Come and See: Discovering God's Providence in the Journey of Discernment

Five women. Four places. One weekend of prayer, reflection and discovering how God’s Providence unfolds in our lives.

The Come and See visitors with General Superior Sister Jeanne Hagelskamp (front, far left).

What happens when we make space to slow down, listen, and discover where God might be leading us? During our recent Come and See weekend Oct. 25-27, five women from Taiwan, California, New York, and Indiana gathered to explore this question through the lens of Providence spirituality. Together, we stepped away from the busyness of everyday life to enter into prayer, community and the sacred invitation to discern God’s call.

Throughout the weekend, we discovered that discernment is not always about finding an immediate answer. Rather, it is about learning to recognize God’s presence along the way, trusting the process and staying open to the unexpected ways Providence unfolds.

Making Space for the Sacred

We began our weekend with Holy Hour in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. After busy weeks filled with work, responsibilities and travel, the women were invited to slow down, breathe deeply and arrive fully. The quiet presence of the Blessed Sacrament offered room to let go of distractions and become attentive to the sacredness of the weekend ahead.

From there, we began building connections through shared meals, icebreakers, and social time. Laughter and conversation helped strangers become companions on a shared journey. We also watched a film about the life of the Sisters of Providence foundress, Saint Mother Theodore Guérin, and the beginnings of the Providence mission. We learned about the courage, trust, and faith that shaped her response to God’s call.

Mother Theodore’s story offered a meaningful foundation for our own conversations about discernment. Her life reminds us that following God does not mean knowing every step in advance. It means trusting Providence, even when the path ahead is uncertain.

Discernment Through the Lens of Providence Spirituality

Saturday invited us deeper into the heart of the weekend, with Sister Marie McCarthy providing support and wisdom to the women as they explored discernment. She guided them to reflect on how God’s presence can be recognized in ordinary moments, unexpected encounters, and unfolding circumstances of life.

Discernment is a way of listening, noticing, and responding to God’s movement within us and around us. We learn to look back on our experiences with new eyes, recognizing the threads of grace that may not have been visible at first.

One woman who attended said, “I learned that discernment is a process and conversation with God.”

This insight captures the heart of discernment. It is not a single moment of certainty but an ongoing relationship. As we continue to pray, reflect and listen, we grow in our ability to recognize the invitations God places before us.

Another woman discovered that discernment could open doors we might never have considered. She shared that when she sits with two possibilities, she may discover a deeper, third place. All the possibilities can be good.

What a beautiful reminder that discernment is not always about choosing between something right and something wrong. Sometimes, it invites us to remain open long enough for a new possibility to emerge, one we could not have imagined at the beginning.

Encountering God in Nature and Creativity

Our afternoon continued outdoors with a forest meditation led by Sister Corbin Hannah. Surrounded by the beauty and stillness of creation, the women were invited to pay attention to the natural world and to the ways God speaks through it.

For one participant, this experience brought an unexpected discovery: “I was surprised how much I was able to connect with nature.”

Sometimes, stepping outside our familiar routines helps us reconnect with something deep within ourselves. The trees, the quiet and the rhythms of creation can remind us that we are part of something larger than ourselves and that God’s presence often meets us in simple, ordinary places.

After the forest meditation, Sister Su-Hsin Huang led the group in an experience of art and spirituality. Through creativity and reflection, the women were invited to explore their inner lives and express what words alone may not capture.

The afternoon also included plenty of time for personal silence. Rather than rushing from one activity to the next, we made room for each woman to reflect on what she had experienced, what was stirring within her, and what she might be hearing in prayer.

One participant described her experience powerfully: “The warmth of God was so unbelievably loud.”

These words remind us that God’s presence does not always come through dramatic answers or clear directions. Sometimes it is experienced as warmth, peace, or a quiet assurance that we are accompanied and loved.

Honest Conversations and Shared Wisdom

After supper, we gathered for one of the weekend’s favorite traditions: a heart-to-heart conversation between discerners and newer members of the Congregation. This time offers space for honest questions, personal stories and sharing actual experience of living religious life.

Our Come and See visitors with (front far left) Sister Ann Duong and (back, from left) General Councilor Sister Norene Wu, Sister Editha Ben, Sister Leslie Dao, Sister Stephanie Rivas and (third from right) Postulant Jessica Sun, Sister Maité Rodriguez-Mora and Sister Joni Luna.

This time helps bring discernment out of the abstract and into real life. The women could hear how others had navigated uncertainty, recognized God’s invitations and continued to grow in their understanding of their vocations.

One participant reflected on perfectionism, sharing that being a perfectionist is not necessarily a bad thing, but it requires discernment. Her takeaway was to “be gentle with myself but also try my very best.”

This is an important lesson for anyone discerning a vocation. Our gifts, personalities, and ways of approaching the world are not obstacles to God’s call. They are part of who we are. Discernment helps us understand how to embrace those gifts while allowing God to shape and guide us.

Another woman reflected on the importance of not allowing the pressures of the discernment process itself to figure out her choices. She recognized the need to take time to thoughtfully consider and curate her options, rather than feeling rushed toward an answer.

Discernment invites patience. It gives us permission to take the time we need, ask honest questions and trust that God is present even when the next step is not yet clear.

Discovering that Discernment Unfolds

On Sunday, we shared in small groups, returned to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and celebrated liturgy. Together, we reflected on what we had learned and how we might carry these insights into our everyday lives.

We concluded with a final blessing at the Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore.

Come and See visitors in the Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin with Sister Editha Ben (far right).

One participant shared that she had come to understand vocation as an inward journey, one in which Providence spirituality continues to develop and can surprise us as we learn to recognize God’s presence in our lives.

Her reflection points toward a central truth of discernment: Vocation is not simply something we discover outside ourselves. It is also an invitation to journey inward, to grow in self-knowledge and to become more attentive to the God who is already at work within us.

Each person left with her own questions, insights and experiences. There was no expectation that every question would be answered by the end of the weekend. Instead, the invitation was to continue listening, trusting and noticing the ways Providence unfolds in the days ahead.

Come and See: An Invitation to Listen

The weekend was a beautiful reminder that discernment happens in many ways: in prayer and silence, in the beauty of nature, through creative expression, in conversations with others, and in the quiet realization that God is near.

Five women came from different places, bringing their unique stories, hopes, and questions. They left having shared in a community that made space for discovery, honest reflection, and the gentle unfolding of God’s call.

I am grateful for each woman who joined us and for the wisdom she brought to our shared journey.

Sometimes, the next step is simply to slow down, enter the silence and allow ourselves to be surprised by God.

Come and See. Your journey of discernment is worth the time, the questions and the quiet courage to discover where God may be leading you. We would love to accompany you along the way!

Join us for the Discernment Lounge on Nov. 7, 2026! Learn more and find event details here.

Come and see what God might have in store for you.