God loves you and has a plan for your life .... YOUR VOCATION
Have you ever considered "Religious Life" as your possible way of life?
Explore this page to learn more about God's call to consecrated life with the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother. Please click on the + tabs below to learn more.
The first thing is to look inward and ask yourself some important questions:
– Do you pray?
– Do you feel a yearning desire to know God, Love Him, and serve Him more?
– Do you want to share your talents to help in building God's Kingdom in this world?
– Do you find that a career isn’t enough of a motive for your life? Do you want more?
– Does the idea of living as a consecrated person keep coming back to you?
– Do you long to grow in your relationship with God? Does this relationship with God sustain you, enliven you and invigorate you in a way that makes you want to share God's love with others both inside and outside the community?
– Do you have a spiritual director or other person with whom you can share your desire?
– Do you find yourself asking God or someone else for help?
– Do you have a sneaking suspicion that you are on the brink of a major life decision?
Are you still unsure about your role and your future?
The next step is to e-mail or talk with a Sister. A Sister can help you talk through these thoughts and your questions and concerns about being called to a religious life. Sister Katherine Marie would be happy to chat with you. You can e-mail her at vocations4ssm@gmail.com or call 920-230-2050.
Religious formation is a lifelong process. During this time, we make our commitment to God, to the Church, and to the SSM Congregation. It is a process of continual renewal that needs to be nurtured and sustained - fostering personal and communal spiritual growth. Initial formation is a 9 year period consisting of several formative stages.
Who are the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother?
What are the Entrance Requirements for becoming a Sister of the Sorrowful Mother?
- Age: Not younger than 20 or older than 45 at the date of entrance into the postulancy
- Marital Status:
- Single
- If previously married, the person may begin postulancy two years after a valid change in marital status, widowhood or annulment.
- Family responsibilities:
- Free of dependents or minor children
- No financial or legal responsibilities for a family member or relative
- Faith:
- Baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith
- If a convert to the Catholic faith, one must live the faith for at least two years prior to entering postulancy
- Health:
- Must be physically, emotionally and mentally healthy, that is, able to participate in ministry and community life
- Must have completed three years of recovery after treatment of an addiction
- Education:
- U.S. Citizens: High School education with a year’s working experience following high school; prefer completion of an associate’s degree, a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent
- English-speaking Caribbean Citizens:
- Five General Certificates of Education *(GCE) or Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) subjects required
- An associate degree, bachelor’s degree or equivalent is preferred
- Spanish-speaking Caribbean Citizens:
- The ability to speak and understand the English language
- Secondary education or is equivalent
- An associate degree, bachelor’s degree or equivalent preferred
- Citizenship, immigration, and naturalization
- Birth certificate, naturalization papers required
- A valid passport required
- Other requirements: Consult the SSM Director of Vocation Ministry, Sister Katherine Marie, at vocations4ssm@gmail.com
“God was speaking very strongly in my head. Every evening my mother told stories of different people in the world who did not know Jesus…This was really the beginning of my vocation. I loved Jesus so much that I felt sorry that others did not know him. This desire was deepening more and more in my heart. Then I met the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother in Rome. They were very welcoming and announced Jesus by their simplicity, humility, hospitality.”
“I had the SSMs in school. In my little town of Villanueva, the Sisters were a quiet, yet powerful presence. One quality of the Sisters that was greatly appreciated was their respectful acceptance of who we were and of our culture. I was attracted to their prayerful presence. Each morning I would sit in church and listen to them praying in their chapel, right off the sanctuary. As I saw them in the community among us and visiting the elderly, the sick, teaching us I grew more and more in my desire to BE LIKE THEM. I believe the deep, simple faith, and prayer at home, and the lives of the Sisters were what God used to call me to religious life.”
–Sister Margaret Mary Troy
You can contact our Vocation Director, Sr. Katherine Marie at vocations4ssm@gmail.com or via cell (920)385-8192.
Interested in learning more about religious life? We would love to hear from you!
920-385-8192 (cell)
Read Sister Dorothy Ann’s Blogs:
Locations:
The St. Clare of Assisi Region of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother has ministries across Wisconsin; in Tulsa, Okla.; Denville, NJ; and the Dominican Republic. Internationally we have locations in Germany, Italy, Austria, Brazil, Tanzania and the Caribbean islands of Grenada, St. Lucia and Trinidad/Tobago.
What It Means to Be a Sister
Watch the video below, which includes interviews with Sisters on the meaning of religious life.