Greetings from the Motherhouse in Nashville! I am happy that you have found your way to our website and hope you find our pages helpful.

The assignment that I have been given as Vocation Director is a great grace and it enables me to join in the work of Divine Providence as I daily speak with young women who are searching to know God’s plan for their lives. This search for a deeper meaning in life is one that we all have to face and can it be scary, but it is at the same time an exciting journey with the Lord. As you slowly move out of the driver’s seat and let our Lord take the wheel, you will be surprised and delighted where He may lead. My advice to tackling the question of discerning God’s will for your life is to surrender to Him—all your hopes, desires, and dreams—and allow Him to lead you on this journey of love.

I continue to marvel at the beautiful women that I am in daily contact with either by phone or by email. These women are talented, generous, selfless, idealistic and ready to embrace the will of God. Whether they discern the call to the religious life or the married vocation, they consistently want to be about the Lord’s will. They are women who want to be honest with themselves and with God and to seek wholeheartedly His adorable will.

Sometimes this process (and it is a process) can be very difficult. Young people today have so many options out there awaiting them: great Catholic Colleges, programs to study abroad, the possibility of finding Mr. or Mrs. Right and having a beautiful family...the list is endless.

Yet as I talk to the young women, I challenge them to take an honest look at their life and to see if God may be in fact calling them to give their whole lives to Christ and hold nothing back. If there is the smallest inkling of desire there, I want them to give God a chance. College will always be there as will traveling to Europe. But in their youthfulness, it is only right to give God the best—the first fruits!  In the end, for a young woman feeling called to give her whole life to Christ, she will find that Jesus’ love is irresistible, and she cannot help but surrender her very being into His hands.

From the beginning to the end of Pope John Paul’s pontificate, he urged young people not to be afraid of answering the call to Follow Christ!  He said, “the call of the Lord Jesus still resounds today: ‘If any one serves me, he must follow me’ (Jn 12:26). Do not be afraid to accept this call. You will surely encounter difficulties and sacrifices, but you will be happy to serve, you will be witnesses of that joy that the world cannot give. You will be living flames of an infinite and eternal love” [MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE JOHN PAUL II FOR THE 40th WORLD DAYOF PRAYER FOR VOCATIONS, 16 October 2002]  Pope Benedict continues with the same message, challenging young people to follow Christ with all their hearts.

Sister Mary Emily, O.P.
Vocation Office
801 Dominican Drive
Nashville, TN 37228-1909
(615) 256-0147
E-mail Sister Mary Emily at: vocation@op-tn.org