A Penitent Blogger

Mindful of my imperfections, seeking to know Truth more deeply and to live Love more fully.

Quid sum miser tunc dicturus? Quem patronum rogaturus? Cum vix iustus sit securus?
Recordare, Iesu pie, Quod sum causa tuae viae: Ne me perdas illa die...

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Signs of a Religious Vocation

  • "A desire to have a religious vocation, together with the impression that God is calling one to His service. This desire is most strongly felt when the soul is calm.


  • "A growing attraction for prayer and holy things in general, together with a longing for a hidden life and a desire to be more closely united with God.


  • "A conviction of the emptiness of the world and of its insufficiency to satisfy the soul. This feeling is often strongest felt in the midst of worldly amusements.


  • "A longing to sacrifice oneself and abandon all for the love Jesus Christ.


  • "A longing for God's glory, a realization of the value of immortal souls, and a desire to cooperate in their salvation.


  • "A willingness to be received in any capacity is a proof of a real vocation.


  • "The happiness which the thought of religious life brings, its helps, its peace, its merits, and its reward.


  • "A desire to atone for sin, to make reparation.


  • "A desire to devote one's whole life to obtain the conversion of sinners.


  • "It is sometimes the sign of a vocation when a person fears that God may be calling her; when she prays not to have it and cannot banish the thought from her mind. If the vocation is sound, it will eventually give place to attraction."

from the website of
The Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus