Discernment

How do I know if God is calling me to religious life?

1. Do I have a desire for religious life? Do I really want religious life or am I being pressured by someone or something? Am I drawn toward it, attracted by it? Does it give me a certain sense of satisfaction to think of myself as a sister?
   
   
2. Why do I want to be a religious sister? What's behind my interest and attraction? What are my reasons for becoming a sister? Am I seeking to get something for myself or do I really want to give of myself?
   
   
3. Do I have the ability to live the life as it should be lived? Can I live it comfortably, cheerfully and generously, without going to pieces or without a constant drain on my inner resources and energies? Do I have good physical health?
   
   
4. What about my mental and emotional stability? Can I cope with stress reasonably well?
   
   
5. How well can I control my sexual desires? How important is the issue of intimacy and companionship of one special person? Have I considered marriage as a possible vocation for myself?
   
   
6. How well do I get along with other people? Am I basically at ease with them or do I feel threatened much of the time? Can I stand alone if I have to?
   
   
7. Can I work together in a group without demanding my own way?
   
   
8. Do I have a taste for prayer and for things of the spirit? Am I willing to work seriously at developing a solid spiritual life, a life centered in God and radiating out in service to his people?

Reflective questions taken from "A Religious Vocation: Is it for Me?" by Fr. Marty Pable, OFM, Cap.