Am I called?
If you chose to read this section, chances are that you might be looking for something deeper than what you have experienced in life thus far. Perhaps you have a feeling of incompleteness or a desire for a deeper relationship with God. Or do you look around you at what is happening in the world and wish you could help to make a difference? Maybe this is the time for you to think about exploring religious life. How might this way of life speak to your questioning heart?
Today, for many, even thinking about religious life can evoke deep feelings of confusion, feelings of excitement and fear, of uncertainty and hopefulness. These feelings are natural, not unlike those you might experience in making any major life choice and commitment. What is clear is a restlessness of spirit and a longing for something more to make your life complete, a desire to belong, to make a difference in the world. Consecrated religious life is one path towards fulfillment.
Religious communities have much in common. Yet, each has a distinctive "something," a unique charism that animates and motivates its members. Charisms are gifts of the Spirit, deep insights into a particular aspect of the Gospel given for the transformation of the Church and, ultimately, of the world. We encourage you to visit communities you may know or have read about in order to learn about religious life. During this process you might well find a community that responds to your desires. Visits, conversations, prayer and reflection play a critical role in the process of discovering a sense of "at home-ness" with a community.