HOW YOU CAN become a sister

More Frequently Asked Questions

I’m just thinking about this kind of life, not ready to ask to join you or anyone else, for that matter. What should I be doing at this stage of the game?

The first thing you can do in this stage is pray. Ask the Lord to show you the way – ask often and with real confidence. Then listen. At the same time, it also makes a lot of sense for anyone thinking about religious life to talk it over with other people. A spiritual director, a confessor, a campus minister – any of these people might be very helpful to you as you work your way through your discernment. Sometimes, unfortunately, such people are hard to find. That shouldn’t discourage you from doing the discernment work. It is “work,” and that’s not easy, but as you begin to know yourself and your relationship with Christ better, you will find that it’s work that pays off in increased freedom of mind and heart. One good way to help yourself, whether you’re in dialogue with someone or not, is to read books.

Can you offer me anything at this discerning stage?

Yes. Someone could accompany you. Typically, you would meet with a sister once a month for a period of time that you’d decide together. In those meetings you and she could look at your questions in more depth. Her role would be to encourage you to get at the truth of what you desire, to encourage you to respond to your “call,” whatever it is and wherever it may lead you, in freedom.

The other thing we can offer you at this time is a real welcome from a community. Come eat with us, pray with us, work with us. Get to know us – we have a formal side that you might see in church, but we have a pretty informal side, too. We enjoy sharing our Assumption life with folks who come to visit us, whether for an evening or for a longer period of time. And while we love telling our own stories, we’re also quite interested in those of others.

What happens if I decide that I’d like to give religious life a try?

Assuming that you’ve had a chance to get to know us a little bit, you’d talk with Sr. Mary Ann about your decision, then write a letter to our Provincial Superior and her Council asking to enter the Assumption. They would then decide if they could invite you to enter our formation program.

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How You Can Become A:

Sr. Therese Margaret and friend