I am so grateful to have had the chance to attend a Fiat Discernment Retreat and experience what the young women who attend are being offered by such a retreat. I was interested when I first learned about Fiat Ministries because it seemed like there was a real emphasis on relationship and the opportunity to connect with others, and no sense of seeing discernment and the question of vocation as a problem to solve or a checklist to follow. I heard from many of the young women on the retreat in Atlanta, how much they appreciated not feeling pressured. What I loved about it as a religious Sister was the way the retreat has something for everyone – regardless of where women are in discernment or what each one’s different personality is – and that it builds a foundation from which all discernment can take place. There is time for silent prayer, liturgy, small groups, one-on-one time, vocation stories, communal prayer, talks. The days are full but not frantic and I think each women felt like she had a chance to not only make new friends and get to know the Sisters, but also to have deeper conversations if they wanted to. I think my favorite part was how the Fiat retreat started at the beginning of discernment – which is not so much about finding the right community or person to marry but having a strong relationship with Jesus Christ. By ordering the talks to begin with womanhood, move on to prayer, mercy and then to discernment/religious life the women are given the chance to put first things first. No matter the vocation of each woman in that room, we all shared our God-given identity as women and daughters of God, as women who are called to prayer first and foremost, are the recipients and givers of mercy, and from those realities have the freedom to hear and listen to God’s voice in vocational discernment. The talks give everyone a lot to think about and then there is time for silent prayer and adoration to let all of us there take all those things to the Lord. If a woman is not called to religious life but would like a deeper self-knowledge and help with her relationship with the Lord, I think this retreat would still be helpful and give her freedom to move forward in her life and seek the Lord. If a woman is called to religious life I think that this retreat would be a great starting point. The way we relate to God, to ourselves, to our Sisters in community can be better understood if we understand our unique strengths and weaknesses as women and see our identity as a gift. Without prayer, no vocation can survive, and while all Christians must learn to know His voice before we can listen and follow Him, if we are going to be Spouses of Christ there must be heart-to-heart conversation with Him. And although many religious perform beautiful works of mercy, our vocations are first God’s mercy towards us so that we can then offer mercy to others. And the practical tips on discernment and vocation offer women a way forward so that they can take the steps needed to find where the Lord is calling them and understand some of the basics of discernment before they move forward. I found the retreat simple and clear in its goal, genuine, prayerful, and joyful. As a Sister I loved getting to meet young women who don’t know many Sisters and wanted to know more, and I also thoroughly enjoyed meeting Sisters from other communities with whom I share the gift of consecrated life but not the same charism. It was a joy to get to know them and learn more about each community and charism. I am grateful that I was able to experience a Fiat Retreat in-person and see the good work the Lord is doing for women in the Church through it.