I feel so much joy for you. Seriously, this thread has me near tears. May you always find exactly what you seek.
The Episcopal Church has deacons as well, and their functions are pretty much in our church as Bricker spoke of for Roman Catholics. The main difference of course is that women may also be deacons, and deacons can also marry after their ordination.
Priests may marry as well. We also ordain women to the priesthood, and currently our Presiding Bishop, head of the national church, is a woman.
Good luck MissMossie. I’ll be praying for you and I hope it’s your true vocation.
Count me as another well wisher here. Hope that things go well for you and you keep us updated on the process. 
I was educated in a Catholic school since I was a young child. Even if I have long lost my faith I still feel a lot of respect for nuns, with very few exceptions they were some of the nicest people I have met.
I also loved going into their quarters (happened infrequently) and marveled and envied their life of simple things and strict order, quite unlike the barely balanced disarray in which we lived. I inherited an almost-OCD desire for order from them. I briefly entertained the idea of becoming a nun, but mostly because I loved how the lived.
Where was I… Oh, yeah, best wishes MissMossie.
The idea of living a life dedicated to spirituality has great appeal for me. At this point, though, there aren’t any Wiccan convents!
I’ve read a lot of books about monastic life and lives dedicated to the pursuit of faith, and I find myself feeling a longing for the simplicity of focus.
Best of luck to you and I would be fascinated to read an “Ask the Nun” thread!
Again, thank you all for your kind thoughts. I wasn’t sure what sort of response I’d get to this thread, but the response has been pleasantly surprising. If there are any more questions about discernment, I’d be happy to answer them.
Wishing you joy in your new life!
Congratulations, MissMossie.
I had my interview yesterday and it went wonderfully. I will be moving into the monastery on June 21!
The interview itself was pretty low key. The sisters have a house in Richmond for those of them that work down here, so that’s where the interview was held. When I got there, Sr. Glenna offered me some coffee and gave me a four page form all about my life to fill out. It had questions about education, work, and health background. I had to figure out a couple of adjectives to describe each of my family members. I had to describe what I was typically like in various situations (working in groups, when I’m upset, when I’m happy, etc). There were also a few questions about my faith life and how I would describe my faith.
When I finished with the form, she read through it and asked me questions as they came up. It was very comfortable though. It wasn’t like someone reading personal information and then judging me. Sr. Glenna definitely gave off the vibe like she just wanted to know more about me.
I think the scariest parts were talking about my dad’s ex-girlfriend whom I lived with during middle and high school and was a very not nice woman and talking about the people I’ve dated in the past. I had a serious relationship with a woman in college and not all Catholics are nice about that.
The hardest part was coming up with adjectives about my family, two for each sibling and three for each parent. This past week it came out that one of my sisters is pregnant. She’s married to an illegal immigrant who abuses both drugs and my sister and she is not financially mature. Needless to say, that was really the happiest news in my family; emotions have been running very high. I’m not sure if it was the best time for me to describe my family as a result.
As far as interviews go, it was great. I wish they all were that easy.
Congratulations. It sounds like you may have really found your path. Good luck to you.
In the Catholic Church, women can be permanent deacons. It’s the “higher orders” (the priesthood) we’re banned from.
Gratz again, Miss Mosie
I’m sorry, Nava, but that’s not so. Can. 1024 provides that only a baptized man can validly receive sacred ordination to the diaconate, the priesthood, or the episcopate.
Congrats, and do you still plan on starting an “Ask the…” thread?
Congratulations, MissMossie! I will offer prayers for you as well as you begin your journey! I’m very happy to hear your interview went well.
Which Benedictine monastary in Kentucky were you speaking of? (Not that I know every single community here, just a few, and the one I’m thinking of is completely cloistered. Or used to be, anyway.)
Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Give me a minute and I will open one up and ask that this thread be closed.
Closed at the request of the OP. And congratulations.