Discerning a religious vocation

Since the earliest days of the church, consecrated women have played a key role in building the body of Christ—through active ministries such as teaching, nursing, and assisting the poor as well as in contemplative communities devoted to prayer.

The Diocese of Knoxville is blessed to have several communities of sisters in residence (see below).

Women Religious Represented in the Diocese of Knoxville

Canonical Hermitess for the Diocese of Knoxville
Dominican Sisters (Nashville) (OP)
Handmaids of the Precious Blood (contemplative) (HPB)
Missionary Congregation of the Evangelizing Sisters of Mary (Uganda) (ESM)
Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Jesus “Ad Gentes” (MAG)
Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Michigan (RSM)
Sisters of Charity of Nazareth (SCN)
Sisters of Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (PBVM)
Sisters of St. Joseph, Third Order of St. Francis (SSJ-TOSF)
Sisters of the Divine Compassion (RDC)
Sisters of the Good Shepherd, Province of Mid-North America (RGS)

Women Religious Communities Outside of Knoxville

Carmelites of the Divine Heart of Jesus
Discalced Carmelites (contemplative)
Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters / Pink Sisters (contemplative)
Society Devoted to the Sacred Heart

Men called by God do not always become priests: some, like St. Francis of Assisi, become religious brothers.

As Pope Benedict XVI wrote in his 2009 message for the World Day of Prayer for Vocations:

"The vocation to the priesthood and to the consecrated life constitutes a special gift of God which becomes part of the great plan of love and salvation that God has for every man and woman and for the whole of humanity." —Pope Benedict XVI

Religious Brothers Represented in the Diocese of Knoxville

Alexian Brothers (CFA)
Glenmary Home Missioners (GHM)

Religious Order priests represented in the Diocese of Knoxville
Several priests who are also members of religious orders minister in the diocese. For more information about these orders, please visit the websites below.

Apostles of Jesus (AJ)
Paulist Fathers (CSP)
Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI)
Congregation of the Mission (CM)
Crusaders of the Holy Spirit (CHS)
Institute of the Incarnate Word (IVE)
Missionaries of St. Francis de Sales (MSFS)
Missionary Servants of the Most Holy Trinity (ST)
The Glenmary Home Missioners (GHM)