Nun's Apparel

[barb_finnegan]

Could someone list the various orders of Nuns and what style and/or color of habit they wear?

I was wondering what order it was that the TV Show “The Flying Nun” starring Sally Fields, was addressing.

I’ll answer your second question…

‘The Flying Nun’ was based on a novel of the same name by a Puerto Rican [or least Spanish-speaking] author, Tere Rios.

Her ‘inspiration’ happened on a visit to Paris, France, where she spotted a diminutive Daughter of Charity struggling with her winged headdress in a strong wind. If you’ve seen pictures of St. Catherine Laboure, the seer of the Miraculous Medal, you’ll understand what I mean.

 

[cara1]

Pax!

 I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to see that womens communities who wear traditional habits are bursting at the seems with postulants and novices.  Also I noticed that Monks and Priest didn't change thier religious habits....isn't that interestings?  I do beleive that the "womens movement" had a direct impact on the decision of many orders to disguard thier "blessed" habits.  My research shows that orders such as the Benedictines and the Sisters of Charity, can't buy a postulant. Newer orders like the Sisters of Life, Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (Mother Angleica's) are building two new monasteries to house the Postulants and Sisters. The Dominicans several of thier orders continued to wear thier beautiful habits!  Come on Sisters, women who want to be nuns and sisters want to look like nuns and sisters. In conclusion, the habit doesn't make the nun, but it doesn't hurt either.  So if your communities are closing, you may want to look at why other communities aren't!   God Bless  Linda

This is an oversimplification.

A* few* habited orders are growing. Many are not. Many other non-habited orders are receiving candidates, but are declining in size as they were too large in the first place. Religious life couldn’t support maintaining those large orders as the sociology of the US changed. They were bound to decrease. Religious life goes in cycles. Many of these old, large communities have merged, smaller branches have closed and a number more will close and merge. Then religious life in the US will reach a steady state.

 

[lzink]

I would like to clarify a couple of issues. The Sisters of Charity with the large coronetts was not whom I was addressing rather the many many orders of Sisters of Charity of today. I’m wondering on the topic of “liberalism” or “moderinism” this question. During the Vativcan II era sisters had almost no ability to make decisions for themselves, post VII they did, thier wardrobe. I mementioned in my original post that communities who do wear habits are flourishing while others (no offense to the Benedictines) aren’t. I would like to know more about the statistics that was mentioned that those who are habited and those who are not have a comparitable ratio of making it to vows, I found that statement interesting. I would lastly like to address the Priest. I attend a Carmelite Parish, I visit priest friends of mine and never have I seen one of them without thier habit or clerics. The point I was making was that the Priest (the baby) didn’t seems as anxious to through out thier religious garments as the Sisters did (the bath water). I couldn’t imagine a priest in dockers and a nice shirt celebrating mass! I know that is slightly exhadurated but there is a point thier. I don’t think the habit makes a vocation, but it makes me feel disorientated and a little embarrassed when I have to approach someone I don’t know and ask"are you a sister?" I am in the nursing profession, when I was young I wore a dress uniform, white stockings, shoes shined, my mursing school pin, name pin and what I loved the most was when I put on my cap with a black stripe that I had worked so hard for. It was tradition.
When I became a fligth nurse that outfit was impractical for the job. However there are still days when I’m in the hospital that I do wear my cap, and without fail most every patient says the same thing, I can tell your a nurse, that patients they would like to see the caps return because to them its just as confusing as sisters in secular clothing as it is nurses, nurses aids and housekeepers all dressed in scrubs There is something to be said about tradition!

 

[Poor_Clare_tobe]

I would like to clarify a couple of issues. The Sisters of Charity with the large coronetts was not whom I was addressing rather the many many orders of Sisters of Charity of today. I’m wondering on the topic of “liberalism” or “moderinism” this question. During the Vativcan II era sisters had almost no ability to make decisions for themselves, post VII they did, thier wardrobe. I mementioned in my original post that communities who do wear habits are flourishing while others (no offense to the Benedictines) aren’t. I would like to know more about the statistics that was mentioned that those who are habited and those who are not have a comparitable ratio of making it to vows, I found that statement interesting. I would lastly like to address the Priest. I attend a Carmelite Parish, I visit priest friends of mine and never have I seen one of them without thier habit or clerics. The point I was making was that the Priest (the baby) didn’t seems as anxious to through out thier religious garments as the Sisters did (the bath water). I couldn’t imagine a priest in dockers and a nice shirt celebrating mass! I know that is slightly exhadurated but there is a point thier. I don’t think the habit makes a vocation, but it makes me feel disorientated and a little embarrassed when I have to approach someone I don’t know and ask"are you a sister?" I am in the nursing profession, when I was young I wore a dress uniform, white stockings, shoes shined, my mursing school pin, name pin and what I loved the most was when I put on my cap with a black stripe that I had worked so hard for. It was tradition.
When I became a fligth nurse that outfit was impractical for the job. However there are still days when I’m in the hospital that I do wear my cap, and without fail most every patient says the same thing, I can tell your a nurse, that patients they would like to see the caps return because to them its just as confusing as sisters in secular clothing as it is nurses, nurses aids and housekeepers all dressed in scrubs There is something to be said about tradition!

If I may??? if you would like statistics on current vocations in the chruch you might try the website vocations.com which not only helps discerners to find communities (both habited and non habited) but also has current information on religious life trends (ie current entrance figures per type of community

To list all the religious communities serving in the United States would be daunting…not to mention the international communities… one resource that might be helpful to give you and indication is: www.religiousministries.com, as well as the magazine “vision”
I am not aware of any particular listing showing communities and habits… however if what you want is a habited community (or non habited as the case may be)…most communities will list that on their listing.
blessings on your journey

As other posters have pointed out…there are many variations in habited and non habited communities. As someone who joined a habited community myself ( and yes it was part of my own discernment)… but knows dozens of “non habited” sisters and religious… I would only add… please be charitable… the Church is large and has room for many different ways of serving God… so as others have posted please don’t get to hung up on the habit vs non habit… The Church needs all of us… to pray and perhaps to join religious communities, or to pray and become good parents… My hope is that our postings help some find their way to the community that best fits their calling and talents.
Blessings of Peace
Sr Debbie

 

[JReducation]

The issue is not just the habit. The issue on these threads is that there are people who have their vision of what religious life should be. I’ve seen people opposing non-habited communities. I’ve seen people opposing the religious brotherhood in favor of the priesthood. Others oppose the more ascetic forms of religious life, such as the poverty level lived by such communities as the Renewal Franciscan Movement, Missionaries of the Poor, Missionaries of Charity and the Poor Friars. Others oppose religious communities that demand higher education, inlcuding tertiary degrees. You get to a pont where you realize that no matter what religious do, we will always find opposition, criticism and antagonism from some Catholics. You reach a point where you stop answering the same questions, because the questions are not for the sake of information, but they are questioning, which is not the same.

Questioning can be a sign of critical thinking. But when you question everything, the one must question the question. Is it merely an interest or is it an agenda to control? I don’t know the answer. I don’t know if anyone knows the answer. I do know that some people have to back-off, because they are not helping others find answers to their questions. They’re being critical rather than critical thinkers. That does not help the Church or the person who is discerning.

Ultimately, it is the good of the Church that should concern us, not our preferences. If we make our preferences so important that they derail us from seeking the good of the Church, we are simply working against God rather than with him. Vocation ministry must be like Marshal Arts. You push in the direction that your assailant is pulling. In tis ministry, you must encourage in the direction that God is leading the person, not in the direction that you want the person to go.

If someone comes in and says that he wants to join the Brothers of St. Somewhere, who don’t wear a habit, are not priests and do peace and justice ministry, rather than pull and tug in the direction of ones favorite community, ministry, habit or whatever, we need to push in the same direction as the Spirit. The Holy Spirit has obviously put the Brothers of St. Somewhere in this person’s path for a reason. In the end, he may end up married with 9 children. But the Brothers of St. Somewhere may be a step in the journey toward a happy and fruitful marriage.

To close, this same principle applies to habits, ministries, traditions of different religiuos institutes, their vision and mission. It does not matter what we think. What matters is what God wants. Only the Church can tell a religious community what God wants from it.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[TiggerS]

you must encourage in the direction that God is leading the person,

Spot on. This, to me, is what discernent is all about. What is God asking - and when He asks, He provides for all that is necessary to an affirmative response. But then a discerner may receive a negative answer from various applications due to some personal factor - and later on come across a community that is willing to allow them to further their journey of discernment with their community.

Sometimes one can find that God had something else entirely in mind.

Sometimes as Brother JRe pointed out, a journey in a community just may conclude and the person leave - and the result may well be a great father or mother of 9 children or similar and perhaps one or more priests and religious in the 9. The Martins are a good example where both Mr and Mrs Martin had early aspirations to religion, rather they married and produced at least one saint and Doctor of The Church i.e. St. Therese of Lisieux. Mr and Mrs Martin too have been beatified last I heard.

Discernment is a journey. It take usually around 6 years or more before one makes a life commitment concluding the discernment journey. Personally, I think that one can confidentently state that a vocation exists only when one makes a life commitment to that vocation.

Spiritual direction is a very great blessing indeed if one finds a good director! It is spiritual gold, I think. Worth praying daily about and seeking earnestly.

While discernment through online discussion in discussion forums is not impossible since all things are possible to God, in the normal course not the ideal I tend to think. Not something to settle for without seeking and looking for, and praying for, a spiritual director and actively encouraging those who are discerning to seek and pray for a good spiritual director.

TS

 

[JReducation]

While discernment through online discussion in discussion forums is not impossible since all things are possible to God, in the normal course not the ideal I tend to think. Not something to settle for without seeking and looking for, and praying for, a spiritual director and actively encouraging those who are discerning to seek and pray for a good spiritual director.

TS

Online forums, such as this board are for information purposes. One should never use it to discern or to guide. It does not work that way. To discern you have to do several things, besides praying:

1. Allow a spiritual guide to work with you. A spiritual director can be a priest, deacon, brother, sister or well trained layperson. NOTE; Not all priests are trained in the spiritual life. Nor are they all trained in spiritual direction. This is a very specific area of miinistry. In most seminaries in the USA, spiritual theology and spiritual direction is an elective. It is not a required course of studies for the diaconate or the priesthood; Do not assume that because someone is a priest or deacon, he is a trained Director. Some people are naturals at it. I’ve known many of them.
2. Talk to people who live the life. Let them tell you about their life. A good way to find out more is to ask someone to tell you about his or her typical day.
3. Try to visit and if possible, do a come and see.
4. NEVER let your parents be your guides. It is very difficult for parents to be objective. It’s hard on them. Talk to them. Share your thoughts and hear them out. But your journey is YOUR journey, not your parents’ journey. They have to make their own journey. Their part of the journey is to surrender the son or daughter whom God calls. That’s already enough for them. Don’t burden them with "What should I do?’ It’s like asking them, “Should I marry this person?” It’s not a fair questin. Parents want the best for thier children. But a parent’s vision is not always the best vision, because involved in the parent’s vision can be the parent’s ego or the parent needing to live vicariously through the child. By all means, consult, do not keep secrets, but do not make them your guides. Let parents do what they do best: support.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[TiggerS]

serve.mysmiley.net/happy/happy0034.gif

 

[ThomasEugene]

Online forums, such as this board are for information purposes. One should never use it to discern or to guide. It does not work that way. To discern you have to do several things, besides praying:

1. Allow a spiritual guide to work with you. A spiritual director can be a priest, deacon, brother, sister or well trained layperson. NOTE; Not all priests are trained in the spiritual life. Nor are they all trained in spiritual direction. This is a very specific area of miinistry. In most seminaries in the USA, spiritual theology and spiritual direction is an elective. It is not a required course of studies for the diaconate or the priesthood; Do not assume that because someone is a priest or deacon, he is a trained Director. Some people are naturals at it. I’ve known many of them.
2. Talk to people who live the life. Let them tell you about their life. A good way to find out more is to ask someone to tell you about his or her typical day.
3. Try to visit and if possible, do a come and see.
4. NEVER let your parents be your guides. It is very difficult for parents to be objective. It’s hard on them. Talk to them. Share your thoughts and hear them out. But your journey is YOUR journey, not your parents’ journey. They have to make their own journey. Their part of the journey is to surrender the son or daughter whom God calls. That’s already enough for them. Don’t burden them with "What should I do?’ It’s like asking them, “Should I marry this person?” It’s not a fair questin. Parents want the best for thier children. But a parent’s vision is not always the best vision, because involved in the parent’s vision can be the parent’s ego or the parent needing to live vicariously through the child. By all means, consult, do not keep secrets, but do not make them your guides. Let parents do what they do best: support.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

agree!. through experience i learned one has to experience the community life in discerning lest he may fall to illusions.

 

[Poor_Clare_tobe]

As usual… Brother JR and others ( re posts #29 on) are spot on.

Discernment is such an individual journey. Hopefully the discussions here help a bit to begin the journey (for some) but do visit communities, make some come and see weekends, talk to relgious ask about their journey, their communites their lives. Find a Spiritual Director or at the very least a religious whom you might share your journey with. The Holy Spirit works wonders… and sometimes the path one starts (be it thinking of community “A”) might end up being different (community B, or C or marriage etc)

                                   blessings on all who seek and all who take the time to post!

                                     Sr Debbie

 

[JReducation]

Going back to the original topic, “nun’s apparel”, last night I needed to research something for a class today. I went back over my notes from the writings of Mother Teresa. It was rather queer, because I just opened up a folder that I have on her. It has about 3,000 pages of notes in it. I was looking for something that she said about abortion, but I happened to open to the page where she speaks about “nun’s apparel.”

Here is the story that most people do not know. When she was exclaustrated, even though she was still a Sister of Loretto, she chose to wear a sari. This was a big issue with her Mother Superior and the local bishop, because she was stepping out of the habit. There were no nuns wearing saris. Since then, two more religious communities have been founded that wear them, but not in 1946.

Sister Teresa’s response to her superior and to the bishop was very simple. “Jesus does not want European looking nuns.” They were offended by this. She repeated, “I’m sorry if this offends, but this is what he told me.”

They went back and forth on this, because the sari was a secular dress. It would be like stepping out and selecting a pair of slacks and a sweat shirt, because that’s what American women wear when doing manual labor. This was what poor Indian women wore.

I paged through the notes and citations. I found another one. One of her supporters, Fr. Van Exem, when to visit her while she was in nursing school. He walked in and asked for Sr. Teresa. She was standing right before him. He did not recognize her, because he had never seen her out of habit. In the narrative, there is a reference to her hair. The notes say that the Medical Mission Sisters who trained her told her to cover her hair, because of the danger of maggots and lice. Apparently, she did not cover her hair when she first put on the sari. Otherwise, the suggestion would not have been made. She must have arrrived at the Medical Mission Sisters’ convent with her sari pulled back like other Indian women. Before she left, they suggested that she put on a cap under the sari to cover her hair and that she pull the sari forward to protect her from the sun.

The point is, that it was all very practical and very secular. I was very interested as I reviewed my notes, because I remembered how often this topic comes up on CAF. The memoirs of those who knew Mother Teresa in 1946 suggest that she wore secular clothes. As more women joined her, they all wore the same outfit. It became a uniform and eventually a habit.

I decided to look further into my notes and found an old letter that I have from an older MC. She said that they debated putting on western clothing when they came to Venezuela. They decided against it, because Mother said that Jesus wanted Indian nuns. They not only dress Indian, they do everything Indian. Their diet, their furnishings. The way they do laundry. The posture for prayer. The names of their houses and even how they sleep is Indian, whether they are in Calcutta or on Miami Beach.

My point is that a habit is not a simple thing as a garment. When you defend a habit, you must also defend the wya of life that goes with it. Stop and think here. The Missionaries of Charity have been known to throw brand new washing machines into dumpsters or to let them rot in basements of their American and European houses, because part of their habit is to wash clothing in tubs with a board and hang it up to dry.

It’s not as simple as whether or not a woman religious wears a floor length tunic or a pair of slacks. It’s about the vision and mission of her community, as we can clearly see from the example of the Missionaries of Charity. Not only do they dress Indian, they also do laundry Indian style, not because it pleases anyone, but because it’s what Jesus wants of them.

21st century Catholics need to learn to think in big pictures to understand these questioins.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Shoshana]

Going back to the original topic, “nun’s apparel”, last night I needed to research something for a class today. I went back over my notes from the writings of Mother Teresa. It was rather queer, because I just opened up a folder that I have on her. It has about 3,000 pages of notes in it. I was looking for something that she said about abortion, but I happened to open to the page where she speaks about “nun’s apparel.”

Here is the story that most people do not know. When she was exclaustrated, even though she was still a Sister of Loretto, she chose to wear a sari. This was a big issue with her Mother Superior and the local bishop, because she was stepping out of the habit. There were no nuns wearing saris. Since then, two more religious communities have been founded that wear them, but not in 1946.

Sister Teresa’s response to her superior and to the bishop was very simple. “Jesus does not want European looking nuns.” They were offended by this. She repeated, “I’m sorry if this offends, but this is what he told me.”

They went back and forth on this, because the sari was a secular dress. It would be like stepping out and selecting a pair of slacks and a sweat shirt, because that’s what American women wear when doing manual labor. This was what poor Indian women wore.

I paged through the notes and citations. I found another one. One of her supporters, Fr. Van Exem, when to visit her while she was in nursing school. He walked in and asked for Sr. Teresa. She was standing right before him. He did not recognize her, because he had never seen her out of habit. In the narrative, there is a reference to her hair. The notes say that the Medical Mission Sisters who trained her told her to cover her hair, because of the danger of maggots and lice. Apparently, she did not cover her hair when she first put on the sari. Otherwise, the suggestion would not have been made. She must have arrrived at the Medical Mission Sisters’ convent with her sari pulled back like other Indian women. Before she left, they suggested that she put on a cap under the sari to cover her hair and that she pull the sari forward to protect her from the sun.

The point is, that it was all very practical and very secular. I was very interested as I reviewed my notes, because I remembered how often this topic comes up on CAF. The memoirs of those who knew Mother Teresa in 1946 suggest that she wore secular clothes. As more women joined her, they all wore the same outfit. It became a uniform and eventually a habit.

I decided to look further into my notes and found an old letter that I have from an older MC. She said that they debated putting on western clothing when they came to Venezuela. They decided against it, because Mother said that Jesus wanted Indian nuns. They not only dress Indian, they do everything Indian. Their diet, their furnishings. The way they do laundry. The posture for prayer. The names of their houses and even how they sleep is Indian, whether they are in Calcutta or on Miami Beach.

My point is that a habit is not a simple thing as a garment. When you defend a habit, you must also defend the wya of life that goes with it. Stop and think here. The Missionaries of Charity have been known to throw brand new washing machines into dumpsters or to let them rot in basements of their American and European houses, because part of their habit is to wash clothing in tubs with a board and hang it up to dry.

It’s not as simple as whether or not a woman religious wears a floor length tunic or a pair of slacks. It’s about the vision and mission of her community, as we can clearly see from the example of the Missionaries of Charity. Not only do they dress Indian, they also do laundry Indian style, not because it pleases anyone, but because it’s what Jesus wants of them.

21st century Catholics need to learn to think in big pictures to understand these questioins.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

This is absolutely beautiful! With what I have read about her…this fits in perfectly! Frs Groseschel and Corapi both have great admiration and a certain fearful respect of her…it is a great and fearful thing to be in the presence of one who truly has embodied her Lord.

Although I have digressed…thank you for this…that gives a hole different point of view of habits…

 

[JReducation]

This is absolutely beautiful! With what I have read about her…this fits in perfectly! Frs Groseschel and Corapi both have great admiration and a certain fearful respect of her…it is a great and fearful thing to be in the presence of one who truly has embodied her Lord.

Although I have digressed…thank you for this…that gives a hole different point of view of habits…

Whether you’re for the habit or agaist the habit, one should understand the place of the habit. It’s too easy for the traditionalist side to say, “It’s a sign of who you are.” or for the progressive side to say “It is a barrier between the religious and people”. Both statements are half-truths. I should say, half of the truth.

A habit does tell people what you are. It also does setup a barrier between the person who wears is and the world. As to barriers, they don’t have to be negatives. A fence around a swimming pool is a safety barrier.

Many years ago I worked with Spanish Carmelite sisters from England. Reflecting on our years at Oxford, we often spoke about the American sisters that went to Oxford to study. This was the years when the sisters wore the old habits. Keep it straight, we’re talking about sisters, not nuns. All these women were involved in active apostolic work.

The one thing that I remember very clearly was that the Spanish sisters were very maternal. They were nurturing. They laughed, played and they even teased each other and the students. The American sisters were very formal and walked around with an aristocratic air about them. They were polite, but distant. They smiled, but did not appear to be having fun. They never played with the rest of us. There was a definite barrier between them and the rest of us.

I was a teen at the time. This was the mid 1960s. But I loved the Spanish sisters at Oxford and steared clear of the American sisters, even though I was an American living in England at the time. One would think that I would gravitate toward sisters from my homeland. NOOOOT.

Looking back, we realize that the barrier was not the habit, but the behavior of the sisters. I cannot say that they were arrogant. I have no idea what went through their heads. I can only say how it looked. Next to their Spanish counterparts, they seemed aloof.

As I grew older and became more closely associated with sisters from different countries, I found that the sisters from the southern countries were easier to approach than the sisters from the northern countries. With or without a habit, the barriers were in place.

Today, we have a new generation of women in the northern countries. These women come from a world that is much more relaxed. It’s not a business only attitude. While they take their life and work very seriously, they don’t take themselves so seriously. The barrier is not there, even if they do wear a habit of some kind. It’s fun to be around most of them. They are joyful women.

My point is that the habit is not going to create a bond between the sister and the faithful. Nor will the habit create a barrier. The behavior of the person who wears the habit is the key. Some sisters, who do not wear a habit, still feel as if they are miles away, because they have taken off the external habit, but the habitual air of aloofness remains intact.

I’m not talking about a behavior of holiness. That should be there. I’m talking about an aristocratic air. In a habit or a suit, a sister who is joyful, playful, friendly, helpful, nurturing, and eager to bring Christ into the lives of others is going to fulfill the mission of the religious life. Just look at women who never wore a traditional habit: Elizabeth Ann Seton, Louise de Marillac and Teresa of Calcutta. These women were obviously sisters, even though they did not look like sisters to those around them. Remember, put yourself in their time period. If you saw Sister Teresa (as she was known then) in a sari, she did not look like a Catholic sister. But when you dealt with her, the signs were all there. She was truly a sister to all whose lives she touched.

Then you had women like our Mother, Clare of Assisi. She wore some kind of habit. By her own words, it was practical and appropriate for the culture of the time and place. She too was much loved by those who knew her. She was courageous when the city was invaded. She was the superior who got up in the middle of the night to make sure that her sisters were well covered and not cold. She did not hesitate to leave the enclosure for a picnic with Francis and the friars out in the woods. She loved friendship, fun, and laughter. She was a woman of deep prayer and penance. The poor loved her, because they could knock at her door and always be welcomed and loved. Yet, she outwitted poor Pope Gregory IX. In other words, people could look past the habit and see a real human being filled with faith, grace, courage and compassion.

Habits don’t make saints. Values do. Habits do not create walls between people. Non-values do.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[strgzr99]

When the DSMME appeared on Oprah, a bunch of non-habited sisters sent a letter to Oprah, asking to talk to her about the life and times of the non-habited sister. This was in response to a remark by Oprah which sounded somewhat disparaging.

The link is here:

giving-voice.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=178&Itemid=1

***Giving Voice ***is an organization of younger Catholic apostolic sisters.

giving-voice.org/

 

[JReducation]

When the DSMME appeared on Oprah, a bunch of non-habited sisters sent a letter to Oprah, asking to talk to her about the life and times of the non-habited sister. This was in response to a remark by Oprah which sounded somewhat disparaging.

It would have been better if someone had just clarified that those sisters who are out there on their own, are not the norm. Also, they’re never isolated. They are in constant contact with their community.

In some instances, religious communities of men and women, do allow individuals to move outside of the religious community for specific ministries and for a specific amount of time, not forever. It may have also been helpful to explain that community living is fluid. It is more conventual for some institutes and less so for other institutes. They were founded this way, because the founder had a vision.

Oprah’s statement is rooted in the same misunderstanding that many Catholics have. Many of us have a mistaken belief that all religious should wear habits and that all religious should live in large enclaves with other religious. We believe this, because this is the norm. The more loosely bound community is the exception to the norm. But these loosely bound communities have been around for centuries. There simply are very few of them. Very few of us were ever exposed to them until Vatican II mandated that those communities move away from the conventual existence, the habit and whatever else they had adopted that was not part of their original plan. Suddenly, most of us were shocked, because one bothered to take the time to explain to the laity the reason for the return to ancient practices or the history of the religious in their parishes or schools. The Church dropped the ball on that one. Education was needed and never happened.

Take for example the Sisters of the Work, who are the female counterparts of the Oratorians. St. Philip Neri was a Secular Franciscan. When he founded the Oratory, he used the model of the Secular Franciscan Order, but not its rule. The model is to preserve the secular state of the indvidual in order to free him or her to live out the Gospel in the secular world as a member of the secular world. But the principles that guide how he lives the Gospel are the same as those that guide the friars, nuns and sisters in the Franciscan family: fraternity, prayer, service to the Church, unquestioning obedience to the local bishop and the pope, constant and on-going study of the Gospel, simplicity in dress, food, living conditions and all other activities. The difference is that the Oratorians were not to be a unified community, as were the Secular Franciscans. Each oratory is autonomous. They have no commitment to obey a superior or a founder. The oratory has its own superior. He or she is like a little general. There is no one above him. Your community is the oratory where you live. Your superior is the head of the oratory where you live. St. Philip is the point of reference.

The ties to community are local rather than international, unlike the ties of the friars, nuns and sisters in the Franciscan family and other religious families. For these communities, the hub of their spiritual life is the people with whom they live. This may be one other person or simply the secular people around them.

They certainly are not career people. St. Philip Neri did not see it this way. This was not the way of St. Francis. Remember, I said that he was a Secular Franciscan. The Oratorians and the Sisters of the Work may look like career people, but they are not. Often, they are professionals. Their academic or technical education is a tool that is necessary in order to provide the best possible service to the Church, wihtout expecting anything in return. There is the difference between a career and apostolic action.

A career has a temporal end. Apostolic action is prophetic. It tries to deliver a message from Christ to his people. The message is simple, “This is life in the Kingdom of God where suffering is no more, sickness does not exist, where poverty does not take away from one’s dignity as a son or daugher of God, and where God is the center.” If you want to understand some of these sisters, look at the life of Bl. John Henry Newman, St. Francis de Sales, or St. John Vianney. They were free spirits committed to a way of life and to a community, but not bound by conventual life.

The mission of these communities is to make Christ’s love present, while the consecrated person is almost anonymous. This is what happens between the habitted sister and the non-habitted sister, between the sister who lives a conventual life and the sister who lives in a smaller community. Christ calls them, just as he called the great women of the Gospel to live in union with him, but that did not mean that he called them to be the same or do the same thing.

With all due respect to the sisters who wrote the letter, I believe that such a letter is contrary to the vision of their founders. The reason that they live in anonymity is because their founders heard the call of Christ to “Do good and disappear.” I may be wrong and if I am, I beg forgiveness. Calling for a public presentation on Oprah or any other program sounds contrary to the anonymity that the founders had in mind. That’s just my thinking at this point. I may be wrong. Their way of life is much more difficult to capture on a one-hour show, because their typical day does not have as many external symbols and gestures as that of the Dominican Sisters of Mary. It is equally valuable; but much harder to show it in pictures.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[strgzr99]

For the purposes of discussion, here’s their open letter to Ophrah:

The emphasis is mine.

An Open Letter to Oprah Winfrey

February 16, 2010

Dear Oprah,

 We are younger Catholic Sisters and members of Giving Voice, an organization made up of Sisters in their 20s-40s from all over the United States. 

 We would like to thank you for highlighting the lives of Catholic Sisters on your Tuesday, February 9, 2010 episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show.  No doubt, this was the first exposure of many of your estimated 7.4 million viewers to the lives of Catholic Sisters. 

We are pleased that you were able to share the story of the Dominican Sisters of Mary.  It is clear that they are very happy in their religious lives.  For this we rejoice!  We too are happy in our religious lives. ** Like the Sisters featured on your show, we joyfully live out our vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.** ** We are women who find numerous ways to follow Jesus’ call to serve others while fully engaged in the world. ** For example here is a sampling of what some of us Sisters were doing on Tuesday during your show:

· Working as an instructional consultant with teachers of children with special needs in Harlem, NY

· Collaborating with other Sisters on how to serve people who are poor in San Antonio, TX

· Joining 200+ Catholics at the State Capitol to lobby for social service programs in Olympia, WA

· Preparing to teach a class on human dignity to teenagers involved in gangs in Tyler, TX

· Reading applications for a volunteer program with underserved populations in Baltimore, MD

· Wrapping up after teaching school all day in cities around the country

** Our lives of ministry and service are grounded in our experiences as members of our religious communities.** ** Prayer is also an essential component of our way of life. The very nature of our lives is communal, not independent.** For this reason, we were disappointed and concerned by how we, as Sisters who are engaged in active ministry in the community, were presented on The Oprah Winfrey Show and on your website:

  “Some sisters choose an independent path, which means they live alone, go to college, pursue careers and don’t wear a habit.”

We live in community with our Sisters, often in small groupings close to where we minister. We go to college to develop the skills needed to be effective agents of loving service to God’s people. We do not pursue careers, but seek to educate and transform the world as Jesus would. Our clothing is the least significant part of our lives, yet receives so much attention. However, most of our religious communities choose to dress simply rather than wear habits. We are called to be prophetic, giving voice to God’s love in the world.

We would love the opportunity to share more about our lives of prayer, community and ministry on a future episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show. We would gladly speak with you, invite you to experience our daily service, or help broaden your viewers’ understanding of religious life in any way we can.

May God bless you and fill you with peace,

(the letter was signed by 50 sisters from a number of communities).

I think that the sisters have made several things abundantly clear.

1) They are not “careerists”. Their works represent their attempts to be “effective agents of loving service to God’s people, and to “educate and transform the world as Jesus would”. Their current works are a direct outgrowth of the charisms of their foundresses, who were almost exclusively involved in working with the poor, especially poor women and children, in corporeal works of mercy and education. Often, however, this mission requires these sisters to assume positions of great responsibility, such as running major health facilities.

**2) The vast majority live in community, ** the size of which depending on their missions. sisters living and working among the poor probably aren’t going to be housed in large convents. In addition to the unsuitability and unavailability of such housing, it is also very expensive to maintain these houses, which would violate their vow of poverty.

**3) Their foundresses did not intend for them to wear inappropriate dress. **As has been discussed *ad nauseam, * the perpetuation of obsolete habits of dress in most cases violated the initial charism of the foundresses, and may interfere with the sisters’ missions.

4) Oprah seems to think that it’s wrong, or strange to “go to college”. Of course, sisters not only go to college, they teach at all levels, including college, and, for this, must attend college. I suspect that virtually all the Nashville Dominicans attend Aquinas College which is on the motherhouse grounds.

The media loves the habited Dominican sisters. They have been featured on TV again and again, as if they are the norm. However, the percentage of sisters in full habits, which many laity appear to insist upon, is small, and only a few of the habited communities are growing rapidly. Oprah is doing a disservice to the many loyal, non-habited sisters. I do think that these sisters should be able to present their own witness to consecrated life.

 

[JReducation]

For the purposes of discussion, here’s their open letter to Ophrah:

The emphasis is mine.

An Open Letter to Oprah Winfrey

The media loves the habited Dominican sisters. They have been featured on TV again and again, as if they are the norm. However, the percentage of sisters in full habits, which many laity appear to insist upon, is small, and only a few of the habited communities are growing rapidly. Oprah is doing a disservice to the many loyal, non-habited sisters. I do think that these sisters should be able to present their own witness to consecrated life.

I had already seen this letter. While I agree with what the sisters have to say about themselves, I’m not so sure that I agree that they should have written the letter to Oprah. It can give the impression of competition. I certainly disagree that it’s a disservice to other sisters.

We can take it further and say, why not brothers? Everyone knows about priests. But who knows about brothers? Yet, most Catholics could care less if brothers disappear into oblivion. Why not get everyone on Ophrah?

I don’t think we should take this attitude. It was a great thing for them. We’re happy for them. If we are truly religious brothers and sisters, then we are very happy that a group of our sisters got a chance or two to bring the Church into the spot light.

It may have been better to get an opportunity on another program. Allow me to give an example.

The Franciscans of the Renewal and the Franciscans of the Eternal Word get a lot of publicity through their connection with EWTN. Other branches of the Franciscan family do not get this free exposure. However, the other Franciscan superiors seem to agree that to ask for exposure on EWTN is unfair to the the MFVAs and to the CFRs. This is their opportunity to shine. It is God’s gift exclusively for them.

We find our own venue to make our ministry and our communities known. And we are happy for the MFVAs and the CFRs that they have this chance.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[strgzr99]

I don’t think that the problem is the promotion so much as it’s the biased view of religious life. One would think by watching EWTN and Oprah that all sisters are in habits and all men are ascetic friars in robes, beards and sandals. In addition, I suspect that EWTN emphasizes the priesthood more than the brotherhood.

All of this seeming emphasis implies that to enter religious life you must wear a habit, grow a beard, sleep on the floor, hitchhike, fast and eschew all media (other than EWTN of course).

But there are many manifestations of religious life. There are sisters without habits who chant the Divine Office. There are cloistered nuns who don’t wear habits. There are religious priests and brothers who aren’t particularly ascetic. All of these manifestations are out there, but discerners may not be aware of them, and may be frightened away from religious life by the one-sided view of it on TV. The internet, with its myriads of websites, YouTube and Facebook, gives a more balanced view, but is confusing simply because of the flood of information it provides. Many of the non-habited women’s communities attract candidates the old-fashioned way, face-to-face.

 

[JReducation]

In fairness to the newer religious communities, they are responding to what Pope John Paul II called for in the Vita Consacrata. He wanted the new religious communities to be much more ascetic, closer to the asceticism of the ancient communities. This includes many of the medieval customs such as the medieval habit, fasting, corporal disciplines, the radical poverty and obedience.

As to the MFVAs and the CFRs, they’re very unique. They don’t really emphasize the call to the priesthood, because it’s not part of the ancient Capuchin tradition. In fact, most of the MFVAs are not priests. I’m not sure what percentage of the CFRs are priests. But I know that their superior once spoke very emphatically about their vocation to brotherhood as was practiced by the Franciscans prior to the 1500s.

Because both of these Franciscan congregations are autonomous congregations, meaning that they are not governed by the five General Ministers who govern the five original foundations by St. Francis, they are subject to the authority of the local bishop in the diocese where they are incorporated. They are Congregations of Diocesan Right. In fact, the MFVAs may be a Public Association of the Faithful, not yet a congregation. In those cases, the law of the Diocese is that the Major Superior is always a priest, because he serves as the bishop’s vicar to the community. The bishop’s vicar must be a priest, by Canon Law. This does not mean that the local superiors must be priests. The local superior is any friar in solemn vows who is appointed by the Major Superior. The same constitutions also say that every friar is equal in rights and duties. It would be a conflict with the ancient tradition for them push their men to be ordained, since the ancient constitutions do not require ordination or even mention it.

As far as their ascetical practices, they also respond to the mandate from the Church that religious communities revert back to the vision of the founders. Here is where it gets a little tricky. Since the 1200s there has been a moratorium on new rules for religious life. The last religious rule to be written and approved by the pope was the Rule for the Secular Franciscans in 1221. Afterward, every new religious and secular community had two choices.

1. 
   *]Use one of the existing rules: Benedictine, Carmelite, Augustinian, Franciscan or Basilian.
   
   *]Write a constitution or some kind of statutes that could be changed by the membership through a democratic process.
   
   If you choose one of the ancient rules, you may not change the rule. You may write an accompanying constitution to address those points that are not in the rule. But whatever is in the rule cannot be changed and must be observed as it is written.
   
   Many of the new communities are adopting one of the ancient rules. Therefore, they are bound to adopt the ancient ascetical practices that are spelled out in those rules, because those rules are sealed with Papal Bulls and cannot be unsealed except by the pope. Even the community’s chapter cannot vote to change something in the rule.
   
   For example, the Dominican Sisters of Mary follow the Rule of St. Augustine. St. Dominic never wrote a rule for the Order of Preachers. His friars follow the Rule of St. Augustine. The first foundation of Dominicans were not the friars. The first foundation were the enclosed Dominican nuns. They live the Rule of St. Augustine. The friars came second. The Dominican Sisters came out of the Lay Dominican movement, which does not follow the rule of St. Augustine. It has its own statutes, written by the friars. The Dominican sisterhoods that came from that tradition, did not have to follow the Rule of St. Augustine. They were allowed to write constitutions for themselves, which they may change at will. The Dominicans of St. Cecilia and the Dominicans of Mary do follow the Augustinian Rule, because the foundresses wrote into the founding charter. They follow he ascetical practices in that rule.
   
   The CFRs (male and females) follow the St. Francis’ Rule for the Friars Minor. That’s why they follow that asceticism. The MFVAs also follow the Rule for the Friars Minor, sometimes simply known as Capuchins, Conventuals or Franciscans. It’s all the Friars Minor.
   
   That’s why we have so many new communities that are so ascetic. They follow the ancient rules, to fulfill the wishes of the Holy See today.
   
   Fraternally,
   
   Br. JR, OSF

 

[strgzr99]

I found a link to the text in English of Vita Consecrata:

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_25031996_vita-consecrata_en.html

…and found the following passage, which I think is worth quoting, as it was approved in its Latin original, by JPII.

Under “Prayer and Asceticism: spiritual combat.”, the second paragraph:

(Once again, emphasis is mine)

“There is also a need to rediscover the ascetic practices typical of the spiritual tradition of the Church and of the individual’s own Institute. These have been and continue to be a powerful aid to authentic progress in holiness. Asceticism, by helping to master and correct the inclinations of human nature wounded by sin, is truly indispensable if consecrated persons are to remain faithful to their own vocation and follow Jesus on the way of the Cross.It is also necessary to recognize and overcome certain temptations which sometimes, by diabolical deceit, present themselves under the appearance of good. Thus, for example, the legitimate need to be familiar with today’s society in order to respond to its challenges can lead to a surrender to passing fashions, with a consequent lessening of spiritual fervour or a succumbing to discouragement. The possibility of a deeper spiritual formation might lead consecrated persons to feel somehow superior to other members of the faithful, while the urgent need for appropriate and necessary training can turn into a frantic quest for efficiency, as if apostolic service depended primarily on human means rather than on God. The praiseworthy desire to become close to the men and women of our day, believers and non-believers, rich and poor, can lead to the adoption of a secularized lifestyle or the promotion of human values in a merely horizontal direction. Sharing in the legitimate aspirations of one’s own nation or culture could lead to embracing forms of nationalism or accepting customs which instead need to be purified and elevated in the light of the Gospel.The path to holiness thus involves the acceptance of spiritual combat. This is a demanding reality which is not always given due attention today. Tradition has often seen an image of this spiritual combat in Jacob’s wrestling with the mystery of God, whom he confronts in order to receive his blessing and to see him (cf. Gen 32:23-31). In this episode from the beginnings of biblical history, consecrated persons can recognize a symbol of the asceticism which they need in order to open their hearts to the Lord and to their brothers and sisters.”

You will note that no specific ascetic practices are mentioned. The practices of the new Franciscans today, so ascetic by today’s standards, were in fact much closer to to those experienced in the 13th century, when most people were lucky to have one meal a day, everyone wore sandals, if they more shoes at all, didn’t wash much, and had only one outfit, if they were adequately clothed at all.

Anyone reading the blogs of women’s “updated” communities will recognize the spirit of asceticism, although it is not referred to as that. At various states throughout their formation, candidates give up everything, which in their case, may be quite a bit: houses, cars, credit cards, careers, bank accounts, portfolios, wardrobes, friends, pets, nice vacations, prestige, position in society and influence. The very action of entering religious life and adopting the vows, includes a great deal of asceticism: the renunciation of control over one’s property and money, a limited social life, no privacy, no choice in ones companions, no sex life, and obedience to ones superiors, the hardest of all. Plus conforming to an horarium which is difficult or inconvenient, having to cook and clean, to eat food one may not like, and associate with irksome companions. One temporary professed woman, a transfer to a non-habited order at age 30, said, “Give me a break!”, after she was taken to task by her superiors/peers for various statements/actions, and was informed that she wouldn’t receive “a break” for several years, if then. Many women bloggers in the non-habited orders, whom so few appear to respect, frequently describe the difficulties and challenges they encountered in their spiritual growth throughout the entire formation process.

There are things one learns in a long and successful marriage which amount to asceticism in marriage, which, I think are at the core of asceticism in religious life: learning to keep your MOUTH SHUT, not to CRITICIZE openly people you don’t like–especially in-laws, not to COMPLAIN about problems without offering constructive solutions, eternal PATIENCE with children and spouses, and DEPRIVATION of many things which include sleep, your own preferences, and money, and keeping a SENSE OF HUMOR at all times.

One of the greatest practitioners of this sort of “interior” asceticism was one who practiced exterior asceticism too: Therese of Lisieux, in her Little Way. she was unfailingly kind to everyone in her community, including a member who was mentally ill whom no one wanted to work with, didn’t backbite or gossip, didn’t take sides. Another celibate ascetic who has repeatedly emphasized interior asceticism is the Dalia Lama in his writings on loving kindness and compassion.

I am not criticizing any community or individual who practices corporeal asceticism, as long as it includes an emphasis on the non-corporeal as well.

I believe that asceticism in its many forms is widely practiced in religious communities today across the board.