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The Vocation Process

How can we get to know each other?

Inquiry is an important first step.

As you search for God’s will in your life, we invite you to participate in any of the discernment opportunities we offer. This will help you know yourself better as well as learn more about religious life and the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia. You can take advantage of:

Frequent contacts and meetings with our vocation director, Sister Kathy Persson, OSB.
Online conferences, retreats, group and private discussion opportunities. Meet other women who are seeking God’s will in their lives!
Monastic Discernment Weekends, which are offered several times throughout the year at the monastery for single Catholic women.
Visits to the Monastery to meet the sisters, participate in prayers, and get to know our life.

All of these can be arranged with Sister Kathy. Please contact her at vocations@osbva.org

In addition to our discernment events,
we offer two programs if you are ready to dive in.

Affiliation Program

A woman’s expressed desire to enter into a relationship with the community as an exploratory stage—a time to visit regularly while living independently. There will be frequent contact with our vocation director, Sister Kathy, as well as some reading and discussing of Benedictine life and Benedictine spirituality.

Discerner’s Program

An optional opportunity for a woman to live with the community for an extended period of time, while remaining financially independent and either continuing her current employment or volunteering in community ministry. The discerner will be expected to participate in the daily monastic rhythm of prayer, work, and community. Acceptance into the Discerner’s Program requires an application, letters of reference, and a clinical interview.