The Dress Of The Sisters

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BlyssfulDreamer

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At my church we have the Sister who is the principal of the school and she wears street clothes. Some of the teachers are Sisters who wear a habit…of sorts and then I have seens Sisters come to Mass in habits that are pretty similar to what i remember seeing as a kid. How do the different Orders decide how they are to dress? I am just curious…

Thank you. :heart:Blyss
 
The order of Nuns I was taught by for 13 years went through gradual but pretty unified changes.

When I first knew them they had a definite, though modified, habit and veil.

Then they kept the veil but changed from a standard dress part to wearing their own choice of shirts/skirts/dresses.

Finally they got rid of the veil altogether.

It was only the much older members of the community who retained the veil and old habit.

Perhaps it’s just convenience? The principal would be meeting a lot more members of the public and therefore might get a lot more negative reaction if she wears a habit.

As for the sisters in habits like you remember as a child - possibly they’re from a different order altogether? Some of my local churches seem to attract members of numerous different religious orders if their habits are anything to go by.
 
It definitely has to do with which order they belong to… most likely they are from a different order than the ones you remember as a child.
 
Each communiity made/makes its decisions communally. The devolution from historical habits began when V-2 asked communities to “return to their original charism.”

In general, communties of apostolic life (RSCJ, Sisters of St. Joseph, Maryknoll, active Franciscans, and such) tended to adopt a more secular mode of dress. More contemplative groups (Poor Clares, cloistered Carmelites, contemplative Dominicans, eg) tended to stick closer to their tradition. A fascinating book on the subject, The Habit, was recently published by Elizabeth Kuhns.

While I am a great believer in traditional habits, some of the exaggerated forms that arose in the 19th Century (and most of the extravagant coifs, guimpes, crowns and wimples WERE of 19th Century origin) were perfectly silly. Remember the Bon Secours? Yikes!
 
P.S. In the Lay Association, the Confraternity of Penitents, we are expected to “pass for normal” (my words, not the words of our Rule) we have a tighter dress code that a lot of Religious do today. Aside from shades of brown or anything on the black-to-white spectrum – all solid colors – the only “color” we are permitted is blue, for Our Lady. When I stand next to the Sister of St. Joseph, who runs our RCIA program, and she is in her bright plaid skirt and dark green jacket with a yellow turtleneck, and I am in my navy blue suit and white blouse, I sometimes ask myself, “What’s wrong with this picture?”
 
I find it interesting how many people these days find the idea of nuns and priests wearing streetclothes objectionable.

Nuns habits, just as the vestments priests wear, would have started out as slightly modified versions of what WAS pretty standard wear of the times (both the cassock and the full-length traditional habit would not have been too out of place among any group of middle-class men and women in the Middle Ages).

It was only as secular fashions moved on a little, the habit and vestments instead became a symbol of difference, and set-apartness. Now a lot of religious themselves, as well as laity (from what I can judge on these forums) WANT to see their religious looking distinct.
 
mercygate said:
P.S. In the Lay Association, the Confraternity of Penitents, we are expected to “pass for normal” (my words, not the words of our Rule) we have a tighter dress code that a lot of Religious do today. Aside from shades of brown or anything on the black-to-white spectrum – all solid colors – the only “color” we are permitted is blue, for Our Lady. When I stand next to the Sister of St. Joseph, who runs our RCIA program, and she is in her bright plaid skirt and dark green jacket with a yellow turtleneck, and I am in my navy blue suit and white blouse, I sometimes ask myself, “What’s wrong with this picture?”
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Penitents are Franciscan, aren’t they? :confused:

I’m probably going to join the SFO in the near future, but I like my colours (especially red and blue-green) too much to join the Penitents 😛
 
LilyM said:
I find it interesting how many people these days find the idea of nuns and priests wearing streetclothes objectionable.

Nuns habits, just as the vestments priests wear, would have started out as slightly modified versions of what WAS pretty standard wear of the times (both the cassock and the full-length traditional habit would not have been too out of place among any group of middle-class men and women in the Middle Ages).

It was only as secular fashions moved on a little, the habit and vestments instead became a symbol of difference, and set-apartness. Now a lot of religious themselves, as well as laity (from what I can judge on these forums) WANT to see their religious looking distinct.
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“Distinctness” is a mark of consecration and poverty – as clearly stated in Vita consecrata. That is not the same thing as “bizarre!” The habits of the newer communities, such as the Sisters of Life, are “distinct,” clearly indebted to the tradition of Religious garb, and not impractical.
 
mercygate said:
“Distinctness” is a mark of consecration and poverty – as clearly stated in Vita consecrata. That is not the same thing as “bizarre!” The habits of the newer communities, such as the Sisters of Life, are “distinct,” clearly indebted to the tradition of Religious garb, and not impractical.
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Fair enough - I’m just saying it wasn’t so much in the beginning.
 
LilyM said:
Penitents are Franciscan, aren’t they? :confused:

I’m probably going to join the SFO in the near future, but I like my colours (especially red and blue-green) too much to join the Penitents 😛
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Penitents live the original 1221 rule of the Franciscan Lay Order. The SFO refused to allow its members to pledge to their own original Rule (?), so some of our members continue in their SFO affiliation, living our rule as “associates” while others chose to pledge or vow (one can do either) with the CFP and no are no longer SFO.

Yes. I miss red, pink, green . . . . But it is much simpler this way, and nobody notices.
 
Check out one of our Yahoo groups: the religious habit

groups.yahoo.com/group/thereligioushabit/

I’m about to start a second group which would be for pix only. The discussion would prolly continue on the first list.

Canon Law 669 states that a habit is to be worn. The habit is, first, and foremost, a sign to the WEARER that they are set apart for God. I would not consider joining a community that was “incognito”–and when I was discerning, I let them know my opinion. Hemming and hawing was the usual response, to include the retort that if clothes were the deciding factor, I didn’t have a vocation. (I have a vocation, but it will be later on in life. I intend to die a Bride of Christ).

I’ve also got a page of my main website dedicated to the habit.
cloisters.tripod.com/ Should be under “Articles of Interest.”

I’ve never seen people get offended when a habit is worn. I’ve seen more people get offended when it’s NOT worn.

Blessings,
Cloisters
 
mercygate said:
P.S. In the Lay Association, the Confraternity of Penitents, we are expected to “pass for normal” (my words, not the words of our Rule) we have a tighter dress code that a lot of Religious do today. Aside from shades of brown or anything on the black-to-white spectrum – all solid colors – the only “color” we are permitted is blue, for Our Lady. When I stand next to the Sister of St. Joseph, who runs our RCIA program, and she is in her bright plaid skirt and dark green jacket with a yellow turtleneck, and I am in my navy blue suit and white blouse, I sometimes ask myself, “What’s wrong with this picture?”
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Nothing is wrong with this picture. The St. Josephs dress in accord with the ordinary people, whom they serve. She was also probably wearing a pin or pendant indicating her affiliation.

Those old habits were interesting and sometimes beautiful–Daughters of Wisdom and Bon Secours–also hot, heavy, dirty, dangerous(driving), expensive and very time-consuming to maintain. One sister who was a teacher, said that her nun co-teachers spent all of each Saturday, washing, starching, ironing, pleating and fluting their habits;in that time they could have run a literacy program for her neighborhood.

John Paul II in his post-synodal apostolic exhortation dated March 25, 1996, advised that religious garb to be:

"Since the habit is a sign of consecration, poverty and membership in a particular Religious family, I join the Fathers of the Synod in strongly recommending to men and women religious that they wear their proper habit, suitably adapted to the conditions of time and place. Where valid reasons of their apostolate call for it, Religious, in conformity with the norms of their Institute, may also dress in a simple and modest manner, with an appropriate symbol, in such a way that their consecration is recognizable. Institutes which from their origin or by provision of their Constitutions do not have a specific habit should ensure that the dress of their members corresponds in dignity and simplicity to the nature of their vocation.
(emphases mine)

Nothing about length of hemline, scapular, rosary, veil, guimpe or anything else. Just that the garb should be:

*suitably adapted to the conditions of time and place
*simple
*modest
*with an appropriate symbol
*consecration should be recognizable.

t–he recognizability, I grant you, may be short these days, but i think that most Catholics can recognize nuns, however they are dressed!
 
We have a Sister of St. Joseph at our parish, who dresses in normal clothing, and I think it probably works out best that way, as she is a professional Architect(who designed, among many Churches, our current one). I can see how a full habit would be distracting in her line of work, especially when working with non-Catholic groups.
 
Okay, I’m probably the only male sounding off in here. But the topic is somewhat sentimental, if you will, so please pardon the intrusion.

Chalk one up for another nostalgic fan who was raised parochially; the greatest Carmelites ever! (God bless you Sr. Bernadette, wherever you may be). I do miss seeing habits, but I won’t get as deeply involved in exchanging points and counter-points as some of you have in regards to this topic.

I’ll just take it from a simplistic point of view; though admittedly somewhat emotional.

Did anyone watch WYD from Sydney on EWTN?

Did any of you happen to catch the shots of the religious women in habits as they bowed, in unison, during mass? Do you think that beautifully spiritual women make a statement to those who are observing them, or not? Do heads turn at a Catholic function when a group of Dominican sisters, donned in habits, enter with their smiles and prayer books? How endearing to us are Mother Teresa and Mother Angelica, as they proclaim their reverence and faith not only by words and actions, but by their modestly humble presentation of themselves.

Habit clad sisters move me; they are truly inspirational in their religious life and their humility.



May the dear Lord bless them for their indifference to contemporary scrutiny. What grace! That we all should be so respectful.

In short; I dig ‘em!

PS: Nothing against sisters in civies of course….just my opinion.
 
Just my two cents here… both as a formerly professesed [Habited] Francisan.
[Who left due to family matters and prays to return]

I am looking to return to a cloistered community

It is interesting to me that in my [new] vocationaly journey that non habited sisters seem very put off by my wanting to join a community of habited sisters.

On the other hand studies by vocational websites show a growing number of young people who look at religious life today are drawn to communities just over 50%] with habits either modified or traditional.

I will say that while wearing the habit…( the intention of course is to remind one of ones vows… as well as to simplify the overall cost of ones waredrobe.[as well as to avoid the haves and the have nots so to speak]]… that while wearing the habit it constantly reminded me personally of being availble to others as well as letting people know they could approach “sister” with situations.

Communites vary of course as to whether to be habited or not… but as someone above said… the site of a habited nun or brother still evokes an image that is difficult to replicate [in my opinion] in a non habited community…[nothing against not habited… just not what I am personally called to]
 
I remember a Sister of St Joseph telling me the story of how a few years ago they went to France to visit the sites where their congregation began. While in Paris they went on a tour of a museum and saw an exhibit of clothing from the 18-19 centuries and there was their habit…only it wasn’t black, like they used to wear, but blue and a greenish color. They asked the guide as to why sisters in that era wore those colors and the guide told them that they weren’t nuns habits but the ordinary dress of the women of that era. Widows would wear black but other women would wear colors. So the nuns simply picked up the ordinary dress of the widows of the time. I found that kind of interesting that the nuns would choose to dress in the mouring clothes of the time.
 
A sister (I honestly cannot remember which order. I know she was a Franciscan, but I can’t remember which order.) told me the cutest story about how her Mother Superior was in a grocery store, and as she is looking for something on a shelf, she feels a little tug on the back of her habit. She turns around, and a little girl and boy were standing behind her holding hands. They couldn’t have been any older than five and six. She looked at them and said “Yes?” and the little girl very shyly steps forward and goes “Are you Mrs. God?” And she goes “In a small way, yes.” And the little girl and boy don’t say anything else and just totter away. As she is checking out, another little tug. She turns around and the little girl is standing behind her again. She gives her a hug and said “This is for God…can you give it to Him?”

I love Sisters in habits…they are a visible sign of God’s love in our world.
 
Joannm said:
I remember a Sister of St Joseph telling me the story of how a few years ago they went to France to visit the sites where their congregation began. While in Paris they went on a tour of a museum and saw an exhibit of clothing from the 18-19 centuries and there was their habit…only it wasn’t black, like they used to wear, but blue and a greenish color. They asked the guide as to why sisters in that era wore those colors and the guide told them that they weren’t nuns habits but the ordinary dress of the women of that era. Widows would wear black but other women would wear colors. So the nuns simply picked up the ordinary dress of the widows of the time. I found that kind of interesting that the nuns would choose to dress in the mouring clothes of the time.
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This is true of many 19th century foundations. The RSCJ and the Sisters of Charity (Seton) come to mind. Ghastly get-ups. Another poster expressed sentimentality for the “beautiful” habit of the Bon Secours sisters. EGAD! that headgear was SOME contraption!

http://bonsecours.org/archives-usa/images/home_page_layout2.jpg
 
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