A glimpse inside enclosed walls - women's contemplative communities

[BarbaraTherese]

cloisteredlife.com/daywithinthewalls.htm

A Day Within The Walls

The above link will take you to links to a few women’s enclosed contemplative
communities and a look at how their day unfolds

What is life in a cloistered or monastic community like? How do the members spend the long hours of the day? Is every minute filled with prayer? Spend a few moments within the walls of these women’s to get a rare glimpse at their hidden lives.

Blessings - Barb
http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_14_5.gif iHs

 

[RCA]

 

[fcbv]

I’d been already at that site before. It’s very interesting!

 

[mahalia]

My friend has been in a closed carmelite convent for a year. Since it is not far away, I have been there a couple of times. When I see her (through the window), it is like seeing pure joy! Her face is radiant, the way she talks, it is wonderful.
She says she couldn’t thank the Lord enough for the grace given to her!

 

[BenFischer]

I’m not sure that website is still up. I’d be curious to know how strict the seclusion is in a cloistered community. How much contact do they have with outsiders? Can they go out to buy groceries and other supplies? What if they need to call a plumber or electrician out to fix something? What if they get sick? How do they keep in contact with other members of their order?

How do they recruit new members if they can’t go out to talk to young people?

 

[BarbaraTherese]

I’m not sure that website is still up. I’d be curious to know how strict the seclusion is in a cloistered community. How much contact do they have with outsiders? Can they go out to buy groceries and other supplies? What if they need to call a plumber or electrician out to fix something? What if they get sick? How do they keep in contact with other members of their order?

How do they recruit new members if they can’t go out to talk to young people?

Hi Ben…the amount of seclusion from the outside world varies. In women’s enclosed communities the nuns do come in contact with “the world” in the parlour through visitors and most communities allow friends and/or family members. Most enclosed communities stipulate how many times a nun may have parlour visits and the most common I think is one parlour visit per month. Some Orders stipulate only family or friends - one or the other…other Orders make no stipulations about who, but they may stipulate how many people can visit on the one visit.

Orders that have very strict enclosure often have what is known as Lay Sisters who are nuns in every respect except they may not be members of the ‘choir’ per se. These Lay Sisters go out an do the shopping and often most of the manual work as well.

Some Orders may have friends who collect the shopping list and do the shopping for them. Some allow two nuns usually who do go out and do the shopping etc.

Nuns nowadays do go out to the dentist or doctor. Once upon a time (and I dont think this exists any longer) the dentist and doctor would come into the enclosure. The nuns had a black see through veil that they would use to cover their faces if an outsider of any kind was within the enclosure for some reason.
Nowadays I dont think there is any restrictions about having an electrician or plumber inside the cloister if this is needed. I am unsure, some Orders may still retain the see through black veil custom of covering their faces.

Contact with other members of their Order used to be by circular say once monthly or on special occasions…nowadays of course most Orders have a computer and keep contact by email. Some Orders may not have a computer, nor want one, and maintain the old custom of circulars.

Members are recruited mainly by word of mouth…although nowadays I notice a lot of enclosed orders (and probably most) do have websites. They may advertise too in their local Catholic newspaper or other Catholic media.

Blessings…Barb
PS I think you may be right, Ben, and the website is no longer up and running!

 

[BenFischer]

Hi Ben…the amount of seclusion from the outside world varies. In women’s enclosed communities the nuns do come in contact with “the world” in the parlour through visitors and most communities allow friends and/or family members. Most enclosed communities stipulate how many times a nun may have parlour visits and the most common I think is one parlour visit per month. Some Orders stipulate only family or friends - one or the other…other Orders make no stipulations about who, but they may stipulate how many people can visit on the one visit.

Orders that have very strict enclosure often have what is known as Lay Sisters who are nuns in every respect except they may not be members of the ‘choir’ per se. These Lay Sisters go out an do the shopping and often most of the manual work as well.

Some Orders may have friends who collect the shopping list and do the shopping for them. Some allow two nuns usually who do go out and do the shopping etc.

Nuns nowadays do go out to the dentist or doctor. Once upon a time (and I dont think this exists any longer) the dentist and doctor would come into the enclosure. The nuns had a black see through veil that they would use to cover their faces if an outsider of any kind was within the enclosure for some reason.
Nowadays I dont think there is any restrictions about having an electrician or plumber inside the cloister if this is needed. I am unsure, some Orders may still retain the see through black veil custom of covering their faces.

Contact with other members of their Order used to be by circular say once monthly or on special occasions…nowadays of course most Orders have a computer and keep contact by email. Some Orders may not have a computer, nor want one, and maintain the old custom of circulars.

Members are recruited mainly by word of mouth…although nowadays I notice a lot of enclosed orders (and probably most) do have websites. They may advertise too in their local Catholic newspaper or other Catholic media.

Blessings…Barb
PS I think you may be right, Ben, and the website is no longer up and running!

Thanks. I know that was a lot of questions! Our local Tridentine Mass is at a chapel of the Carmelite Sisters, so I can’t help but be curious about how they get along.

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Thanks. I know that was a lot of questions! Our local Tridentine Mass is at a chapel of the Carmelite Sisters, so I can’t help but be curious about how they get along.

I understand with a smile, Ben. I was advised at 16 years (pre V2) to apply to enter Carmel and had never been any further than their chapel when our college choir sung there. I was full of wondering myself. On my first visit I was bemused and confused to be shown into a room that had one chair facing a metal grille (like a jail) and a red curtain behind it. I later found out that there was a jail like grille on the other side of the curtain as well. In the corner of the wall where the grille was, was this weird little box. I was shown to the only seat and sat down and then the Sister left and I wondered what on earth was going on. Next thing from behind the grille I heard a door open and the swish of a habit. Then a voice said “Benedictus”…and I thought “This is madness!”…incidentally I later found out the strange little box was a turn. You could put something in it and it would turn around the nun on the other side could take it out.
My actual interview with Mother Prioress was very funny, but I will spare you that. I was astounded to be advised that I had been accepted to enter.

I can understand how people can be wondering about how these nuns that are often never seen only heard get on behind those high walls. I was happy to share with you what I do know.

Blessings and regards…Barb

 

[AliceMary]

Check out the Summit dominicans blog… monialesop.blogspot.com/

You will find that most cloisters nuns are the most down to earth, loving people you can find. They have dedicated their life to service and love of the Lord.
Some communities are more open then others, some wear a habit, some do not. Most have some type of grill, though many have made it less threatening. Some just have a divider wall with no bars. Enclosure has to be in the heart, bars and grills are just a symbol.
I try and stay away from overstrict orders, they really do not fit my way of praying. I feel some go overboard on their penances and way of living. Not that I am judging them, all people express their religion differently, but I just do not believe in long fasts and physical exhaustion as an expression of my religion.
Interesting discussion

 

[DebChris]

Good site. I like the idea that St. Francis de Sales called for a “livable” lifestyle. St. Benedict sought balance for his order between work, prayer and study. Some of these practices can be modified to fit our individual “station in life.”
I follow for instance the Liturgy of the hours with Lauds and Vespers. I have been on silent retreats that open the heart to listening to what God has to say in a very profound way. I like the silence after Compline. When I was dating, the man I married made it a standing thing between us that there was no talking after our final kiss of the night. My daughter recently told me how her husband and she maintain silence in the same way–Night prayer ends with a kiss.
I knew about 3pm being the hour of our Lord’s crucifixion. We seldom think about midnight as the hour that the “Bridegroom is here” or the hour of Pentecost as Terce–the 3rd hour of the day or 9am and the start of the workday.
Waking up is not always an easy thing so seeing “the moment of waking as casting ourselves wholly into God” is another way of looking at the spirituality of our everyday life, especially with Mass as “the Sun of our day.”

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Quoting Alice Mary

You will find that most cloisters nuns are the most down to earth, loving people you can find. They have dedicated their life to service and love of the Lord.

It does stun me knowing a Carmelite Community enclosed very well over a 25 or more year span, just how very down to earth they are…insightful and understanding and very loving. However, I do know another enclosed community of nuns not Carmelite that are very very serious and pious people, quiet and unasuming. I did spend time in the noviciate of this community and wished that I had asked more questions before entering. They were extremely strict and fixed in the 15th century concept of enclosed contemplative life still - I went immediately into culture shock in a major way on entering.

Some communities are more open then others, some wear a habit, some do not. Most have some type of grill, though many have made it less threatening. Some just have a divider wall with no bars. Enclosure has to be in the heart, bars and grills are just a symbol.

The Carmelite community I know have dispensed with the grille altogether - some have chosen to wear the habit others while dressed in brown and white are in secular simple clothing in these colours, which are the colours of Carmel. All nuns whether in habit or not only wear veils in choir or in the Chapel at prayer.

I try and stay away from overstrict orders, they really do not fit my way of praying. I feel some go overboard on their penances and way of living. Not that I am judging them, all people express their religion differently, but I just do not believe in long fasts and physical exhaustion as an expression of my religion.
Interesting discussion

It would be very wise and prudent I think before actually entering to have a long list of questions needing answers before arriving at any final decision whether to enter or not.

My take on things …Barb

 

[BarbaraTherese]

Quoting DebChris:

Good site. I like the idea that St. Francis de Sales called for a “livable” lifestyle. St. Benedict sought balance for his order between work, prayer and study. Some of these practices can be modified to fit our individual “station in life.”

Both St. Francis de Sales and St. Benedict I think were eminently practical … and gifted a spirituality that can either be followed in enclosed living or outside in ‘the world’ by lay people.

I follow for instance the Liturgy of the hours with Lauds and Vespers. I have been on silent retreats that open the heart to listening to what God has to say in a very profound way. I like the silence after Compline. When I was dating, the man I married made it a standing thing between us that there was no talking after our final kiss of the night. My daughter recently told me how her husband and she maintain silence in the same way–Night prayer ends with a kiss.

With a little bit of understanding of what the Liturgy of The Hours and monastic life generally is all about it is not difficult at all to conform an absolutely busy life ‘in the world’ in the lay state into monastic custom…I think it is absolutely beautiful the way married Catholics I know do observe monastic type customs (such as the Grand Silence which begins with Compline) into their married lives…and some other monastic type customs too.

I knew about 3pm being the hour of our Lord’s crucifixion. We seldom think about midnight as the hour that the “Bridegroom is here” or the hour of Pentecost as Terce–the 3rd hour of the day or 9am and the start of the workday.

Out here ‘in the world’ it may be difficult to stop and spend time at the ‘religious hours’ such as 3pm, midnight and 9am. But one could put the cell phone (we call them in Australia here “mobiles”) alarm on for these hours, and even if we only raise for a moment our heart and mind to what these special hours are all about is a wonderful way of adjusting monastic type living to the lay state in the world. After all religious and monastic life exists to remind and point to the life of Heaven…hence seeking to incorporate monastic type practises into daily lay life is following in that tradition.
I am convinced we have not yet seen the real horizon of monastic spirituality (and hence the reason for its existence as a witness) that is potentially ours. Even the miracle of the gift of the internet is only in the very early stages indeed of insighting its potential for The Church and witness and evangelizing - and other matters.

Waking up is not always an easy thing so seeing “the moment of waking as casting ourselves wholly into God” is another way of looking at the spirituality of our everyday life, especially with Mass as “the Sun of our day.”

Having been in a 4.30am monastic choir, many nuns do struggle with yawning and trying to wake up. A good habit that is easily developed as a habit that becomes automatic on waking is to recite The Morning Offering with prayerful disposition…as one strives to actually wake up and begin the day. Or one could get into the habit of saying prayerfully some short aspirational prayer. It is only a very short time before it becomes automatic on waking and a habit…and habit is a wonderful servent, but can be a shocking master.

Blessings - Barb

 

[AliceMary]

I was an aspirant in an active order many years ago. I often spend weeks at the convent. I remember those early morning hours of prayers!! It seemed that every morning my stomach would growl…so loud. I could swear the sister next to me could hear it growl away!
Morning office was awesome, with the sun just rising. The office is so beautiful a prayer and just seems to make the day complete

 

[BarbaraTherese]

I was an aspirant in an active order many years ago. I often spend weeks at the convent. I remember those early morning hours of prayers!! It seemed that every morning my stomach would growl…so loud. I could swear the sister next to me could hear it growl away!
Morning office was awesome, with the sun just rising. The office is so beautiful a prayer and just seems to make the day complete

Very true!