Nunneries

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Anima_Christi

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What is the difference between a convent and a monastery? I am thinking about how the EWTN Nuns of Our Lady of Angels is called a monastery, because I thought monastery only referred to male monastics (monks) and convents only to females (nuns).
 
I’m purley guessing here–going on a hunch–but I think a monestary has to have a connection to the monastitac lifestyle, whereas a convent is a house which can be used for “externs” working in the community. I could be very wrong though.
 
I think this may depend on the particular religious order.

I spent some years as a Discalced Carmelite (same order as St Therese, St Teresa and St John of the Cross), and all the nuns throughout the world (as far as I know) called their place a monastery.
Maybe it denotes an enclosed, contemplative order.
“Nun”, by the way, refers only to a member of a contemplative order who takes solemn vows (as opposed to perpetual vows) for their final profession. Don’t ask me to explain the difference!
Members of active orders are “sisters”, not “nuns” in the strict sense of the word, as understood by the Catholic Church.
Of course, nuns refer to each other as “Sisters” and can be called sisters by anyone - I’m just referring to the “official” definition of what a nun is!
 
Women in enclosed contemplative orders live in monasteries = nun

Women in active (not enclosed) orders live in convents = sister
 
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Women in enclosed contemplative orders live in monasteries = nun

Women in active (not enclosed) orders live in convents = sister
Click to expand...
That is why houses of male Franciscans are often called convents (though they also call 'em Friaries).
 
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