Full Version: Future Nun Support Group
Thanks all! Today is my day to do just about everything that needs to be done!
I am going to visit the Poor Clares today! I leave after 8:30 Mass and I return on Friday! Hooray! Prayers for all of you!
Awesome! Hope that your visit goes well...lots of prayers!
QUOTE(FutureNunJMJ @ Mar 22 2006, 08:07 AM)
I am going to visit the Poor Clares today! I leave after 8:30 Mass and I return on Friday! Hooray! Prayers for all of you!
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Prayers for you!!!!!
prayers for you! 
Prayers & blessings! I do have a soft spot for the PCC's...Please let us know all anout it when you return! Brandelynmarie
Let us know how your trip was. BTW, when are you hoping to enter? I get everyone all mixed up. I know you want to enter Rockford, but beyond that. . .you're still in school, right?
How do you know how much to write?
The context is: I'm emailing with an abbey in the UK. Sr. wrote to me and told me a little about the community (I already know quite a bit about Benedictine life so I get the impression she skipped over that part!), and then asked me to tell them a little about myself.
Well, you know, bla bla bla. I'm very good at waffling on but I don't want to bore the poor lady to tears. I don't want to go into huge detail about my discernment history just yet as we're in the "tentative" stage (or so it feels, at any rate) of getting to know each other. So I'm thinking that I'll include a short educational summary, plus some "spiritual highlights".
Good Lord, that sounds so clinical. I should lighten up a little - it's just a email, it's just an email....
I know what. I'll go downstairs and do my washing up and then fetch my dry laundry and reflect a little on what's going to go in, and all you lovely people can give me some help/advice/support/comforting smilies in the meantime. Deal?
Love and prayers,
PP
(Oh eek, that reminds me, Vespers....)
The context is: I'm emailing with an abbey in the UK. Sr. wrote to me and told me a little about the community (I already know quite a bit about Benedictine life so I get the impression she skipped over that part!), and then asked me to tell them a little about myself.
Well, you know, bla bla bla. I'm very good at waffling on but I don't want to bore the poor lady to tears. I don't want to go into huge detail about my discernment history just yet as we're in the "tentative" stage (or so it feels, at any rate) of getting to know each other. So I'm thinking that I'll include a short educational summary, plus some "spiritual highlights".
Good Lord, that sounds so clinical. I should lighten up a little - it's just a email, it's just an email....
I know what. I'll go downstairs and do my washing up and then fetch my dry laundry and reflect a little on what's going to go in, and all you lovely people can give me some help/advice/support/comforting smilies in the meantime. Deal?
Love and prayers,
PP
(Oh eek, that reminds me, Vespers....)
How is that for comfort? 
Just offer it to Jesus, He'll help you to write what you need. God bless you.
I am back! I also took some pictures of the monastery (no nuns, sorry...) I'll share them later 
And Denise... I am planning on dropping out after this semester is over and work off the debts and then enter
And Denise... I am planning on dropping out after this semester is over and work off the debts and then enter
DEO GRATIAS!!! HOW WONDERFUL!!!!!!
QUOTE(FutureNunJMJ @ Mar 24 2006, 05:42 PM)
I am back! I also took some pictures of the monastery (no nuns, sorry...) I'll share them later And Denise... I am planning on dropping out after this semester is over and work off the debts and then enter
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And Denise... I am planning on dropping out after this semester is over and work off the debts and then enter [right][snapback]921151[/snapback][/right]
When do you hope to enter? That's just so exciting?! I know you've known the sisters in Rockford for a while, but what made you choose them? And how long have you known them?
God bless you.
D.
well, it may be a year to work off debts... I think I have known them for about a year now, or at least since I first contacted them. I visited last year for the 1st time during Holy Week which was my spring break.
Well, I think they 'found' me sorta... I know when I first told some people at church about me discerning my calling to the religious life, there were 2 or 3 people who had mentioned them, but I kinda didn't pay attention to it... Then, when I was visiting another community, I was looking through the guide to religious communties (it is a blue book put out every year or something like that) and they were in there and close to home, so I thought I would check them out considering that I felt originally called to either Franciscan or Carmelite life when I started discerning the cloistered life. I guess that is how it happened and my first visit, I felt so much at home.
Well, I think they 'found' me sorta... I know when I first told some people at church about me discerning my calling to the religious life, there were 2 or 3 people who had mentioned them, but I kinda didn't pay attention to it... Then, when I was visiting another community, I was looking through the guide to religious communties (it is a blue book put out every year or something like that) and they were in there and close to home, so I thought I would check them out considering that I felt originally called to either Franciscan or Carmelite life when I started discerning the cloistered life.
I guess that is how it happened and my first visit, I felt so much at home.
Okay, let's see what pictures I can share with you...
this is the Fatima shrine in front of the monastery...
A closer view...
The Monastery...
The bell
from the chapel...
At the top of the facade of the chapel...
Along with...
St. Clare...
and St. Francis...
this is the Fatima shrine in front of the monastery...
A closer view...
The Monastery...
The bell
from the chapel...
At the top of the facade of the chapel...
Along with...
St. Clare...
and St. Francis...
Okay, now inside the chapel... 
The Altar...
here is the rest of the canopy(?)
Close ups of the altar...
Here is the crucifix...
The Altar...
here is the rest of the canopy(?)
Close ups of the altar...
Here is the crucifix...
Wow, this is such a beautiful chapel! How much of the public chapel do the nuns get to see from either their choir or when they go to Mass? Have you seen the cloistered chapel? What's that like?
D.
D.
Okay... some more pictures from the chapel...
This is in the back of the chapel and the other side has St. Francis and Christ Crucified... beautiful and in the entry way, there is a statue of St. Anthony and a statue of St. Clare when you first enter the extern part of the monastery...
This is from the walls inbetween the beautiful stained glass windows...
St. Clare here is on the opposite wall of St. Colette...
This awfully blurry, but you can get an idea of what it looks like...
St. Joseph was on the other side of the sanctuary...
This technically isn't the chapel, but the Sacristy...
This is where I prayed the Divine Office with the Sisters
This is in the back of the chapel and the other side has St. Francis and Christ Crucified... beautiful
and in the entry way, there is a statue of St. Anthony and a statue of St. Clare when you first enter the extern part of the monastery...This is from the walls inbetween the beautiful stained glass windows...
St. Clare here is on the opposite wall of St. Colette...
This awfully blurry, but you can get an idea of what it looks like...
St. Joseph was on the other side of the sanctuary...
This technically isn't the chapel, but the Sacristy...
This is where I prayed the Divine Office with the Sisters
QUOTE(PCPA2Be @ Mar 25 2006, 04:24 PM)
Wow, this is such a beautiful chapel! How much of the public chapel do the nuns get to see from either their choir or when they go to Mass? Have you seen the cloistered chapel? What's that like?
D.
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D.
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Well, the Choir is right opposite of the altar... and then for Mass they are on the left hand side right under the crucifix...
You can see the 'key-hole' where there is a hole where the monsterance is put during exposition on Friday's... You can sometimes see some of the cloister chapel and I don't know how much the nuns see of the extern chapel unless they are the sacristan or when they clean it all for Easter and such
Last year I was blessed to be able to clean, mop, and wash the chapel with the Novitiate in preperation for Easter. I have only seen pictures of the Cloister Chapel, and it is beautiful as well It has an all wood carved altar... I think there is a picture of it somewhere on my computer... I'll post it for ya! In fact I can do that now...
I like their 'welcome mat' lol
Door to the extern part of the Monastery...
The extern kitchen (where I cooked and ate...)
They even set the table for me
They did make dinner (what we normally call lunch...) for me... excellent food
They left me pleanty of food too...
Also, they left me some things from St. Joseph's Day...
Some pictures from my room that I stayed in... lol
The books Excellent selection...
The desk...
My bed and desk...
The dresser and such... that is Rublev's icon of the Trinity on the door...
Here is the basement parlor...
And the statue of Mary down there
This was a picture of St. Clare also in the basement...
The books
Excellent selection...The desk...
My bed and desk...
The dresser and such... that is Rublev's icon of the Trinity on the door...
Here is the basement parlor...
And the statue of Mary down there
This was a picture of St. Clare also in the basement...
Now the the things I was working on while there...
I was helping put together palm cards by putting the stickers on and cutting the slits for the blessed palm to go through
Here is a closer look at the card...
They also had my sewing some communion veils...
AND I did learn quilling this time This is what I made for my mother with the help of Sister:
I also helped in the 'back lot' of I think it was 8 acres with 2,000 trees. They recently prunned the trees so the Novice Mistress and I loaded them up onto a truck and drove them over to a huge pile to unload... it was a lot of fun... except for maybe the spiders, both dead and alive hanging out in the truck we drove around that hadn't been used since the fall...
I think that was about it It was a lot of fun while I was there and I wish I could have stayed longer... but I will just ahve to visit again soon
Also, a friend of the community recently visited Rome and brought back medals and cards with the Holy Father on them and were blessed by our Holy Father as well and they saved one for me...
They are far too generous...
I was helping put together palm cards by putting the stickers on and cutting the slits for the blessed palm to go through
Here is a closer look at the card...
They also had my sewing some communion veils...
AND I did learn quilling this time
This is what I made for my mother with the help of Sister:I also helped in the 'back lot' of I think it was 8 acres with 2,000 trees. They recently prunned the trees so the Novice Mistress and I loaded them up onto a truck and drove them over to a huge pile to unload... it was a lot of fun... except for maybe the spiders, both dead and alive hanging out in the truck we drove around that hadn't been used since the fall...
I think that was about it
It was a lot of fun while I was there and I wish I could have stayed longer... but I will just ahve to visit again soon Also, a friend of the community recently visited Rome and brought back medals and cards with the Holy Father on them and were blessed by our Holy Father as well and they saved one for me...
They are far too generous...
QUOTE(puellapaschalis @ Mar 23 2006, 03:06 PM)
How do you know how much to write?
The context is: I'm emailing with an abbey in the UK. Sr. wrote to me and told me a little about the community (I already know quite a bit about Benedictine life so I get the impression she skipped over that part!), and then asked me to tell them a little about myself.
Well, you know, bla bla bla. I'm very good at waffling on but I don't want to bore the poor lady to tears. I don't want to go into huge detail about my discernment history just yet as we're in the "tentative" stage (or so it feels, at any rate) of getting to know each other. So I'm thinking that I'll include a short educational summary, plus some "spiritual highlights".
Good Lord, that sounds so clinical. I should lighten up a little - it's just a email, it's just an email....
I know what. I'll go downstairs and do my washing up and then fetch my dry laundry and reflect a little on what's going to go in, and all you lovely people can give me some help/advice/support/comforting smilies in the meantime. Deal?
Love and prayers,
PP
(Oh eek, that reminds me, Vespers....)
[right][snapback]919347[/snapback][/right]
The context is: I'm emailing with an abbey in the UK. Sr. wrote to me and told me a little about the community (I already know quite a bit about Benedictine life so I get the impression she skipped over that part!), and then asked me to tell them a little about myself.
Well, you know, bla bla bla. I'm very good at waffling on but I don't want to bore the poor lady to tears. I don't want to go into huge detail about my discernment history just yet as we're in the "tentative" stage (or so it feels, at any rate) of getting to know each other. So I'm thinking that I'll include a short educational summary, plus some "spiritual highlights".
Good Lord, that sounds so clinical. I should lighten up a little - it's just a email, it's just an email....
I know what. I'll go downstairs and do my washing up and then fetch my dry laundry and reflect a little on what's going to go in, and all you lovely people can give me some help/advice/support/comforting smilies in the meantime. Deal?
Love and prayers,
PP
(Oh eek, that reminds me, Vespers....)
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I think they like to hear about a lot of your background, like your family growing up and now, some basics, your discernment history... it is always hard to figure out what to talk about yourself. I always ask further, "like what?"
It is always a difficult thing to do...
I just keep staring at these photos! What a treasure! Thank you for sharing! Even blessed cookies!
And the reclining statue of St. Clare...Is that a reliquery? (sp?)
And the reclining statue of St. Clare...Is that a reliquery? (sp?)
They are indeed glorious photos - thank you so much for sharing them!
PP
PP
Awesome pics! That's so neat! Maybe I missed this but were you the only one visiting?
Oh yes! Thank you so much for sharing. Praise be to God for such a blessed visit!
QUOTE(magnificat @ Mar 26 2006, 09:14 PM)
Awesome pics! That's so neat! Maybe I missed this but were you the only one visiting?
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Yep, just me
They will have a new postulant this April I believe She is transferring from an active community.QUOTE(brandelynmarie @ Mar 26 2006, 11:03 AM)
And the reclining statue of St. Clare...Is that a reliquery? (sp?)
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You know, I never thought about it nor asked, I've always assumed it was just a 'decorative' (terrible word to use, I know...) part of the Chapel...
That's great that they are going to have a new postulant. What sort of active order is she coming from (you don't have to name the congregation)? I've met several sisters who, later in their vocation, wanted a more contemplative life. The one congregation that Bernadette mentioned in her thread is great because they have both active and contemplative sisters.
QUOTE(PCPA2Be @ Mar 27 2006, 10:26 AM)
That's great that they are going to have a new postulant. What sort of active order is she coming from (you don't have to name the congregation)? I've met several sisters who, later in their vocation, wanted a more contemplative life. The one congregation that Bernadette mentioned in her thread is great because they have both active and contemplative sisters.
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I didn't think to ask, lol... I just thought it was wonderful news considering that the 'least' in formation now is a junior professed...
I just have to say how cool it is to see God taking care of everything so you all can enter the religious life. He's opening doors, and you are going through them... God takes care of us and I see it through all of your journeys!!
This weekend I went on a walk with my little sister at the forest preserve and told her that I was going to become a nun, and she got very quiet and sad... I feel bad about it; I don't think I addressed it as I should have...
She is only 11 (12 this November)... Any suggestions about how I should bring this up again later? I told her I could take her to visit the Sisters one time with me...
I really would appreciate it
She is only 11 (12 this November)... Any suggestions about how I should bring this up again later? I told her I could take her to visit the Sisters one time with me...
I really would appreciate it
I would begin by suggesting to her to ask you any questions she might have. 11 is a precarious age. . .some are younger than their years, some are older. Cater the conversation to her level. Is she religious at all?
Good luck and God bless you.
Good luck and God bless you.
Not really... she can be difficult getting her to Maass and even RE, and it doesn't help that my mother doesn't 'enforce' some of the rules and regulations and such... I try to talk to her about religious things, but she gets very quiet...
Well, I would suggest that she ask you questions when she has them. She probably doesn't know much about the religious life, except what she might have seen on TV.
Well, I don't know if she really knows anything... I really think she has had very little exposure via TV... I'll have to take another walk with her I think...
I think so too. But I would just be gentle. Ask her if she knows what being a nun is all about. I mean, has she seen any of your brochures? The website? What does she say when you visit the sisters?
And there is so much info on-line..suggest some good websites even!! Peace! Brandelyn
Granted, it is the media portraying religious life, but maybe you could watch the Trouble with Angels with her. That movie depicts religious in a favorable manner, and it's funny and a chick flick to boot. It might be a way to spark conversation.
All right, silly question coming up here: what requirements have to be fulfilled for a countdown thread? 
I'm going on a visit in a month's time and whilst it's just a visit and not something really exciting like entering or anything...
So, ladies. When does one get one? 
Love and prayers,
PP
I'm going on a visit in a month's time and whilst it's just a visit and not something really exciting like entering or anything...So, ladies.
When does one get one? Love and prayers,
PP
Heck yes start a countdown!
Puella, phooey! Start a countdown. You're excited, share the love!
*salutes the Poor-Clare-to-be and dismisses the inner wayward thought about how Benedictines will rise and begin to rule the world...singing Latin plainchant*
(it's true, you know. It'll start here - the Bennies will arise! - and then the world...oh yes....)
Right. Time for me to go and start a thread.
That's about as visibly excited as my Stiff Upper Lip will let me...
Excited love and sleepy prayers,
PP
(it's true, you know. It'll start here - the Bennies will arise! - and then the world...oh yes....)
Right. Time for me to go and start a thread.
That's about as visibly excited as my Stiff Upper Lip will let me...Excited love and sleepy prayers,
PP
You. . .CRACK me up. 
And btw, I have to say, that while I
you. . .you are 
Because everyone knows the PCPA ALREADY rule the world.
God bless you.
And btw, I have to say, that while I
you. . .you are Because everyone knows the PCPA ALREADY rule the world.God bless you.
You're all loonie, and I think it's hilarious.... Puella, start the thread ASAP!!!
EDIT: I see you already did start a thread!!!
EDIT: I see you already did start a thread!!!
QUOTE(puellapaschalis @ Mar 30 2006, 03:51 PM)
Benedictines will rise and begin to rule the world...singing Latin plainchant
(it's true, you know. It'll start here - the Bennies will arise! - and then the world...oh yes....)
PP
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(it's true, you know. It'll start here - the Bennies will arise! - and then the world...oh yes....)
PP
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You go girl!
QUOTE(puellapaschalis @ Mar 30 2006, 03:51 PM)
(it's true, you know. It'll start here - the Bennies will arise! - and then the world...oh yes....)
Excited love and sleepy prayers,
PP
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Excited love and sleepy prayers,
PP
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I'm wondering if you started reading jgirl's blog about her 43 things she wants to do before she enters religious life. After all, one of them is ruling the world.
What do we call you when you are ruler?Doge? Queen? Potentate-ess? I can't figure that one out. Help me out here!
Well, Mother Abbess, of course. Although that probably won't be me. I'll be one of her chanting minions in the background, spreading the Gregorian Love. 
I do believe that the only Order that would really give us a run for our money would be the Carthusians. They're the SAS of the Church - slient, lightening fast, and deadly. In a good way.
I do believe that the only Order that would really give us a run for our money would be the Carthusians. They're the SAS of the Church - slient, lightening fast, and deadly. In a good way.
QUOTE(puellapaschalis @ Apr 1 2006, 12:26 AM)
Well, Mother Abbess, of course. Although that probably won't be me. I'll be one of her chanting minions in the background, spreading the Gregorian Love.
I do believe that the only Order that would really give us a run for our money would be the Carthusians. They're the SAS of the Church - silent, lightening fast, and deadly. In a good way.
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I do believe that the only Order that would really give us a run for our money would be the Carthusians. They're the SAS of the Church - silent, lightening fast, and deadly. In a good way.
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Hehe, the Carthusians seem awesome - If I wasn't so certain of the Poor Clares, - the Carthusians and the Dominicans are the ones that'd tempt me.
Have you seen the movie "Into the great silence" (or something) I'm really really really hoping it comes out down here. It's so impressive that they've never reformed as an order, because they has never been any reason for them TO reform lol!!
I saw snippets of that movie online on a site that was something like Dutch or Swedish, can't recall. It looks amazing, but it hasn't hit the US either.
QUOTE(jgirl @ Mar 29 2006, 07:22 PM)
Granted, it is the media portraying religious life, but maybe you could watch the Trouble with Angels with her. That movie depicts religious in a favorable manner, and it's funny and a chick flick to boot. It might be a way to spark conversation.
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I loooove that movie!
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