How do I know if I have a vocation?

"What may start as an unsettling idea becomes a reoccurring thought. The person with a religious vocation finds that there is a restlessness of spirit that only the things of God seem to fill. Marriage may be attractive, but there is the question of whether or not God has something broader in mind.

"A few questions to consider include:

• "Are you happy, yet find that deep within you there is an unfulfilled longing?
• "With all that you have is there is a sense that it is not enough?
• "Do you feel drawn to daily Mass and more prayer than your present schedule permits?
• "Do you enjoy sharing your faith with others, most especially those who are searching for God?
• "When you first considered religious life, did the idea catch you off guard-like someone who has been picked out of a crowd and responds, 'Who me?'
• "Are you an idealist? Someone who sees evil (the absence of God in the world) and wants to do something about it?
• "Do you find that you possess a great love for the Church and a belief in the power of her teachings?"

(above from the Vocations FAQ page
of the website of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecelia)

"The essence of what it means to be a Dominican Sister of St. Cecilia is summarized in the community’s Ratio Institutionis, which outlines our program of initial and ongoing formation. Our charism is defined by the following characteristics:

Contemplative Focus

"The community lives the contemplative dimension of Dominican life by our monastic practices which include:

• "Places and times of silence
• "Cloister appropriate to our life
• "Wearing of a religious habit
• "Living community life

"The greatest aids to this contemplative spirit are:

• "Devotion to the Mass and the Blessed Sacrament
• "Choral recitation of the Divine Office and the Rosary
• "A dedication to prayer and the Passion of Our Lord

"Essential to our identity as religious we are committed to:

• "A regular prayer life
• "Living a poverty that grounds us in simplicity and detachment
• "A classical sense of the Dominican charism

An Active Apostolate

"Living the Dominican motto, 'To contemplate and to give to others the fruits of our contemplation,' we are committed to:

• "A love of study and a strong preparation for work in the field of education
• "A thorough background in Theology and Philosophy
• "Excellence in education
• "The religious formation of youth so that they understand what it means to respect life, live actively the Catholic faith and seek God’s will with eternal life as the final goal

Strong Community Life

In our convents we have:

• "A loving and wholesome community life, which strengthens us for a loving service of the people we serve in our schools
• "Pride in our congregation and an appreciation for a spirit of loyalty
• "A strong spirit of joy and camaraderie

Love of the Church
and Traditional Religious Life

"We draw on the wisdom of the ages and with a deep awareness of our identity as women religious we:

• "Love the Church and seek to serve her in fidelity
• "Treasure our vows, particularly obedience, which is the source of our liberty
• "Foster a reverence for the priesthood and the Church’s Magisterium
• "Live in fidelity to the gifts we have been given, understanding that we are bound by charity to lead others to know the truth and to love the good
• "Acknowledge the importance of religious witness by the wearing of a distinctive habit
• "Look to the Virgin Mary as our model and mother, recognizing both the power of humility and a true sense of what it means to be a woman."

(from the Charism page
of the website of the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecelia)

Happy National Vocation Awareness Week!