Am I Called to Religious Life? How Did It All Begin? 1. When did you first think of becoming a religious? 2. Has this desire of yours been constant? 3. Have you thought of entering another profession? undertaking another occupation? Has this affected your wish to be a religious? 4. Do you think the origins of your desire to become a religious could be found: a) through any particular people? b) through any situations? c) through any special events? 5. How did your desire to be a religious become clear or grow in your life? What Are Your Interests? 1. Besides your regular occupation what other interests do you have: hobbies, sports, parties, etc? 2. Are these interests conflicting with important things in your life? How? 3. Do you feel that these activities are an escape from the pressures of real life? Do these interests bring you in closer contact with others? 4. Do these interests have a bearing on your desire to become a religious? In which way? Are Others Important To You? 1. How do you relate to people older/younger than yourself? eg teachers, boss, the aged, children. 2. What plan do you think you should formulate in order to ensure your growth in friendship with others? 3. Have you any contact with persons in different racial or language groups and what sort of relationship do you have with them? 4. How do your relationships help you? 5. How does the Gospel guide you in this regard? Prayer? Are You Involved? 1. What kind of groups are you involved in ? What kind of activities are of interest to you in these groups? 2. How does close identification with a group of people help you to grow in faith? 3. What more do you think has to be done within the groups to which you belong? 4. If you are not involved in any particular group, are you involved in any other form of apostolic activity? Eg visits to nursing homes, jails, assist with religious education programme, other parish activities. Charity Begins At Home. 1. Have you spoken of your desire for religious life to your family? 2. How did each member of your family react to the news? 3. Have you met with difficulties? How have you handled these difficulties? 4. Has your family been an influence in your desire to consider religious life? Is there anyone in your family who serves the community in some way or other? Where Are You Now? 1. What are you doing now? Working, studying, both? 2. Are you happy in what you are doing? Do you find it fulfilling? 3. Because of your desire to become a religious, do you think it is useful to have professional training? 4. What do you know of the life and conditions of people? Who are those abandoned today? Who is attending to them? Living and Loving 1. How do you get along with members of the opposite sex? Do you have a steady girl//boyfriend? 2. Have you ever thought about marriage? 3. Since you have been thinking about religious life has your attitude towards boys/girls changed? How? Why? Christ Is Alive - Have You Met Him? 1. What practices in your life increase your presence to others; to God? 2. Where in your life do you most see Christ? 3. Do you ever read any religious or spiritual books? The Church-do you really belong? 1. Are you engaged in any of the Church's societies or any of the parish activities? 2. What do you see as the most important thing a sister, a brother, a priest does? 3. Try to describe what the following words mean to you: community, people of God,mystical body of Christ, Church, pilgrim people. 4. How do you react when the Church takes a public stand on some issue like morality or social concern? Capital punishment, just wages, racism, etc.? 5. Have you ever had an interest in the missionary activities of the Church? A time for everything As a religious, you are called to a life of great responsibility, as your role will be to lead the people of God. This life will require of you a real sense of discipline, especially difficult because it will be enforced on you by no outside authority, but yourself. It is thus important to work towards a balanced life as a means to self discipline. 1. In your weekly routine, do you find time for the following: work, serious reading, prayer, sleep , leisure, friends, home life, Christian involvement, review of your apostolic activities, etc... 2. Is there an imbalance in the distribution of your time? 3. Decide on a "time-table" that will give you the framework for your lifestyle. 4. Can you review this regularly? In a nutshell 1. Read from your notes made on each topic. 2. What does this reading suggest to you? 3. Has your desire to become a religious become clearer? If yes, in what way? If no, what still troubles you? 4. Do you sometimes fear you might not reach the goal? |
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