Practical aspects of wearing a habit

[tinalewis]

Hi everyone - No, I’m not planning to become a religious, but I’ve grown up around nuns al my life and have some questions about practical living while wearing a habit.

I’ve read and thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful thread about beautiful habits (oh, impossible to choose one top pick!). But I’ve wondered about these things:

(1) I worry about glare from the inside of a nun’s veil (such as Mother Angelica’s and Sister Faustina’s). I wear thick eyeglasses and hope that nearsighted sisters wouldn’t find the glare from light reflecting off the inside white-colored fold to be painful. It would be painful for me to have anything white so close to my eyes all day.

(2) As someone who suffers from heat and humidity even while wearing a T-shirt and shorts in an air conditioned building, I wonder how men and women religious bear the summer heat wearing their habits. What happens if a postulant or novice relaly suffers from the heat but still feels the call? Or if a professed moves to a hot climate?

Does anyone else thing about these thing? Or have answers?

A quick prayer: Thank you, Lord, for our wonderful men and women religious! What a marvelous gift to everyone, you have given us in them. Amen.

 

[ruslan]

I have wondered that myself. When I was in Catholic school we had no air conditioning and I often wondered how the sisters kept from passing out, especially at recess. We would be running around outside and they looked like they were just fine. But, they had to be burning up in those habits. Still, none of them passed out.

I think your questions are great.

:heaven: :harp:

 

[OKCatholic]

One has to weigh the spiritual aspects of the religious habit with the practical. The religious communities (mens and womens) who wear habits actually have more vocations than those who don’t.

My priest is a big guy (former college football player). On Sundays he drives to 3 different towns to celebrate the Mass and he gets seriously hot. You can see him sweating up at the altar. But, you won’t ever hear him complain. He loves what he does and he doesn’t let being uncomfortable deter him from his vocation.

 

[manualman]

1. Easy. Get polarized lenses (which do not have to have any tint). Reflections off a horizontal surface tend to have wavelengths parallel with the surface. Polarized lenses block the glare without reducing light levels. Very cool stuff!
2. Ever notice that tunics are the attire of choice in many hot climates of the world? A habit like Mother Theresa’s is NOT necessarily extremely hot. I’ll be delicate and say they are well ventilated from below!

 

[anode]

One has to weigh the spiritual aspects of the religious habit with the practical. The religious communities (mens and womens) who wear habits actually have more vocations than those who don’t.

My priest is a big guy (former college football player). On Sundays he drives to 3 different towns to celebrate the Mass and he gets seriously hot. You can see him sweating up at the altar. But, you won’t ever hear him complain. He loves what he does and he doesn’t let being uncomfortable deter him from his vocation.

It’s generally but not uniformly true about the habits attracting candidates, partic a few who have beautiful habits such as the Dominicans St. Cecilia and Mary Mother of the eucharist, sister groups which almost indistinguishable beautiful habits. Other habited orders aren’t growing. But the self-reporting by those interested, usually the young, is that they prefer a habit. The non-habited groups attract older members.

I have a theory that the older women in the older orders became very opposed to habits, even ‘modified’ more comfortable habits, because of their years wearing the real startch-and-serge McCoys, in the pre-AC days. I remember the BVM get up–hot, ugly, dangerous (no side vision) and it didn’t even resemble what the foundress originally wore! If you read old literature written by members of these congregations, virtually all of them in a full hot starchy wool black habit, they report that they spend an inordinate amount of time keeping them up. I remember one account that a teaching sister used to spend all of Saturdays on her habit, time o she could have spent on a literacy class in her neighborhood! The older ones also report limits on how often they could shower(!), polish their shoes, even wash their undergarments like crinolines (yes, some wore these–the Daughters of Wisdom, wearing one of the most beautiful habits). The survivors of all of this don’t want to wear any habit at all!

The younger women entering today didn’t have to experience all of this, and are attracted to the romance and badge of identification the habit represents.

 

[Sr_Sally]

Everything anode says is true. Also, if you look at habits from previous generations–especially those from 100s of years ago, they were much closer to the normal dress of woman of those times. Often the plainer habits were meant to be similar to what a servant or lower class woman of the time would wear. After time however, those habits became expensive because of the amount and type of fabric and the care required to kee them up.

I think many of the current orders who wear more traditional habits are making them out of easy care blended fabrics that can wash and dry without wrinkling. Also, I see more of the veils that simply wrap around the head instead of being in several pieces that all need to be cared for specially.

I also love the look and idea of the traditional habits, but I know many godly sisters that belong to orders with modified habits or no habits at all and they are still out there doing the Lord’s work and loving Christ. We shouldn’t just judge by the clothing.

 

[Sr_Judith_Ann]

Everything anode says is true. Also, if you look at habits from previous generations–especially those from 100s of years ago, they were much closer to the normal dress of woman of those times. Often the plainer habits were meant to be similar to what a servant or lower class woman of the time would wear. After time however, those habits became expensive because of the amount and type of fabric and the care required to kee them up.

I think many of the current orders who wear more traditional habits are making them out of easy care blended fabrics that can wash and dry without wrinkling. Also, I see more of the veils that simply wrap around the head instead of being in several pieces that all need to be cared for specially.

I also love the look and idea of the traditional habits, but I know many godly sisters that belong to orders with modified habits or no habits at all and they are still out there doing the Lord’s work and loving Christ. We shouldn’t just judge by the clothing.

I agree with you, Sr Sally.

I wore the habit of yesteryear and I do want to wear a habit. But a habit that is more contemporary and easier to keep up. I don’t think that we will ever find the “ideal” in this discussion. I think just as there are different orders and congregations because the charism given by the Spirit varies, so manner of dress varies. Why is is worn? What does it signify for those who wear it? Do you have to spend hours upon hours caring for the habit? What does it cost to make or buy? What is the climate? What will the sisters be doing in that habit? All of these questions and many more went into the decisions of communities that updated the habit. And we must not forget that even before Vatican II the Church was asking sisters to update–not just the habit.

A good example: I lived in one monastery (and I know there are others) who had used wooden “silverware”. They were told to get rid of it. Those were the days before dishwashers. Can you imagine the germs? The health of the communities improved with some of the updating like that.

Our Church is a wise Mother.
Sister Judith Ann

 

[justagirl]

I understand that some traditional habits are very difficult to care for. Some communities can spend significant time caring for their habits; they can make prayer out of this kind of work. For other communities, habits that require a lot of upkeep are quite impractical. I don’t see anything wrong with ‘modernized’ habits that are clean, simple, modest and appropriate for the particular order.

The younger women entering today didn’t have to experience all of this, and are attracted to the romance and badge of identification the habit represents.

Though these things may be true, there are other reasons young women may want to wear a habit. I know that my primary attraction to the habit is because I don’t want to have to consider what I’m wearing, how it looks on me, the way it fits, how fashionable it is, what brand it is, etc. I see the habit as a way to life simply and die to self.

 

[Gardenman]

I remember when my mother would sew for the nuns when they wore the original old habit. The veils took hours and hours to sew and required a lot of starching, etc. At some point, they eliminated starched linen in favor of some sort of plastic stiffeners and the maintenance time required was cut in half.

Still, I never heard any of them complain about any discomfort in the heat of summer. The very complicated headwear was no doubt uncomfortable to wear and newer modifications appeared to be much more practical…especially for driving and other activities.

Some orders kept modifying their habits to the point where they just ended up looking silly and then were abandoned altogether.

I cringe when I see a sister in pants and t=shirts or some other equally inappropriate attire.

Nuns should look like nuns and be identifiable as such.
Ditto for male religious.

If you’re a religious, dress like one and don’t be afraid to show your commitment.

 

[anode]

I understand that some traditional habits are very difficult to care for. Some communities can spend significant time caring for their habits; they can make prayer out of this kind of work. For other communities, habits that require a lot of upkeep are quite impractical. I don’t see anything wrong with ‘modernized’ habits that are clean, simple, modest and appropriate for the particular order.

Though these things may be true, there are other reasons young women may want to wear a habit. I know that my primary attraction to the habit is because I don’t want to have to consider what I’m wearing, how it looks on me, the way it fits, how fashionable it is, what brand it is, etc. I see the habit as a way to life simply and die to self.

This is also true. Centuries ago, when I was considering becoming a religious, I always had trouble with my hair and had to shave my hairy legs. I did think that the habit was a good solution to all of this. Ironic, since I can’t stand to wear anything on my head, as it turns out! Also, those ‘easy care’ fabrics are at least partially polyester, which can be very hot.

The pros and cons of habits have been discussed ad nauseam on phatmass. Everyone does agree that most of the old habits had to go.

 

[ThomasEugene]

they got used wearing the habits. living in a tropical country it may seem not practical to wear wimples, etc. i asked a nun who wears the habit with wimples if it is hot. At first it was, she said, but now it’s okay.

 

[Toribus]

In a word: suffering. Offer it up.

In the end it’s just a bit of worldly discomfort, what better way to make reparation for our sins, and to intercede for the poor souls in purgatory? =P

 

[anode]

Easy for you to say. You’re not a woman religious, circa 1950.

If you go to phatmass.com, type the words “habits” in the Search, about 3000+ posts will come up. The pros, cons and in between. Anyone wanting to research attitudes towards this topic should go there. By doing a little research, I found that the most adamant ‘pro’ attitudes towards the habit were held by older male members of the laity. They weren’t women religious and weren’t going to become them.

I think that we have answered the OP’s first questions and that this thread should be closed.

 

[Toribus]

Easy for you to say. You’re not a woman religious, circa 1950.

If you go to phatmass.com, type the words “habits” in the Search, about 3000+ posts will come up. The pros, cons and in between. Anyone wanting to research attitudes towards this topic should go there. By doing a little research, I found that the most adamant ‘pro’ attitudes towards the habit were held by older male members of the laity. They weren’t women religious and weren’t going to become them.

I think that we have answered the OP’s first questions and that this thread should be closed.

I know you’re going to come back and say “I didn’t say that, I said…” but you implied it. You’re right in implying that I am male, but not that I am “older”. I think you also mistook my reply as being more serious than intended.

Anthony OPL

 

[anode]

I know you’re going to come back and say “I didn’t say that, I said…” but you implied it. You’re right in implying that I am male, but not that I am “older”. I think you also mistook my reply as being more serious than intended.

Anthony OPL

I wasn’t aiming my comments at you, tho’ I did note that you’re an Dominican scholastic in Japan, ie., in habit and not necessarily old, probably young-ish.

I am a veteran of the phatmass habit wars and was able to do some research on the adamant-pro-habit folks, what with their numerous posts and websites, and it was pretty easy to draw up a cross-section of their backgrounds.

I don’t think that there is much of an argument to the premise that there appears to be real advantages to wearing a habit, by which I mean what Rome means, a simple, modest, becoming easy-to-maintain (ie compatible with poverty) identifiable mode of dress. But what many people think that this means and like to see is what the Cecilian Dominicans wear, which was vetted by a Parisian designer, by the way: full-length, many layers–sleeve within sleeve; tunic, scapular and cape, full-length veil, 15 decade rosary. Nothing less will do. But the older orders, which are either dying out or have radically changed, remember the old habits in black serge with lots of starch and celluloid, and the old ways of life, which Rome, going back to Pius XII, tried to curb.

Having said all of this, I see two main groups of women drawn to religious life in the US: there is the young crowd, apparently a lot of whom are home-schooled and --unfortunately to my way of thinking–usually Caucasian, entering a few habited orders: OP Cecilians and their sisters the Mary Mother of the Eucharist; Franciscans of the Martyr St George; Franciscans of the Renewal; Sisters of Life; Olivetan Benedictines; among the contemplatives, there are the Carmelites in Valparaiso NE and the Poor Clares in AL, the Wrentham Trappistines. There are a handful of others with a handful of candidates. Candidates of Asian background also appear to prefer habits. The total number of those* making final profession* is very visible, but actually not very large.

Then there all the others, the large, aging, rapidly shrinking formerly large orders, now in civvies, who mainly run large institutions, and give retreats. They, too, are getting candidates, which probably add up to quite a few overall, but are scattered among many Benedictine, Dominican and Franciscan houses,Mercies, St. Joseph, Daughters of Charity; these are older women, often with annulled marriages, mothers, even grandmothers, with a lot of education and experience. Rome is investigating these groups, wondering why they’re dwindling, though the reasons are very clear. The boom in vocations in the US was artificial, fed by immigration and large families, limited educational opportunities and jobs available at the time. There are many many more opportunities for women now.

 

[GratefulDad]

I live further south than Mother Angelica as millions of others do too. Sisters, Catholic Schools and their Monasteries have been in full habit in the South for 200+ years. In fact we still have Carmalite, Visitation, Dominican and many others who dress in full habit year round. To this day I have never seen one of the sisters sweat. Maybe it is one of the many gifts Our Lord bestows on these Holy and dedicated women.

 

[JReducation]

I think that the problem with sister’s and nuns habit was that the habits were not practical and that the sisters were not practical. I can be completely wrong, so don’t take this to the bank.

I’m a Franciscan Brother. Our habit is very simple. It’s one layer of clothing. It’s a simple tunic with a hood and a cincture. We have no curcifixes around the neck. The side rosary has always been optional, since it was not part of the original habit. Some communities wore it and others did not. It was up to the local community to decide.

The color was also up to the local community to decide. The traditional color of the Franciscans is brown, because the Observants make up the largest group of Franciscans and they wear brown. People associate brown with the Franciscans.

But the original color is actually gray. Many Franciscan communities of men wear gray. The advantage to gray is that it is more comfortable in the warmer climates and just as comfortable in the cooler climates.

In addition to this, the Franciscan men, as well as other male religious, have long had the option of taking the habit off to do manual labor or when inside the religious house. We take them off for sports, going for a hair cut or going to the doctor. Sisters and nuns, on the other hand, wore them 24/7. This was not the case with male religious.

Even monastic males take their habits off for work, when it’s very hot, and when they’re alone. Some have a tunic shirt that they wear and others work in regular work clothes.

Among male religious the use of the habit is governed by common sense. This was not the case with women religious prior to the 1960s. I don’t recall any sisters or nuns in work clothes other than the habit. This of course meant that they required more care in terms of maintenance for the sake of cleanliness.

Also, the male religious habits tend to be very simple, with the expection of the Dominicans and the Carmelites, who actually wear the same habit, but in different colors. They’re two of the few religious communities of men who wear habits with layers.

Most Benedictines wear a tunic and a scapular. Most Fransicans and Augustinians wear a tunic and a capuche.

Most friars and monks do not wear pants under the habit. This takes out the problem of overheating in the summer. Even those male communities who do not wear a habit, but wore a cassock, such as the Jesuits, the Redemptorists, Fathers of Mercy and several others, wore a very simple cassock with only one layer of fabric and no shirt under it. It’s really a long shirt over the pants, much like an Arab would wear. This iis much more comfortable than what sisters wore, the layers of skirts, scapulars and layers of fabric around the head and neck.

I’m not sure why men’s habits were simpler, but the fact is that they are. What we see is that male religious seem to have kept their habits, even though they do not wear them 24/7.

My habit is very simple. The fabric is lightweight. It’s gray with a capuche. We have two versions. One is a traditional tunic to the floor and the other is a tunic shirt that goes below the pants pocket. The tunic shirt is identical to the upper part of the long tunic. It’s just short. You wear it with pants in certain climates where the long tunic is not practical. But it is easily recognizable as Franciscan because of the cut and the capuche with the Tau on the chest.

There are days when it is very hot and on those days, I just unzip the front. We have a six-inch zipper down the front. I can unzip it like one would open up a polo-shirt. This is very practical when I’m driving in 90 degree weather from one ministry to another. Most cassocks can also be opened in the front while you’re driving and roman collars can be taken off and put on when you arrive at your point of destination.

The best part about my habit is that the color remains clean for a long time. I don’t have to wash it more than once a week and I never have to iron or starch anything. Just dry it and wear it.

Contrary to popular myth, Franciscans did not have wool habits. The only friars who wore wool habits were those in the colder climates. It was not a universal requirement. The habit was made out of whatever fabric was available in your area. We have never had the exact same habit for the 1.7 million Franciscans around the world. Each community adopted to their circumstances, long before Vatican II.

I don’t ever remember the habit being a point of discussion for us. Each design was spontaneous according to the resources and needs of time and place.

By the way, I do like my habit very much and am comfortable in it. There are some places where I do not wear it, because we’re not allowed to, such as when we minister in certain organizations and functions that are run by the state or by other secular organizations. Then we accommodate by wearing very simple clothing, usually a white shirt and gray slacks.

I’m not so sure that women’s communities had this flexibility as did Franciscan males.

Just my two cents.

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Joannm]

I think that the problem with sister’s and nuns habit was that the habits were not practical and that the sisters were not practical. I can be completely wrong, so don’t take this to the bank.

I’m a Franciscan Brother. Our habit is very simple. It’s one layer of clothing. It’s a simple tunic with a hood and a cincture. We have no curcifixes around the neck. The side rosary has always been optional, since it was not part of the original habit. Some communities wore it and others did not. It was up to the local community to decide.

The color was also up to the local community to decide. The traditional color of the Franciscans is brown, because the Observants make up the largest group of Franciscans and they wear brown. People associate brown with the Franciscans.

But the original color is actually gray. Many Franciscan communities of men wear gray. The advantage to gray is that it is more comfortable in the warmer climates and just as comfortable in the cooler climates.

In addition to this, the Franciscan men, as well as other male religious, have long had the option of taking the habit off to do manual labor or when inside the religious house. We take them off for sports, going for a hair cut or going to the doctor. Sisters and nuns, on the other hand, wore them 24/7. This was not the case with male religious.

Even monastic males take their habits off for work, when it’s very hot, and when they’re alone. Some have a tunic shirt that they wear and others work in regular work clothes.

Among male religious the use of the habit is governed by common sense. This was not the case with women religious prior to the 1960s. I don’t recall any sisters or nuns in work clothes other than the habit. This of course meant that they required more care in terms of maintenance for the sake of cleanliness.

Also, the male religious habits tend to be very simple, with the expection of the Dominicans and the Carmelites, who actually wear the same habit, but in different colors. They’re two of the few religious communities of men who wear habits with layers.

Most Benedictines wear a tunic and a scapular. Most Fransicans and Augustinians wear a tunic and a capuche.

Most friars and monks do not wear pants under the habit. This takes out the problem of overheating in the summer. Even those male communities who do not wear a habit, but wore a cassock, such as the Jesuits, the Redemptorists, Fathers of Mercy and several others, wore a very simple cassock with only one layer of fabric and no shirt under it. It’s really a long shirt over the pants, much like an Arab would wear. This iis much more comfortable than what sisters wore, the layers of skirts, scapulars and layers of fabric around the head and neck.

I’m not sure why men’s habits were simpler, but the fact is that they are. What we see is that male religious seem to have kept their habits, even though they do not wear them 24/7.

My habit is very simple. The fabric is lightweight. It’s gray with a capuche. We have two versions. One is a traditional tunic to the floor and the other is a tunic shirt that goes below the pants pocket. The tunic shirt is identical to the upper part of the long tunic. It’s just short. You wear it with pants in certain climates where the long tunic is not practical. But it is easily recognizable as Franciscan because of the cut and the capuche with the Tau on the chest.

There are days when it is very hot and on those days, I just unzip the front. We have a six-inch zipper down the front. I can unzip it like one would open up a polo-shirt. This is very practical when I’m driving in 90 degree weather from one ministry to another. Most cassocks can also be opened in the front while you’re driving and roman collars can be taken off and put on when you arrive at your point of destination.

The best part about my habit is that the color remains clean for a long time. I don’t have to wash it more than once a week and I never have to iron or starch anything. Just dry it and wear it.

Contrary to popular myth, Franciscans did not have wool habits. The only friars who wore wool habits were those in the colder climates. It was not a universal requirement. The habit was made out of whatever fabric was available in your area. We have never had the exact same habit for the 1.7 million Franciscans around the world. Each community adopted to their circumstances, long before Vatican II.

I don’t ever remember the habit being a point of discussion for us. Each design was spontaneous according to the resources and needs of time and place.

By the way, I do like my habit very much and am comfortable in it. There are some places where I do not wear it, because we’re not allowed to, such as when we minister in certain organizations and functions that are run by the state or by other secular organizations. Then we accommodate by wearing very simple clothing, usually a white shirt and gray slacks.

I’m not so sure that women’s communities had this flexibility as did Franciscan males.

Just my two cents.

Br. JR, OSF

I found this very interesting. I had a friend who was a sister duing the early 60’s and she told stories how the habits were so very hot, took hours to wash and iron and how she had to wrap her head in gauze to keep from getting a rash from the headpiece. She ended up leaving the community in the late 60’s but those who stayed never regreted loosing that old habit as it was not practical, especially when caring for it takes up so much time.

I know another young sister whose community only wears the habit (modified) when teaching or doing some ministry. If fact in the four years I 've known here I have only seen her in her habit on a few occasions.

 

[JReducation]

I found this very interesting. I had a friend who was a sister duing the early 60’s and she told stories how the habits were so very hot, took hours to wash and iron and how she had to wrap her head in gauze to keep from getting a rash from the headpiece. She ended up leaving the community in the late 60’s but those who stayed never regreted loosing that old habit as it was not practical, especially when caring for it takes up so much time.

I know another young sister whose community only wears the habit (modified) when teaching or doing some ministry. If fact in the four years I 've known here I have only seen her in her habit on a few occasions.

The question of habits seems to be more of a question among women religious than male religious. I know that our brothers wear the habit for almost everything. When we do not wear it, we either wear a Roman collar or work clothes.

It’s just very easy for us. I’m not sure why women religious have a more difficult time with it. This is not a judgment. I really don’t know.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[anode]

The question of habits seems to be more of a question among women religious than male religious. I know that our brothers wear the habit for almost everything. When we do not wear it, we either wear a Roman collar or work clothes.

It’s just very easy for us. I’m not sure why women religious have a more difficult time with it. This is not a judgment. I really don’t know.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Thank you for your very reasonable and sensible remarks on a topic fraught with controversy and ill-will.

I think that in back of the contention about women’s habits is an ill-disguised attempt to control them, by laymen and by some parts of the church. What other reason could there be? The numbers of brothers are declining at faster rates than the sisters, despite the presence of habits, so that can’t be blamed.