Discerning Religious Life through Signposts

People may resort to looking for signs when faced with difficult decisions and crossroads in life.  With respect to religious life we might ask, “Does God send signs for those discerning a call to religious life.”  In Advent we often hear about signs pointing to the Messiah revealing God’s saving plan.  In Isaiah 14: 7 we hear, "Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.”  Isaiah situated himself in prayerful discernment to search out God’s saving plan.  For sure, God’s will was communicated to the prophet and became a sure sign of hope for God’s people.

But are there tangible signs for those discerning a call to religious life?  The truth of the matter is that God communicates to us in a variety of ways:  scripture, sacraments, relationships, and the everyday experiences of life.  To discern a call to religious life it requires the prayerful discipline exercised by Isaiah.  This requires that we take a long loving look at life, open ourselves to the guidance and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, and read the signs in everyday life.  Colleen Therese Smith, a sister with the Apostles of the Sacred Heart, writes in “Vision 2014” about five “signposts” to discern a call to religious life.  I will write on this theme as a series in the upcoming weeks. 

The first signpost is that peace comes through a disciplined approach to discernment.  The Ignatian spiritual exercises are a means to discern a vocation by growing in accord with God’s will and life.  In no. 23 of the exercises, Ignatius says: “I want and I choose what better leads to God’s deepening life in me.”  The Ignatian way to God is a disciplined spiritual inner journey.  While it has moments of struggle, the journey eventually leads to peace and consolation. 

Mary, the mother of God struggled and wrestled with God’s will in the Annunciation. The angel Gabriel told her that God’s favor rested on her and that she would be the Christ bearer.  This news was incomprehensible to Mary since she was a virgin, yet surrendering herself to God; she was transformed with peace.  She became a messenger of this peace by visiting her cousin Elizabeth and sharing her news (Luke 1:39-45). 

In a previous article, I mentioned the story of a religious sister who felt troubled with the promptings of the Spirit to follow a call to religious life.  She wrestled with the call because she had no idea on how to relate or understand religious life—it was a lifestyle far removed from her.   But once she surrendered herself to God’s will through an act of faith (an expression of love), she too experienced a peace she had never before known.  This peace has remained with her through life, the peace is Jesus.

Shaking People Up To Live Well

        Two weeks ago, while attending the Eucharistic Congress in Charlotte, NC I met a high school student whose family went out for dinner and was interviewed by a local news network.  The newscaster invited their reactions regarding the dramatic story of a dad who wore short shorts publically to shake some sense into his daughter’s immodest dressing habits.  The couple that was interviewed commended the dad on his wit because it made a loud statement to his daughter.  As the adage goes, desperate times call for desperate measures. 

         Shaking people up can help people to live life well.  John Bosco resorted to such tactics for the well-being of youth. He recognized that young people living in Turin, Italy developed bad habits as a consequence of  changes during a pre-industrial era.  They gambled on the streets because they were unemployed and bored with life.  One day John worked his way into a gambling operation, he grabbed the gambling money that had been laid on a cloth, and led a chase through the town causing public havoc.  He staged the whole affair in order to wear his assailants down and lead them back to the oratory, a boarding school that created a home-like environment for disadvantaged youth.  Once Bosco had the gamblers in the oratory setting, he gave them back money by performing magic tricks on them.  This fascinated the gamblers and changed their attitude.  Then Bosco invited them to join the productive games, receive on-the-job training in order to make something of substance out of their lives.  In essence, John Bosco, as a father-figure, shook up the lives of these boys so that they would live as good Christians and honorable citizens.

        Where do we need to shake up life so that people live "The Year of Faith" to the fullest?  Pope Francis speaks about opening the doors of Christ and that young people need to go out and shake up their communities so that Christ’s presence may abound.  By shaking up life with the gospel as the motive, we promote the life of Christ and enable people to take stock of what they need to do with their lives.

Eucharistic Congress

Eucharistic Congress

Charlotte, North Carolina

September 13-14, 2013

On Friday evening the “Catholic Campus Ministry” (CMM) group hosted a gathering for young adults.  There were two talks that stood out in the event. 

First, a sister gave a witness talk about her calling.  While in college, she felt the Lord was calling her to religious life, but she wrestled with the notion of a lifestyle that did not seem tangible to her life.  Over time, the sentiments of the call continued, and she eventually conveyed to the Lord that this way of life was foreign to her; however, if this were the Lord 's desire, she would follow the Lord in this way.  That entrustment to the Lord made all the difference, in fact, over time she found there was great joy in following the Lord’s will rather than her own.

A college professor gave the second talk about how to stay Catholic while in college.  He suggested that reason and faith are integral to the spiritual life and that the Ignatius examine puts one’s day into a spiritual perspective.  The exercise involves recalling two experiences that happened through the course of the day and being thankful for them, so that gratitude at the heart of one’s spiritual life.

After the talks, there were about one hundred of us that processed with candles to St. Peter’s Church for Eucharistic adoration.  The Vietnamese community led the adoration.  Although we could not understand what they were saying, the mantra of their prayers promoted a communal-mystical experience of adoring and praising the Lord.  Many of CCM college students stayed overnight in the church hall while taking turns keeping an all-night vigil with the Lord.  

More than 90 Salesians make their First Profession

Many Salesian novitiates around the world will celebrate the first professions of novices, on the occasion of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the birth of Don Bosco.

The Following will make the first professions:

August 15:

• In the Regina Mundi chapel in Imara, the Democratic Republic of Congo, 21 novices from the Province of Central Africa. Presided over by the Regional Councillor, Fr. Don Guillermo Basañes;
• In the St. John the Evangelist parish church in Poprad-Veľká, Slovakia, 2 novices belonging to the Slovakian and East Poland Province. Presided over by the Regional Councillor for North Europe, Fr. Marek Chrzan;
• In Morogoro, Tanzania, 11 novices from the East African Province, including a Salesian Brother candidate. Presided over by the Provincial, Fr. Gianni Rolandi;
• In Lusaka, Zambia, 6 novices from the Vice Province of Zambia, and 1 novice from of the Vice Province of Southern Africa. Presided over by the Superior of Zambia, Fr. George Chalissery;
• in Ba Thon, Vietnam, 9 novices from the Vietnam Province, including 2 Salesian Brother candidates. Presided over by the Provincial, Fr. Joseph Tran Hoa Hung;

August 16:

• In Mexico City, 3 novices of the Mexico-Guadalajara Province. Presided over by the Provincial, Fr. Gabino Hernández Paleta;
• In Lome, Togo, Equatorial Tropical Africa 7 novices -among them a Salesian Brother candidate- and 9 novices of French-speaking West Africa (AFO). Presided over by the AFO Provincial, Fr. Faustino García Peña;
• In Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic, 3 novices of Haiti, and 3 novices of the Antilles. Presided over by the Antilles Provincial, Fr. Victor Pichardo Moronta;
• In Stony Point, United States, 3 novices of the United States-East Province. Presided over by the Provincial, Fr. Thomas Dunne;
• In Bellflower, United States, 1 novice in the United States-West Province. Presided over by the Provincial, Fr. Timothy Ploch;
• In Butare, Rwanda, 8 novices from Africa of the Great Lakes Vice Province. Presided over by the Superior, Fr. Camiel Swertvagher;

August 17:

• In San Antonio, Venezuela, 6 novices from the Venezuela Province, including a Salesian Brother. Presided over by the Provincial, Fr. Luciano Stefani.

http://www.infoans.org/1.asp?sez=1&sotSez=13&doc=9542&Lingua=2

Tea-Time with Francis, Beaching in Brazil, Living in Love: Echoes of World Youth Day 2013

 
 (Picture: “Whispers in the Loggia,” Sunday, July 28, 2013)

By  Fr. Jim Berning, SDB, Director of Vocation Ministry

Tea Time with Francis:  A large cup of tea was offered to Pope Francis as he pilgrimaged with crowds through the streets of Rio.  The cultural image of tea-time envisages the signature of Christian hospitality, the crowds wanting to -get to-know Francis, and Francis returning the gesture, wanting to get-to-know them.  As the Fiat transported Francis to WYD events, there were always unexpected halts in the motorcade, but even Francis’ body guards could be seen grinning as they witnessed “Popacabana’s infectious charm that titillated hearts present at Rio and throughout the world. 

v  How can I/we engage the world with the “infectious compassion” of Jesus?

Beaching in Brazil:  The “Eucharistic beach- fest” engaged 3 million pilgrims as the Body of Christ to renew their baptismal call, to “go” and be disciples on their home turf!  John’s gospel embarks on a call narrative (1: 35-39) that happened along a Galilean beach, two disciples met Jesus, they stayed with him, they abided with him, and they in turn evangelized with him.  For sure, the youth enjoyed hanging out with Francis and each other at the beach, and, in Francis’ words, they enjoyed hanging out with Jesus and each other.  Hanging with Jesus bears imitation, he surrendered himself totally in love to save us, he reached out to those living on the edges, and he found the goodness within each person he encountered. 

v  How can we throw our total selves into the mission of Jesus, reaching out to those in loneliness, building up the good in others?

Living in Love:  The journal coverage of “Whispers in the Loggia” featured the closing liturgy with a magnificent stature of Jesus, centering the 3 million pilgrims to their heart’s desire, life in Jesus Christ.  The foot washing in John’s gospel (see 15: 12-15), captures Jesus’ Way, he formed them as disciples, he shared with them all he knew about the Father, he spoke to them as friends in community, and he invited them to love each other as he has loved them, so that the world would be oriented to love. 

v  As I have come to experience Jesus’ love, in what concrete ways can I personally witness “living in love” to others?