Well, I had my vocation hands full on Tuesday!!! 60 fifth graders from Jordan Grade School came for a vocation awareness morning at the Monastery. It was a wonderful challenge – I love those little kiddo”s. The 5th graders are learning about vocations in school and so this was a great field trip for them. They were utterly attentive – asking questions as we toured the Monastery, bringing their vocation questions with them and eating us out of juice and cookies.

I swore I would not spend much time with grade school programs when I became vocation director. After all, my community is hoping more for women who are older and have some world experience. However, I found this 5th grade morning perfect – not too long but time to talk briefly about vocations, talk about my community and we had a fun mass. Fr. Ronald, a Benedictine priest and a friend of 25 years, helped me as did our novice, Stefanie. We finished the morning with a picnic lunch on our patio”s overlooking the lake. The kids, the parents and the teachers loved it.

This weekend we have two women (48 & 29) for a Benedicitine Live-In Weekend Experience. Next weekend we have one woman (35) and possibly a second woman (30) coming for a similar experience. The weekend theme is ”Benedictine Spirituality for Today”s World” and we look briefly at the Rule of St. Benedict and what is relevant for today. We will also have time to talk with a variety of Sisters, attend our normal prayers and just hang out in the Monastery. I look forward to the two weekends and getting to know the women.

There is a place for everyone, isn”t there? Young 5th graders are ripe to hear stories of the Sisters as they have a limited experience with Sisters..young adults are eager to find their place in the world. Everyone has a place in God”s world and we just have to take time to reflect, learn, ask questions and prayer for direction. It is an ageless process.

Remember 5th grade? What were you thinking about in terms of God? How have you grown in your spiritual journey? Where are you today? I am open to you and your questions…and send some topics my way and i will be glad to blog on them!!!