Welcome Guest [Log In] [Register]
We hope you enjoy your visit!
You're currently viewing Catholic CyberForum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use. If you join our online cyberparish, you'll be able to access member-only sections, and use many member-only features such as customizing your profile, sending personal messages, and voting in polls. Registration is simple, fast, and completely free.
Join our community!
Messages posted to this board must be polite and free of abuse, personal attacks, blasphemy, racism, threats, harrassment, and crude or sexually-explicit language.
If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Username:   Password:
Add Reply
Being a nun
Topic Started: Monday, 30. August 2010, 10:41 (469 Views)
Rose of York
Member Avatar
Administrator
My aunt was born round about the year 1900. She joined a religious order that was not enclosed, they ran orphanages. My father told me that his parents tearfully said goodbye to their daughter because, from taking her vows onwards, she was to regard the community as her family, and her parents and siblings would never see her again. If she had no dowry she would be what they called a lay sister, doing the kitchen work. My grandfather, a factory worker with little money, scrimped and scraped to give her a dowry. She became a superb embroidress of vestments.

At some stage before the Second Vatican Council the rules were relaxed. Auntie was allowed to spend a week or two at the convent and orphanage a few miles from us, we went to see her. My father saw his sister for the first time in about 30 years. Sadly she had not been allowed to see her parents on their death beds, or attend their Requiems. She had been unable tosay goodbye to one of her brothers when he emigrated to America some time between the two World Wars.

In 1953 we went on holiday, to a place near the convent where Auntie lived. We were treated as honoured guests and given a lunch that was by the standards of that decade, rather posh. I remember my aunt telling my parents that one day, habits would be modernised, she looked forward to it. When she was in her final illness my parents decided to have a holiday near her, on the day of arrival they visited her. Two or three days later my father phoned the convent, he asked when it would be convenient to call. He was told she had died, he asked for the date and time of the funeral, and was furious when he was told that in accordance with their custom she had already been buried. The convent had a contact phone number, but had seen no reason to notify her brother, the convent was her family. My father was heartbroken.

I treasure embroidered the beautiful silk prayer book cover Auntie made for my wedding day.
Keep the Faith!

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Rose of York
Member Avatar
Administrator
I have a friend who is a nun, a retired head teacher, she comes across as a very well educated professional lady. She wears a smart grey suit, a neat modest blouse or jumper and of course, a crucifix. Her hair is cut in a simple style. Sister's prayer life is her life blood. She has made a tremendous contribution to education, doing all she could to bring out the best in her pupils, encouraging them in academic studies, sports and adventurous activities such as rock climbing, she motivated the girls to be good citizens who love their neighbour. She is totally loyal to the Church, I have never heard her question doctrines or the disciplines of the Church or her Order. She gets quite cross when people ask her about women priests, she does not support that proposal.

Sister is feminine but no feminist.

In contrast to the convent life experienced by my dear departed aunt, my friend who is retired from teaching is heavily involved in diocesan and charitable work, she gets about quite a bit. Her talents are not wasted.
Keep the Faith!

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Rose of York
Member Avatar
Administrator
Praying for several hours a day is a luxury inaccessible to many.

The Body has many parts, nuns pray for people who never pray and for people who have nobody to pray for them. Like Catholics who choose to marry or remain single, nuns follow the vocation to which they feel called, and they support themselves so it beats me why some people, generally those who have never met nuns, suggest they should be doing something useful.
Keep the Faith!

Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Derekap
Member Avatar

I was once told that convents and monastries are like power stations generating electricity except they generate Graces for the Church and the World by their prayers.
Edited by Derekap, Tuesday, 31. August 2010, 16:20.
Derekap
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
Clare
Member Avatar
Putting the "Fun Dame" into Fundamentalist
Derekap
Tuesday, 31. August 2010, 16:19
I was once told that convents and monastries are like power stations generating electricity except they generate Graces for the Church and the World by their prayers.
Yup. That's how I see them.
S.A.G.

Motes 'n' Beams blog

Join in the Fun Trivia Quiz!
Offline Profile Quote Post Goto Top
 
1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)
« Previous Topic · Archived Discussions · Next Topic »
Add Reply