Peace and good to everyone,
I would like to recount my vocational experience of a month that I spent in Cremona, Italy with the Little Nuns of Jesus and Mary. For me it was a beautiful and very important because I was able to overcome myself, given that I have never been a month outside my home, and I was afraid I would give up on the experience before it finished. Instead, I managed to complete it and realized ever more that that convent is my home. From this experience, I carry 3 things in particular in my heart:
1. The first is the fact that after about two years of being on standby due to the pandemic, Jesus fulfilled all the desires I had on my list – which were – having a vocational experience, getting to see some sisters who are dear to me, getting to see some friends in an online vocation group in person, and getting to see my best friend again. Thanks to this vocational discernment visit, I was able to do them all at once!
2. The second is that after a Mass that we had at a Sanctuary, I wrote a prayer to Our Lady to help me resolve a doubt that I had: Should I enter the 6 months of aspirancy with the Poor Nuns immediately or go to school and prolong the vocational experiences as I and my spiritual director had decided I should do in 2020 – something I was not able to do due to the pandemic. In this prayer, I asked Our Lady if she could respond by the time I finish the discernment experience. The days passed, and at a certain point in the afternoon, I dozed off and dreamt that I told my spiritual director that I wanted to put on the scapular of the religious community, but she told me I was not yet ready. I recounted this dream to my spiritual director, and analyzing many things together, we understood that it was fitting for now that I go to school and prolong the discernment experiences in order to better prepare me. In fact, a few days later, the teacher at school called me to set up my schedule!
3. The third and final thing that struck me from this experience is that fact that in a moment of crisis I make a prayer to Jesus asking for a sign of my vocation – whether or not I should continue to journey with this religious community. Then, I chose I Bible passage at random from a basket and received this one: “In your will O Lord is my joy” (Ps 119:16).
After this last confirmation I had no more doubts!! I thank Jesus and Mary for this beautiful and fruitful experience!!
Elisa Sentieri