Beloved: The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia (2009) - Official Trailer

Summary

The speaker recounts her journey of discerning a religious vocation, initially hesitant due to fear of losing her identity. Influenced by her Dominican sister and the charism of teaching within the Dominican Order, she embraced her calling. The summary highlights the daily life of a Nashville Dominican, the importance of prayer, and the commitment to an intimate relationship with Christ. It concludes with the transformative power of God's love and the potential for a life of surprising fulfillment in religious service.

Takeaways

• 🌟 The speaker first felt a calling to religious life at 15 but hesitated for nine years due to fear of losing personal identity and happiness.
• 👭 The influence of her Dominican sister, Sister Mary Angelica, played a significant role in her eventual decision to join the religious order.
• 🕊️ The speaker's mother initially had different expectations, hoping for her to marry and find a 'beautiful husband', but later came to accept and support her daughter's vocation.
• 📅 A typical day for a Nashville Dominican begins early with meditation, prayer, mass, and a structured daily routine emphasizing spiritual life.
• 📚 The Dominican Order is characterized by a charism of teaching, emphasizing the importance of sharing the fruits of contemplation with others.
• 🛡️ The metaphor of a shepherd guiding the sheep is used to illustrate the role of a religious in guiding and protecting others from danger and sin.
• 🙏 The necessity of a deep, consecrated life rooted in prayer is highlighted as the foundation for the religious's activities and identity.
• ❤️ The religious life is described as a balanced life lived for the Lord, with vows enabling a total union with Christ as the bride of Christ.
• 🌱 The speaker emphasizes the importance of being rooted in prayer and recognizing oneself as a spouse to Christ for the religious life to have meaning.
• 🎉 The final profession is a significant event, symbolizing a complete commitment to the religious life with a profound sense of love and service.
• 💌 A heartfelt letter from the speaker's mother signifies her acceptance and joy in her daughter's choice, recognizing God's plan for her life.
• ✨ The speaker conveys the message that God's love and power can bring about surprising and fulfilling paths in life, beyond human expectations.

Q & A

At what age did the speaker first hear the Lord's call?

The speaker first heard the Lord's call when they were 15 years old.

Why did it take the speaker nine years to accept the Lord's call?

It took the speaker nine years to accept the Lord's call because they were afraid of losing their identity and the things they thought would make them happy.

What is the speaker's relationship with Sister Mary Angelica?

Sister Mary Angelica is the speaker's blood sister, and they are very close, visiting each other at least once a year.

What impact did the speaker's visits to Sister Mary Angelica have on them?

The visits had a tremendous impact on the speaker, as they could see something beautiful and deep that they desired within the religious life.

What was the speaker's initial career aspiration?

The speaker initially aspired to be a dancer, which was a role they believed God wanted them to fulfill.

What was the speaker's mother's wish for them?

The speaker's mother wished for them to get married and prayed for God to give her a beautiful husband for her daughter.

What is the typical start time for a day in the life of a Nashville Dominican?

A typical day for a Nashville Dominican begins at 5:00 a.m. with meditation and prayer in the chapel.

What is the charism of the Dominican Order that first attracted the speaker?

The charism of teaching, the idea of not only contemplating God but also sharing the fruits of that contemplation with others, attracted the speaker to the Dominican Order.

What is the significance of the shepherd's staff in the speaker's analogy?

The shepherd's staff is significant as it helps direct the sheep, preventing them from walking into danger, which is an analogy for the guidance provided by religious life.

What is the speaker's view on the importance of prayer in their life?

The speaker believes that being rooted in prayer and seeing oneself as a bride of Christ is essential, as it gives meaning to the activities of life.

What does the speaker believe about the vows they took as a religious sister?

The speaker believes that the vows enable them to live a life totally united to Christ, starting heaven on earth with a profound sense of love and commitment.

What was the speaker's mother's reaction to their final profession as a religious sister?

The speaker's mother expressed that her prayer for a beautiful husband for her daughter had been answered in the form of Christ, showing her acceptance and happiness for the speaker's choice.

What message does the speaker wish to convey to their students about God's love and power?

The speaker wants to teach their students that God has created them out of infinite love and has the power to do unbelievable, phenomenal, and surprising things in their lives.