Nuns With Habits

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Friend_Of_Rome said:
Looking back in a Catholic Statistics book, I found that vocations to the religious and ordered life drastically dropped after the habits were done away with for “distinctive clothing.”

:nun2: Would having habits for all nuns prompt a return of vocations to the religious life? :nun1:
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I am inclined to think so…but I do not know if wearing the habit itself would be what would inspire vocations. I do think that is part of it though. Religious orders will do well when they are firmly grounded in their traditions, and when their communities help people grow in holiness.

I think a number of things caused the sudden drop in religious vocations:
1.) The drastic and sudden changes in liturgy and relaxation of some rules gave religious an identity crisis. Those who couldn’t cope with it left. Those who stayed jumped on the bandwagon and pushed their agenda along.
2.) There is so much talk about the “universal call to holiness”- even among Catholics who are theologically orthodox. People need to hear that men and women with families- and single lay men and women- can be holy too…but people need to realize that the religious life is not something you can fall back on if you don’t find a spouse.
 
The order that ran my school as a child split into two groups: Sisters of the Living Word, from the Sisters of Christian Charity. Both claim Blessed Mother Pauline as their foundress, and both are still recognized by Rome.

I have say I am partial to the SCC, the ones that wear the habits. They seem to be a community dedicated to the works of God, not a bunch of well-meaning liberal ladies who may or may not be religious sisters.
 
I voted “not entirely certain.”

I’ve given a good bit of consideration to this question and, while habit is important, I think orthodoxy and orthopraxis (as a previous poster mentioned) are far more weighty issues for anyone seriously discerning the religious life.

I could not imagine joining a community that has no special clothing (esp. no veil) for a habit. However, I could more easily see joining an community having orthodoxy and authentic relgious life, but that wore a less traditional habit than I could joining a community that had the full habit, but did not seem to be living authentic religious life, or was engaging in practices or devotions which I could not wholeheartedly participate in.

Ultimately, I think the sort of communities that attract vocations are those in which the members give themselves up entirely to God and show this in the life they lead.

Although the habit can be a part and symbol of this renunciation, wearing the habit is no guarantee that renunciation has taken place. And unless the renunciation is truly there, I do not think vocations will increase.
 
I think nuns in habits, whatever they are, make a vocation more attractive to young girls. I can remember how much I honored our teachers who wore habits (at that time) and young people wanted to emulate them. It is also very comforting to see nuns (in habit) in hospitals. It gives a sense of peace and tranquility. One of my best friends is a nun (Sister of Mercy) who wears a suit and a veil. Some of the other sisters who are located where she is wear no veils at all. For some reason they don’t seem to command as much respect from the protestant community as they did previously.

I know Sister Assumpta (having gone to St. Cecilia’s with her). I am not surprised that she founded a new community in Michigan. She is a leader and a very saintly person. There were five more from her class who joined the Dominicans.
 
mary_bobo said:
I think nuns in habits, whatever they are, make a vocation more attractive to young girls. I can remember how much I honored our teachers who wore habits (at that time) and young people wanted to emulate them. It is also very comforting to see nuns (in habit) in hospitals. It gives a sense of peace and tranquility.
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Well said!

As I’ve aluded to in previous posts, the symbol of the habit is a powerful emotional “tool.” It places the people who are with nuns (as students, patients, parishioners) in a more reverent and somber mind-set. This is exactly what is needed to revitalize the Church. Many many young boys and girls walked away from a religious vocation simply because it wasn’t “on a pedastal” anymore. It was a common, dare I say, secular type of thing. Granted, most priests and nuns are never and could never be labeled as secular, but that was the feeling after Vatican II. The High Mass’ solemnity seemed to be destroyed (it merely changed.) The people who thought the Church changed too much dropped out of the religious institutions. I am friends with a mother of 3 who used to be a nun; cloistered, habitted etc. . . who married a seminarian after Vatican II. They are among the holiest people I have ever met. They serve as an example to the dignity of married life.

Sorry for the tangent. :rolleyes:
 
I believe a failure on the part of the orders to wear a habit is part of the problem. When I first attended Catholic school is the early 1960’s, I recall all Sisters wearing the normal habit. By the time I left grammar school in 1971, the nuns were given a choice to wear or not to wear the habit. Most chose not to wear.

It is interesting to note this order is no longer in service. They have gone by the wayside, as you cannot tell a Sister from a Miss or Mrs. In contrast, the Sisters who work in our parish now wear a habit, and their numbers are increasing manyfold.

I really believe distinguishing and respecting the Sisters from everyone else will make a difference.
 
i firmly believe that vocations would be filled dramatically if habits were the norm…along with fidelity to rome and adoration.

peace
 
The habit is AWESOME! 😃

If your a single gal, you should try it! 😉

Again, AWESOME! 👍
 
Hello all,
I went this afternoon to visit an older religious sister who was very good friends with my godmum who was a sister in the order. I haven’t seen her for several months and was glad to see that she was well - she is now 92.

I was shocked and rather upset today to hear that some of the younger sisters (I mean those middle aged ones) were bullying her in to giving up wearing her veil - she appeared to be most upset and this distressed me. This led me to think that the spirit of Vatican II had been taken totally the wrong way by those sisters who were the new, young members in the 60’s and 70’s. That they misinterpreted what the spirit of the church was saying at the time - to return to simplicity of soul and being - not eradicating the sign of consecrated life. I reassured aunty Ag that she was right to maintain it as it is a spiritual blessing and a sign of holy consecration.

I hope to enter the religious life at some point next year, I have chosen to go into the Franciscan Caps here in the UK because they are the only ones about that have maintained the habit - it isnt just a habit, it is a symbol of spirituality, of simplicity of trying to live a simple life in the religious context of a religous order - I am not disputing that one can do this outside of a religious order, but my understanding is that why would you join a religious order if it’s barely religious? I am no tradionalist - but I am a Catholic who is hope to enter the religious life to be a religious, not a just a group of people who share some of my aspirations - I can do that on my own. I think that we should be asking that its not about a return to the medieval rigours of the Catholic Church then, that would just be like trying to create a museum piece - what it should be about is rejecting many of the materialistic aspects of today and showing visibly like beacons for Christ a different way of life to those who may be interested - just a thought. Christ said that it wasn’t going to be easy, sometimes, and i can understand it, that its easier to take the more gentler road in life because it doesnt cause so many problems. Catholics have become the butt of many jokes in society today - and dressing up like a nun has become very popular for parties etc! i think we should quietly and confidently reclaim what is ours, return it to the sacred it was meant to be and say enough is enough, we are proud and yet humble to be Catholic.
 
mciver said:
I hope to enter the religious life at some point next year, I have chosen to go into the Franciscan Caps here in the UK because they are the only ones about that have maintained the habit - it isnt just a habit, it is a symbol of spirituality, of simplicity of trying to live a simple life in the religious context of a religous order …
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I am SO praying for you. And, SO happy you are making this awesome step. 😃

Habits do actract vocations, it has been proven time and time again. And, well folks, HERE IS LIVING PROOF! 👍

God bless you “mciver.” Let us know how the vocation is coming along! 🙂
 
We most certainly need vocations to the Religious Life. Without nuns, monks, friars etc. the ordained ministry would fall apart, and thus the Church would cease to exist as we know it. It is truly a blessing to clearly know one’s call in life. I’ve known for some time that I should enter the priesthood, and the members of this forum have greatly helped me with the questions I’d have.

In my eyes, nuns with habits and priests with cassocks are the same issue. Granted, priests in cassocks are a bit more common, but still, many priests have become afraid to be distinguishable in a crowd. I was talking to a Jesuit spiritual advisor, and he told me that he never wears his collar on airplanes, busses etc. because he doesn’t “want to be bothered with them.” This adds another facet to the arguement for habits/formal dress-it is a symbol of comfort. When one sees a habitted un, a “cassock-ed” priest, you feel an emotion far different from seing a mere pin on a “distinctive sweater.”
 
Hi Convert in 99
I just wanted to say thank you for your offer of prayers for my entering the religious life. Though I just want to be clear that I’m not joining the religious life purely for a habit! lol - its the whole kitbag, the spiritual and prayerful nature and the giving of oneself to God in the consecration of religious life.
I’m in regular contact with the vocations director/novice master and I have good contact with a local convent who support with prayers, I also have a really excellent spiritual director who is a Benedicitine monk priest and runs a lively and well attended church not too far from where i live. His church would be an inspiration to all - he combines latin chant etc into the Mass with a great choir, everyone fully participates through their senses and hearts and souls without feeling the need to be clambering all over the Altar -its great if you ever come to Wales i will take you there!!
Thank you to all those who have prayed for me - I will remember you all and this site in my evening prayers and offer a decade of the rosary before the Throne of Grace for all your needs - take care all 🙂
 
mciver said:
Though I just want to be clear that I’m not joining the religious life purely for a habit! lol - its the whole kitbag, the spiritual and prayerful nature and the giving of oneself to God in the consecration of religious life.
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Well, maybe not 😉 , but you’ll find out it feels pretty darn good anyways! 😃
Thank you to all those who have prayed for me - I will remember you all and this site in my evening prayers and offer a decade of the rosary before the Throne of Grace for all your needs - take care all 🙂
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No problem. And, thank YOU for yours! 👍
 
Oh…the thread is about that kind of habits.

And I was going to offer some sources for counselling… 😉
 
I voted most likely since the orders that are seeing an increase in vocations are predominately those that are orthodox in nature and have retained the use of a distinctive habit.
 
Goblin_Taters said:
A few months ago I went to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. There I witnessed the Papal Tiara of Paul VI. While standing there, I thought to myself: the act of discarding the papal tiara, rather than being an act of humility as it’s commonly viewed to be, seems to me much rather to be an act filled with pride, shame and disrespect of the papal office.
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I had the same experience when I saw it in January. Paul VI was definitely one of history’s weaker and less effective popes, IMHO.
 
I answered, “Not entirely certain” because well, habits are definately one thing… But attraction does not come from that alone… If that were the case, orders like that would “die away” just as the other secular ones have been/ are doing… Clothes isn’t the point of it all.

It also comes from following the Pope and Magisterium, and TRADITION… I cannot tell you how much I’ve been reading online that Tradition is affecting people a lot deeper than the other modern stuff… And it’s not tradition alone… Things like Eucharistic adoration is one of the key helps. Because if you have Jesus, you have everything…
 
i don’t know why many posters here in CA obsess over priests and nuns in habits.
 
I voted “most likely”, but I do shutter to think what form of habit those progressive sisters might come up with in honor of their liberalisms. Guh. That might scare a few away.
 
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