Five things that surprised me about religious life
Da clic en CC o en Settings para activar los subtítulos en español By Catherine Loftus http://www.vocationnetwork.org/articl... There is a lot to know about religious life that could be stacked about as high as that mountain Maria climbs in The Sound of Music. Here’s a sampling of some surprising things: While you are considering entering a religious community, there is a long period of prayer, more discernment, training, and learning—as well as the community determining if you’re a good fit—before you take what are called “final vows.” Prior to final vows, people take and renew temporary vows for a period of three to nine years. Many religious orders prefer that members have an undergraduate degree before entering. Members are not only educated in theology and pastoral care but often have advanced degrees—be it in English, mathematics, philosophy, science, music—wherever their interests and talents lie. Many young people fear their specific studies will go unused if they enter a religious community, but that is not the case. According to a 2009 study commissioned by the National Religious Vocation Conference, the average age of entrance to religious life is 30 for men and 32 for women, and nearly 1,000 women are in formation to become sisters. In 2014, 190 women and men in the United States professed final vows, and their average age was 37, according to a report from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. So young people play a vital role in religious communities, and the fact that young people continue to be interested in becoming sisters, brothers, and priests ensures the future of religious life. Faithful, lively debate and questioning in good conscience exists within communities and among various religious orders and the wider church. Knowing that differences exist helps young people have a more realistic understanding of religious life. Some small towns and rural parishes have little or no interaction with men and women in religious life, and even the parish priest may only be available once a month as he must make the rounds to several understaffed parishes in the diocese. This means many young Catholics never witness firsthand the life and work of men and women in religious life and never realize that a religious vocation is an option for them. Discovering all these surprising things about religious sisters, brothers, and priests makes one acutely aware of what a daily blessing they are to all of us.
