Habits vs. No Habits

[Spiritu]

As someone who has been discerning for a couple of years, my main reason for preferring habits is entirely pragmatic: they’re just about impossible to miss! If I spot a woman in a habit (after Mass, in a Catholic bookshop or wherever), I immediately go over and say hello, mention that I’m discerning, ask about her Order and perhaps how she came to be called to religious life, and find out if they have a website where I can learn more. Often they’re from nursing Orders, which isn’t really me, but it’s always worth looking - and they’re invariably lovely people. (I had a lot of fun on World Youth Day this year doing the same thing. It became something of a running joke for me that I couldn’t even make it to the sheds to fill my water-bottle without meeting a Sister and collecting another swag of vocations brochures en route.)

On the other hand, I think unless you already know a non-habited woman is a Sister, she’s much easier to miss, so you lose that opportunity. Once or twice, I’ve seen women leaving churches while I’ve been engaged in conversation or occupied with something, and someone will call out, “Bye, Sister,” leaving me thinking she’s a Religious? Oh rats, I missed her! If I’d known in advance that she was a Sister, I’d have been able to clear some time to talk to her. (And then I wonder how many Sisters attended the same Mass as I did without my knowing - if they’re sitting in front of you, you don’t see the lapel pins.) Of course, on the occasions when I meet Sisters who don’t wear the habit, they’re also invariably kind and delighted to talk about their vocations, but it’s just a bit harder to find them in the first place!

 

[CarmeliteGirl25]

As someone who has been discerning for a couple of years, my main reason for preferring habits is entirely pragmatic: they’re just about impossible to miss! If I spot a woman in a habit (after Mass, in a Catholic bookshop or wherever), I immediately go over and say hello, mention that I’m discerning, ask about her Order and perhaps how she came to be called to religious life, and find out if they have a website where I can learn more. Often they’re from nursing Orders, which isn’t really me, but it’s always worth looking - and they’re invariably lovely people. (I had a lot of fun on World Youth Day this year doing the same thing. It became something of a running joke for me that I couldn’t even make it to the sheds to fill my water-bottle without meeting a Sister and collecting another swag of vocations brochures en route.)

On the other hand, I think unless you already know a non-habited woman is a Sister, she’s much easier to miss, so you lose that opportunity. Once or twice, I’ve seen women leaving churches or getting into cars, and someone will call out, “Bye, Sister,” leaving me thinking she’s a Religious? Oh rats, I missed her! (And then I wonder how many Sisters attended the same Mass as I did without my knowing - if they’re sitting in front of you, you don’t see the lapel pins.) Of course, on the occasions when I meet Sisters who don’t wear the habit, they’re also invariably kind and delighted to talk about their vocations, but it’s just a bit harder to find them in the first place!

That’s a good observation. Thanks for contributing! God bless!

 

[mercygate]

As someone who has been discerning for a couple of years, my main reason for preferring habits is entirely pragmatic: they’re just about impossible to miss! If I spot a woman in a habit (after Mass, in a Catholic bookshop or wherever), I immediately go over and say hello, mention that I’m discerning, ask about her Order and perhaps how she came to be called to religious life, and find out if they have a website where I can learn more. Often they’re from nursing Orders, which isn’t really me, but it’s always worth looking - and they’re invariably lovely people. (I had a lot of fun on World Youth Day this year doing the same thing. It became something of a running joke for me that I couldn’t even make it to the sheds to fill my water-bottle without meeting a Sister and collecting another swag of vocations brochures en route.)

On the other hand, I think unless you already know a non-habited woman is a Sister, she’s much easier to miss, so you lose that opportunity. Once or twice, I’ve seen women leaving churches while I’ve been engaged in conversation or occupied with something, and someone will call out, “Bye, Sister,” leaving me thinking she’s a Religious? Oh rats, I missed her! If I’d known in advance that she was a Sister, I’d have been able to clear some time to talk to her. (And then I wonder how many Sisters attended the same Mass as I did without my knowing - if they’re sitting in front of you, you don’t see the lapel pins.) Of course, on the occasions when I meet Sisters who don’t wear the habit, they’re also invariably kind and delighted to talk about their vocations, but it’s just a bit harder to find them in the first place!

Actually in response to the non-habited Sister’s claim that people wear habits for “glory” and that one is “closer to the people” without it, one might observe, as you have, that a non-habited Sister can be invisible. Since a habit makes you something of a target in public, this could be the obverse of the “glory” claim. I was at the Metropolitan Museum a couple of years ago when several Sisters of Life where there to see the “Byzantium” exhibition; they could scarcely view the exhibits because people were CONSTANTLY coming up to them and asking them who they were or telling them how wonderful it was to see Sisters in habits. I know a hermit Sister whose spiritual director has advised her to keep a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt in her closet so she can leave the hermitage without being a spectacle. (She hasn’t yet taken advantage of that privilege).

Then there’s the other thing. How many times have you been taken for a Sister? Happens to me all the time. Even when I’m dressed in “office” clothes with makeup an earrings. Go figure.

 

[Poor_Clare_tobe]

This is a ‘sad argument’ to me and causing division in the one area of The Church above all perhaps that should be an example of unity to all i.e. religious life. It seems to me that one side can be just as argumentative and divisive - sad and saddening - as the other when the habit ideally stands for and ideally should ‘speak’ of simplicity and humility amongst other things.
Room for all on this 'ere ship, to my mind:thumbsup: Diversity in unity and Unity in diversity. Or as St. Augustine said, in non essentials, freedom…in essentials, unity…and in all things - Love.
If one is attracted by the habit and in discernment, then I would simply be disinterested in non habit wearing communities.

Blessings…Barb

Thank you Barb and well said!

My two cents to add if I may…

When I began my second religious vocational search… I narrowed it down to “habited communities only”… It is interesting how many non habited sisters who have crossed my path in the last two years … how many have told me not to look at orders in habits as “their way of life will die out”

As you say there is room for both so I remain polite and as I said kept my search to habited communities.

One small event from my “first” time as a habited religious sister
[For those who have not seen my story… I left to take care of family members and now have the blessing to be able to return if I can finish paying off student loans] Anyway as a habited sister
I found that

1. It truely reminded me and kept me in the mindset of being a religious. By that I mean it is in [forgive this analogy] a uniform and a reminder of whom we serve and our availability.
2. It was a great draw to those wishing to explore vocations [this in the day before computer websites] and young people loved to come up and “talk to sister”
3. I can’t count how many times people felt that they could come up to me and tell me there problems and ask for prayers…Never once did I feel that it was a hinderance or barrier.

That being said I am so glad there is so much room in our Church for habited or non habited , middle of the road or traditional or more liberal… as barb stated so well “Room for all on this 'ere ship, to my mind:thumbsup: Diversity in unity and Unity in diversity. Or as St. Augustine said, in non essentials, freedom…in essentials, unity…and in all things - Love.”
Blessings of Peace and Good!*

 

[JReducation]

I strongly believe that there is a place for the habit in religious orders and religious congregations. There are some points that are sorely being missed here.

1. Not all communities in vows are religious orders or religious congregations. Secular Institutes also live in community, make vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, pray the liturgy of the hours, work in the apostolic field, they had come into the habit of wearing religious garb, contrary to the intetions of their founder. The example that comes to mind is the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul and the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. This is why both communities today have abandoned the habit. They continue to be the largest group of consecrated women in the world. They are good and holy women. Their strength comes from their community life.
2. Communities of men and women who wear habits have also lost vocations, because their community life has been reduced to living under the same roof. There was a recent post by a Carmelite Friar (O. Carm) who said that his community is having a great deal of difficulty reigning in those friars who are priests, because they have become too involved in ministry and parish life that they have lost the mendicant and ascetic character that is proper to the Carmelite. They blame this on the laity who believes that a priest is to serve them 24/7 and forgets that these priests are also friars who belong in a priory living in community and thus should not be available 24/7. The O. Carm Friars do wear a habit.
3. Dominicans and Franciscans have more flexibility with the habit. They wear and don’t wear it at times, depending on the circumstances. However, they have a very strong community life. They are professing new religious and expanding with new congregations constantly. The Secular Franciscans and the Lay Dominicans stopped wearing a habit during the late 1800s and are the two largest secular religious orders in the Church. The Secular Franciscans have almost one million brothers and sisters. What makes the Dominicans and Franciscans so popular is their fidelity to their founders. They live and do what their founders wrote in their rules. They do not cease to promote their founders’ spirit.

I believe that the habit has an impact on religious life, but it is not the most important impact (pro or con). The most important impact on religious life is community life and fidelity to the roots of the community.

The conversation on this thread seems to be focussed on women religious. But men religious also have had habits. Many still do and others no longer. When you put all the religious together with the secular institutes and the secular religious orders, you have almost two million men and women living consecrated lives.

If we examine those that are thriving and those that are dying we find that the lack of community life and the over emphasis on ministry and the apostolate has done some communities harm.

It’s easy for the laity to miss this part, because most lay people know nothing about community life. The habit is more visible. But a habit without community life is like a soup bowl without soup. In the end, you’re still hungry.

They laity’s concern for religious and secular institutes should focus on community life. When we are blessed to have these forms of life in our parishes should always strive our hardest to avoid expecting too much fo their time and attention so that they can live their life in community. This is what is going to sanctify the Church.

The habit represents a community. That’s why each community has a distinctive habit. If the habit only represented a consecrated life to God, every community would wear the same habit. To wear a habit that represents a community and not live the life of the community is dysfunctional. Just because you look like a Franciscan does not make you a Franciscan, even if you legally belong to that order.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[Gail_OCDS]

Free Radical:

I am saddened to read this thread. I know a few religious sisters who do not wear habits and they have an awe-inspiring devotion to Christ. Their personal holiness, joyfulness, and witness to the Gospel is their habit. While I also respect and admire the sisters who choose to wear habits, it disturbs me that people would put down and make insinuations about sisters who don’t. :tsktsk:

tgette:

…there are also most likely many Sisters who don the habit, who are not the holiest nor are they living saints on earth.

*** Mea Maxima Culpa!***

Carmelitegirl25:

Baltimore Carmel stemmed from Port Tobacco Carmel. Port Tobacco was the first Carmelite (and religious) foundation in the US. They still wear the full traditional Carmelite habit too.

***These were the Nuns I referenced to as having a ‘new age flair’ earlier (mostly in writings I have read) in newsletters;their website; correspondence with one of them. ***
That was many years ago, and the order may have changed since I parted company.

daughterofmary:

We must pray for these sisters. St. Teresa of Avila, pray for us. May all of your daughters live the life faithfully that God gave to you, which would lead them to the heights of sanctity.

On that note I am closing my subscription to this thread

Carmelitegirl25 and all who are discerning will be in my prayers as well.

---

See you around the forum!

God bless you †.

 

[JReducation]

Even though our friars and many of our women religious wear habits, some all the time and others for specific functions, there are some very holy communities of men and women who do not wear a habit. A religious congregation that I had the pleasure of serving with for four years, The Carmelite Sisters of Charity do not wear a habit. They have a strong community life, are very ascetical as the Rule of Carmel calls for, they are also a strong presence in the places where they serve, especially among the poor.

The Caremelite Sisters of Charity have several thousand sisters around the globe. They are a very strong community and growing. They have been around for more than a century.

I would never point the finger at them for not wearing the Carmelite habit, because they project the Carmelite spirit in the way that they live and pray.

It is unkind to make accusatory generalizations about those who wear or do not wear a habit. Those who claim that wearing the habit has some ulterior motive are as wrong as those who claim that not wearing it has an ulterior motive.

We need to look at the holiness of these people’s lives and their fidelity to their charism.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[BarbaraTherese]

---

Matthew 6

25
16 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat (or drink),

or about your body, what you will wear.

Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?
26
Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they?
27
Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? 17
28

Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin.

29
But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.

Matthew 7

By their fruits you will know them.

Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
17
Just so, every good tree bears good fruit, and a rotten tree bears bad fruit.
18
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a rotten tree bear good fruit.
19
Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.
20
So by their fruits you will know them.
21
"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven,

10

but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.

 

[mercygate]

I strongly believe that there is a place for the habit in religious orders and religious congregations. There are some points that are sorely being missed here.

1. Not all communities in vows are religious orders or religious congregations. Secular Institutes also live in community, make vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, pray the liturgy of the hours, work in the apostolic field, they had come into the habit of wearing religious garb, contrary to the intetions of their founder. The example that comes to mind is the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul and the Sisters of Charity of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. This is why both communities today have abandoned the habit. They continue to be the largest group of consecrated women in the world. They are good and holy women. Their strength comes from their community life.
2. Communities of men and women who wear habits have also lost vocations, because their community life has been reduced to living under the same roof. There was a recent post by a Carmelite Friar (O. Carm) who said that his community is having a great deal of difficulty reigning in those friars who are priests, because they have become too involved in ministry and parish life that they have lost the mendicant and ascetic character that is proper to the Carmelite. They blame this on the laity who believes that a priest is to serve them 24/7 and forgets that these priests are also friars who belong in a priory living in community and thus should not be available 24/7. The O. Carm Friars do wear a habit.
3. Dominicans and Franciscans have more flexibility with the habit. They wear and don’t wear it at times, depending on the circumstances. However, they have a very strong community life. They are professing new religious and expanding with new congregations constantly. The Secular Franciscans and the Lay Dominicans stopped wearing a habit during the late 1800s and are the two largest secular religious orders in the Church. The Secular Franciscans have almost one million brothers and sisters. What makes the Dominicans and Franciscans so popular is their fidelity to their founders. They live and do what their founders wrote in their rules. They do not cease to promote their founders’ spirit.

I believe that the habit has an impact on religious life, but it is not the most important impact (pro or con). The most important impact on religious life is community life and fidelity to the roots of the community.

The conversation on this thread seems to be focussed on women religious. But men religious also have had habits. Many still do and others no longer. When you put all the religious together with the secular institutes and the secular religious orders, you have almost two million men and women living consecrated lives.

If we examine those that are thriving and those that are dying we find that the lack of community life and the over emphasis on ministry and the apostolate has done some communities harm.

It’s easy for the laity to miss this part, because most lay people know nothing about community life. The habit is more visible. But a habit without community life is like a soup bowl without soup. In the end, you’re still hungry.

They laity’s concern for religious and secular institutes should focus on community life. When we are blessed to have these forms of life in our parishes should always strive our hardest to avoid expecting too much fo their time and attention so that they can live their life in community. This is what is going to sanctify the Church.

The habit represents a community. That’s why each community has a distinctive habit. If the habit only represented a consecrated life to God, every community would wear the same habit. To wear a habit that represents a community and not live the life of the community is dysfunctional. Just because you look like a Franciscan does not make you a Franciscan, even if you legally belong to that order.

Fraternally,

JR

Great post. Many, if not most Catholics do not have a clear idea about what the differences are among the Institutes of Consecrated life. The differences matter. Although the term “nun” and “sister” lost their distinction in the new edition of canon law, it is a useful one.

 

[Nickkname]

I’ll include my thoughts from what they said.

Well, of course it’s supposed to distance you! The reasons nuns wear the black habit (from what I read on Mother Angelica’s shrine website) is that it symbolizes being “dead” to the world, and to all worldly thoughts, ideas, pleasures, desires etc. (even wanting others to like you is a worldly desire). On the flip side of the coin, I think when people see a nun, they know they can ask them to pray for them, or whatever else they need. I know there’s a nun in my parish, but I have no idea who she is, or which Mass she attends because she doesn’t wear a habit.

I would beg to differ. Then again, that’s coming from someone who’s a convert to Catholicism, not someone who attened a Catholic school. In fact, the only time I’ve ever seen nuns in true, traditional habits (excluding Mother Angelica) was in movies (usually pre-Vatican II) and in the children’s book “Madeline”. I don’t hear anyone saying they’re intimidated by a priest in a cassock and that special flat hat (our Msgr. has that hat - looks pretty cool).

Seeing it as a sign of entitlement should disqualify one from being a nun in the first place. That’s not even close to what the habit symbolizes.

A Nun/Sister has nothing to do with priviledges and power…

Priests wear chasubles. Those date back to the time of the Romans…

I don’t even see it as that. In fact, wearing a habit means one has to give up their modern clothes and dresses that they like, because it is of the world. Granted, looking at the picture below, I’m not surprised why some are wanting the habits back.

In Baltimore!!!??? :bigyikes: :crying: :nope:
feverishly starts writing a letter to Archbishop O’Brien :compcoff:

I thought they looked a little too modern when I was looking at local convents…

http://www.baltimorecarmel.org/Vocation Discernment/chapel.JPG

Make a copy of the liturgical dance photo and mail it with the letter. It’s good evidence.

 

[Salonika]

Even though our friars and many of our women religious wear habits, some all the time and others for specific functions, there are some very holy communities of men and women who do not wear a habit. A religious congregation that I had the pleasure of serving with for four years, The Carmelite Sisters of Charity do not wear a habit. They have a strong community life, are very ascetical as the Rule of Carmel calls for, they are also a strong presence in the places where they serve, especially among the poor.

The Carmelite Sisters of Charity have several thousand sisters around the globe. They are a very strong community and growing. They have been around for more than a century.

I would never point the finger at them for not wearing the Carmelite habit, because they project the Carmelite spirit in the way that they live and pray.

It is unkind to make accusatory generalizations about those who wear or do not wear a habit. Those who claim that wearing the habit has some ulterior motive are as wrong as those who claim that not wearing it has an ulterior motive.

We need to look at the holiness of these people’s lives and their fidelity to their charism.

Fraternally,

JR

JReducation, I also consider your post to be a great one.

Particularly agree that “It is unkind to make accusatory generalizations about those who wear or do not wear a habit. Those who claim that wearing the habit has some ulterior motive are as wrong as those who claim that not wearing it has an ulterior motive.”

 

[CarmeliteGirl25]

Thank you all for your contributions. I will continue to look at this thread from time to time, but I have nothing more to say on the subject. God bless all of you, and for those discerning, keep up the search! God be with you all!

 

[KaylaP]

This is my own experienc also.
My sister went to a “Catholic” college that was run by non habited mini skirt wearing ‘nuns’. There were two elderly nuns wh wore the habit and prayed the office together in chapel.
I often think of them. Their lives must have been a true martyrdom.

 

[tGette]

I wanted to put this thought out there.

Do you think EWTN would be different (or not as successful) if Mother Angelica did NOT wear a habit?

Just a thought . . .

 

[MeggerDC]

I am a pre-postulant with the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. I wanted to speak on the Sisters behalf. I have found the holiest most service, community focused women in this community. I have fell in love with their way of life. I have great respect for women who decide to join a cloistered or contemplative life, but that is simply not for me.

There are many reasons the Sisters left the winged habit behind, but the main reason I have found is that the habit was not practical for the apostolic life that the Sisters lead.

We are not liberal as the Sisters of Charity are and we live in accordance with the teachings of the Church that we love.

May God bless all of you!

Peace & Blessings,

Meg

 

[JReducation]

I am a pre-postulant with the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul. I wanted to speak on the Sisters behalf. I have found the holiest most service, community focused women in this community. I have fell in love with their way of life. I have great respect for women who decide to join a cloistered or contemplative life, but that is simply not for me.

There are many reasons the Sisters left the winged habit behind, but the main reason I have found is that the habit was not practical for the apostolic life that the Sisters lead.

We are not liberal as the Sisters of Charity are and we live in accordance with the teachings of the Church that we love.

May God bless all of you!

Peace & Blessings,

Meg

I agree with both statements that you made. The coronet and veil of the Daughers of Charity was totally inappropriate for their work and identity.

Second, they are one of the holiest group of women in the Church.

I would not say that Mother Seton’s Sisters of Charity are liberal or conservative. They too are very good women. They are simply different from Daughters.

Regardless of the differences and similarities between the two, the issue is that with or without habit, the Vincentian family continues to be a means of grace for the Church, especially the poor.

Fraternally,

JR

 

[MeggerDC]

I agree with both statements that you made. The coronet and veil of the Daughers of Charity was totally inappropriate for their work and identity.

Second, they are one of the holiest group of women in the Church.

I would not say that Mother Seton’s Sisters of Charity are liberal or conservative. They too are very good women. They are simply different from Daughters.

Regardless of the differences and similarities between the two, the issue is that with or without habit, the Vincentian family continues to be a means of grace for the Church, especially the poor.

Fraternally,

JR

JR,

I have no issues with Sisters of Charity either, I admire them greatly as another member of the Vincentian family. Liberalism for me is not to be feared in moderation. My own father by many would be considered a liberal .

Thank you for your support!

Peace & Blessings!

Meg

 

[Augustine]

"As the next two years went on I found that wearing a habit distanced me from people."

I find this quite vain in a way. Besides, when I see a nun wearing the habit, I feel free to say “hi” and even to start a conversation. It’s like family. On the other hand, if I see a woman with nothing but a pin, she might call the cops if I try to approach her, so why would I in this day and age?

Many told me outright: "You’re so much easier to talk to; I felt intimidated by that habit."

See above.

"To others it was a sign of entitlement… because I wore it, I deserved to be the first in line, to get out of paying a traffic ticket, and to have my opinion weigh a lot more than anyone else’s."

And with that, if that even happens in America at large, comes great responsibility, doesn’t it? And I’m sure that such occasions are great opportunities for giving an example of humility, even if it’s by accepting the privilege to make some poor faithful happy for having helped a consecrated member of the Church.

"I wanted to be a real sister to people, not just a Sister with privileges and power. (Notice the capital “S” and lower case “s”. )"

Yes, it seems that such words betray themselves, for I’m pretty sure that being a real sister to her means to be able to tell others what to believe and what to do, especially away from orthodox teaching. Instead of serving them as members of the Body of Christ, they want to make them members of the body of an unrecognizable Frankenstein.

"Second hand clothing is what the poor wear today; not medieval clothing."

It depends on which country. In some, the poor are half-naked. Should nuns walk about half-naked or advertising their relieving presence?

"So, naturally, when I hear younger folks today who feel adamant about wearing the habit, my first thought comes from my own experience and it’s "My gosh, are they seeking just to be recognized and thanked?"

In this day and age, it’s more like they’re seeking ridicule and sneering, as she herself demonstrated.

This sister is performing a liturgical dance that I have noticed that only non-habited sisters embrace.

As an OCDS novice, it pains my heart when I see a community which chose to do without the habit of Our Lady and St. Teresa.

BTW, I recommend reading this speech given by the prefect of the Congregation for Religious: zenit.org/article-23916?l=english. Quite an interesting perspective on recent history by someone who is the primary source.

 

[Augustine]

In Baltimore!!!??? :bigyikes: :crying: :nope:
feverishly starts writing a letter to Archbishop O’Brien :compcoff:

The bishop has authority on how Mass is celebrated in his diocese, inside a convent or not. So, by all means, write to him.

But, being a convent, it’s under the authority of the order, in this case, OCD. Only the Father Provincial has authority over how their dress.

BUT, OCD allows for a lot of freedom to convents. They may even choose to be under the jurisdiction of the friars or not. That’s why someone said to look carefully at OCD convents, because they have more freedom of action than many other orders.

I think that it has to do with how St. Teresa founded the order, which started firstly with nuns only. And I’m sure that when a true daughter of St. Teresa is the prioress it’s all right, otherwise…

 

[CarmeliteGirl25]

I find this quite vain in a way. Besides, when I see a nun wearing the habit, I feel free to say “hi” and even to start a conversation. It’s like family. On the other hand, if I see a woman with nothing but a pin, she might call the cops if I try to approach her, so why would I in this day and age?
See above.
And with that, if that even happens in America at large, comes great responsibility, doesn’t it? And I’m sure that such occasions are great opportunities for giving an example of humility, even if it’s by accepting the privilege to make some poor faithful happy for having helped a consecrated member of the Church.
Yes, it seems that such words betray themselves, for I’m pretty sure that being a real sister to her means to be able to tell others what to believe and what to do, especially away from orthodox teaching. Instead of serving them as members of the Body of Christ, they want to make them members of the body of an unrecognizable Frankenstein.
It depends on which country. In some, the poor are half-naked. Should nuns walk about half-naked or advertising their relieving presence?
In this day and age, it’s more like they’re seeking ridicule and sneering, as she herself demonstrated.
As an OCDS novice, it pains my heart when I see a community which chose to do without the habit of Our Lady and St. Teresa.

BTW, I recommend reading this speech given by the prefect of the Congregation for Religious: zenit.org/article-23916?l=english. Quite an interesting perspective on recent history by someone who is the primary source.

LOL, you make me laugh, which was probably not your intention, but nonetheless. I find it utterly ridiculous of her to convey that a habit is a symbol of power. If she truly knew what it meant–to be a model of Christ’s poverty–she would die of humiliation. In fact, she wrote back to me, yesterday. Here’s what she said:

I didn’t mean to offend you in that comment. The next sentence puts it in context… I’m just curious to know where the great passion is coming from about clothes that I find in so many people searching for how God may be calling them. I read your conversation with Ashley… in that you mention wanting to get away from the clothes of the secular world. I agree - some of the clothes does get pretty weird or inappropriate. However, let me throw in a new idea: It’s not because it’s “secular.” What do I mean? About 40 years ago the bishops of the world issued a very important constitutional document (that gives it VERY much significance). It’s title is “Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World.” it’s worth reading, though a bit challenging. It calls us not to leave the world but to enter more fully into the heart of the world. That doesn’t mean to glibly get absorbed in its superficiality, but to go to the HEART of the world… to the deepest desires of the human heart, to all our human fumblings for truth and goodness, etc. There we will find God - often hidden, it’s true - but present nevertheless. Being a sister is about discovering God wherever we turn, no matter how run-down the place may be, no matter how hardened the people are, no matter the human misery present - and letting people know by our deeds and words that God is here; that there is hope. There’s another way to think of “secular” - it’s not necessarily a bad thing…God is in the secular also… just maybe not discovered yet. (And that even applies to clothes).
Blessings on your own search for God; that’s the desire I hear so very clearly in what you write, and I know God will lead you.

She did not offend me in any way. She merely made herself out to be against the habits, which I want to wear. And, when I first made the comment about the “secular” lifestyle, it was not my intention to imply that I want to run away from the world because it is “so awful.” There are some really beautiful things in the world: babies, nature, art, love, etc. I simply want to embrace these beautiful things in a unique way and do what God is asking of me, which includes giving up my regular choice of clothing.