LIVE-IN INFORMATION

Here are some opportunities for observing religious life from within for young women:

Launceston Carmel: 
Carmelite Monastery in Launceston has no accommodation at the Monastery itself for visitors. Young women, coming from outside Tasmania, who are interested in our life, usually come for a few days' visit initally, staying with one of our friends close by, if possible. They spend time at the monastery, attend our Mass and part of the Office, and meet the Prioress and Novice Mistress in the parlour. If the vocation develops, they would, at later visits, meet the whole community and share some recreation time with them. Arrangements for this sort of visit are adapted to meet individual circumstances, and the visits do not usually take place until there has been some contact through letters and telephone.

Goonellabah (Lismore) Carmel
Young women, aged between 18 and 35 years of age, who are seriously considering an enclosed vocation are invited to contact Rev. Mother Prioress.

We have small cottage available for a few days' stay, with visits to the Prioress and some of the sisters. If all is satisfactory on such a visit, and the young woman desires to pursue the idea of a Carmelite vocation, she may, if it is acceptable to the community, live inside the Cloister for a period of time - the duration to be decided by the community - to see for herself and to enable the community to assess her vocation.

The Conventual Sisters of St. Dominic:
Invitations to observe and experience our life are usually offered only to those whom we have come to know over a period time, through visits or letters. We also require a reference either oral or written from a priest whose judgement we trust.

We have two guest-rooms, outside the cloister, available for young women between the ages of 18 and 35 who may wish to make a stay of up to a week in order to pray, discern and make inquiry about our Dominican way of life. At this point we ask them to attend Mass, Divine Office, meals and some recreation with the community. Time is set aside, if desired, for discussion with the Prioress and/or with a priest appointed by the community.

There is no commitment to the community. It is purely a time for information-seeking and prayerful discernment.

If the candidate is interested in further experience, and we, as community, are satisfied as to the sincerity of her motives and her apparent suitability for our life, we may admit her to a longer "live-in" experience of up to six weeks. This period is known as "Aspirancy" and involves living in the cloister and participating in the prayer, penance and community life of the Convent, as well as attending tutorials and discussions on basic themes related to spirituality, religious life and the Dominican charism. There is still no commitment to the community, but the aspirant is asked to follow, for the duration of her stay, the schedule and provisions mapped out for her by the community.

We are able arrange occasional "Study Weekends" on the Consecrated Life, or small-group Retreats for young women seeking time for prayer and more general spiritual discernment.

These follow a programme devised by the community according to the number and needs of participants.

Tyburn Priory:
"Where do you live?" the disciples asked the Lord. "Come and see!" said the Lord, and they and went and 'lived-in'.

Those who are seriously seeking to discern God's Will with regard to their lives, are always welcome to 'live-in' at Tyburn Priory. 'Living-in' can be arranged by phoning or writing to our Novice Mistress, Rev. Mother Cyril. An interested person can 'live-in' for a period of from a week-end up to three weeks, according to her work-situation in the world.

The Community lovingly welcomes the 'live-in' into their midst. While living in she experiences our live as fully as possible, taking her place in choir for Holy Mass and for the Divinen Office, joining the Community for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, sharing the Community meals and recreation, and joining the Novitiate Sisters for Lessons and Conferences. She also spends some time helping with the community work, and has quiet time for spiritual reading, personal prayer and reflection.

During this time, she may talk to the Novice Mistress regarding her vocation, and after this experience of our life, she is free to make a decision either for or against it.