Now, Here is a Good Vocation Crisis!

Usually the term "vocation crisis" is bandied arround by those religious orders that have abandoned everything that their founders intended them to be, esp "Brides of Christ". They use it to mourn the lack of vocations. & to justify their running further & further away from what their "charism" really is. Maybe they could learn something from The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor, MI. They are suffering from a crisis of vocations also. But in this case, too many, not too few. Would you believe they had 12 new vocations this year? Yup, that number is correct., according to their 2007 Christmas Appeal brochure. The Sisters are celebrating their 10 yr Jubilee & have now grown to 81 members.

& therein lies a problem. Their current motherhouse has a 70 cell capacity. & with 2008 promising another bumper crop of vocations you can see the problem. THEY NEED FINANCIAL AID TO ENABLE THEM TO EXPAND THEIR MOTHERHOUSE. their goal is to expand it to a 96 cell capacity.

For those of you who don't know what a cell is, "cell" is the monastic term for an individual Sister's room where she sleeps, studies & does private prayer.

Why is this order flourishing while so many older orders are dying out? Simple, they are faithful to the Magestrium, obedient to the Pope & desire to fulfill Pope John Paul the Great's call for the "New Evangelization". On their website they explain how they do this:

"Through profession of the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, along with a contemplative emphasis on Eucharistic adoration and Marian devotion, our community exists for the salvation of souls and the building of the Church throughout the world.

Our apostolate, as spiritual mothers, is the preaching and teaching of Truth." (This is taken directly from their mission statement.)

At the heart of their life is the Eucharist: "The center of our lives is our Savior, Jesus Christ, and thus, daily we join in community prayer for a Eucharistic Holy Hour and are in His presence as we pray "O Sacred Banquet" (O Sacrum Convivium) and chant the Divine Office."

Because they are a Dominican order their mission is "preaching the Gospel". They do so by teaching in schools, putting on retreats, & through a program for children on EWTN, Truth in the Heart.

Here is another religious order that IS GETTING IT RIGHT. Praise God! As many of the older orders continue to forget their roots, turn away from Christ & turn to "New Age" heresy, they will continue to die out. But, God will not abandon His Church. & he is raising up new as well as reformed orders to meet the needs of the Catholic Church. God is providing the vocations. & through orders like this, he is enabling those people to have a place where they can say "YES" to their call.

Please pray for them. Also consider supporting them. According to their appeal, it will cost about $15,000 per new cell. In addition they still need money for their chapel stalls. & they need regular ongoing support also.