​​When I was down at our Provincial house earlier in the month, I helped a fair amount in the convent library, working with A/V materials.  A CD caught my eye.  Entitled “Myths & Misconceptions Concerning Vocations,” it was by a Norbertine priest, whose lectures for the Institute on Religious Life we had used during my postulancy.
 
The curriculum during that time had been very influential to me, teaching me more of the beauty of the consecrated life and thus increasing my desire for it.  I thought it would be enriching for me to listen to material of this nature again now, and I was right.
 
The CD, which I finally got around to listening to late yesterday afternoon, detailed several different myths/misconceptions about priestly and religious vocations which prove to be a hindrance, both in young people in following this call and for those around them, in encouraging and supporting a religious vocation.
 
The first myth was that a person has to be perfect, that religious life presumes exceptional holiness.  Father explained how this is not the case, and that religious, while definitely called to holiness, are still on the way.  Convents and monasteries are full of sinners striving to be saints one day, rather than full of people who are already “perfect.”
 
The second myth is that celibacy equals loneliness and unhappiness.  Father shared statistics on the number of priests/religious who leave after making vows as compared to the number of marriages that “don’t work out.”  Celibate commitments, according to his statistics (dated, by now), had a 1 in 10 “dropout rate” as opposed to the 50% divorce rate.  The unhappy priests or religious, he stated, get the press, but they are not the majority!
 
Another myth shared in the talk was that religious life limits one’s freedom.  In actuality, it makes us more free.  Father stressed the fact that often people rush into a marriage, caught up in their emotions, and don’t go through adequate time, preparation, or testing (including experiential learning) to make a totally free and rational commitment.  On the other hand, religious formation gives one a lengthy and experiential knowledge of the vocation, with ample opportunities to step away.  He mentioned that there is no stigma in leaving before profession; in fact, religious formation or seminary experience has prepared many young people to embrace married life. 
 
At this point, the presenter went into greater reflection on the role of parents, who sometimes are afraid of limiting freedom.  The above-mentioned lengthy process enables great freedom and time for discernment.  The decision is not made overnight, but rationally and with maturity.  We should never be reluctant to encourage young people to explore the possibility of a religious vocation.
 
The final misconception he shared was that a religious vocation is “rare.”  Father stressed that God is generous.  Although we do not know exactly how many young people are called to this life, saints have estimated that it is quite a high percentage.  Man’s generosity is what is rare, rather than God’s great gift of a vocation.  Father brought out the Old Testament precept that the firstborn should be consecrated to the Lord, and shared his reflection that the precept could be extended to families today, though the term “firstborn” need not be a chronological term. 
 
The speaker also stressed the point that Christ advised the living of the evangelical counsels and that it would make sense to follow this form of life, unless one had good reason not to do so.  He shared that in times past, in early centuries of the Church and in a more Christian age, people would presume one had a religious vocation because this was the better way suggested by Christ. Now, in our more secular time and culture, the opposite is true. 
 
This is not to say that everyone should become a priest or religious but that we should not be afraid to encourage young people to explore this gospel way suggested by Our Lord.
 
Father made another point that the Church needs religious and priestly vocations and is dependent upon them. 
 
That a religious vocation is rare, exceptional, and extraordinary, is a lie.  It is meant for normal Christians who are striving to keep the Commandments.
 
He encouraged us to get the truth out and dispel the darkness by what we say and how we live.

It’s been another busy week around here, and we’re not even through hump day yet!  Now, during this pandemic, things seem to be more crazy and unpredictable than normal. 
 
A year ago, I’d have never believed that I would be monitoring temperatures of people here and, at other times, attend to the temperature of hot liquids on the activity room stove (namely jams and jellies)!
 
I must say, I’ve come to realize how much there is, in the world, to know, and how much I still don’t know; in learning a lot over the past months, I’ve also been reminded that there’s a lot I have yet to learn. 
 
With each new kind of fruit that’s come in (and that I’ve processed), I’ve probably learned a new lesson.  Too bad I didn’t know it all before I started my first batch several years ago! 
 
One thing that is the same just about every time is the feeling of satisfaction I have when I lift the last jar out of its water-bath, or when I wipe the last kettle dry and clean out the sink!
 
This time, my happiness was doubled; I had finished all the fruits I had saved in the freezers for jam and jelly.  I was finally DONE making jam and jelly! (for now)
 
I told my co-worker, “If any calls come in, offering us fruit or produce, you can just tell them, ‘Thank you, but we have quite enough.  Thank you for thinking of us, though.’ ”  [half teasing/half serious]
 
Having made about a dozen batches over the past week or two, and many others earlier this year, I’ve come to the conclusion that: “I think that’s enough for a while.” 
 
We’ll see how long that lasts!

I recently spent a little over a week down at our provincial house in Hankinson, ND.  It was so good to get away!
 
Since returning to Grand Forks early Sunday afternoon, though, my life has been quite a hodgepodge of events and undertakings.

Monday morning, we got a pickup-full of corn in, donated by a local family in keeping with their annual tradition.  After Mass, we started husking and cleaning.  After lunch and the “freedom ceremony” for Sister Elaine’s newly-emerged Monarch, Charlie, we continued. We (residents and I) had to quit around 3 p.m. since I was due at the front desk soon.  The rest of the corn, we put out for our staff and apartment residents to take.
 
When all we had done was counted, we had 71 bags of corn to freeze, equaling about 850 ears to be enjoyed in the coming months.  I was quite spent by the end of the ordeal. 
 
Normally, I have a spring in my step and walk at decent speed, but, as I neared the convent to take care of something before my shift at the desk, there was no “spring” to be found. 
 
The next day, being Tuesday, was to include leading Bible Study or hymn-sing.  I hadn’t known if we would do more corn that morning so I hadn’t prepared anything.  I just grabbed my music binder and sat down at the piano, gathering residents to enjoy some hymns together.
 
In the afternoon, my thoughts turned toward making jam.  We’re planning a little outdoor sale a week from Saturday, and I need to get some of the frozen plum puree and chokecherries made up into jam.  I have to squeeze it in when I have windows of time free. 
 
I realized, though, that I was running short on lids.  I was waiting to hear back from our staff who had gone out shopping that morning to see if they were able to find more.  When I learned that they had not found any, I spent quite some time calling around to local stores and even looking online.  In frustration, I realized that I could have had a batch of jam made in the time it took to do this investigation!  As I type this, I am waiting on a few people who either have lids or are going to check.
 
We have care conferences this afternoon, but I hope to do some batches of plum jam after that. 
 
Oops; I think I got ahead of myself – back to yesterday’s hodgepodge…
 
After sorting out my jars and collecting my ingredients, realizing there was nothing more I could do, I went out to tend to my garden. 
 
I’ve been a little concerned about my squash since they hadn’t yet flowered.  The afternoon’s outing to “Mary’s Garden,” however, brought some uplifting discoveries!  One or two of my tomato plants that I’d started from seed now were bearing, and the squash had now had some flowers! 
 
Late last evening, at the desk, I printed the recipe for plum jam, and was doing various other work, when an urgent call came in and someone needed help.  What a day!! 
 
Today, while working here, I’ve continued various tasks and research on how to use the steam-canner we received recently. 
And, the hodgepodge of events continues…
 
I stepped into the little break room behind the office to get coffee grounds out, and naughty the pot spit at me.  Thankfully, we just brought Aloe Vera plants back from Hanksinson, and I could use a piece to treat the burn, which is starting to smart.