Howdy folks, I ran into a sister at the national shrine of the Immaculate conception but I cant remember what order she was in. I remember that her community was out of steubenville Ohio and that they were relatively new. She wore a blue veil and a blue habit with a white long sleeved shirt. The really interesting thing about their community is that they don't receive "young" vocations. Only individuals 35+....which is really interesting and they have alot of sisters who where mothers or who where in other communities. Just wondering if anyone else has run into this group of sisters.

Thanks!

Could it be the handmaids of nazerath perhasp?I don't know a whole lot about them,but have heard of them some place.

just wondering what are you guys thoughts on a community only taking older individuals?

Sounds about right from the description---Handmaids except that this group is from New York. They have been mentioned somewhere else in VS, I think.

Every sister must be self supporting, which is also a unique aspect of this community.

pretty wonderful, they seem to be coming form the early tradition of Consecrated Virgins/widows idea.., in the early Church..cool..

No I dont think that was the group because they had no website and the sisters veil was different from the Handmaids. I know inorder to contact them one would have to contact the Holy family parish in Steubenville.

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http://www.holyfamilyofsteubenville.4lpi.com/

Someone was telling me about a group of Sisters in Steubenville, many of whose Sisters are also mothers (as in, have children), some of whom have young children. The Sisters have all received annullments/are widowed and even wear a habit. They pray in community, but I believe they live at home (to take care of their children). I wonder if this is the same??

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Wow. That sounds very interesting. I've never heard of such a thing. I wonder how that works canonically to have children below the age of adulthood and to be religious... off the top of my head, it doesn't seem possible.

I couldn't tell you how it works... I'll try and find some more info....

Perhaps one of these sisters?

http://www.torsisters.com/ministry.shtml

My son will be a freshman at CUA this September, and I hope he makes use of the Basilica and all of the opportunities for worship, there. Maybe he'll find the nearby Dominicans or Franciscans interesting!

That sounds more like beguines than sisters as such. It probably would be good for beguinages to start up again. Each person has their own apartment which they pay for etc. So they could have children with them if necessary.