Religious On the Net

[maryjk]

A fellow religious was verbalizing one day why every time she walks into a room, the conversation stops? She wasn’t quite sure how to take it, whether to feel insulted or what?
I told her that it happens to me too and I think it’s because people get very uncomfortable around a Sister or Priest. They don’t seem to know how to act, they get cautious or something. But that was just my opinion, I really am not sure how to answer her and I haven’t asked people either.

When Sister Mary walks into an area, I stop talking long enough to say hi and to include her into the conversation. Same I would do for anyone walking in.

It could also be that they are talking about something they shouldn’t be talking about. And they realize it when a Priest or Sister walks into the room. It that is the reason, shame on them.

Edit to tell you:
Sister Mary is a student attending college at the local university. I see her at daily Mass and at Sunday Mass.

 

[Bebekoualy]

I wonder if young people are more comfortable discussing their spiritual life with a Religious who’s totally unknown to them (like myself) in the internet, than with somebody they know? And if so, why?

I think (I’m young) that I’d feel more comfortable to speak to you (about my inner life) rather than to someone I know.
Just because you’re a nun, and you can understand very well what’s going on in my soul. I think discerning young people would have this openness, but others who dislike talking about religious matters wouldn’t.

I think it’s very good to have Religious people online! that’s a real blessing, and a real help for us. We need contact with you, because otherwise we would go astray.

And how to discern if there’s nobody who went the way before us? So your testimony is indispensable here.

As far as Religious Life is concerned, I think (indeed) that it’s dying.
I noticed in France that some convents shut up because nuns are ageing and don’t have any vocation… It makes me feel bitter, and distressed.
**Do you think we might think about helping these communities by joining them?**I’m asking that because I know an ageing community well and I :nun2: am afraid the community might die in a decade if they don’t “move”, and modernize… I try to bring young people, etc but they aren’t interested. (I often feel discouraged, because I’m afraid they might close just after I would join them if God is calling me there)

I think the lack of vocations comes from young people themselves. God is calling abundantly; but they’re afraid of silence, observance, obedience, and rules… (not everyone, of course!)

 

[sethulekshmi]

hi all…
Very pleased to be here…
i am basically hindu girl.i did my schooling in a convent.i believe in jesus christ.now am residing in germany and am not married… well… my question is can i get converted to a roman catholic??coz am aspiring to become a nun.wats the procedure for that?? first i need to know whether its possible. iam not getting a proper answer from anyone.kindly help me out friends…peace be with you…
Thanks in advance.
lakshmi

 

[Sister_Helena]

hi all…
Very pleased to be here…
i am basically hindu girl.i did my schooling in a convent.i believe in jesus christ.now am residing in germany and am not married… well… my question is can i get converted to a roman catholic??coz am aspiring to become a nun.wats the procedure for that?? first i need to know whether its possible. iam not getting a proper answer from anyone.kindly help me out friends…peace be with you…
Thanks in advance.
lakshmi

You would have to go through an initiation process and then Christian baptism. If you know of a local Catholic Church you can inquire from a priest on how he can get you started. If there were nuns in the school you were in may be they can hook you up with a priest who can enroll you into a program similar to RCIA here. I don’t know how the Church in Germany handles that.

Most of the Religious communities do not take new converts into Religious life until after several years. That is my knowledge here in the US. There are exceptional cases but I think Church law requires that. Meanwhile, why don’t you study and read more on Catholicism and read the Christian Bible on your own? Good luck to you and God bless you!

 

[Poor_Clare_tobe]

hi all…
Very pleased to be here…
i am basically hindu girl.i did my schooling in a convent.i believe in jesus christ.now am residing in germany and am not married… well… my question is can i get converted to a roman catholic??coz am aspiring to become a nun.wats the procedure for that?? first i need to know whether its possible. iam not getting a proper answer from anyone.kindly help me out friends…peace be with you…
Thanks in advance.
lakshmi

*Hi sethulekshmi,

Welcome!! I am sure many of our posters shall have advice to help you out!
Blessings of Peace and All Good!*

 

[littletherese3]

hi all…
Very pleased to be here…
i am basically hindu girl.i did my schooling in a convent.i believe in jesus christ.now am residing in germany and am not married… well… my question is can i get converted to a roman catholic??coz am aspiring to become a nun.wats the procedure for that?? first i need to know whether its possible. iam not getting a proper answer from anyone.kindly help me out friends…peace be with you…
Thanks in advance.
lakshmi

I am so happy to hear that you are wanting to convert!!

I’ll keep you in my prayers, sethulekshmi

-littletherese3

P.S: Don’t be afraid to ask anything on the forums. They’re great!

 

[sethulekshmi]

You would have to go through an initiation process and then Christian baptism. If you know of a local Catholic Church you can inquire from a priest on how he can get you started. If there were nuns in the school you were in may be they can hook you up with a priest who can enroll you into a program similar to RCIA here. I don’t know how the Church in Germany handles that.

Most of the Religious communities do not take new converts into Religious life until after several years. That is my knowledge here in the US. There are exceptional cases but I think Church law requires that. Meanwhile, why don’t you study and read more on Catholicism and read the Christian Bible on your own? Good luck to you and God bless you!

Sister Helena;

thank you very much Sister Helena. your suggestions are very helpful and i understand the fact.i have contacted the local catholic parish and waiting for for the reply.

good day
lakshmi

 

[Sister_Helena]

Sister Helena;

thank you very much Sister Helena. your suggestions are very helpful and i understand the fact.i have contacted the local catholic parish and waiting for for the reply.

good day
lakshmi

That’s a good start! Keep us posted of your progress! God bless you!

 

[Bebekoualy]

Sister Helena;

thank you very much Sister Helena. your suggestions are very helpful and i understand the fact.i have contacted the local catholic parish and waiting for for the reply.

good day
lakshmi

I also took step to obtain Catholic catechism. I now belong to the group of grown-ups wanting to go through Baptism, Communion or Confirmation.
I’ll be confirmed in a month. The preparation lasted for 3 years.

Good journey, **may the Lord bless you!! **

 

[Sister_Helena]

I have been on the net for a time now and I must say it’s been enjoyable so far. I had an experience of being “politely reprimanded” by a poster for even having a computer because of his understanding of the vows. I must say that the experience was unsettling! But evangelization has taken a different route now and I believe that we have to read the signs of the times. I personally feel that all creation can be used for the glory of God and it is possible to use the things of this world to accomplish the will of God. So I think I’ll stay on CAF a little longer!

 

[Poor_Clare_tobe]

I have been on the net for a time now and I must say it’s been enjoyable so far. I had an experience of being “politely reprimanded” by a poster for even having a computer because of his understanding of the vows. I must say that the experience was unsettling! But evangelization has taken a different route now and I believe that we have to read the signs of the times. I personally feel that all creation can be used for the glory of God and it is possible to use the things of this world to accomplish the will of God. So I think I’ll stay on CAF a little longer!

*We are blessed to have you Sister Helena!
Yes please do stay on CAF " a little longer" or maybe even a lot longer?
How fortunate people are to be able to come into contact with Religious via the internet. Most communities I know these days have some sort of outreach (even if only a web page) via the internet. It would have made my “work” as vocations directress (15 yrs ago) much easier had we computer access back then.

I was wondering??? Would you be able to share more with us regarding your journey? Where you are presently stationed??? What is the apostolate of your community??? How many years have you been in religious life??? Maybe even how you went about finding the community you are in???

Blessings of Peace and All Good!*

 

[Sister_Helena]

I was wondering??? Would you be able to share more with us regarding your journey? Where you are presently stationed??? What is the apostolate of your community??? How many years have you been in religious life??? Maybe even how you went about finding the community you are in???

Blessings of Peace and All Good!*

I have posted my vocation story on my blogsite. The address is with my signature.

 

[Marsha_Adams]

I have been on the net for a time now and I must say it’s been enjoyable so far. I had an experience of being “politely reprimanded” by a poster for even having a computer because of his understanding of the vows. I must say that the experience was unsettling! But evangelization has taken a different route now and I believe that we have to read the signs of the times. I personally feel that all creation can be used for the glory of God and it is possible to use the things of this world to accomplish the will of God. So I think I’ll stay on CAF a little longer!

I trust you reminded that reprimanding poster that Teresa the Little Flower was a great letter writer. What difference whether she used pen and paper or the internet?

 

[Bebekoualy]

I trust you reminded that reprimanding poster that Teresa the Little Flower was a great letter writer. What difference whether she used pen and paper or the internet?

Yes, but the difference is that it can be read all over the world. It’s hugely great, because we need to spread the Gospel, to make it known. And some souls need support, and CAF can be really helpful for them.

 

[Madeleine_FCJ]

I have found the Internet a wonderful tool for sharing faith and for answering questions about religious life as a Faithful Companion of Jesus. I am a “penpal” for several young women who are in touch with FCJ sisters in their own home countries, but they are shy about asking those sisters certain questions. So they write to me! I answer their question and they don’t have to feel foolish… May God continue to bless all the good work that is being done to support discernment to priesthood and religious life! Sr. Madeleine, fcJ

 

[Sister_Helena]

It is good to hear what others expectations are about religious life even if only for one’s personal reflections. When a Religious is asked why she / he entered Religious life, you would probably get an answer of “I want to love God.” “Loving God” comes as a very general heading. What does the world expect from Religious in this modern age? What do young people look for in their Religious Sisters, Brothers and Priests? How can we serve you better in these times of confusion and anxieties? What are your particular needs?

 

[Sr_Judith_Ann]

RJ, that is a great explanation. To add to it, what is the difference between a nun and a sister?

I am a nun. I live a community life in a monastery with a vow of enclosure. My apostolate is prayer. It is my responsibility in the Church. I take solemn vows.

A sister lives in a convent (or motherhouse) and goes out to work. She can go anywhere that her work takes her. She is sometimes called an apostolic religious because she lives the life as the apostles did. She takes simple vows.

The vow distinction has mostly to do with the vow of poverty. With solemn vows I can’t inherit anything or use any money I might make. It belongs to the community. A sister in simple vows can inherit money or property.

Sr. Helena, perhaps you could help with this.

 

[Sister_Helena]

RJ, that is a great explanation. To add to it, what is the difference between a nun and a sister?

I am a nun. I live a community life in a monastery with a vow of enclosure. My apostolate is prayer. It is my responsibility in the Church. I take solemn vows.

A sister lives in a convent (or motherhouse) and goes out to work. She can go anywhere that her work takes her. She is sometimes called an apostolic religious because she lives the life as the apostles did. She takes simple vows.

The vow distinction has mostly to do with the vow of poverty. With solemn vows I can’t inherit anything or use any money I might make. It belongs to the community. A sister in simple vows can inherit money or property.

Sr. Helena, perhaps you could help with this.

A Sister in Simple Vows can receive “patrimony” or some kind of inheritance but she cannot administer or manage it. She would have to delegate someone to have it in their name/s. Simple vows allow **free use **of material things (money, computer, car, etc) with permission from one’s superior but not ownership. Everything that comes to a Sister in simple vows, whether as gifts or labor, belong to the Community. The Community, through its Superior, can give permission for Sr. Jane Doe to keep the $10.00 that her Aunt Dorothy gave her for Christmas. That is permissible under Canon Law.

 

[JReducation]

With all due respect, whether religious in simple vows can retain ownership of money and other property depends on the statutes of the religious institute. However, the use is not allowed by canon law. The religious can give it to his favorite niece or charity without interference from the community, unless there is something to the contrary in the statutes of the community.

Religious institutes in solemn vows cannot authorize private ownership. There is the difference between simple and solemn vows of poverty. The religious make a legal commitment to give up all ownership, prior to making solemn vows.

There is also a difference between a simple and solemn vow of chastity. Religious in simple vows who attempt sacramental marriage are validly married, but the marriage is illicit. A religious in solemn vows who attempts marriage cannot effect a valid marriage. The solemn vow overrides the marriage vows. Both incur ecclesial penalties.

Finally, there is a difference between a simple vow of obedience and a solemn vow of obedience. A solemn vow of obedience is usually made to a rule. In other words, communities in solemn vows follow one of the five “ancient” rules of the Church. Communities in simple vows do not need a rule. They may have statutes that they refer to as their rule or by any other name. The difference is that these statutes can be changed by a general chapter of the congregation. The rule of an order cannot be changed except by the Holy See. This applies even to Secular Orders. There are many congregations that follow the rule of an order, such as active Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, Benedictines and Augustinians.

Hope this helps.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[Sister_Helena]

§2 All members must not only observe the evangelical counsels faithfully and fully, but also direct their lives according to the institute’s own law, and so strive for the perfection of their state.

Can. 599 The** evangelical counsel of chastity **embraced for the sake of the Kingdom of heaven, is a sign of the world to come, and a source of greater fruitfulness in an undivided heart. It involves the obligation of perfect continence observed in celibacy.

Can. 600 The **evangelical counsel of poverty **in imitation of Christ who for our sake was made poor when he was rich, entails a life which is poor in reality and in spirit, sober and industrious, and a stranger to earthly riches. It also involves dependence and limitation in the use and the disposition of goods, in accordance with each institute’s own law.

Can. 601 The evangelical counsel of obedience, undertaken in the spirit of faith and love in the following of Christ, who was obedient even unto death, obliges submission of one’s will to lawful Superiors, who act in the place of God when they give commands that are in accordance with each institute’s own constitutions.