1. A desire to have a religious vocation, together with the impression that God is calling one to His service. This desire is most strongly felt when the soul is calm.

2. A growing attraction for prayer and holy things in general, together with a longing for a hidden life and a desire to be more closely united with God.

3. A conviction of the emptiness of the world and of its insufficiency to satisfy the soul. This feeling is often strongest felt in the midst of worldly amusements.

4. A longing to sacrifice oneself and abandon all for the love Jesus Christ.

5. A longing for God's glory, a realization of the value of immortal souls, and a desire to cooperate in their salvation.

6. A willingness to be received in any capacity is a proof of a real vocation.

7. The happiness which the thought of religious life brings, its helps, its peace, its merits, and its reward.

8. A desire to atone for sin, to make reparation.

9. A desire to devote one's whole life to obtain the conversion of sinners.

10. It is sometimes the sign of a vocation when a person fears that God may be calling her; when she prays not to have it and cannot banish the thought from her mind. If the vocation is sound, it will eventually give place to attraction. Though St. Thomas explains that one need not havce a natural inclination for the religious life; on the contrary, a Divine vocation is suitable with a natural distaste for that state

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Sr. M. Veronica Therese

When I was four years old, I shared my desire to live my life for God with our pastor. He informed me that as a priest, he lived a life very similar to what I had expressed. I told him that I wanted be a priest for God when I grow up. The priest informed me I couldn't be a priest, but I could be a religious sister.

In my junior year of high school I came across an article in the Vision Magazine written by a Carmelite Sister of the Divine Heart of Jesus. She wrote about her desire for a balance of the contemplative life and the active life and how she found the best of both in this religious order. After reading the article I called the sisters and arranged a weekend visit. Everything the sisters told me, and everything that I observed, about this way of life spoke to my heart. After the visit, I asked to become a candidate.

I entered on Oct. 1st, 2003, the feast of St. Therese of the Child Jesus. Every day I continue to grow in my love and understanding for this way of life, and I thank and praise God that he has called me to serve him as a Carmelite Sister of the Divine Heart of Jesus.

Sr. Mary Michael

“I want to be your hands. I want to be your feet. I’ll go where you send me.” It was while singing these words at a Steubenville Youth Conference that I first opened my heart to God’s call. I joyously told God that I would do anything for him…get married, be a sister, ANYTHING! I was thirteen years old and attending my first Steubenville conference. The conference was not only a life-changing rediscovery of my Catholic faith, it was also the first time I considered that God was calling me to a particular vocation, that He had a plan for my life, and that all I had to do was listen to Him.

As I started my freshman year of high school, I felt as though God was sending me “signs” that he wanted me to become a sister. When I seriously considered the possibility of religious life I couldn’t stand the thought. Though I had for a moment at Steubenville surrendered my life to God and consented to whatever he wanted, the reality of what becoming a sister entailed hit me hard and I didn’t want any part of it. I decided God’s signs were just my imagination. After all, I liked boys, I considered my self “normal” (surely only weird people enter convents), and all sisters were old…so I thought!

Throughout high school, as I continued to strive to grow in my faith the thought of a religious vocation was always in the back of my mind and often triggered an almost sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach which I constantly tried to ignore. One night I was unable to stand the turmoil within myself any longer. Asking God to make it clear to me what he wanted, I randomly opened my bible and read: “Offer your body as a living sacrifice…” (Rom. 12:1-2). Feeling certain that this was God’s confirmation of my religious vocation, but still not wanting to accept it, I questioned God as to how I was to pursue a religious vocation when everything within me revolted against it. Looking for an answer I randomly opened another scriptural book and read: “Do not worry about anything, but pray about everything…” (Phil. 4: 6-7). I knew that God wanted me simply to pray for the desire to do His will and He would take care of the rest.

Starting that very night, I began to pray everyday that God’s will would become mine and that I would desire to do whatever He asked of me. With the help of God’s grace, it wasn’t long before my attitude towards religious life began to change completely. I came to realize the beauty of a life dedicated completely to Him, a life in which one’s sole focus is Jesus Christ. I recognized that the deepest yearning of my heart was to give everything to Him and that this desire would be most fully realized by entering religious life. I became filled with overwhelming joy at the thought of surrendering my life totally to him as a religious sister.
I decided to visit a few communities in St. Louis and our sisters immediately caught my attention. I felt an attraction to our apostolate, was moved by the sisters’ prayer, and was deeply struck by their tremendous joy.

It wasn’t long before I asked permission to enter the community. Since entering on Oct. 1, 2003, God’s grace has continued to flow through joy and peace, as well as sorrow and struggles. Everyday I realize more deeply what it means to be a Carmelite Sister of the Divine Heart of Jesus and thank God that, despite my initial obstinacy, he continued to call and lead me to such a beautiful way of life that has far surpassed my greatest expectations!

Sr. Eva Maria

Since I was 13 years old, I felt that I had a religious vocation. I once wrote to the Little Sisters of Jesus. They answered and told me that I was too young to enter their order. Even though they had told me so, I continued to have a desire to become a religious sister someday. I grew up in a very devout Catholic family. We went to Mass every day and frequently received the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

When I finished high school, I went through a teacher-training course. Then I taught for a year. During that teaching year, I still did not feel peace within myself. I felt that I needed to pursue my religious vocation. I wanted to do what God wanted of me.

I came to know the Sisters through my brother. He was a seminarian in the Netherlands and the sisters were the cooks for the seminary. He asked me if I wanted to know about the Carmelite Sisters. I began to communicate with the sisters by mail. They sent me information about our order. What I read about our order I really felt the attraction for it growing deeper within me. I came to visit the sisters and asked to enter the order.

I am now in the last 6 months of my novitiate preparing to profess my first vows on December 8, 2004. I am happy with my decision and each day growing in my vocation as a Carmelite Sister of the Divine Heart of Jesus.

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Prayer to know one's vocation
Lord, my God and my loving Father, you have made me to know you, to love you, to serve you,
and thereby to find and to fulfill myself.  I know that you are in all things, and that every path can lead me to you.  But of them all, there is one especially by which you want me to come to you.
Since I will do what you want of me, I pray you, send your Holy Spirit to me: into my mind,
to show me what you want of me; into my heart, to give me the determination to do it,
and to do it with all my love, with all my mind, and with all my strength right to the end.  Amen.

Prayer of the Holy Father, John Paul II
Holy Father, look upon this humanity of ours,
that is taking its first steps along the path of the Third Millennium.
Its life is still deeply marked
by hatred, violence and oppression,
but the thirst for justice, truth and grace
still finds a space in the hearts of many people,
who are waiting for someone to bring salvation,
enacted by You through Your Son Jesus.
There is the need for courageous heralds of the Gospel,
for generous servants of suffering humanity.
Send holy priests to Your Church, we pray,
who may sanctify Your people
with the tools of Your grace.
Send numerous consecrated men and women,
that they may show Your holiness in the midst of the world.
Send holy labourers into Your vineyard,
that they may labour with the fervour of charity
and, moved by Your Holy Spirit,
may bring the salvation of Christ
to the farthest ends of the Earth.  Amen.

Prayer of Thomas Merton
My Lord God,
I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me
Nor do I really know myself,
And the fact that I think I am following your will
Does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you
Does in fact please you.
And I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this,
You will lead me by the right road
Though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always though,
I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
And you will never leave me to face my struggles alone.  Amen.

Prayer for discernment
God our Father,
You have a plan for each one of us,
You hold out to us a future full of hope.
Give us the wisdom of your Spirit
so that we can see the shape of your plan
in the gifts you have given us,
and in the circumstances of our daily lives.
Give us the freedom of your Spirit,
to seek you with all our hearts,
and to choose your will above all else.
We make this prayer through Christ our Lord.  Amen.