Thursday, December 31, 2015

Called By Name: Fr. Jim

We are pleased to share the second video in the 'Called By Name' series from the Archdiocese, featuring our own Fr. Jim Corrigan of St. Theresa's Parish in Edmonton. 

Thank you for sharing your inspiring story, Fr. Jim! 



Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Travis' Vocation Story

Recently, Abide talked discernment with Travis, a 22-year-old seminarian at St. Joseph's Seminary. In this interview, Travis shares about his vocational journey.

Abide:  Tell us a bit about yourself.

Travis: I grew up in Grande Prairie, AB with my parents and my sister. I am currently 22 years old and reside at St. Joseph Seminary in Edmonton. I am studying for the Archdiocese of Grouard-McLennan in NW Alberta. Having completed my philosophical training, I am presently enrolled in the propaedeutic program, a year of spiritual formation at the Seminary, and spend most of my time in prayer, study, and service. 

Abide: Has your faith always played a big role in your life?

Travis: I actually stopped going to mass when I was about 12 years old. It was a burden to me, as I’m sure many young people can identify with, and when I questioned my parents they, having hardly been catechized themselves, weren’t prepared to answer any of my questions. It wasn’t until I was in high school that I came back to the church. My girlfriend at the time convinced me to attend a retreat at the Way of Holiness near Hinton, where I had a profound encounter with Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration. I fell in love with the Scriptures, reading them day and night. Within a few months I was shown how to pray the Rosary and devoted myself wholly to it. In my final year of high school I was led to attend daily mass and encouraged other students to attend as well.

Abide: When did you first consider the possibility that God might be calling you to the priesthood?

Travis: When I was 16 I attended some ordinations in Vancouver. Though I wasn’t actually open to the priesthood at the time, (I was in a relationship), I was somewhat attracted to the idea of living exclusively for others. The long and short of it is that within six months our relationship had crumbled as the idea of priesthood became a constant thought. We broke it off and I began attending daily mass. Not long after I was in contact with Archbishop Pettipas and on my way to the seminary. As I mentioned earlier, I am studying for the Archdiocese of Grouard-McLennan (NW Alberta). God willing that I complete my studies, I would return to my Archdiocese where I would be ordained and serve as a priest for the remainder of my years. I chose the Archdiocese of Grouard-McLennan because that’s where I am from and that’s where I want to serve. It’s also a missionary diocese with not a lot of structures in place. That means we have to be creative leaders. That’s my kind of place.

Abide:  What aspects of being a diocesan priest appeal to you the most? What do you think will be the biggest challenges? 

Travis: People are looking for meaning in their lives. They are looking everywhere for the purpose of their existence, in this or that spirituality or whatever it may be. They are meant for something more than work and consumption and they know it. I want to be able to share with them the joy and peace that I have received from Christ. I can’t think of any better way than for me to offer my life in service of the Church as a priest. I don’t really know what my biggest challenge will be. I do know that whatever it is, it will also be the greatest source of God’s grace for me and for whomever I am serving. 

Abide:  Do you have any advice for other young adults who are discerning the call to the priesthood or other forms of consecrated life?
 
Travis: Yes. Be a saint. If you want to take seriously a possible call to priesthood or consecrated life, or the married life, you must first and foremost take seriously our call as Christians to be holy. If you’re not praying, start; if you’re not attending mass, attend, and with devotion. The Eucharist is the source of our life as Christians, no less is it the source of every vocation in the Church. Also, it will be very helpful to find a good spiritual director who can challenge you to be a saint and to recognize God’s action in your life.

Monday, November 9, 2015

Called By Name: Fr. Carlos

We are pleased to share the first video in the 'Called By Name' series from the Archdiocese, featuring our own Fr. Carlos Nunez of Good Shepherd Parish in Edmonton. Father tweets at @Mercysoul.

Thank you for sharing your inspiring story, Fr. Carlos! 


Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Called By Name

Dear Abide readers,

A big "thank you" to all in our Archdiocese who participated in the One Rose Invitation on October 1st! Please continue to pray for young women in our Archdiocese who are pondering the call to consecrated life as religious sisters.

Abide is now pleased to share with you a new initiative from the Vocations Office of the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton.

Called by Name
What does it take to become a priest? You might be surprised. The Vocations Office of the Catholic Archdiocese of Edmonton is pleased to present “Called By Name,”a new video series that tells the stories of six men who took very different paths to priesthood. Each of the featured priests speaks candidly about his personal journey, and each story will move you. We will be releasing a new video on the first Thursday of the month beginning in November. But you can get a good look at what’s coming by viewing the trailer. Come and See!

Check out the trailer for this video series, featuring our own Fr. Mark Cramer, Fr. Kris Schmidt, Fr. Carlos Nunez, Fr. Jim Corrigan, Fr. Matthew Hysell, and Fr. Michael Shumacher.

Monday, September 7, 2015

One Rose 2015

Community: Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration

"After my death, I will let fall a shower of roses." -St. Therese of Liseaux

During these months of autumn, we celebrate some of the most beloved saints of the Church. The beginning of October in particular is packed with feast days, including St. Francis, St. Faustina, and St. Teresa of Avila. On October 1st (just around the corner!), we commemorate St. Therese of Liseaux, also known as The Little Flower.

The Imagine Sisters Movement, an online organization that aims to inspire women to consider a religious vocation, has created a special initiative to celebrate St. Therese's feast day. The One Rose Invitation is an Imagine Sisters tradition that takes place each year on October 1st.

Inspired by the symbolism of roses associated with St. Therese, the One Rose is an opportunity for those who want to help promote a culture of religious vocations. In the days leading up to October 1st, you are invited to prayerfully reflect on the young women in your life, and to ask yourself, "Would my friend/roommate/daughter/sister/member of my parish/co-worker make a good religious sister? Do the qualities I see in her make me think she might have a religious vocation?"

If you think that a young woman in your life might be called to a religious vocation, present her with a rose on October 1st. Let her know that you see in her the qualities of a Bride of Christ. Explain the meaning of your gift in person, or by accompanying it with a card or note. You can use this pre-designed note from Imagine Sisters if you wish!

Of course, only God can call a young woman to a religious vocation -- her friends and relatives can't decide this for her, no matter how much they may think she would make a wonderful religious sister. So, if you receive a rose this October 1st, it doesn't necessarily mean you have a vocation to religious life. However, receiving a rose may invite a young woman to reflect, perhaps for the first time, on the possibility that God might be calling her to explore a religious vocation.

Do you know a young woman who is already discerning the call to religious life? Giving her a rose on October 1st will encourage her in her discernment, and let her know that she is supported and that you are cheering her on!

Read more about the fruits of the One Rose Invitation here.

This October 1st, present a young woman with a single rose. Pray. Invite. Encourage. Sometimes, all it takes is an invitation.

Because one sister can change the world.



Photo credit: imaginesisters.org

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Josh's Vocation Story

Recently, Abide talked discernment with Josh, a 21-year-old U of A grad from St. Albert who is discerning a vocation to the priesthood with the Dominican Friars of the Province of St. Joseph, based in Washington, DC. In this interview, Josh shares about his experience of the discernment process. 

AbideTell us a bit about yourself.

JoshI'm 21, I live with my family of 9 on a small acreage. I have a degree in chemistry and physics from the University of Alberta. I work now as a research chemist for my Dad. I spend most of my free time either with my family (little kids take up a lot of time) or reading these days. I read some classic literature, and also a lot of theology and philosophy.

AbideWhen did you first consider the possibility of a vocation to the priesthood?

JoshI was aware of the possibility of a vocation, and the shortage of priests in the Church, when I was quite young, but I did not want to be a priest because I wanted to be a great scientist. My mom always liked to go to a nearby used book store and binge-buy books at cents a piece. She bought a lot of religious books, and those stacked our shelves, but I never read all that many; I read a lot of Hardy Boys and science books at the time. When I was in high school my Mom got me hooked on all these theology and philosophy books, and I was captivated and impressed by the intellectual tradition of the Church. When I was 16, I was reading The Life of Christ, by Fulton Sheen, and I was struck by the part about the rich young man who asked Jesus what more he could do. Jesus told him to give his possessions to the poor and follow, but the man went home and wept, for he had many possessions. Sheen understood this to mean that poverty (and as an extension, complete discipleship a la religious life) was a special calling for certain people who want to do more than just follow the commandments. I thought perhaps that Jesus was talking to me in this passage, and maybe I had a vocation. I guess the biggest shift back then was when I came to consider a vocation as a calling to fulfil me, and not simply to fill a need in the Church.

AbideWhat made you consider a vocation as a religious priest (i.e. as a Dominican friar as opposed to a diocesan priest)?

Josh: There are not a lot of very active and prominent orders in Western Canada, so my contact with the various charisms and missions was limited. I visited St. Joseph's Seminary here when I was 17, and I really loved the community, but I realized I felt more drawn to a strong community life than to the life a diocesan priest would live after the seminary. I also came to see myself more as a specialist, operating under a particular charism, than as a diocesan priest responsible for everything for a parish.

Abide: Why the Dominicans?

Josh: I never knew Dominican priests growing up. I had a great respect for St. Thomas Aquinas (a Dominican) and I wanted to study a lot of theology and philosophy, so I was interested in the Dominicans since high school, but since none were around I did not think much of it. I was getting spiritual direction from a Legionary priest during my third year of my degree and he also suggested the Dominicans when I told him I wanted to be a pastor (not first an academic) but still study and pass on the faith intellectually. They are medieval enough for my taste and their intellectual heritage is impressive. I also like the liturgical life they live. They sing the liturgy of the hours together throughout the day. I also felt that I fit into the communities that I visited.

AbideWhere are you at this point in your discernment journey?

Josh: I was hoping to enter the order this summer, but the vocations director asked me to wait at least a year, so now I am planning to volunteer for the next few months in a homeless shelter in New York with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal. There I will be able to serve the poor and maintain a good prayer schedule in preparation for religious life. I will leave to do so at the end of August. While there, I will be close to the Dominicans and be able to continue to prepare for entry into religious life. 

Abide: How have your family and friends reacted to your decision to seriously discern the religious life? 

JoshMy family is quite supportive. My Catholic friends are all happy. Non-Catholics, whether friends or strangers, seem to generally have positive, but confused, reactions to my plans. I think there is a natural curiousity in a lot of people when they see an apparently well-adjusted, successful, normal young man seek out an apparently anachronistic life. Sometimes people think I must not be attracted to women. It's pretty funny. I have yet to see brows furrowed.

AbideWhat do you think will be the biggest challenge of religious life? What do you think will be the greatest reward? 

JoshThe evangelical councils are poverty, chastity, and obedience. Everybody says poverty and chastity get easier over time, and at 21, that's my experience. I never liked having a lot of things, so poverty does not scare me. The Dominicans are set up in quite a democratic way compared to, for example, the Jesuits, but I still will have to obey other humans, and one day that may become difficult. Everybody says obedience gets harder over time. I expect I'll have to work very hard on my humility.

AbideDo you have any advice for other young adults who are considering the possibility of discerning priesthood or religious life? 

JoshFind a good spiritual director who can tell you that your weird idea to give your whole life to Jesus and wear funny clothes for the rest of your days is not all that crazy after all. In general, just do it. If you like an order or a seminary, go check it out. You can't get very far on a laptop. God wants your love, not your complacency.

Pray for Josh as he continues his journey of discernment! 

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Introducing Sister Celeste Mariae Therese, SV


On July 25th, the feast of St. James the Greater, Sister Celeste Mariae Therese, SV (formerly Charmaine) entered the Novitiate and received the habit of the Sisters of Life in the Bronx, NY. Sister (2nd row, far left) also received her new name. She is shown here with the nine other women who also entered the Novitiate in July.

Before discerning a vocation with the Sisters of Life, Sister Celeste lived in the Archdiocese of Edmonton, where she was an active member of St. Teresa's Parish in Millwoods.

The Sisters of Life are a New York-based Order with the particular charism of protecting and enhancing the sacredness of all human life. The community was recently featured in an article in the New York Times (check it out here).  

Remember Sister Celeste in your prayers and give thanks for her "Yes" to God's call!  

Friday, August 7, 2015

A Hug from the Holy Spirit

Written by a young person in discernment.

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence.”
--Blessed Mother Teresa

"What we need most in order to make progress is to be silent before this great God with our appetite and with our tongue, for the language he best hears is silent love."
--St. John of the Cross

As I have been on the journey of discernment for a while now, sometimes a friend will ask me for advice when they are trying to discern something. I'm no expert, but I have learned a thing or two through experience. The first suggestion I always make is this: cultivate silence.

For so many young adults (myself included), life is amazingly noisy, both audibly and visually. The places where we spend our days -- large educational institutions, workplaces, dorms or homes shared with roommates -- tend to be loud, busy, hectic places. Even when we are physically alone, noise and stimulation find us through our technology. For many of us, "downtime" is still connected time: we relax or pass solitary hours with our phones, tablets, laptops, Netflix, and music. We like to be caffeinated, connected, and plugged in -- all the time. The default state of noise is such a prevalent part of our culture that silence can seem scary, boring, or unnatural. However, we need silence in our lives if we want to be able to know God and his will.

Cultivating silence can take serious effort on our part. When I first started practicing regular times of silence, I found it very hard. I would go to sit with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament at my parish, and often the two of us would be the only persons present. Sometimes I prayed silently, wrote in my journal, or did spiritual reading. Sometimes I would just sit there and be. At first, the quiet and stillness was unnerving. I also found that if I had my phone or iPod on me, the temptation to pull it out and check it was always too much for me. So, I had to leave all my devices at home when I came for silence time. At first, I could only handle the silence for a few minutes. It felt boring, like a waste of time, and I didn't think it was helping me. However, I toughed it out and kept at it. Eventually I was staying in silence for up to an hour at a time, what I called "a legit Holy Hour." After what felt like a long time without seeing any "results," I began to notice the fruits of silence in my life. 

I began to notice that, while not much seemed to happen while I was actually in silence, God began to speak to me in other moments of my life, during my ordinary school/work routine. The fruit of my silent time would come at a moment when I was studying or washing dishes or on the bus. I realized that, in a way I didn't fully understand, the silence was creating space in my heart that was enabling God to speak. I also noticed that I felt more peaceful. External silence was helping my chaotic heart and mind to quiet down. I went from dreading and avoiding silence to enjoying it and seeking it out. Cultivating silence enabled me to get to know myself a lot better. It also enabled me to get to know God better, and to discover that knowing Him leads to knowing His will. 

I experienced a new level of silence when I visited a community of contemplative nuns to discern with them. I went from the chaos and noise of an international airport to the quiet of a monastery. The public part of the chapel was the first place I went. I sat alone there for a few minutes, and it was as if I was drinking in the silence. It was as if I had been dying of thirst without knowing it, and had arrived at an oasis. This silence was nothing like the awkward silence of a uncomfortable gap in conversation, nor like the stony silence in a relationship when the other person gives you "the silent treatment." This silence was rich and warm. It surrounded me like a loving embrace. The peace of this silence was palpable. It was the deep, deep stillness and silence of a place where God is present, and where He is honored, reverenced, and loved. A place where silence is respected and cultivated because of the nuns' desire to be able to hear the voice of their Beloved. This silence was a hug from the Holy Spirit.

After this experience, I began to treasure holy silence and seek out times and places where I could enjoy it. I began to think of times of silence as hugs from God. These times help me to be at peace, to think clearly, and to focus my heart on the One who loves me.

If you want to make space in your heart for God's words, and if you want to come to know His will for your life, I encourage you to spend a few minutes in silence each day, be it at home, in a church, or out in nature. Turn off the devices and put them away, quiet your heart, and switch your focus from doing to being. Like me, you may feel afraid of what God may say to you if you are quiet enough to listen. Let me reassure you: God will speak love. He is gentle. He loves you. He is for you, not against you. And He wills only the very best for your life. Cultivate enough silence to hear Him, and you may be surprised by what happens.

Sisters and brothers, His desires for you are so good. Be not afraid! 

"The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper." (1 Kings 19:11-12)

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Listen With the Ear of Your Heart



What is Lectio Divina, and how can it help me to discern my vocation? Lectio Divina is Latin for "divine reading" or "sacred reading." In his Rule, St. Benedict prescribed up to five hours of Lectio Divina per day for his monks! Most of us don't have that kind of time, but even a short time spent in Lectio is very beneficial.

Lectio Divina is simply sitting down in a quiet place, opening your Bible, and reading a short passage — slowly. It is important to read it several times over, allowing the words to sink into your heart and mind. It is also important to do this in a quiet space where you can have at least a few minutes of uninterrupted time. Finally, it is important to practice Lectio on a regular basis.

Many people choose to do Lectio with the Gospel reading of the day, or one of the other daily Mass readings — the First Reading or the Psalm. Others choose a book of the Bible and go through it from start to finish, reading a small portion every day. The length of the passage you choose is up to you, though it is usually a good idea to work with a short passage — a verse or two or a paragraph — rather than a lengthy narrative or full chapter.

Once you have chosen your passage, and you have at least ten minutes of time to spend, find a quiet place to do your Lectio. You may want to begin with the Sign of the Cross or a brief prayer asking the Holy Spirit to help you understand God's words.

The way we do Lectio is different from the way we would scan a newspaper article, skim a textbook looking for key words, or devour a gripping novel in order to find out what happens in the end. When we do Lectio, we read slowly, savouring the words like fine food. The monks and nuns of old called this, "Listening with the ear of the heart." We read prayerfully, trusting that God will speak to us through His Word. We are not at all worried about "getting through" a certain number of pages or "finishing" anything. God is not in any hurry. Lectio is slow.

As you read your passage through several times, you may notice that a word or a phrase on the page seems to jump out at you. For some reason, that word or phrase or image or idea really gets your attention. If this does not happen, that's okay too. Our Lectio may speak to us more powerfully some days than others.

If you find that something captures your attention, focus in on that one word or phrase and begin to meditate on it. Why do you think it got your attention? Reflect on it and pray about it. It may be that God is trying to speak to your heart through that word or phrase. What could the Lord be trying to say to you, specifically, in your unique life and circumstances on that particular day?

How can the practice of Lectio Divina help you in discerning your vocation? Well, as St. John writes in the opening of his Gospel, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). When we encounter Scripture, we are encountering Christ — the Word — Himself. However, the Word, like the Eucharist, does not force Himself on anybody. It is up to us to open the Bible and read. The Word, like the Eucharist, transforms. If we let Him, He will transform our hearts and make His desires our own.

Perhaps you have the desire for God to speak to your heart. If so, you can stop waiting for the heavens to open; instead, take up the Word and read.

“If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” (John 8:31-32)

Friday, June 26, 2015

Introducing Sister Mary Emet, OCSO

On June 24th, the Solemnity of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, Sister Mary Emet, OCSO (formerly Hailey) completed her postulancy and entered the novitiate of Mount St. Mary's Abbey in Wrentham, MA.



Mount St. Mary's is a Trappistine (Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance) cloistered community of contemplative nuns located near Boston, MA.

Sr. Mary Emet grew up in the Archdiocese of Edmonton, and attended the University of Alberta before discerning a vocation to enter Mount St. Mary's Abbey. After her entrance in June 2014, she completed a year of postulancy and has now been clothed in the habit of the Order as a novice, and has received her new name.

Emet is a Hebrew word meaning "truth." 

She will continue her discernment for about two years as a novice before professing her first vows.

Pray for Sr. M. Emet as she begins a new chapter of her discernment as a novice! Sister, we are so proud of you and hold you in our hearts and prayers.

View more photos of Sr. Mary Emet's Clothing Day here.

Saturday, June 20, 2015

Father Catfish, I Miss You

Written by a young person in discernment.




Everything I know about consecrated life, I've learned from two people: my parish priest, and Father Mike "Catfish" Mireau. My parish priest teaches me through the way he lives. Fr. Catfish taught me through the way he died.

Fr. Catfish passed away almost a year ago now, after a long, cruciform battle with cancer. It was standing-room-only at his funeral at St. Joseph's Basilica on September 26, 2014, as the flags of Edmonton Catholic Schools flew at half-mast.

"Calling Father Michael Mireau 'unique' is a masterpiece of understatement," said presider Archbishop Smith. "He had an unmatched ability to connect with our beloved young people."

Fr. Mike was the District Chaplain of Edmonton Catholic Schools and the Chaplain of St. Francis Xavier High School when he passed away. He had previously served as a parish priest, and was a great advocate for the Archdiocese's Camp Encounter.

If you attended Catholic school, or Camp Encounter, in the not-too-distant past, chances are you've met Fr. Mike, and his dog/sidekick, Nemo. Father's characteristics included his love of Star Wars, Superman, and Pepsi, his antipathy towards the music of Justin Bieber, his pop-culture jokes, and the simple words with which he concluded every homily: "God is love."



Fr. Mike was also an avid user of Facebook and Twitter, as well as maintaining his own website and YouTube Channel.

It was actually his YouTube videos that affected my life the most. Though they were geared towards preteens and young teenagers, I, along with many other young and not-so-young adults, subscribed to his channel for encouragement, hope, and good advice.

As I watched over the year before his death, Fr. Mike lost his famous ponytail as he went through chemotherapy. He lost weight and strength as his tumour grew. He openly spoke about how much pain he was in. Yet, to my bewilderment, his message in his videos remained the same: he continued to tell us, with humour and simplicity, that God is love.



How can you still say that?! I wondered. Where is the love of God in your pain, in that ugly, hateful tumour that won't go away? What is loving about the fact that you are dying, that the young people who need you so much are going to lose you? God could heal you; why doesn't He? At first it seemed like a twisted joke. God is love.

After his death, I put Fr. Catfish out of my mind. It was too painful to think about. Then one day, I was reading something about Pope John Paul II. The author suggested that JP II's suffering and death from Parkinson's Disease were just as much a part of his ministry as his active days of energetic travel. Through the way he responded to suffering and dying, the Pope taught us how to suffer and die in a holy way.

I came to realize that suffering and death are something every one of us will face. My resentment about Fr. Catfish's cancer gradually gave way to a gratitude that I had been taught by his example, that I had this example of a consecrated person who was faithful even to the end. In sickness and in health, Fr. Catfish was faithful to his priesthood, to God, and to us, God's people.

It was Fr. Catfish who, by example, taught me about the fidelity of consecrated life. He was faithful. As I discern my own vocation, and think about consecrated life, I am daily grateful for Fr. Catfish's faithfulness and holiness, and his witness, to the very end, that God is love.


Photo cred: www.edmontonsun.com
                   plus.google.com
                   ecsd.net

Sunday, June 14, 2015

Discernment and the Vocation of Marriage

The fact that the word "discernment" is very often used in the same sentence as the words "consecrated life" or "priesthood" can be misleading. It seems to imply that the consecrated life is the only way of life which requires prayerful discernment. This is most emphatically untrue!

"Consecrated life" refers to religious life and priesthood, but in fact, all the ways of life we embrace as Catholics are consecrated to God. In the single life, we are called to remain faithful to God through our relationship with Him and with others. In the married life, we are consecrated to God through our spouse. Spouses are called to be Christ to each other, making the love of God sacramentally present to the other person. This holy calling certainly sets Catholic marriage apart — it consecrates it.

Because this is the Year of Consecrated Life, a time to raise awareness about religious life in its various forms, Abide focuses mostly on the discernment of consecrated life according to its usual definition. However, discernment is important for every Catholic, regardless of your vocation. 

Since the moment of our baptism, we are all consecrated to God. We are all set apart for holiness. This call to holiness will manifest itself in our lives through the wholehearted living out of our vocation, whether to the single life, the married life, religious life, or priesthood.

The call to the married life requires prayerful discernment in the same way that the call to consecrated life does. Marriage, like consecrated life, is a lifelong commitment, and should be approached with due reverence and much prayer.

It may be helpful to think about discernment in the following way. Rather than thinking of discernment as something you will only have to do once and which will set the course of your whole future ("discerning your vocation"), think of discernment as something which must be done everyday.

When we daily approach life with prayer, reflection, and the question, "Lord, what is your will for me — today? What is your will for this situation, this relationship, this decision? How can I respond to this circumstance with your love?", discernment takes on a whole new relevance and simplicity.

We discern daily the same way we discern the "big" things: through silence, prayer, Scripture reading, self-reflection, and waiting on God.

Daily discernment and surrender of our lives to God will slowly reveal our vocations. When we daily discern His desires, we are lead gradually, gently, organically, to the answer to The Big Question: what is my vocation?

For this reason, if you have been called to the married life, discernment is still relevant for you. Abide encourages you to explore our discernment resources and to prayerfully discern your daily life.

Sisters and brothers, His desires for you are so good. Be not afraid!

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Under Her Mantle

Written by a young person in discernment.


"Before, by yourself, you couldn't. Now, you've turned to our Lady, and with her, how easy!"
  --St. José Maria Escriva

The first time I really gave any thought to what it means to be consecrated was two summers ago. I was bracing myself for the coming academic year: my second in university. That summer, my life felt chaotic, with changes and struggles facing me everywhere I turned. I felt the need to do something concrete to respond to the chaos with faith.

I knew that certain spiritual practices, such as a daily rosary, had helped me through other challenging times in my life. But I felt the need to do something more radical: something that was proportionate to the need I felt for God's help.

One day, in an email, a friend shared with me how he had consecrated himself to Mary through a spiritual practice called "Total Consecration to Mary." He explained that, with the aid of a book written by St. Louis de Montfort, he had prayed and reflected in preparation, every day for 33 days. On the last day, which fell on a Marian feast day, he used St. Louis' prayer of consecration to consecrate his entire life to the protection and intercession of Mary.

My first reaction was: woah. That sounds intense. My friend shared that St. Louis used phrases like "sweet slavery" to describe his relationship with Mary! I was a little freaked out.

However, I couldn't get the idea of Total Consecration out of my mind. Doing a little research on the internet, I discovered that many saints and blesseds had consecrated themselves to Mary through St. Louis' method. In fact, Saint Pope John Paul II was inspired by the language of Marian consecration when he chose the phrase Totus Tuus Maria ("I am totally yours, Mary") as the motto for his pontificate.

I also learned that, in addition to St. Louis de Montfort's book, True Devotion to Mary, a book had been written in contemporary language to guide people through the process of consecration. Thirty-Three Days to Morning Glory, by Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC, is a guide to Marian consecration that is a more approachable read. There is also a free online guide (this website is an awesome resource). 

After thinking about it for awhile, I decided to read St. Louis' book and go through the 33 days of preparation. I decided that if things seemed to be getting too intense, I could always back out before the day of consecration itself.

I read True Devotion to Mary and my heart was won. St. Louis' gentle, but passionate love for Mary touched my heart, and I knew that it was her motherly help that I needed to help me through the hard season of life I was going through. Doing the consecration would mean that I gave Mary permission to intercede for me and so lead me to Jesus. I came to understand that in consecrating myself to Mary, I was taking a step towards consecrating my life to her Son. It still felt like a radical step, but it was one that I wanted to take.

And so I began my preparation. I looked at the calendar and found that if I began the preparation that week, I would finish on August 22, the feast of the Queenship of Mary. Using St. Louis' book as my guide, I spent some time each day praying and doing some spiritual reading. Mary, the powerful prophetess, the gentle mother, the Queen of Heaven, the woman clothed with the sun, began to occupy a new place in my heart: and she never stopped pointing, with incredible gentleness and love, to Christ.

My consecration day arrived. After preparing for 33 days, I felt ready. I asked my parish priest to receive my consecration (listen to me pray the prayer of consecration and witness my promise). I went to Confession and Mass beforehand, and then, in Father's encouraging presence, I prayed the prayer of consecration aloud, standing in front of the altar. We both signed our names in my book below the prayer, along with the date. Every year on the same date, I renew my promise of consecration.

Since that day, my relationship with Mary has been an immense reservoir of strength and grace for me. Her powerful intercession and peaceful presence have changed my life, because her help leads me always towards Jesus.

Total Consecration was an experience of consecration, which means to be set apart, to be made sacred, and to be declared holy. I set myself apart as a daughter of Mary. Her prayer helps me to grow in holiness, and to see myself as sacred, because I am a temple of the Holy Spirit and a daughter of God. 

Marian consecration is a devotional spiritual practice, not a sacramental one. Baptism and Confirmation are unique sacramental experiences of consecration that set us apart as Catholics — members of Christ's Body, the Church. In the Sacrament of Marriage, a husband and wife are set apart for one another. At every celebration of the Mass, bread and wine are consecrated to become the Body and Blood of Christ, which then transforms those who receive it to become more like Him whom they receive. 

Sacramental consecration is a part of every Catholic's life. Devotional forms of consecration are embraced by some who find them beneficial in the spiritual journey. Every Catholic is called to a consecrated life, though the ways of consecrating yourself differ according to your vocation. 

Consecration is "taken to the next level," so to speak, in consecrated life. Through the vows taken by consecrated men and women, their whole lives and their entire beings are set apart for God.

If you want to deepen your understanding of what consecration is, and deepen the consecration of your baptism, consider consecrating yourself to Mary. Her gentleness makes the process easier than you might think. Entrust your heart to the Mother of Mercy. Be not afraid!

"Take shelter under our Lady's mantle, and do not fear. She will give you all you need. She is very rich, and besides is so very generous with her children. So take advantage without fear and with complete confidence, whenever you need anything. She loves giving."
--St. Raphaela Mary

Have you consecrated yourself to Our Lady according to the method of St. Louis de Montfort? Share your experience in the comments below! 

Friday, June 5, 2015

Prayer to St. Joseph for Wisdom in Discernment

"Saint Joseph, Patron of the Archdiocese of Edmonton, you were completely open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Through your intercession, obtain for me the grace to know the way of life to which God's love invites me.

Obtain for me the grace to know God's Will, to carry it out faithfully, and to discern the vocation that will best lead me to Christ.

Amen."

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Discernment Vocab

Written by a young person in the process of discernment.

I've noticed that when I talk about my vocational discernment, I use terms that aren't part of most people's day-to-day vocabulary.

Often, when I'm talking to friends and family about religious life, I'll say something, and they'll be like, "What language are you speaking?!"

I've learned to clarify certain terms before launching into a discussion about consecrated life.

I'll say, "_____, which is monk-speak for _____."

Feeling lost among all the long and Latin-rooted words associated with the ancient and beautiful institution of religious life in our Catholic faith? Be not afraid! Allow me to translate. Then you can clear things up for your friends. (Or not. It's kind of fun to throw around words like hebdomadarian and sound like you have a PhD.)

Here is a brief glossary of some terms you may encounter in the process of exploring the rich heritage of religious life in the Church.

Apostolate: the specific type of work done by a community for the overall purpose of spreading the Gospel (preaching, education, healthcare, prayer, etc.)

Apostolic: in the context of religious life, used to designate communities with active apostolates (nursing, social work, etc.)

Abbot/Abbess: the leader or superior of a community. Depending on the community, the leader may be called Abbot/Abbess, Prior/Prioress, Reverend Mother/Father, Sister/Brother, or another title specific to the community.

Charism: the particular grace or gift given to the founder of an Order or congregation and passed on to his or her spiritual descendants for the benefit of the entire Church. For example, the charism of the Franciscan Order is poverty; the charism of the Dominican Order is truth, etc.

Cloister:  in cloistered communities, refers to the area of the monastery reserved for community members, which is not usually open to the public and which community members do not usually leave. A cloistered community refers to communities in which members stay in one place and do not usually leave it. Also called an enclosure/enclosed community. The land surrounding the monastery building (gardens, walking paths, etc.) is included in the cloistered area.

Contemplative: communities whose way of life is devoted primarily to prayer and union with God.

Convent: some religious communities live in convents. Can be used for both male and female communities; in common parlance, typically refers to the home of a female apostolic community. Depending on the community and their way of life, the home of the community may also be called a monastery, priory, abbey, or another name specific to the community. Monastery typically refers to the home of a contemplative community. Abbey is typically used in communities of Benedictine extraction. Priory is typically used in mendicant communities.

Diocesan: a diocesan priest (sometimes called a secular priest) is ordained to serve in a specific geographical area. A religious priest is a priest and a member of a religious community. For more on the distinction, click here.

Divine Office (aka the Liturgy of the Hours): the Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Divine Office or the Work of God (Opus Dei), is the daily prayer of the Church, marking the hours of each day and sanctifying the day with prayer. Includes Morning Prayer (Lauds in Latin), Midmorning Prayer (Terce), Midday Prayer (Sext), Mid-afternoon Prayer (None), Evening Prayer (Vespers), Night Prayer (Compline), and the Office of Readings (Matins or Vigils). Note: though called "Hours," each Hour does not take an hour to pray! Typically the individual Hours take between 10 and 30 minutes to pray.
Almost all religious pray either some or all of the Hours each day. Contemplative communities typically pray all or most of the Hours, and apostolic communities and priests typically pray at least Lauds and Vespers.
The Hours are often prayed together in community, but may be prayed individually as well. The Divine Office may be spoken or sung/chanted.

Evangelical Counsels: poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Habit: the distinctive clothing worn by some religious. Some, though not all, religious communities wear a habit. Often includes a tunic-type garment, and, for women, a veil/head-covering. Other religious communities wear a symbol of their community (e.g. a cross necklace or a pin).

Horarium: old-school monk-speak term, meaning the daily schedule of a monastic community, which typically stays the same or very similar every day.

Monastic:  having to do with a monastery or the way of life of monks or nuns. Tends to refer to contemplative, rather than apostolic, religious life.

Novice: a novice is a person in training to become a fully-fledged member of a religious community. The novitiate period typically lasts one - two years. In some communities, a novice has already completed a time of postulancy (the first stage of formation when one has just entered a community). After the novitiate period, the person will profess their first vows.
Before a person enters a community officially as a postulant, they may complete a time of aspirancy as an aspirant, living with the community to discern if they feel called to the community's way of life.

Novice Master/Mistress: the community member in charge of training novices.

Novitiate: refers to the time period of being a novice, to the novices themselves, and to the building or section of the community home reserved for members in training.

Refectory: a monastic dining room.

Spiritual director: a person, often a priest or religious, who helps people discern where God is leading them. As an experienced guide in the spiritual life, he or she can help bring objectivity to a situation.

Third Order: Laity who affiliate themselves with a religious Order to share in the spirituality and charism of that Order; also called tertiaries. Active religious sisters may be called third order regular or third order conventual.
Typically first order refers to priests/friars, and second order to nuns.

Vocation: the way in which a person is called to live out the universal call to holiness.

Vocation Director/Directress: the member of a religious community who is the contact person for young people interested in becoming members of their community. They help the young person discern what God is calling them to.

Vows: religious profess vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Particular communities may have other vows that they require members to profess (for example, the vow of stability, which is the promise to remain in one community for the rest of one's life).

....and yes, hebdomadarian is a real word, and it has nothing to do with camels. It means "The nun or monk whose duty it is to begin and end the Hours of the Divine Office, and to lead the prayers at the graces before and after meals."

For more terms, click here, or go to FAQ/Ask Abide.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Your Vocation Is Love

If God is calling me to the vocation of consecrated life, does that mean I would make a bad mother/father or husband/wife?

Does having a desire to have a family mean that I'm not called to consecrated life?

These questions are often asked by those in the process of discerning a call to consecrated life.

If you reflect on the best parts of your life, chances are they have something to do with being loved or loving someone, often in the context of our families and closest friends. As C.S. Lewis observed, "Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives."

While, sadly, many of us have experienced pain and brokenness in our families, that is not the way God intended families to be. God intended — and some of us have experienced this — for the family to be the place where the deepest love we experience this side of Heaven is expressed.

When it is lived out in the way God intended it to be, the love between spouses, between parents and children, and between siblings is some of the most powerful and wonderful love to be found in this world. Close friendship is also a form of powerful love.

So why on earth would anyone choose a way of life which rules out the possibility of being part of a biological family? Isn't life without familial love much less meaningful?

The answer is: yes. Life without spousal, parental, and fraternal love is empty and unattractive.

The truth is, the precious and beautiful realities of spousal, parental, and fraternal love are elements of consecrated life, in a way that is no less real and powerful than the potential for love in a biological family.

We are all called to love and be loved abundantly. God does not will for any of us to miss out on the best thing life has to offer: love, which has as its source God who is love. In the Gospel of John, Jesus says to His disciples,“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12).

Consecrated men and women give and receive love in a way that is different, but no less authentic and powerful, than the way love is given and received by men and women called to family life.

In his Theology of the Body, St. John Paul II teaches that all women, regardless of vocation, are called to motherhood, and that all men, regardless of vocation, are called to fatherhood. Motherhood and fatherhood bring out the best characteristics and virtues of human beings, and result in our most meaningful experiences: intimacy, selflessness, care, generative creativity, and above all, love. The love of motherhood and fatherhood goes hand-in-hand with the love of spouses for one another and the love between brothers and sisters. In this milieu the love of friendship also flourishes.

Consecrated men and women participate in these loves in a genuine and full way. A religious woman is the spouse of Christ. Her children are all the people she embraces in her heart through her life of prayer and her works of mercy. Her many sisters and brothers are the members of her religious community, and she finds friendship in people from all walks of life. A priest, who is known, aptly, as "Father," is a spiritual father to his entire parish or all the people to whom he ministers. In the Person of Christ, he is the spouse of the Church. He experiences love of a spousal intensity from the Holy Spirit. Fellow priests and members of the faithful, both women and men, provide fraternal love and friendship.

Above all, consecrated women and men experience an intimacy with God which is extraordinary. In setting themselves apart for God, they make possible a relationship of love of a depth and intensity that exceeds all other love. They are set apart for Love Himself. In a poignant way, the consecrated person can say, "I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine" (Song of Solomon 6:3).

There is no missing out on love in the consecrated life. For this reason it is sometimes said that those women who would make the best mothers would also make the best consecrated women, and those men who would make the best fathers would also make the best priests.

Yes, the consecrated person expresses and receives love in a different way than those who are called to family life. But the love of consecrated life is immense. It is lasting. It is fulfilling. It is intimate and deep. Setting yourself apart for Love Himself is a path to a life of love, in greater ways than you can ask or imagine.

Be not afraid!

Saturday, May 23, 2015

What About My Student Debt?

Because of the high cost of post-secondary education in Canada, many young people today are faced with student debt.

In order to enter into religious life, candidates are usually required to be free of debt.

If you believe that you are being called to consecrated life, but are facing the obstacle of student debt, don't give up!

If you need to work for a period of time in order to pay off your debt before entering into religious life, use that time to deepen your discernment and grow in the spiritual life. Having to work and wait for something can reveal the depth of your desire and ability to persevere in your calling.

If your student debt is more than you are able to resolve, there are organizations dedicated to helping young people with vocations pay off their student debt. These include:

The Mater Ecclesiae Fund for Vocations

The Laboure Society

Also: don't forget to pray about it! Your vocation is God's idea, and He knows all about the obstacles you will face. It is not at all uncommon for Him to provide in unexpected ways, removing barriers from your path and enabling you to answer His call. If He is calling you, He will enable you to respond.

Even if His will is for you to delay your entrance because you are resolving debt, He will make that time fruitful, using it to prepare your heart for the graces of religious life. Be not afraid! 

Friday, May 22, 2015

Consecrated Life in Canada

As a Catholic young person, you may have noticed a phenomenon via social media in Catholic circles: in certain parts of the world, religious life is blossoming. 

Some communities in the US, such as the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, are growing rapidly and are attracting a large number of young people

In Western Canada, we are blessed with a thriving seminary and vocations to the diocesan priesthood. 

However, if you are a young woman, or a young man interested in a form of consecrated life other than priesthood, you may be wondering: what are the options for young Canadians with vocations to consecrated life? 

Are there any thriving, young communities in our part of the world? 

What can I do if the order I feel called to does not have any Canadian communities? 

Fear not! Young Canadians are hearing and responding to God's call, and discovering viable options for entering into religious life. 

There are several young, vibrant communities of women religious in Canada, including:



For men, and women who feel called to a different way of life, Canadians have found that travelling to the US to find a community is the next best thing to finding one in Canada. 

Young people in the Archdiocese of Edmonton have entered, or are discerning with, American communities such as:




Many US communities are very open to receiving inquiries from young Canadians interested in their way of life. 

Thanks to the internet, exploring and contacting American communities can be done easily via their websites and social media profiles. Many communities are active in social media and share a lot of their lives online. 

Be not afraid! If you are interested in the life of a community in another part of the world, contact them! And be sure to explore the Canadian options for discerners.