A question about Nuns, Are they married to God??

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I was watching an old movie the other night with my mom. I don’t remeber the name of the movie, but it was about a woman who was going into a convent. I noticed that at the end of her novicehood, she was dressed in a wedding dress and went through a “marriage” ceremony. She was given a ring and the priest said that she was now married to God. Then she was taken in back room and had her hair cut short and given her “nun” clothes.

Are nuns married to God? Why???
 
In a metaphorical sense, that is they have agreed to submit to God as a wife to a husband.

LDS is the only Western Religion which believes in celestial marriage.
 
Nine_Two said:
In a metaphorical sense, that is they have agreed to submit to God as a wife to a husband.

LDS is the only Western Religion which believes in celestial marriage.
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Indeed. It is somewhat like the statement that the Church is the bride of Christ. It doesn’t mean Christ is literally married to the Church, or that there is a woman in the Church that Christ is literally married to. It is merely a reference Christ makes many times to Himself as the bridegroom, as well as a prophecy within the lesser prophets about God redeeming His “wife.”
 
A nun gives her life to the service of the Bridegroom. The Bridal Gown and the Ring symbolize the fact that her commitment is like a Nuptual covenant.

They`re not “Married to God” in some “Celestial Marriage” way, or anything remotely like that.
 
Catholic_to_LDS said:
I was watching an old movie the other night with my mom. I don’t remeber the name of the movie, but it was about a woman who was going into a convent. I noticed that at the end of her novicehood, she was dressed in a wedding dress and went through a “marriage” ceremony. She was given a ring and the priest said that she was now married to God. Then she was taken in back room and had her hair cut short and given her “nun” clothes.

Are nuns married to God? Why???
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I went looking for information about this issue, but the vast majority of the stuff I found was anti-Catholic–or at best, not Catholic. I finally found this. It’s
Commonly Asked Vocation Questions page from the Franciscan Sisters in Steubenville, Ohio.

The answer to the first question: “What is a sister or a nun?” deals with the issue of being a 'Bride of Christ."

It is not a marriage in the way that Latter-day Saints think of marriage, by any means. The wedding dress and the ring are more, from what I can see, a symbol of what nuns and sisters give UP, in return for something they feel is much better; they promise to sacrifice all of their lives, faith and efforts to their vocation, and are ‘married’ to Christ in the sense that they don’t have time for being married to anybody else.

I’m certain, however, that a Catholic can explain it much better than I can…but I found the idea a richly symbolic idea; as Latter-day Saints consider marriage and family to be our first priority (absent only our faith in God) a nun who becomes a ‘Bride of Christ’ subsumes everything to her faith. It’s appropriate symbology, I think.
 
Catholic_to_LDS said:
I was watching an old movie the other night with my mom. I don’t remeber the name of the movie, but it was about a woman who was going into a convent. I noticed that at the end of her novicehood, she was dressed in a wedding dress and went through a “marriage” ceremony. She was given a ring and the priest said that she was now married to God. Then she was taken in back room and had her hair cut short and given her “nun” clothes.

Are nuns married to God? Why???
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Catholics agree with our Orthodox brethren in that nuns are not literally married to Christ, but is symbolic of their personal path of commitment to Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church has a section on “The Consecrated Life”:

"

916 The state of consecrated life is thus one way of experiencing a “more intimate” consecration, rooted in Baptism and dedicated totally to God.455 In the consecrated life, Christ’s faithful, moved by the Holy Spirit, propose to follow Christ more nearly, to give themselves to God who is loved above all and, pursuing the perfection of charity in the service of the Kingdom, to signify and proclaim in the Church the glory of the world to come.456

923 "Virgins who, committed to the holy plan of following Christ more closely, are consecrated to God by the diocesan bishop according to the approved liturgical rite, are betrothed mystically to Christ, the Son of God, and are dedicated to the service of the Church."464 By this solemn rite (Consecratio virginum), the virgin is "constituted . . . a sacred person, a transcendent sign of the Church’s love for Christ, and an eschatological image of this heavenly Bride of Christ and of the life to come."465

924 “As with other forms of consecrated life,” the order of virgins establishes the woman living in the world (or the nun) in prayer, penance, service of her brethren, and apostolic activity, according to the state of life and spiritual gifts given to her.466 Consecrated virgins can form themselves into associations to observe their commitment more faithfully.467 "
 
Ok…but why do they change their name? Priests don’t.
 
dianaiad said:
I went looking for information about this issue, but the vast majority of the stuff I found was anti-Catholic–or at best, not Catholic. I finally found this. It’s
Commonly Asked Vocation Questions page from the Franciscan Sisters in Steubenville, Ohio.

The answer to the first question: “What is a sister or a nun?” deals with the issue of being a 'Bride of Christ."

It is not a marriage in the way that Latter-day Saints think of marriage, by any means. The wedding dress and the ring are more, from what I can see, a symbol of what nuns and sisters give UP, in return for something they feel is much better; they promise to sacrifice all of their lives, faith and efforts to their vocation, and are ‘married’ to Christ in the sense that they don’t have time for being married to anybody else.

I’m certain, however, that a Catholic can explain it much better than I can…but I found the idea a richly symbolic idea; as Latter-day Saints consider marriage and family to be our first priority (absent only our faith in God) a nun who becomes a ‘Bride of Christ’ subsumes everything to her faith. It’s appropriate symbology, I think.
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Excellent post coming from a LDS. Thank you for your fairness and maturity. The excerpt describes very well about the nuns in Catholic Church.
 
Catholic_to_LDS said:
Ok…but why do they change their name? Priests don’t.
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The last Pope took John Paul II and the present Holy Father takes the name of Benedict 16.

These are the names of saints or doctors of the Church. As for JPII, he specifically took that name as a sign of continuity from Pope Paul 6 and Pope John Paul I before him. The Church took a specific direction beginning Pope John 23. He died before he finished with what he wanted to do. The legacy was taken over by Paul 6. John Paul I wanted the vision as espoused by John23 and Paul 6 to continue on. He died shortly after becoming Pope and then JPII took over.

You see there is something in the names.

God bless.
 
Nine_Two said:
Nuns aren’t female priests. Nuns are the female version of monks, and monks do change their name (at least in the East, probably in the West).
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This is true. It is not uncommon for a Buddhist Novice (the level before becoming a monk) to assume a new name that will honor the Buddha.

Plus, I was always taught that nuns were married to the church. And since the church is considered an extension of Jesus’s ministry, and that Jesus dwells in these churches, then I suppose you could say that they are married to God.
 
Catholic_to_LDS said:
I was watching an old movie the other night with my mom. I don’t remeber the name of the movie, but it was about a woman who was going into a convent. I noticed that at the end of her novicehood, she was dressed in a wedding dress and went through a “marriage” ceremony. She was given a ring and the priest said that she was now married to God. Then she was taken in back room and had her hair cut short and given her “nun” clothes.

Are nuns married to God? Why???
Click to expand...
If you’re talking about THE NUN’S STORY, the bridal dresses were worn for the ceremony of BEGINNING the novitiate and receiving the habit.

At temporary vows, they were given the black veil and choir cape.

The Ring as a symbol of being a “bride of Christ” was given ONLY at perpetual profession.

NOT “bride of God”.

This is understood to be metaphorical, NOT literal.

If you were formely Christian and are now LDS, how were you seduced from the simplicity of the Gospel?
 
Catholic_to_LDS said:
Ok…but why do they change their name? Priests don’t.
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Where did you get that idea?

It’s not uncommon in Eastern churches for men to take a new name at monastic tonsure.

A similar custom exists in the West.

And many Orthodox secular priests will take a new name at ordination.

It is also common in Orthodoxy to take a new name upon conversion and reception into the Church. If a person has taken a new name at this time, should she or he embrace monasticism, generally the name is not changed.

BTW–a nun is NOT the female equivalent of a priest. You seem to be laboring under this misconception.
 
If you were formely Christian and are now LDS, how were you seduced from the simplicity of the Gospel?

How do you mean seduced? Do you mean how was I lead away from the main stream?

I want to understand your possition before I respond.

I now understand that a preist and a nun are not the same. If you read above, someone answered that.
 
bpbasilphx said:
If you were formely Christian and are now LDS, how were you seduced from the simplicity of the Gospel?
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Im not sure if you ment for your statement to come off as a deliberate attempt to be offensive or not, but it certainly seems that way to me.

An attempt at Un-Christian Charity perhaps designed to be provocative?

I hope “Catholic to LDS” doesnt lower themselves to reply to such a thing if this indeed was your intent.

I think Christ would be disappointed. Deeply. 😦
 
I know that this isn’t true for every woman who is called to religious life but for me personally the bride of Christ metaphor really works. I do see myself as becoming the bride of Christ when I enter, and I do even now have a romantic relationship with Christ. It’s just
a way of relating to God, it’s not anything weird or mystical it’s just that woman religious relate to Christ as a bride relates to a husband. People have often asked me “how do you have a romantic relationship with Christ?” and I can’t really explain it except to say that that’s how I relate to Him. Just like any husband and wife relate, that’s how Christ and I relate. I don’t know if that makes any sense at all and if it doesn’t I’m really sorry. If you have any more detailed questions I would be happy to try and answer them.
Catholic_to_LDS said:
Ok…but why do they change their name? Priests don’t.
Click to expand...
Again this answer is just my personal thoughts on the matter. To me the religious name and the habit are both outward signs of the inward change that is made when a women becomes a religious consecrated to God. There is a very real change made when you become totally one hundred percent Gods. Again it’s really hard to put into words but there is something different about you on the inside when you make that total consecration to God. To me the outward signs are very important and so it’s just another way of saying “I’m not who I was in the world, I’ve become totally Christ’s and there is nothing else to me in the whole world but Christ.” Again sorry if I didn’t explain myself very well. It’s really hard for me to put into words.

Please let me know if you have any other questions regarding religious life and I would be glad to help you if I can.

JMJ+
~Betsy

Totus tuus Maria!
 
Well, before this thread gets totally derailed, please notice a thorough discussion of the ‘bride’ idea in the thread on the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of the Apostles and their recent ‘bridal’ ceremonies.

I think that the catechism is describing the ancient rite of consecration of virgins, which is separate from taking vows as a religious.
 
I know one sister who taught me (and, probaly all of them) wore a ring on her left ring finger to show that she was married to Jesus. Sisters of St. Francis of Christ the King is the order(?) she belongs to.
 
Nine_Two said:
Nuns aren’t female priests. Nuns are the female version of monks, and monks do change their name (at least in the East, probably in the West).
Click to expand...
and, some monks are priests, but not all priests are monks.
 
Catholic_to_LDS said:
I was watching an old movie the other night with my mom. I don’t remeber the name of the movie, but it was about a woman who was going into a convent. I noticed that at the end of her novicehood, she was dressed in a wedding dress and went through a “marriage” ceremony. She was given a ring and the priest said that she was now married to God. Then she was taken in back room and had her hair cut short and given her “nun” clothes.

Are nuns married to God? Why???
Click to expand...
As an exmormon who came home to christ and the catholic church I cant hlpe but wonder why on earth you would leave the church for the mormon belief. For the love of god and your own sould please educate yourself on biblical history. Please watch the book of mormon vs. The Bible and the book of mormon vs. DNA. You can watch these on youtube. I will pray that you will come back home to the truth.
 
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