by Therese Ivers, JCL
In one of the states of the US that I grew up in, there is a convent.  In that convent are women dressed in habits.  They make vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience… and they live austerely.  They claim to belong to an ancient and revered Order.  But, they are not nuns, [...]

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by Therese Ivers, JCL
Way back in September, I was asked to help with an upcoming retreat for women discerning their vocations and who feel like they’re beating their heads on the wall “discerning to death”.  This topic really resonated with me, and as I continue to prepare for this weekend’s retreat, I am seeing [...]

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by Therese Ivers
The first secular institute with whom I came in contact were the Father Kolbe Missionaries. Not many people respond to a call to a vocation to a secular institute and in part, I believe it is because few people even know about their existence.
What is a secular institute? A secular [...]

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What makes monks, nuns, sisters and brothers religious? There are three elements of their lives which make their form of life a distinct one in consecrated life. The three elements are the profession of the evangelical counsels, separation from the world, and common life.
The evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience [...]

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