Helps for a young lady discerning her vocation

1) How must a young lady discern her vocation? First and foremost she must discern through prayer. A vocation must be nurtured and developed through a life of prayer.

There is a special need of entrusting her vocation to the maternal mediation of the Immaculate. In fact, if, as the Carmelite mystic, St. Mary Magdalen di Pazzi affirms, "A religious vocation is the greatest grace God can give a soul after holy Baptism," then it is Mary Most Holy who obtains this grace for each soul since, by God's design, She is the Mediatrix of all Graces. She it is to whom those discerning their vocation must turn for help and guidance, in order to ensure that the discernment process will go according to God's holy designs and the grace to correspond may be secured.

There is also a particular need for cultivating devotion to Jesus in the Most Holy Eucharist, with Holy Mass and Eucharistic Adoration as frequently as possible. She must pray the Lord to show her His Will and beg Him for the grace to generously correspond, especially if it is the Divine call to the religious life. Why generously? Because all too often it happens that those who understand that they are being called to serve the Lord in the religious life do not pursue it, for one reason or another (see point # 4 below).

Another excellent means for discerning, together with prayer, is a spiritual director or confessor. If a young woman has the grace to have these aids, she should take advantage of it. If there are no Priests available, then the grace of God will work through other means, such as holy parents who are open to the religious vocation or a friend who leads a fervent prayer life and who also encourages priestly/religious vocations. One should seek a Priest who is spiritual and supernaturally wise and who does not discourage a religious vocation for any illegitimate reasons.