VOCATIONS

To the Cistercian Life

Santa Rita Abbey

Sonoita, Arizona

Are you asking God about your choices for the years ahead?

Wouldn't it be great if you were to wake up one morning to find God beside your bed, telling you exactly what vocation had been planted in your heart when you were born? We have heard So many say, "I would follow in a minute if I were really sure of what God wants of me."

Let's turn it around.

What do you want of yourself?

To use the precious gift of life as well as you can? To give as much as you can to the healing of this world?

Perhaps you feel that without some exterior discipline--a sensible and reasonable discipline--your life has a tendency to grow flabby and unproductive. Perhaps you have a desire to strip down the externals of existence in order to find its essence, to walk with uncluttered step into the arms of God.

You are willing to embrace the challenges of community life because you know they will draw you along the path of human and spiritual growth. You want to grow because you know that life is more, much more than pleasure and success.

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Could these flashes of insight be the way to God's answer? You would like to be married, you would love a productive and fulfilling career, motherhood, service, most of all love, in its many forms. You would like to grow in the capacity to love. What life-form will help you to grow in love? It can be very confusing, with so much to want and so many ways of finding God.

If, among all these possibilities, an interest in Cistercian life is tugging at your heart as well, let us know, ask us questions. A few indications would be:

        Age: between 21 and 39.

        Adequate physical and mental health

         A well-developed sense of humor

         The willingness to live, pray and work with others.

We can answer some questions on our website for you. We plan a Vocation Corner, in which some of our sisters will tell their story, and we can reply to your emails or letters. Email address for web questions: mesasophia@wildblue.net .

Or correspond directly with our vocational secretary: Sr. Victoria, at our mailing address or at sracommty@wildblue.net

. We may be able to shed light on your path, wherever that path is leading. It is a privilege to be part of your search, wherever it leads.

Check out our link to Monastic Life!

monastic-life2.htm