Questions you’ll be glad you asked

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STAYING HEALTHY in mind, body, and soul is key to living consecrated life well. In fact, it’s key for living any vocation well. Healthy habits and strong interpersonal skills are essential for living in a religious community because communal life involves problem solving, conflicts, and negotiation. Having a shared faith and similar values does not eliminate friction. Even the most loving families have their moments!

If you enter religious life already on a healthy path, your ability to adjust and thrive in community increases. Following are questions to help you think about your own habits, attitudes, practices, and qualities. Bring these questions to prayer. Think about them as you exercise or commute. You want to bring your best self to this distinctive life. Keep in mind that getting to your best self—your holiest, most whole you—is a life-long pursuit, and God provides companions on the journey.

Prayer and spirituality

What is my daily prayer practice? Is it sustainable and enriching?

What do I do that helps me grow as a human being, such as read, engage in the arts, and volunteer?

In what ways do I participate in liturgy so that my experience is fresh and alive?

How do I contribute to my parish and the larger community?

Social life

How do I foster relationships with friends? With family? With my local community?

What has been my experience of living chastely?

What are my strengths and weaknesses? How has that self-knowledge guided me?

Do I set aside time for fun?

Do I engage with people whose way of being Catholic is different from mine?

How do I interact with people of other cultural backgrounds?

What experience do I have of yielding to, lifting up, or embracing other cultural styles and expressions?

Physical and mental health

Do I ensure I get a good night’s sleep?

How well do I interact with doctors? Counselors?

Do I get exercise?

What activities or practices have stretched me or brought me out of my comfort zone?

Do I ensure I eat a balance of protein, grains, vegetables, and fruits?

Do I maintain healthy habits in terms of alcohol and food consumption?

Do I keep my screen time conscious, deliberate, enriching?

When I experience conflict, how do I handle it? What tools do I draw upon?

When things don’t go as planned, how do I adjust?

Sources: HORIZON, Journal of the National Religious Vocation Conference and “Healthy Life Checklist for Consecrated Men” by the Paulist Fathers.

Related: VocationNetwork.org, “11 myths about religious life.”