If a laywoman joins a religious order, what is her title then?

[lovesthildegard]

Hello, friends. I am wondering, if a Catholic laywoman joins a religious order wherein she has a special role but still lives at her home, say, becoming a consecrated virgin for example, is she still considered a laywoman or is the then considered to be a nun?

I must apologize for my ignorance in this matter, there are so many kinds of religious orders for Catholics, I couldn’t find the answer. I know that nuns have vows but I understand that joining religious orders often involve vows as well. Thank you for your answers.

 

[commenter]

First, the title “nun” now tends to be used inter changeably with “sister” but technically has (had) a specific meaning, whereas most “sisters” were not nuns. But nuns are sisters.

A woman religious - sister - belongs to a religious Community, normally including life in common. But she might, for reasons of health, family, or apostolic - reside away from the convent for a time. She is still a sister, attached to a specific Community.

A consecrated virgin may be a layperson, as compared to a sister, which means attached to a community with sisters.

Some women belong to a “third order”, the old term. Others are oblates or associates of a religious order. They still are laity, though with rights and duties belonging to that status in the community or order.

 

[JulianN]

A consecrated virgin may be a layperson, as compared to a sister, which means attached to a community with sisters.

A consecrated virgin, a nun and a sister are all lay, as opposed to ordained. All are in consecrated life.

A consecrated virgin has no special title.

 

[commenter]

For some narrow uses, it is true, as persons other than clergy are laity.

But the great majority of the time, religious women and men are treated differently from “laity”. For instance, V2 doesn’t address their needs in the document on the Laity, but in a separate document. In my city we have the Lay Dominicans who are definitely Dominicans, closely associated with those nuns, but they are the lay members. The nuns they are closely bonded to are not called lay Dominicans.

Consecrated virgins are not “religious”, the noun, not the adjective. Though of course sisters are consecrated and virgins, though classified separately.

 

[JulianN]

Consecrated virgins are not “religious”, the noun, not the adjective.

But like religious sisters, they are in a consecrated state of life.

 

[Divine3]

Welcome @lovesthildegard Great music you can enjoy with St. Hildegard.
A nun is found in a cloister and she takes Solemn vows.
A Sister takes perpetual vows and works in the world. There are different types of Sisters (Religious) Some are in Institutes of Consecrated life, and Societies of Apostolic life where sisters can take private vows, bonds or perpetual promises. What is the Difference Between a Nun and a Sister? | Simply Catholic

 

[Dovekin]

In my city we have the Lay Dominicans who are definitely Dominicans, closely associated with those nuns, but they are the lay members. The nuns they are closely bonded to are not called lay Dominicans.

Since you used the Dominicans as your example, let me mention that one of the greatest Dominicans was St Catherine of Siena. She was a Dominican who lived with her parents, associated with others like her in pastoral work, etc. Some groups of Dominican sisters model their lives on hers. Others definitely adopt the rules of cloister and prayer associated with nuns. All are lay=not ordained. Most are regular= follow a rule. Beyond those terms, things get pretty fuzzy.

Sisters can apply to all women and is ptobably the best term for all in these groups. Not perfect, but not much is.

 

[TomH1]

Religious may be clerical or lay. All female religious are lay. Male religious may be ordained or lay.

The term nun refers to a religious woman who belongs to a contemplative order and who usually lives under papal or monastic enclosure. Female religious who belong to orders or congregations with an active apostolate and who have common enclosure are referred to as sisters.

Consecrated virgins live in the ‘world’ are are not nuns or sisters.