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Frequently Asked Questions
Who are the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon?
What are some useful definitions?
What are some helpful hints for discerning?
What reading do you recommend?
Can I come and meet the Sisters?
How can I contact the Vocation Director?
Who are the Sisters of St Mary of Oregon?
The Sisters of Saint Mary of Oregon is a small group of religious Sisters whose community center is on the 43-acre campus in Beaverton, Oregon. Our ministry encompasses the Portland metropolitan area, and in other locations, primarily in Oregon, but also in California.
SSMO Charism ….. We, the Sisters of Saint Mary of Oregon, living as women of prayer in simplicity and sisterly love, are called to be compassionate, joyful servants of the Lord.
SSMO Mission ….. Our mission is to share in the mission of Jesus by proclaiming the Good News of God’s love.
Ministries ….. The Sisters of Saint Mary of Oregon is an active apostolic community serving in various ministries according to the Sisters’ gifts and talents in response to the needs of God’s people.
Spirituality ….. We are a Eucharistic and Marian community. We trust in God and look to Mary, the Mother of God, as our model for our life together as community. Life as a Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon is one of prayer, simplicity and service. Our apostolic mission and zeal encourages us to persevere in faithfulness. We seek to be open to the Holy Spirit as we share in the Good News of Jesus Christ.
What are some useful definitions?
DISCERNMENT is more than just a skill, more than a process and involves more than the individual. Discernment is a gift from God. The Spirit acts within the gathered believers (the Community and the Church) so they can prayerfully consider what to do and be. The individual dialogues with the community and listens closely, noticing what is happening in the world and discovering one’s role in God's plans.
Spiritual discernment is calling on the Holy Spirit to lead or give direction in one’s life. While discerning with the community, the individual is guided by the vocation director in the discernment of one’s gifts, spirit, actions, and God’s movement within. The Spirit shows the church and its people what God wants them to do and be.
FORMATION is a rich and complex process; it is difficult to find a word that conveys the formation reality with all its nuances. One phrase used is "personal and spiritual development in community."
This process allows individuals to know the members of the community, their spirit, the particular works they do, their history and what it means to become a vowed member. By stages, the person becomes more deeply involved in the community, its life and its work, until at some point he or she is ready to make a decision about a permanent commitment to that way of life. During these initial years, the person is accompanied by one or more community members who offer the wisdom, guidance, explanations and information needed and who encourage personal growth and community involvement. This process of persons getting to know the community and themselves as members, and the community members getting to know them, is called “formation”. Being attuned to the action of the Spirit within the person and the institute is at the heart of formation.
Stages of Formation
- CANDIDACY is the first formal stage when the individual is introduced to the religious life and a time to discern a candidate's vocation. The candidate discovers the will of God for her by acquiring better self-knowledge, and better knowledge of the life and history of our Congregation. The formation personnel discern with the candidate her fitness to live our charism and our mission.
- NOVITIATE is a period of two years during which the individual prepares for profession of vows.
- TEMPORARY PROFESSION - The commitment to live the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience is made for a certain limited time, during which the Sister and the community continue to discern God’s call to this Sister. This provides a deepening of the basic formation.
- PERPETUAL PROFESSION is a life commitment, the rest of your life as a community member. Perpetual vows are taken when the candidate and the community feel that the covenant with God is already a reality. Usually, this is done between seven to nine years after entrance. When we give our lives and hearts in this way, we remember the lavish goodness of God who is never outdone in generosity. Joyful self-giving brings the hundredfold of joy which Jesus promised to all those who follow Him.
LAITY and CLERGY are two groups of people within the church. There are those who are ordained and are called clergy, and others, who are called laity. Sometimes people from both of these groups join a religious community. They retain their status as either clergy or laity, except in the case of lay persons who are ordained after they make vows in the community. They then become members of the clergy.
VOCATION is a term meaning "call". Through the sacrament of Baptism, all people receive a vocation. All people receive the call to holiness and to a ministry service of sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. This one call, or vocation, can be lived out in various ways or lifestyles: married life, single life, ordained or consecrated (religious) life.
MARRIED LIFE
Married life is a vocation for woman and man who have chosen to live as lifetime partners. The sacrament of marriage includes vows to love, honor, and remain faithful to that other person. Married people strive to build a life together that includes openness to having children. Married people may pursue careers and avenues of lay service within the Church. Some have church related careers, such as administrator or musician; some ally themselves in a special way with religious communities as associate members or volunteer workers.
ORDAINED LIFE
1. Permanent deacon is a man, married or single, who is a clergyman ordained to serve a diocese. Usually 35 years of age or older, whose ministry includes baptizing, officiate at weddings, funerals, and prayer services; they preach the gospel in churches and other settings, and they minister to those in hospitals, prisons, schools, or workplaces. They may also seek out specialized ministries, depending on their gifts and the needs of their bishop and /or diocese.
2. Priests may be Diocesan or Religious. They serve in the following ways:
- Diocesan Priest is a priest called to proclaim and celebrate the Good News among God’s people. He promises celibacy and obedience to his bishop. He usually serves within a parish in a particular diocese. The Diocesan priest lives his call focused on the needs of the people of the diocese. Priests celebrate the Sacraments, preach the gospel, teach Scripture, welcome new Christians, counsel youth and adults, perform pastoral work (visit the sick, console the grieving, share times of joy such as baptisms and weddings), help administer parish programs, pray and teach others to pray. Beneath the visible surface of their ministries lies an abiding prayerful relationship with the Lord, for whose sake and whose people they minister. Their lives are as varied as the communities they serve, and the hobbies, interests, and friends they maintain.
- Religious Priest is an ordained and vowed minister who chooses to live and work in a community of men who share a common goal. He also administers the sacraments, works with other priests and brothers to support Jesus' ministry in all areas of life. Religious Priests take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. A religious priest's work might be social work, international ministry as a missionary, retreat work, vocational guidance, teaching, or chaplaincy. Beneath the visible surface of their ministries lies an abiding prayerful relationship with the Lord, for whose sake and whose people they minister. They maintain friends outside of their community as well as individual hobbies and interests.
CONSECRATED LIFE
1. Religious life is a term used to describe the choice of a particular lifestyle called "religious life." These religious men and women join a community of people that follows a specific tradition of spirituality patterned after the life and teaching of the founder of that community. Committing themselves to a particular community, religious take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Religious include sisters, brothers and some priests.
SISTER is a vowed woman who lives in a religious community with other sisters who share her values and a common mission. She takes vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. She lives in a religious community that follows a constantly renewed tradition, patterned on the life and teaching of the founder of the community. Prayer,community, and service to God and others give particular focus to her life. Her career and ways to minister to others will be as varied as her particular talents, interests, and friendships. She might be a teacher or administrator, a doctor or nurse, a lawyer, a social worker, a missionary, a business executive, or some other profession that responds to a need of the Church.
- BROTHER is a vowed man who lives in a religious community with other brothers who share his values and a common mission. He takes vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. He lives in a religious community that follows a constantly renewed tradition, patterned on the life and teaching of the founder of the community. Prayer, community, and service to God and others give particular focus to his life. His career and ways to minister to others will be as varied as his particular talents, interests, and friendships. He might be a teacher or administrator, a doctor or nurse, a lawyer, a social worker, a missionary, a business executive, or some other profession that responds to the needs of the Church.
- PRIEST (see description above)
2. SECULAR INSTITUTE is a group of people who are members of a relatively new reality within the church, having been established in 1947. Members of secular institutes are called to the vowed life in relationship to Jesus while living anonymously in their parish/neighborhood. This relationship is carried into the work world where one witnesses in a variety of ways to this Christian choice.
SINGLE LIFE
Single life is the vocation of someone who chooses to live as one not vowed to another person or a community. He/she pursues a career and avenues of lay service within the Church. Some have church-related careers such as administrator or musician; some ally themselves in a special way with religious communities as associate members or volunteer workers.
VOWS are the sacred promise of commitment. While most communities profess three vows, some profess a fourth vow directly related to their charism or mission. The three vows the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon profess are Chastity, Poverty and Obedience.
- CONSECRATED CHASTITY means learning to love in Christ with a new heart, opening oneself and others to the mystery of the overwhelming gift of Jesus' love. Vowed religious do not marry in order to be open to love and serving all.
- OBEDIENCE means to listen, to discover God's voice and His will in events, letting ourselves be called forth to new challenges and new tasks, finding new meaning in routine events and serving one another in love and joy.
- POVERTY means a new attitude toward possessions, finding joy in the simple things of life, learning to let go, to place one's trust in God. Vowed religious share the goods of the community and strive to support one another in material and spiritual ways.
MINISTRY means service. It refers to the specific role, task, or work that a person does in living out the baptismal call to service.
What are some helpful hints for Discerning?
HELPFUL HINTS FOR MAKING LIFESTYLE CHOICES
PRAY
- Make a habit of praying – even a few minutes a day.
- Pray alone and with others.
- Participate in a Scripture study group.
- Pray to know to which vocation is best for you!
STUDY
- Learn more about Catholic beliefs and values. Read, attend class, discuss with others to discover what it means to be a Catholic today.
UNDERSTAND
- Through Baptism, all are called to holiness. In addition, everyone has a vocation, the call from God to live a particular life style.
- Single
- Married
- Ordained
- Religious sister, brother or priest
- Career is different than vocation.
TALK
- Consult with adults whom you trust about your future. Be willing to explore your options:
- Married life
- Single life
- Religious life
- Ordained life
SERVE
- Look for ways to be involved in ongoing service to others.
- Parish
- Neighborhood
- Non-profit organizations
BELONG
- Participate in a parish community on a regular basis through regular worship and volunteer outreach.
SUPPORT
- Talk with your friends about future options and choices, so that you can be sources of encouragement for each other. Be a source of information for your friends about lifestyle choices.
CONNECT
- Find ways to connect with people following the vocation you are interested in pursuing. Invite them to share their vocational call stories.
TRY IT OUT
Take advantage of retreat opportunities or other events at your parish or school and in the diocese.- If pursuing religious or ordained life, introduce yourself to vocation directors and ask to visit.
Helpful Hints For Making Lifestyle Choices
In summary --
+ Pray Now
+ Decide Later
+ Love Always
What Reading do you recommend?
Website: www.visionguide.org – resource for discernment, volunteer, and educational opportunities; community websites listings; vocation questions and answers; articles on discernment, prayer, religious life; ordering a copy of VISION magazine
Many resources are available from the National Coalition for Church Vocations. Orders can be made online at www.nccv-vocations.org. Click on Educational and then on Discernment for a listing of resources on discernment.
Can I come and meet the Sisters?
We look forward to visitors and are happy to share our life and activities with those who are interested. Please make phone contact with Sr. Michael Francine at 503-644-9181 or email her at srmichaelfrancined@ssmo.org to initiate the request.
Who can apply? What do I do?
In general, the following qualities are required in candidates for religious life:
- Authentic motivation
- Desire for the contemplative dimension
- Ability to share faith
- Ability to make commitments
- Eagerness to serve God and others with compassion
- Maturity, good self-image
- Openness, graciousness and a sense of humor
- Ability to live with ambiguity
- Simplicity of lifestyle
- Capacity to love
- Relational and leadership skills
- Wisdom, decision-making skills
- Ability to put things into perspective
In particular, these added qualifications are required by the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon
- Member of the Catholic Church for at least 3 years
- Active member of a parish
- Free of marriage bond and responsibilities for at least 3 years
- Citizen of the United States or legal resident
- Under 40 years of age
- Able to participate in the ministry and life of an active, apostolic community
Before requesting to apply, it is important to become familiar with the spirit and charism of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon by attending retreats, coming for weekends, short visits, or volunteering to serve with the Sisters as often as possible. These arrangements are made through the vocation director. It is vital to good decision making that you also visit other religious communities to find the community in which you identify with the charism and feel "at home."
How can I contact the Vocation Director?
Sr. Michael Francine Duncan
Vocation Director
(503) 644-9181
srmichaelfrancined@ssmo.org