Giving Voice Monthly E-Newsletter – March 2012

I serve with other young adults on a Theology on Tap committee, and recently as we were brainstorming about topics and speakers for the upcoming season, someone said, "We should do something on discernment. I have big decisions to make, and I don't know how to do it. What I really need are some mentors, and I don't have any."

     When I was discerning my vocation, I was blessed to have fantastic mentors – ones who listened, who shared their own wisdom and experience, who sometimes challenged and sometimes affirmed. One of the intergenerational gifts of religious life is that it provides us with plenty of mentors. I may wish from time to time for more peers, but I also recognize that I've been gifted with wise mentors.

     Maybe part of the call for us as younger women religious is to mentor those who are our peers or those who are just a little younger than we are. We may not have much opportunity to serve as mentors in our communities, but there are plenty of younger adults who could benefit from our experiences of discerning a call and making important life decisions. Sometimes I struggle spiritually, but I am aware that there's always someone behind me who's going through something that I can relate to. And sometimes helping someone else to discern brings clarity to my own life. So, maybe we can pay special attention to the young adults around us who might just need a little support. And if you don't know or work with any – a little prayer on their behalf goes a long way.

     Here are some ways to get involved with your Giving Voice sisters!