Orders affiliated with St Dymphna and an unusual nun

[GodsTinyFlower]

Are there any orders who are affiliated with St Dymphna? Are there any orders who specifically work with the mentally ill? I know that religious sisters and brothers work with cancer patients or the elderly but haven’t heard much about mental illness.

On another note, I saw a nun today in a habit I didn’t recognise. She had a black and white traditional veil which showed only her face and no hair, black shoes, a long black shapeless habit/dress that had an open notch at the neck and a plain white cord/rope thing around her waist. She didn’t have a collar or anything, just a wooden cross on a string. She was going into a Catholic bookshop. I would have talked to her but my train was coming so I had to go. Could it be she’s from an order that’s from another country? (I’m in the UK.) The habit looked really simple and she didn’t have a coat on, just a simple hand bag.

 

[Spiritu]

Hi GodsTinyFlower,

I don’t know about affiliation with St Dymphna, but I’ve found a couple of possibilites:

Franciscan Missionary Sisters
2 Broad Road, Braintree, Essex, CM7 9RS
Tel: 01376 326 654
Apostolate: Providing residential care for elderly people with dementia

Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception
St Anthony’s Convent, 93 Belle Vue Road, Cinderford, Gloucestershire, GL14 2AA
Tel: 01594 822 310
Apostolate: Teaching, parish work, caring for mothers and babies and those who are mentally handicapped

Both of the above came from this excellent website:
eden.co.uk/directory/browse.php?pageNum_basicSearchResults=0&section_id=24&totalRows_basicSearchResults=49

About the nun you saw: I’d hazard a guess that she was a Benedictine, but I could well be wrong.

 

[Madaglan]

In regards to the original post, I don’t know of a specific order. However, if you visit the National Shrine of St. Dymphna site, you can contact the people who run the shrine: natlshrinestdymphna.org/index.php

You can even email the priest there: Father Gretchko.

They likely would know of any orders associated with St. Dymphna.

 

[GodsTinyFlower]

Thanks for the advice . I’m still very curious as to what order the nun is from. It’s the not having a collar that threw me. She just had a dress with a small (3 inches or so) split at the front of the neckline. I could go into the shop she was in and ask but I’d feel a bit stupid as the person who served her might not be working that day and they’d probably think I was incredibly nosey!

Am I nun obsessed?

 

[Spiritu]

If it’s an obsession, there’s nun better… as long as it doesn’t become a habit.

If you’re really curious, you might look up religious Orders in the general area in which you saw her - apostolic and contemplative - and check out their websites to see if you can find a match for her habit.

 

[GodsTinyFlower]

If it’s an obsession, there’s nun better… as long as it doesn’t become a habit.

If you’re really curious, you might look up religious Orders in the general area in which you saw her - apostolic and contemplative - and check out their websites to see if you can find a match for her habit.

I like your nun puns!

I spent a good deal of time this morning hunting on the Internet for local orders and communities and I haven’t found one that has the same habit as the ‘mystery’ nun. Someone suggested she might be an anchoress/hermit or a consecrated virgin. Do they hold down jobs and go shopping in cities like the nun I saw? Maybe she’s foreign? I really am stuck about it. Who else could I ask who would know about this sort of thing?

 

[anode]

Are there any orders who are affiliated with St Dymphna? Are there any orders who specifically work with the mentally ill? I know that religious sisters and brothers work with cancer patients or the elderly but haven’t heard much about mental illness.

On another note, I saw a nun today in a habit I didn’t recognise. She had a black and white traditional veil which showed only her face and no hair, black shoes, a long black shapeless habit/dress that had an open notch at the neck and a plain white cord/rope thing around her waist. She didn’t have a collar or anything, just a wooden cross on a string. She was going into a Catholic bookshop. I would have talked to her but my train was coming so I had to go. Could it be she’s from an order that’s from another country? (I’m in the UK.) The habit looked really simple and she didn’t have a coat on, just a simple hand bag.

She’s a Franciscan. the white cord/rope is theirs. Their habits are usually, but not always, brown.

Ask at the shop. They may know her.

 

[Poor_Clare_tobe]

I like your nun puns!

I spent a good deal of time this morning hunting on the Internet for local orders and communities and I haven’t found one that has the same habit as the ‘mystery’ nun. Someone suggested she might be an anchoress/hermit or a consecrated virgin. Do they hold down jobs and go shopping in cities like the nun I saw? Maybe she’s foreign? I really am stuck about it. Who else could I ask who would know about this sort of thing?

As someone in the states who [until yesterday] worked in a Catholic Religious shop. By all means call them!!! We always knew our customers and especially the sisters.
If she were from the area they would know her. If she were visiting then they probably spoke to her and asked her where she were from. Do call them! Trust me you will make their day!!!
Blessings of Peace and All Good!