First of all – apologies for my lack of a post last week. My life seems to be spinning a little out of control at the moment!

People keep asking me if I’m excited to be leaving tomorrow – to be entering a convent – starting a new adventure. I’m not quite at the point of excitement – in fact, some better descriptive words for me at the moment would be: stressed, tired, busy, emotional, nervous, etc.

But … what I am excited about is … vocations!

Within the last two weeks I’ve had a friend enter into postulancy with the Carmelites in Christchurch, another friend become consecrated with the Community of the Sons and Daughters of God, another friend celebrate her wedding with a truly beautiful Mass, and tomorrow I leave New Zealand for the Sisters of Life in New York (via a pilgrimage through some of the Holy sites of France, Spain, and Italy). It is so exciting to see other young women really taking the time to discern where God is calling them, and to witness their ‘stepping out’ in faith.

When I first started writing on Being Frank just over a year ago my prayer and hope was for an increase in courage (hence the name Joan of Arc). I believe that stepping out of my comfort zone to do this has been an important part of my journey so far. One of my favourite lines from Brooke Fraser’s songs is: ‘for my comfort would prefer for me to be numb, and avoid the impending birth of who I was born to become’. I believe it was St Catherine of Siena who said ‘If you are what you are meant to be you will set the world on fire’. This is what vocation is all about (all types of vocation). But sometimes it takes a lot of courage and trust in God to be what you are meant to be.

I just want to say thank you to all of you out there who have shared a part in my journey (admin, posters, commenter, readers). I pray that each of you, too, will find (or continue being) what you are meant to be.

Here’s a little verse by Charles Peguy (1873 – 1914) which I have found encouraging…

I myself will dream a dream within you
Good dreams come from me you know.
My dreams seem impossible,
not too practical,
not for the cautious man or woman.
a little risky sometimes,
a trifle brash perhaps,
Some of my friends prefer
to rest more comfortably,
in sounder sleep,
with visionless eyes.
But from those who share my dreams,
I ask a little patience,
A little humour,
Some small courage,
And a listening heart -
I will do the rest.

Then they will risk,
and wonder at their daring.
Run ,and marvel at their speed,
Build, and stand in awe at the beauty of their building.

You will meet me often as you work,
in your companions, who share your risk,
in your friends, who believe in you enough
to lend their own dreams,
their own hands,
their own hearts,
to your building.
In the people who will stand in our doorway,
stay awhile, and walk away knowing they, too, can find a dream.
There will be sun-filled days,
and sometimes it will rain.
A little variety.
Both come from me.
So, come now,
be content.
It is my dream you dream,
my house you build,
my caring you witness,
my love you share,
and this is the heart of the matter.

I’m confused. Is fundamentalism a good thing or a bad thing?

Example: During a visit to a Catholic secondary school within the last couple of weeks I was encouraging all of the young people present to find out more about Theology of the Body. After my talk the religious education teacher told me that they don’t teach Theology of the Body at this particular school because it is too “fundamentalist”. Well I guess if Theology of the Body is fundamentalist then so am I! To be fair, after further discussion the teacher conceeded that maybe it was just the way that this teaching of the Church had been presented to her that made it seem ‘fundamentalist’. Hopefully now she’ll have another look.

Are some people starting to confuse orthodoxy with fundamentalism? I’m a little confused. These things are all about definition and it can be hard to find clear succinct definition that everyone agrees upon.

A few people have mentioned to me lately that I should put together a bucket list of things to do before I leave NZ (I have been accepted to enter postulancy with the Sisters of Life and leave NZ on the 2nd August). It seems that others are more concerned than I am about what I’m going to miss out on if I end up spending my whole life in a convent.

My mother was the first person to suggest a bucket list and I said to her “I’m not dying!” She hadn’t quite understood the link with ‘kicking the bucket’. The more I have thought about it though, the more I have reflected on how in a way I will be dying to many things once I give up my belongings, move to the other side of the world, and put on my postulant uniform (of course this is all in order to have a fuller, more free and abundant life). Maybe I do need a list! 

Actually, the only thing that I really wanted to do before leaving was walk up Rangitoto which I did two weekends ago with my sister – so I’m feeling quite fulfilled :) Surprisingly my workmates have suggested that the first thing I should put on my list is ‘experience some road rage’. Apparently I’m one of the few people around who has never gotten angry with another driver on the road. I didn’t realise it was one of those ‘must-do’ experiences. I prefer to pray for the other drivers on the road.

If you were moving into a convent/monastery what would you be wanting to make sure you had experienced first? Any ideas for me? (ideas that are better than experiencing road rage!lol)

I love Pentecost! What a wonderful time to refocus on what our mission is as a Church. Every Pentecost for the last few years I have recalled a talk that I heard at Toronto World Youth Day in 2002 (at least I’m pretty sure that’s where I heard it). It was a Bishop giving the talk and he spoke about us being a bit like a glass of Milo, but that many of us just have our faith sitting at the bottom of the glass like the grains of Milo which haven’t been stirred in yet. We need to be stirred up so that the faith permeates all parts of our life.

I have to admit that I sometimes enjoy watching the Protestant preachers on TV on Sunday mornings. They certainly seem to be stirred up (I know that appearances are not everything). I sometimes wonder why so many Catholics I meet don’t seem to have that passion and zeal to evangelise and bring others to Christ. The early Church was full of this passion and zeal. The other thing that I have realised since travelling to America and parts of Europe is that New Zealanders seem to be so indifferent when it comes to matters of morals and faith. Is it because we’re a nation with many more introverts than extroverts? Is it because we’re much more concerned with being ‘P.C’ than other countries?

A Sister gave me some advice the other day when I was a little lacking in enthusiasm for the direction God seems to have been leading me in. She told me to ask the Holy Spirit for a sense of excitement about this mission. I know that it’s not all about ‘feeling’ excited but surely the Holy Spirit can give us this sense of passion, zeal, and excitement if we ask for it.

Happy Pentecost!

Holy Spirit, come and stir up our nation.