How Do I Know God Is Calling Me?

Signs of a Call

How do you know if you are being called to religious life? There’s rarely a bolt of lightning or a billboard to point you in the right direction, but here are a few questions to ask yourself:

Do you yearn for a deeper relationship with God?
Do you enjoy talking about your faith, or sharing it with others?
Do you sense a voice inside – sometimes a whisper, sometimes a shout – nudging you to take a new direction in your life?
Are you happy and settled in your life, but still feel like something is missing?
Are you yearning to serve others, to serve God – be part of something bigger than yourself?
Are you drawn to a life of prayer, Eucharistic adoration, the rosary, and other prayer forms?
Are you inspired by the witness of faith or ministry of a Sister?
Do you feel called to work with the poor or marginalized? Do you seek justice?
Do you feel called to care for Earth and God’s Creation?
Have you spent time with members of a religious community and felt the desire to be part of their community or their mission?
Has anyone ever asked you, “Have you thought about being a Sister?”

You may experience one, all, or none of these feelings – remember, God works within each of us individually, but effectively.

Signs of God’s Invitation to Pursue Religious Life

“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.”
(Saint Catherine of Siena)

Questions to Consider

At the heart of discerning a call to religious life is your relationship with God and a desire to serve others. You may want to pray with these questions or discuss them with a friend or one of our Vocation Ministers.

How does God speak to you through prayer?
What draws you to community life?
Are you eager to deepen your relationship with God?
How is God calling you to make a difference in the world with your life?
What is your greatest desire?
What excites you or scares you about being a Sister?

“O God, my God, it is You I seek. (…) So I look for you in your holy dwelling, in search of your strength and majesty.”
(Psalm 63:1,3 Dominican Praise translation)

Discern More Deeply

God speaks to us in the silence of our hearts, in our prayer, and through honest investigation. Be open and explore these ways to understand how God is calling you:

Pray daily and read spiritual works. Click here for a vocation prayer to ask God to help you know how and where you are being called.
Seek to know yourself. God speaks to us through our desires.
Get to know our sisters through their vocation stories and ministries.
Attend discernment events.
Talk to one of our Vocation Ministers about visiting one of our motherhouses in Columbus, Great Bend, or New Haven.

More Ways To Discern

“Show me the path I should walk, for I entrust my life to you.”
(Psalm 143:8b)

God's Invitation

Being called to religious life is an invitation from God. Here are some thoughts for your reflection:

Your vocation is a gift — a grace from God.
Be confident in your call and don’t hesitate to take the first step in that direction.
Take a leap of faith. God’s purpose for your life is much bigger and more beautiful than you can ever imagine.
Take time to journal, reflect, and pray as you continue to discern your life’s path.
God’s will for you becomes your will when you follow Christ and say, “Yes.” An inner peace will follow.
With God’s grace, you can conquer your fears of the unknown.

You don’t need to walk alone. Others are on this journey with you. A spiritual director or a Vocation Minister can journey with you. Take courage and be open!