to Religious Life

The following thoughts, questions, and challenges might be helpful to you as you search to know if God is calling you to Religious Life.

You are invited to reflect on and honestly respond to the following questions:

1. Do I have a desire for the life?
	_____	Can I image myself living a community life of sharing
		joys and pain, success and failures, who I am and who I want to be, Jesus’ love for me and my love for Jesus?
	_____	Have I had any real experience of “community” in my life?
		How was that experience for me in my “community” of family, parish, college, faith community, mission group, volunteer group, other?
	_____	Do I desire to give my life as a witness to God’s love for all people?
	_____	Can I live simply and share what I have with others?
	_____	Can I love everyone rather than needing an intimate relationship with one person?
	_____	Enthusiasm, joy or positive feelings flow from my consideration of a “vowed religious community” life?
2. The right motivation?
	_____	I deeply love God and I want to serve God and others in a very direct way.
	_____	I want to live the Gospel life as fully as possible and to carry the love of Jesus to those who are hurting.
	_____	I want to grow in union with God through prayer and service to the needy.
	_____	I want to share a common vision of faith and spirituality with other women of like values seeking to bring about the reign of God.
	The following are inadequate motivations or reasons for a religious vocation:
	_____	I see Religious Life as a security blanket to meet my needs now and in the future.
	_____	I have a difficult time making and keeping friends and I find myself feeling lonely most of the time.
	_____	I’ve been involved in a bad marriage or unhappy love affair and I don’t want anything to do with men.
	_____	I should be a Sister because I think God wants me to be one, and if I am not a Sister I’ll never be happy.
3. “goodness of fit?”
	_____	I have the ability to relate with a variety of people, to be happy alone or in a group.
	_____	I find joy in serving others in any outreach, parish or community involvement.
	_____	I am generous and self giving.
	_____	I have the ability to listen to others, be challenged and accept direction when needed.
	_____	I have some fear and resistance at the thought of letting go of a lot of the “stuff” in my life, of leaving a life of independence and moving into one of interdependence, of journeying from the known to the unknown! It is helpful and important to share your reflections on these questions and other questions and concerns with a friend, family member, spiritual director, companion or a religious community vocation minister.