Carmelite nuns CITH?

[damooster]

I’m watching “The Nun” on EWTN. It’s a documentary that follows a girl named Marta as she graduates high school and becomes a Carmelite nun.

They just showed a scene where all of the nuns were receiving Holy Communion and all of them received in the hand. Is this a Carmelite thing? They seem so severe and traditional otherwise (i.e. mandatory silence, no tv, radios, computer etc). This wasn’t in the USA, but I couldn’t tell you what country Marta is from.

I’m asking if this is normal Carmelite practice, not to encourage another “discussion” on which is better (CITH, COTT).

Oh, and talk about the ultimate “oops” moment; Marta’s parents visited her and her father asked her mother why she baked a cake and she replied “it’s her birthday.” He totally forgot his own daughter’s birthday!

 

[FCEGM]

I’m watching “The Nun” on EWTN. It’s a documentary that follows a girl named Marta as she graduates high school and becomes a Carmelite nun.

They just showed a scene where all of the nuns were receiving Holy Communion and all of them received in the hand. Is this a Carmelite thing? They seem so severe and traditional otherwise (i.e. mandatory silence, no tv, radios, computer etc). This wasn’t in the USA, but I couldn’t tell you what country Marta is from.

I’m asking if this is normal Carmelite practice, not to encourage another “discussion” on which is better (CITH, COTT).

Oh, and talk about the ultimate “oops” moment; Marta’s parents visited her and her father asked her mother why she baked a cake and she replied “it’s her birthday.” He totally forgot his own daughter’s birthday!

The depth of the liturgical and spiritual life will differ among monasteries of Carmel.

 

[Fergal]

Funny, I go to a Carmelite Convent for daily Mass and all the Sisters there receive in the hand. From what I can see and this is only documentary evidence from one who observes, they do it to stop all the Sisters from coming down with the same flu.

I do notice that when one of the Sisters catches a cold, very quickly it spreads amongst them and if all were to be infected it would bring Convent life to a stand still. Not good for them!

So I take it that they do it to prevent the spread of viruses and the like. Just my :twocents:

 

[turtle18]

When I can, I go to Church at a Carmelite monastery, and they always take Communion on the tongue.

 

[CB_Catholic]

I’m watching “The Nun” on EWTN. It’s a documentary that follows a girl named Marta as she graduates high school and becomes a Carmelite nun.

They just showed a scene where all of the nuns were receiving Holy Communion and all of them received in the hand. Is this a Carmelite thing? They seem so severe and traditional otherwise (i.e. mandatory silence, no tv, radios, computer etc). This wasn’t in the USA, but I couldn’t tell you what country Marta is from.

I’m asking if this is normal Carmelite practice, not to encourage another “discussion” on which is better (CITH, COTT).

Oh, and talk about the ultimate “oops” moment; Marta’s parents visited her and her father asked her mother why she baked a cake and she replied “it’s her birthday.” He totally forgot his own daughter’s birthday!

I can’t answer your question, but I saw this documentary a while back, and if I’m not mistaken, the country is either Sweden or Denmark, but I think Sweden. As far as birthdays are concerned, the man has 8 kids, and in my experience, men may be able to rattle off the date of the birthdays, but when it comes to the actual time for the birthday or anniversay to occur, they often lag behind in that department and need reminding, which is a common complaint of women. Women, however, have these dates seared in their brains forever, it seems. That is why they are the ones that usually send out the birthday cards.

 

[malphono]

FWIW, long ago when I was very young (in pre-conciliar days) my family was invited to Mass in a Carmelite cloister. Of course I was on the public side of the grille screen so the view was somewhat obscured, but I do recall seeing the nuns kneeling for communion. The chaplain was a Carmelite friar (there was a Carmelite Priory nearby) and the Mass was strictly according to the traditional Missale Carmelitanum.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I’m watching “The Nun” on EWTN. It’s a documentary that follows a girl named Marta as she graduates high school and becomes a Carmelite nun.

They just showed a scene where all of the nuns were receiving Holy Communion and all of them received in the hand. Is this a Carmelite thing? They seem so severe and traditional otherwise (i.e. mandatory silence, no tv, radios, computer etc). This wasn’t in the USA, but I couldn’t tell you what country Marta is from.

I’m asking if this is normal Carmelite practice, not to encourage another “discussion” on which is better (CITH, COTT).

Oh, and talk about the ultimate “oops” moment; Marta’s parents visited her and her father asked her mother why she baked a cake and she replied “it’s her birthday.” He totally forgot his own daughter’s birthday!

Reception of Communion in the Hand does not reflect in any way on how “severe” or "traditional " a community is.

Reception of Communion in the Hand is a valid choice and option offered by the Church. Someone who chooses to receive this way can not be looked down upon nor should they be. You can make no judgments about how “traditional” they are.

After all, they are following the Teachings of the Catholic Church.

Reception of Communion in the Hand is not a “Carmelite” thing (whatever that is). There is nothing spelled out in the Constitutions that mandate how one receives the Eucharist. There might be customs local to a priory or convent but those are just customs and are not required.

A prior or prioress may place an obedience upon one to receive a certain way but I am not sure that this would be correct because the Church offers the option.