Our vocation is a 'mystery', a gift of God, a call revealing itself only gradually -an irresistible attraction drawing us to the Lord, freeing our hearts from attachment to material things and enabling us to freely offer ourselves in love to the Lord. Like St. Paul we "consider everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord"

Next Vocation Weekend

22nd - 24th October 2010
19th - 21st November 2010

(Friday evening – Sunday after lunch)

Young women, interested in learning about our contemplative monastic way of life, are invited to a weekend of prayer and reflection - with sung liturgy, Eucharistic Adoration, conferences and opportunity to meet with sisters.

Contact: Sr Breda OP
Monastery of St Catherine of Siena
The Twenties, Drogheda
Contact Form

Novitiate - stages of formation

Before making a decision to join the novitiate young women are invited to spend at least one month living in our community so that they may experience first hand our way of life.

1Postulancy - lasts for at least 8 months - the aspirant participates in the life of the novitiate but continues to wear secular dress.

 

2Novitiate - begins with reception of the religious habit and white veil. During the next two years the novice begins to participate more fully in the life of the community as she discerns if the Lord is calling her to profession.

3Profession - having completed two years as a novice, she makes profession for three years as she continues to discern the Lord's call.

4Solemn Profession - through solemn profession we are totally consecrated to God in the Order until death.

Why do young women dedicate themselves to our way of life?

The following are some responses from members of our community

• "A youthful longing to give myself totally to Jesus, coupled with an attraction to solitude led me to the monastery. Later I realised that Jesus had long before fallen in love with me - still later came the consciousness of a missionary outreach, and an endlessly hidden and deep apostolic adventure opened up for me."

• "For many years I wanted to give myself to God in the religious life but my desire for the contemplative life grew from a daily visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Later I understood that love of God and of neighbour are two sides of the one coin. My aim since then has been to open myself to the work of the Holy Spirit and become an apostolic contemplative."

• "Compelled by an overwhelming and irresistible attraction for Jesus I entered the monastery seeking to come to a deeper knowledge and love of Him, believing that this radical way of life would facilitate this encounter with Him.

• "From early childhood I had a great longing to dedicate myself wholly to Jesus as a missionary who would bring the knowledge of his love to those who did not know Him. Then one day I became aware that as a missionary I would be confined to one area and that in fact I could reach a limitless number of people through a life of prayer and sacrifice so I decided to follow the Lord's call to the monastery"

"Anyone who has discovered Christ must lead others to Him.

A great joy cannot be kept to oneself.

It has to be passed on".
(Pope Benedict XVI)