What's the most beautiful habit you've ever seen?

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Not just a name, but a website and video too… CarmeliteGirl25, you’re terrific! 👍
 
Thanks, CarmeliteGirl - that was much more than I’d hoped for! 👍
 
My favorite has always been the habit of the Discalced Carmelite Nuns, as it is the habit I hope to wear someday!
 
Shoshana said:
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I really fail to see the difference that much. One is as beautiful as the other. The PCPA just has a medal hanging from their neck…:confused:
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The headdress is the difference for me. I don’t know if it’s the same for JR. But, I think it looks very cumbersome and stiff. I prefer the one piece headdress that you attach the veil to with a straight pin. 🙂
 
Shoshana said:
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I really fail to see the difference that much. One is as beautiful as the other. The PCPA just has a medal hanging from their neck…:confused:
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Have you ever seen them in real life? That’s not meant as an offensive question by the way.

The PCPA habit has many parts.
  1. Two veils
  2. Five head pieces that cover the hair
  3. An under tunic
  4. An outer tunic
  5. A chord
  6. A scapular
  7. A mantle.
The Poor Clare habit has less parts.
  1. One veil
  2. One white hood that covers the hair.
  3. Only one tunic
  4. A chord around the waist.
The difference between the two habits is because the PCPA were founded in France. French habits were more complicated. This is true of most French communities. The Poor Clare habit is very Italian. The Italians had very simple habits.

Look at the friars’ habits. They’re retain the Italian simplicity. It’s just a tunic with a chord and no pants, no under tunic and no mantle. For example, our own is grey, with a cowl, a chord and no other pieces. It’s very similar to that of the Franciscans of the Renewal, except that they wear a side rosary, because that’s part of the OFM tradition. We follow the SFO tradition, that’s where our founders came from, the Secular Franciscan family.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF.
 
justagirl said:
Sr. Judith Ann,

Since you travel to parishes for Mass, does this mean that you are not cloistered, even though the community is contemplative?

I have to say, I am surprised that a nun in a contemplative community is allowed to be online! Is that normal?

I am just beginning to discern a possible vocation to the contemplative life, and I’m very curious. 🙂
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I was just talking yesterday with the Carmelite Novice Mistress in the convent I’m visiting just about this, so I’ll share the ENLIGHTENMENT 😃 some cloistered communities have 1 or 2 nuns that are responsible of the relationship of the convent with the public life, they usually do the shopping, talk with the people who visit, and go out of the convent…In older days they used to lead their own life, sleeping in other places outside the convent, and never setting foot in their cloistered convent, because they are part of the outer world, but after Vatican 2, they’re now allowed to eat, sleep, and sometimes pray(if they have the time) according to the cloistered nuns’ schedule! I’m not sure about the other orders, but thats about Carmelites!
and yes they are allowed to use the internet, to chat with people with a possible vocation, or see the news, and other things…😛
I hope this helps

oh and my favorite habit is of course the Carmelite habit! with the long complete veil
 
My favorites are the Dominican habit and the Augustinian habit.

JMJ+
~Betsy

Totus tuus Maria!
 
JReducation said:
I’ve never liked the PCPA habit. It’s too complicated I really like the traditional Poor Clare hait. It’s very simple.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂

poorclaressantabarbara.org/images/M3-2.jpg
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I agree, JR. Mother Angelica restored a traditional pre-Vatican II style of habit, when she abandoned an ‘updated’ simplified style she and her nuns had been wearing. The Poor Clares, on the other hand, have* maintained* an ancient simple habit. Even the updated Poor Clares, in, say Greenville SC, one of my favorites, have a simple way of dressing. Benedictine nuns also, such as Regina Laudis, have what appears to be a one-piece head covering and wimple, no or very little starch or extra parts (veil liner, for example).

To me it appears that some orders have created or adapted habits with ‘looks’ in mind, ending up with a habit that Hollywood would admire. The very successful Nashville and Ann Arbor Dominicans have a habit that apparently a French designer influenced when he advised Nashville to keep the* full length*, to preserve* ‘the lines’.* The ‘medieval’ sleeve, full, folded back, 3/4 way down with a form-fitting inner sleeve to the wrist, and graceful veil cascading down the back, are other nice touches. Their choice of material is perfect for the design. This exquisite habit must require quite a bit of upkeep.
 
anode said:
I agree, JR. Mother Angelica restored a traditional pre-Vatican II style of habit, when she abandoned an ‘updated’ simplified style she and her nuns had been wearing. The Poor Clares, on the other hand, have* maintained* an ancient simple habit. Even the updated Poor Clares, in, say Greenville SC, one of my favorites, have a simple way of dressing. Benedictine nuns also, such as Regina Laudis, have what appears to be a one-piece head covering and wimple, no or very little starch or extra parts (veil liner, for example).

To me it appears that some orders have created or adapted habits with ‘looks’ in mind, ending up with a habit that Hollywood would admire. The very successful Nashville and Ann Arbor Dominicans have a habit that apparently a French designer influenced when he advised Nashville to keep the* full length*, to preserve* ‘the lines’.* The ‘medieval’ sleeve, full, folded back, 3/4 way down with a form-fitting inner sleeve to the wrist, and graceful veil cascading down the back, are other nice touches. Their choice of material is perfect for the design. This exquisite habit must require quite a bit of upkeep.
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In fairness to the Dominican sisters and nuns, not that you’re not being fair, it is true that their habit is a little more costly to make and maintain. They need several of them, becaues of the color. However, the Dominican rules regarding poverty are very different from those of Franciscans. The Dominicans follow the Augustinian rule. The focus in Augustine’s rule is the common life, not poverty. The same is true for the Benedictines. They are allowed to be quite wealthy. The Benedictines do not make a vow of poverty. Poverty is defined by their constitutions according to time and place.

The Franciscans have a much stronger focus on poverty and the common life. Therefore, the Franciscan tradition has been to have low maintenance habits and few of them. Most Franciscans have only two habits. We wash them once a week. They have to be ready to go when we need them. The only Franciscans that I know who have more than two are those who wear white habits in the tropics.

The habit that Mother Angelica wears is not the traditional Franciscan habit. It is a design that came from France. The Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration were not founded by St. Clare. They were founded in France in the 1800s to replace the Poor Clares that had been dessimated by the French Revolution. They borrowed the design from sisters, not from nuns. That’s why they wear a sister’s habit, even though they are nuns. The habit of nuns is much simpler.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
CrucifiedLove said:
I was just talking yesterday with the Carmelite Novice Mistress in the convent I’m visiting just about this, so I’ll share the ENLIGHTENMENT 😃 some cloistered communities have 1 or 2 nuns that are responsible of the relationship of the convent with the public life, they usually do the shopping, talk with the people who visit, and go out of the convent…In older days they used to lead their own life, sleeping in other places outside the convent, and never setting foot in their cloistered convent, because they are part of the outer world, but after Vatican 2, they’re now allowed to eat, sleep, and sometimes pray(if they have the time) according to the cloistered nuns’ schedule! I’m not sure about the other orders, but thats about Carmelites!
and yes they are allowed to use the internet, to chat with people with a possible vocation, or see the news, and other things…😛
I hope this helps

oh and my favorite habit is of course the Carmelite habit! with the long complete veil
Click to expand...
They were called Extern Sisters.

The Carmelite habit is my favorite also, but then I am biased.
 
A Sister Of Mercy

The most beautiful habits I have ever seen have been the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, pre-Vatican II, I just love the way the sisters looked in their navy blue habits and their big white coronettes, and also the Sisters of Mercy although the Sisters of Mercy no longer wear a habit but their habit was charming, I think both the Daughters of Charity and the Sisters of Mercy’s habits were so charming, but times change. I just think if one is going to take vows one is going to live a life apart from the world one must dressed accordingly.
i371.photobucket.com/albums/oo156/victor0822-2008/DaughtersOfCharityOfStVincentDePaul3.jpg
Daughters Of Charity Of St. Vincent De Paul.
 
Good question and a lot of great answers…Although, I am discerning with the Discalced Carmelite Nuns in Armstrong, B.C.

carmelspall.org/PhotoGallery.htm

I believe all the habits are beautiful and most importantly the men and women who dedicate their lives to God and His people show us a great habit which is the “habit of Praying”

Thank you to each and everyone of you for dedicating your lives to Our Lord, Our Lady, and for the people.

God bless,
goforgoal
 
The only thing necessary to do is to do God’s Will. He wants our heart, not our clothes. You can wear a habit and veil and be far from God, or you can wear street clothes and be very close to God, it is all in the heart. (but I still think habits are cool, and I can’t wait to wear mine!)😃
 
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