Seems like we need to discuss this wonderful vocation. As I have said before, I had a very dear friend who was an extern and used to spend weekends and vacations with her in the extern house.
A vocation to be an extern is a seperate vocation from feeling called to the cloister. Sometimes they live inside the enclosure, sometimes they have a few rooms on the outside of the cloister. In all things they are true sisters of the cloistered nun. Most times they follow their own schedule, and that is dictated by the time they need to be available in the sacristy for Masses.
The public just loves them and they are the embassadors of the community. You can talk with them and have interactions with them, something you cant do with the cloistered nun.
Because so many monasteries were hurting for sisters, the externs in many places just died out. Hopefully with the resurgence of vocations, more will see the beauty in this vocation and aspire to it.
Great discussion of this often over looked group!

Yes, beautiful vocation or rather appointment in the community, using your own words being an "Ambassador" of the community. They play a big role in the community. YAY for externs!

I'm not sure what you mean by "appointment". The only community I know of in which externs are appointed is the Dominicans in Lufkin, whom we were talking about recently.

Generally an extern chooses, with the permission and agreement of the community/superior, to be an extern sister even before she enters. At least, that is the practice in almost every community I am aware of.

I am also under the impression that a woman chooses to be an extern sister before she enters.

I am not sure but I might be called to be an extern my VD and I are praying about it so please keep me in your prayers.

In Christ Marge

Praying for you as you discern
God Bless . Jenni

Sister Esther Marie can teach you a lot the extern life is. She has a lot of experience and was a great example to me when I was discerning between cloistered/extern at OLAM

I agree, now she is in AZ I believe.

Does anyone know of any specific cloistered monasteries that are looking for/ in need of extern vocations? Some communities may be content without them but perhaps there are some out there who would really like to have externs.

Thanks-
Graciela

OLAM is the only one I sort of know.

The Discalced Carmelites in St. Louis have only 1 extern sister and she is getting on in years, from what I heard.

I believe that many communities would love to have an extern. With the dearth of vocations, any new ones were immediately pulled into the cloister, and communities adjusted to life without externs. The only way to know is to ask, so when writing/emailing communities bring the subject up.

I have never heard that before. How did you come to that understanding?

The Carmel of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, www.carmelslc.org, has externs.
I think that there are two of them.

lynn

My friend at the Carmel in South Dakota said they have externs as well.

I know several cloisters that had externs, but they eventually died out. The cloisters were hurting so badly for vocations, that when someone came, they needed them to enter inside first. A vocation to the extern life is rare, and when a community has none, how do people know that the possiblility exists for an extern at that particular convent. I only meant to say that monasteries adapted to not having externs since there were so few vocations anyway(geez, that sounds clear as mud too!! Sorry!)

THanks lol! Ya I am entering the monastery in AZ were she is now... so I will have lots of time to talk to her.
Thanks every one for your prayers.

Marge

Actually, at least in our monastery and I believe in other OP monasteries, in the '60's when Rome finally made externs be fully religious, the externs had to come inside for the required canonical novitiate before they could make profession. Before, externs were like Tertiarties attached to the monastery. They usually made private vows. (The change from Rome affected ALL monasteries, actually. But I don't know how many stayed in in other Orders)

Many, when they came in they asked to stay in. I also know that some were externs only because the rules were so strict that there was a supposed immpediment to entering the cloister. For example, our 2 sisters who are inside and were externs were externs by "default". One had been in an active community and at the time you couldn't be accepted inside if you had been in another community (there were some good reasons for that, BTW). The other sister had been in the novitiate but left so when she returned the prioress said she could come back as an extern. Later, both came in for good.

A lot of who entered and who didn't depended on the decision of the bishop. I don't think a lot of people realize that. So if some one was over "age" the Bishop made the decision and it was often not what the community would have decided.

Externs for Dominicans has a different history than for Poor Clares or Carmelites. We never really had an extern tradition in the same way. It was usually lay women who helped the community with the necessary tasks. We know of Bl. Jordan telling B. Diana to give his regards to the conversae who were the "externs" of the monastery. They were laywomen.

At this time, my community isn't accepting extern vocations. While fully professed religious their "status" is still ambiguous. It's left up to each community to determine their participation in the government of the monastery, whether they can hold certain offices, vote, etc. So, since government is a distinct part of our charism and spirituality we decided that we want just one category of sisters and make use of the legislation of Verbi Sponsa which allows for the cloistered nuns to go out when necessary for the needs of the monastery. We are also blessed to have a volunteer guild who take care of the reception desk, do driving and shopping for us.

Having said all that, I have a special love for externs because of an early experience going to a Poor Clare monastery for Mass on Saturdays. I considered the vocation myself but found that the Lord wanted me in. However, as one of the few drivers in the monastery I do do extern work, also! He's sneaky, yes!

Yes, I hope you love it there. I know some of the sisters there pretty well. PM me if you want to talk to another Franciscan at heart! I love the camaraderie

This is similar to the Chicago Poor Clares. Mother Teresita said they do not have externs anymore, since the new directives for cloistered nuns allows them to do some of the work the externs used to do, but just within the monastery for them, like clean the public chapel and greet visitors, though behind a screen - though after Mass one sister does come out to do something like change the altar linens I believe. And then they also have lay people helping them. I'm not sure whether or not all the PCCs in the Federation of Mary Immaculate decided this, but I'm guessing it's up to each community. I know the Rockford PCCs, not in the federation, definitely have them though.

For Carmelites, I know the Des Plaines Carmel does not currently have them. When you visit there to ask for prayers, you ring the door bell, and door is automatically unlocked, and you can speak to the sister at the turn, and give her your prayer intention through that.

The Iron Mountain Carmel has two, and Buffalo I believe currently has one.

I didn't know that there were such creatures as extern sisters until I came to Phatmass and read about the PCPAs. I don't know of any monastery or convent in Britain that has externs. I doubt they exist, as we have really suffered for lack of vocations over here.

According to the Community of Our Lady of Walsingham, a new order whose special ministry is inspiring people to think and respond to their life's mission, this trend is being reversed - their discussion groups are well attended and more and more young people are turning to religious life. So perhaps the vocation of the extern may be revived.

Some extern sisters at the PCCs in Cleveland (Federation of Mary Immaculate) - on Cardinal Sean's blog

Extern Sisters, PCCs Cleveland They have a slightly different habit. The Rockford externs have the same habit as the cloistered I believe though.

This also sounds like what the Passionist Nuns in St. Louis do, as they do not have externs either. I know one of the nuns actually went out and got her license, so there would be another driver in case of emergencies, although I believe a few lay people help them most of the time.

The Buffalo Carmelites have an extern nun, but probably could use another. The Brooklyn Carmel, 361 Highland Blvd Brooklyn NY 11207-1910, has constitutions which allow for externs, but still being a foundation from Buffalo, I don't think they have one yet so they probably could use the support.

Wish you success in this particular vocation

Here's a great article on the final profession of one of the Extern Sisters at Buffalo Carmel, Sr. Agnes Marie of the Eternal High Priest, OCD Deepening Her Walk of Faith. She was originally cloistered, but volunteered to become an extern. So Buffalo now has two externs, and I know in the past they've had three.

What a beautiful article! Thanks for sharing!

In England the Liverpool Carmel has externs they had a very nice extern novice, she lived inside, had formation with the cloistered novices, she didn't have to say all seven offices and those she did say she sat in the extern chapel, and St Cecilia's Abbey on the Isle of Wight also have them. There may be others but i am not sure - i think perhaps some of the Carmels do.

Also in England the monasterys that I know that have externs are
Poor clares Arkely
St Cecilla's Benedictine Isle of Wight
Poor clares ellesmere shropshire
Hope this helps