I went to Bruges for the first time this past July. It has long been a location loved by my parents, and I finally was able to see for myself the beauty of this little town in Belgium. As anticipated, I fell in love with the easy walkability, the quaint streets and town center where you can eat ice cream and watch the world go by in the shadow of the Bruges Belfort (belfry).
But what I wasn’t expecting was to find vocational consolation from the Beguines in Bruges!
In my wanderings, I found myself in the Beguinage – founded in the mid 1200s, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, but still home to a community of women who have found a sort of third way to live out their vocations.
A Third Way in the Church
Begun in the middle ages, the Beguine movement was a way for single lay women to live together in community without taking full religious vows and with the ability to pursue their own economic interests (and ability to leave if they became so inclined). These communities enabled women to live out their lives with faith and charity, as neither a wife nor a religious sister.
And this was not some fringe idea. They were not trying to break away from the Church, but merely finding a place for themselves within it. And while it was not without struggle or suspicion, it had support and admiration from the Church.
I was fascinated. And honestly still am. The Beguinage in Bruges is beautiful, a place with good sized row houses painted white with lots of windows and lovely gardens. They surround a large green area of trees and grass, and include a good sized chapel and some shared community space. Despite being in the middle of the city, the peace and calm in that space is palpable – it was open during the day for visitors, but with a request for silence (which was mostly observed while I was there).
The Longing for Certainty
One thing I can struggle with in feeling like I missed my vocation is the lack of commitment. I long for certainty, but don’t have a relationship to fully give myself over to. Marriage isn’t currently an option, but I’m not ready to close that door forever. Religious life has much I admire, but I’m not convinced it’s my path. I find myself in this liminal space, wanting certainty but unable to claim it.
What Made It Work
But here’s what struck me about the Beguines: they didn’t wait for their circumstances to become ‘vocation-worthy.’ They made commitments anyway – to prayer, to community, to service, to a rhythm of life centered on God. They built structure and accountability into their daily lives. They showed up for each other and for those in need. They worked with purpose and closed their gates each evening for silence and reflection.
In other words, they lived like their lives mattered now, not someday when the ‘right’ vocation finally appeared.
Their faithfulness mattered. Not because they had the perfect circumstances, but because they were living intentionally within the circumstances they had.
Living Like a Modern Beguine
So what would it look like to live like a modern Beguine? Not necessarily in a white row house in Belgium (though wouldn’t that be lovely?), but in spirit:
- Making real commitments to your prayer life and spiritual growth
- Building rhythms that create space for God amid the chaos and uncertainty
- Finding or creating community with other women who take their faith seriously
- Pursuing your work as service, not just survival
- Protecting time for silence and beauty
While there are a few modern Beguine groups trying to revive the movement, none are in my area or are quite my cup of tea. What I’m suggesting here is to consider how we can take lessons from the Beguines into our individual daily lives right here, right now.
(Although if anyone is interested in creating an intentional community in a walkable neighborhood, let’s talk!)
Ultimately, the Beguines teach us that vocation isn’t about waiting for the right circumstances; it’s about living faithfully in the life you have.
What would change if you stopped waiting for the ‘right’ vocation and started building a life of faithfulness right now? What’s one Beguine principle you could practice this week?