Life at the Convent

Yesterday I had a few friends over for an Open House to get together before I leave and there was a blessing and reception at Mass today.  It was inspirational to talk to so many friends and strangers who were supportive of my entrance and of religious life.  As I was chatting with people, I found myself often explaining how my life will change when I enter the convent.  From my visits to Mishawaka and my conversations with the sisters, I wanted to provide some insight into my schedule and progression in religious life.

Daily Life

Mornings are early at the motherhouse!  On weekdays, I would guess that I will wake up around 4:30am so that I can get ready and eat breakfast before meditation begins at 5:30am.  After a half hour of silent meditation, the sisters pray morning prayer (or Lauds), and then have Mass.  In the morning, the postulants and novices (see below for explanation) have classes and do chores.  There are staff people to assist with some of the larger "chores" such as cooking and community laundry, but the sisters typically do many of the cleaning tasks including dishes, vacuuming, and washing windows.  The classes are taught by other sisters or occasionally priests or lay people, such as Notre Dame professors and include topics such as religious life, the history of the community, scripture, and vows.  I won't earn another degree from these classes, but I know that I will learn a lot more about religious life. 

At 11:45 is midday prayer and lunch.  The afternoon includes more chores and classes and sometimes visits to the older sisters in assisted living.  At 5:00, all the sisters gather for rosary, evening prayer (Vespers) and benediction.  After dinner, we will participate in recreation, which is essentially free time spent together.  Often the sisters will play board games or go for a walk.  It is an important time to build community and get to know the other sisters better.  Sometimes it is customary in religious life to eat meals in silence or while listening to spiritual reading.  The Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration talk during all three meals because they view meal times as an important community building time as well.  After recreation, the sisters say night prayer (Compline) and then hit the hay.

The Motherhouse in Mishawaka (From SSFPA Website)

Stages of Religious Life

I am currently a candidate with the Franciscans, which essentially means that I have been accepted, but have not yet entered and started living with the community.  On Sunday, I will become a postulant, meaning that I will live with the sisters and participate in their life, but I will not officially be part of the community.  I will wear a blue jumper as opposed to the brown habit and I will keep my name.  I will still be called Anna - there won't be "Sister" in front.  God-willing, in August 2014, I will become a novice and receive the religious habit and my new Sister name.  I wrote about how that process works in my Native Americans and Name Changes Post.  As a novice, my schedule will be similar to that of a postulant.  In fact the novices and postulants live in the same house and eat all their meals together.  The novices are now used to living the lifestyle, so they enter into more intense prayer and study.  There are two novice years and in the second year, the novices are able to participate in the community's ministry for a few months.  My community's apostolates (ministries) are health care and education.  Novices and postulants do not have access to email, phones, or social media to allow for an intimacy with Christ with fewer distractions.  I will be able to receive letters.

If I decide to continue in religious life, I will make temporary vows, which are then renewed.  While it is not the same, these temporary vows kind of remind me of a couple engaged to be married.  Upon engagement, the couple is saying, "we want to get married and are committed to the relationship", but they are not making the life-long 'til death do us part vows.  After a total of eight years of formation, the sister makes perpetual vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.  These vows are different from the marriage vows I mentioned above because they are perpetual.  Scripture tells us that people are not married in Heaven, but Heaven is a life fully dedicated to Christ, so the vows that religious take allow them to have a taste of Heaven on Earth. 


I am a little bit nervous about the unknown, but as my entrance date approaches, I am getting more and more excited for all that God has in store.  God has granted me so much joy and peace about entering the convent.  What a blessing!