The Sisterhood: Lifetime Reality Show

[JimR-OCDS]

My wife and myself just finished watching Lifetime Network, “The Sisterhood.”

This is a reality program where five young women discern whether they are being called into the sisterhood or not.

They visited three convents across the USA. and worked for a couple of weeks with the nuns of those orders.

Anyway, we thought it was well done. Two of the girls decide to take the next step in joining an order.

One is decides to continue in her discernment.

The other two decide that they will pursue life as lay persons.

Anyone else see the program ?

Jim

 

[7_Sorrows]

There already is a thread on this in the popular media forum.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Yeah, but it isn’t very active.

Besides, we can talk about it here too.

Jim

 

[christofirst]

There is the other thread, yes, but I saw one episode so I’ll answer here. It seemed a little melodramatic on the part of some of the aspirants. Tears were flowing, but that’s what you need for good T.V., I suppose. The Sisters seemed well-balanced and caring - the episode I saw portrayed them in a good light. If it gets people thinking about religious life, that is a good thing!

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I thought they did as good of a job as they could do with this type of show.

There are religious orders of nuns who watched the program and disagreed that the process for a young woman considering becoming a nun would be followed this way. But they also acknowledged that there are different procedures for different orders.

But then, the usual way wouldn’t be interesting.

If anything, I think the program will open vocations to many women who watched the prgram and suddenly feel the call.

I wonder if they could do something similar for men thinking about becoming priest ?

Jim

 

[paperjerry]

I think it is a good idea to have this reality show, in the sense that I expect to be true, regardless of TV policy (rating).

Of course you would have over-reaction of the participants, but I think we are in modern times, and the Church has to cope with it, without losing its essence. Part of the New Evangelization.

Does anybody knows if the program is endorse by a particular priest or Parrish?

 

[christofirst]

I thought they did as good of a job as they could do with this type of show.

There are religious orders of nuns who watched the program and disagreed that the process for a young woman considering becoming a nun would be followed this way. But they also acknowledged that there are different procedures for different orders.

But then, the usual way wouldn’t be interesting.

If anything, I think the program will open vocations to many women who watched the prgram and suddenly feel the call.

I wonder if they could do something similar for men thinking about becoming priest ?

Jim

They had a similar show about men looking into an English Benedictine abbey a few years ago, but it would be good to see pre-seminarians considering the priesthood and active ministry too.

 

[pensmama87]

I ended up really enjoying it. I kind of expected the girls to end up as they did. I liked that they discussed and clarified some things about Catholicism and that overall Catholicism was presented positively - which is practically unheard of in mainstream media. (At best it’s usually, “Oh my sweet Catholic Italian grandmother used to say this, isn’t it sweet and old fashioned?” or some misinterpretation of a statement by the Pope for whatever secular cause du jour).

One thing I do wish is for an update! I didn’t think I’d end up caring about the girls discerning, seeing them more as the kind of reason to explore the different convents. I loved meeting the sisters. But I’d like to know more about what the two girls go through as they actually enter. I don’t know how much they could televise (e.g. the one girl officially asking to enter was not permitted to be filmed because it has to be done in private), but it would be neat to see the next steps! I’d also like to see what happens to the girl who still wasn’t sure.

I do hope the two younger girls grow up a little bit and learn more about the Faith. I was surprised that Lifetime was willing to portray them as being so immature, especially considering the way they think is probably a lot more common in their audience. But maybe secular audiences reacted to them a lot differently than I did? Anyway, it’s good that they both mentioned that they were more interested in attending Mass (one began going to daily Mass, I think?) It became pretty clear that they were not really practicing before they did this, and if they end up practicing the Faith as a result of this experience, then that is very good!