How to Discern If God Calls You to Monastery Life: Wonders of Praying the Holy Rosary

By Juanita de Guzman Gutierrez

The author thought that she would become a nun, spending many times in prayers in front of the Blessed Sacrament and asking spiritual directors and professed nuns and ordained priests what God had in store for her. She went to medical, dental, and eye exams to prepare herself. She lived inside the monastery for three years and three months. After which, she had to leave the enclosure of the monastery walls to take care of a beloved mother in her illness. She went to hibernation for several months, asking God what to do in her life. She had been a teacher for more than thirty-three years and had retired early to discern if God was calling her to the religious life. A priest said, If God is calling you to become a nun, go and enter the monastery, and if it did not work, at least you tried. A confessor said, Pack up and go if they let you go.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Nov 9, 2017
• ISBN: 9781546201861

Juanita de Guzman Gutierrez

Miss Juanita de Guzman Gutierrez, BSED, MSED, Fordham University, New York City, New York, USA entered the monastery in December 1, 2010. The Year 2010 was the 150th Year Foundation Anniversary of the congregation of the Visitation of Holy Mary, where she entered the monastery to discern or know if GOD is calling her to become a nun. She filed an early retirement after teaching for thirty-three years . And from the City of New York Public Schools as a schoolteacher, Miss Gutierrez enplaned alone with her luggage bag to etch a new life as a woman religious. She made a great leap of faith. She left her high-paying job, comfort and freedom for the LOVE OF JESUS. Where she used to be called Miss Gutierrez, now inside the monastery, she will be called by her first name only, Sister Juanita. Inside the monastery, she led the sisters in her sacred role as an Officiant or song leader of the Divine Office or Liturgy of the Hours. Miss Gutierrez rang the Angelus bells, garden, crochet, clean chapel floors, was assistant to the Dispenser. She prayed and meditated in the quiet cloisters and contemplative countryside monastery life situated on a hill of several acres of lands away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Previous to monastery entrance, Miss Gutierrez was a Eucharistic Minister to the elderly homebound. She brought the Eucharist to those who cannot go to the Holy Mass in Church. She joined the Legion of Mary and was consecrated and blessed by a priest to wear the Brown Scapular of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel. She spent so many times in front of the Blessed Sacrament to pray and meditate for GODs calling. Miss Gutierrez graduated with a Master of Science of Education graduate studies degree from the Jesuit University of New York, Fordham University in New York City, New York, USA. From the Philippines where she was born and raised, she graduated her Bachelor of Science in Eduction degree from the University of the East in Manila, Philippines. She was an English and Journalism Teacher and a School Paper Adviser in the City Schools of Manila and the Provincial Schools of Quezon. At the Guinayangan Barangay High School, where she first taught, Miss Gutierrez father was the Barangay Captain or town mayor of her hometown. Her mother was the first-woman councilor of the town and did not even campaign for it. The townspeople asked her to join. She said she did not have time because she wanted to focus in taking care of eight children. The townspeople said they will be the one to campaign for her. She won handily in a landslide just like her father who had been a Barangay Captain or town mayor for two terms before he stepped down to focus his remaining life with his family and fishing business with his yacht named Saint Anthony, a patron saint of his wife, the authors mother. Miss Gutierrez had received Outstanding Teaching Performances, awards and grants. She also was a teacher-trainor of Teachers Institutes and Professional Developments. She was a president of teacher associations and received exemplary awards in bulletin boards presentations. She now spends her time in travels, worship, and as a cashier of a nonprofit organization for the needy.

Book preview

2017 Juanita de Guzman Gutierrez. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 11/09/2017

ISBN: 978-1-5462-0185-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5462-0186-1 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

11065.png

Contents

I  DECLARATION

II  DEDICATION

III  PROLOGUE

IV  CHAPTER ONE–-Discerning a call to religious life

V  CHAPTER TWO–—Responding to the call of a religious as a religious sister or a priest

VI  CHAPTER THREE–—Living the life of a religious nun or sisterhood/priesthood

VII  CHAPTER FOUR–—Persevering in the monastery, convent, seminary, diocesan GOD’S service

VIII  CHAPTER FIVE–-How to know if you will stay as a religious sister-nun or a celibate priest

IX  CHAPTER SIX–The happy and contented nun, the happy contented priest

X  CHAPTER SEVEN–-What actually takes place inside the monastery or seminary?

XI  CHAPTER EIGHT–List of Catholic congregations to enter for the religious life

XII  MIRACLES WROUGHT IN PRAYING THE HOLY ROSARY

XIII  HOW TO SAY THE HOLY ROSARY OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY THE MOTHER OF GOD.

Church.jpg

FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK

Pastor.jpg

St. Mary’s Catholic Church

216 Belmont Road

Grand Forks, ND 58201

USA

October 4, 2017

Hello Juanita,

I just finished reading through the manuscript of your latest book. It is a beautiful tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and I pray it will benefit young people who come across it.

I especially liked the stories of saints that you incorporated. In addition, I appreciated getting a better sense of your personal background.

I look forward to visiting with you more about those chapters of your life.

Until I see you again, may God bless you and keep you!

And thanks again for sharing your stories and talents!

Rev. Fr. James Gross

Pastor

—Know the wonders of praying the Holy Rosary of the Mother of GOD—

—What really takes place inside the monastery?–-

–Monastery, convents, seminary where you can enter to discern GOD’S call–

–How to become a saintly nun or priest–-

—See a model of a saintly religious–

JUANITA DE GUZMAN GUTIERREZ, BSED, MSED

Fordham University, New York City, New York, USA

DECLARATION

IMG_9806.jpg

Directions of streets in Fatima,Portugal where Our Lady of Fatima appeared in 1917 to three children.

In conformity with the decree of Pope Urban VIII and the definitions of other Popes, the author hereby declares that the statements contained in this book are based solely on human authority for their trustworthiness.-The Author-

DEDICATION

IMG_0096.jpg

"The statue in gold of the SACRED HEART OF JESUS in Fatima, Portugal welcoming the tour of humanity. The statue is atop the plaza fronting the Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima honoring Our Lady’s visit in 1917. The church reopens in 2017 in conjunction with the celebration of the 100 Years of the apparition of Our Lady of Fatima . Pope Francis celebrated in 2017 in the ceremony of the canonization of two of the three children who saw the coming of the Mother of GOD, Blessed Virgin Mary. The two new saints are brothers and sisters, Saint Francisco and Saint Jacinta. Miraculous healing waters are found at the bottom of the statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

This book is offered to OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary and to HIS foster father, Saint Joseph. To GOD, the DIVINE CREATOR in the HOLY TRINITY, GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON, GOD THE HOLY GHOST, HOLY SPIRIT. This book is also dedicated to my parish church, Saint Mary’s Catholic Church and to my former Visitation of Holy Mary Monastery where I had discerned my religious vocation. Several priests have blessed me and encouraged me to continue on propagating GOD ALMIGHTY in all my writings; that all may be sanctified and edified.

This is also lovingly dedicated to my beloved parents, the former Barangay or Town Captain or Town Mayor, as well as, Teletype Operator in Pan Am Air Ways, Wake Island, USA, Mr. Jamito Javier Gutierrez and the first woman-councilor, Mrs. Teodora Navarro de Guzman Gutierrez.

To my brothers and sisters, too, this book is specially dedicated. My brothers and sisters in Heaven and here on Earth; namely, Thomas, Thaddeus, Joan, Josefina, Teodoro, Jacinta, Teodorico, Twins Julita and Juanita (author of this book), Jovita, Teodocio, and Jemena, and to respective families.

And to all my precious Readers who will read this book, thank you and GOD bless you all. I dedicate this to you all, as well.

The letter J in girls names in the Gutierrez family came from our Dad, Jamito. He said we were named after him because he will be the first one to defend his daughters. And the boys’ name were patterned from our Mom in letter T because it is the boys who will in turn defend our mother.

PROLOGUE

IMG_1984.jpg

THE MORE YOU HONOR ME, THE MORE I WILL BLESS YOU. The words of the King Baby JESUS to humanity .

A novice is someone who is likely or not likely to become a nun or a priest. The word novice means new. So the aspirant is testing the waters, so to speak, to see if GOD