Dear Penny,

When you say you are away at school I presume you mean college, so that would mean you are no longer a minor. I also presume that since you are already talking to a vocation director, you have not been told you are mistaken in your attraction to be a nun in that order, and that you have gone into certain detail about yourself, your situation, background, spiritual development, etc. with her. If you have been that open with the vocation director and she has not seen anything that you need to work on before entering her order, it would seem to me like the time is now.

Your lingering doubt is in regards to your family. You have to be realistic there. You cannot solve your parents problem for them. You may in some cases be able to help, but thats about it. They are the ones that have to work through it themselves. In most cases what most helps parents and families going through their normal difficulties is the clear example of one of their members who knows what is important in life, and goes for it wholeheartedly. Unless your parents case is an extreme one your example, and then your prayers for them, which I am sure will be constant and plentiful, will help more than your physical presence.

God bless,