23 replies to this topic

[philosobrat]

Hi All,
I teach at a co-ed high school and am trying to figure out a Halloween costume for myself. I wear a modified habit (full dress and modified veil) that is white. I need an idea of some things that I could add to my white habit that would be an amesome costume and the kids would understand... nothing archaic would work (so no Dominican references!). Any ideas??

Thanks for your help!
Sr B

[MithLuin]

Haha, I love the challenge! I was thinking St. Therese's St. Joan of Arc worked well with her habit.



You could be the pope. You know, all white, new hat...

Or a bride. Add lots of lace...

[TheresaThoma]

I second the joan of arc idea (You could probably make a good portion out of tin foil too!)

My other thought would be one of the martyrs though I don't know off the top of my head any. There is always St Edith Stien but she was a Carmelite so I don't know how that would work with the white habit.

[MissScripture]

If you made wings and a halo, you could be an angel.

[MaterMisericordiae]

If you could find a black cloak or cape, you could go as a Dominican saint like St. Catherine of Siena or St. Rose of Lima.

[Deus_te_Amat]

"Undecided"

Pin a bunch of question marks to your habit.


OR


Magically attach a leaf to hang down in front of your face and be a leaf blower


OR


Attach a piece of yellow cloth to your habit and be a fried egg.


OR


Fix a wad of cloth under your habit and be a hunch-back little ole lady nun.




My mind is freaky at 2:30 in the morning.

[faithcecelia]

Im English so really don't get all this dressing up for Halloween, but why not just go in your habit as usual, in if they question you on it you can take the opportunity to talk to them about we all have souls and that we need to pray for those in purgatory so they can reach heaven soon. Or even about white martyrdom, and even true blood martyrdom that is taking place even today in areas of the world.

[brandelynmarie]

This is from Summit's Blog All Saint's Day 2009 . They were very creative!

http://www.monialeso...all-saints.html

[MaterMisericordiae]

This is from Summit's Blog All Saint's Day 2009 . They were very creative!

http://www.monialeso...all-saints.html

WOW! They were so very creative! I am still debating as to whether or not to go to this year's All Saints Party for my Young Adult group because the CRHP men's weekend is the same weekend and the women from Team #1 are doing something special for them that weekend. So, it's a toss up.

If I went, I'd go as St. Elizabeth of Hungary because all I would need is a basket of fake bread or flowers and a crown. I have everything else.

[Francis Clare]

How about St. Teresa of Calcutta? All you really need is a white bed sheet and some blue ribbon.

[FutureSister2009]

you should buy cat ears or Minnie Mouse ears. The angel wings and the Joan of Arc ideas are great too!

[DameAgnes]

Angel wings.

[Basilisa Marie]

Tape three black construction paper circles vertically down your right side...you'll be a three-hole-punched piece of paper.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

Besides the costumes mentioned above, the Summit Dominicans (especially the novitiate!) are incredibly creative in coming up with costumes that go along with a full habit. I don't know if there is a way to search their blog for "costumes," but they have had some WONDERFUL ideas over the years. And, even some costumes that you wouldn't expect work just fine with a full habit. For example, at a 50th Jubilee celebration last year, one of the nuns (I suspect she was chosen because she was the tallest) came dressed as a tree, as part of a skit/play celebrating the nun's religious life. (This particular nun had spent many years tending the monastery orchard until she was no longer physically able to do so.) I thought the nun who agreed to wear the tree costume was a very good sport, since the costume looked awkward. On the other hand, unlike most of the other costumes, the "tree outfit" did not show the nun's face, so no one on the Internet had to know it was her (or maybe it was a loving mortification). However, I'm pretty sure the blog identified who was under the tree costume.

Mostly unrelated side story: The nun whose 50th Jubilee was being celebrated went home to the Lord very soon after this celebration. I cried. I had never met Sister Mary Ellen Timothy, but I felt I knew her from the blog. One part of her story is that a good friend of hers entered the Summit Dominicans a couple of years before Sister Mary Ellen Timothy did. In one of the pictures of the 50th Jubilee celebration, Sister Mary Ellen Timothy and her friend (who is still with the Summit Dominicans) are sitting together on the couch and I could easily see in them the the 20-somethings they once were before they entered religious life.

As many of you know, I live across the street from the retirement/nursing home of another Order. One gift this has given to me is that no longer see my neighbors as "old"--they are simply women. And, since a couple of my neighbors have passed their 80th Jubilees, and my best buddy is on her 63rd Jubilee, one of my first thoughts upon reading of Sister Mary Ellen Timothy's death was that she was so "young." (And, from the pictures, she appeared to be very young in spirit.) Although my mother doesn't believe me, I no longer see people as their chronological age--I see my 84-year old mother as even more beautiful than when she was homecoming queen many years ago.

Thank-you for your patience with my divergence--

This is not related to wearing a costume while in habit, but is a nice story. While she was on her recent home visit, I was very complimented that our beloved Laetitia Crucis actually took the time to call me (knowing that she was sick and has MUCH closer friends, both online and off). We talked about how she came to choose the name Sister Mary Catherine as one of her three options. (I had thought she might choose Sister Mary Thomas, since Thomas Aquinas has always meant so much to her.) But, of course, so much has been happening to her in her postulancy to which I have not been privy. LC see said that St. Catherine of Siena had been "following her around" recently. (I don't know if this has happened to any of you, but, for example. St. Ignatius of Loyola has regularly popped up in my life (starting with my birth), and has very patiently kept popping up until I finally noticed him. I could be a poster child for "cluelessness.)

Okay, here is the nice story. When LC talked about how St. Catherine of Siena had been following her around since her postulancy began, I reminded her that two years ago (I think) LC needed a Halloween costume, and came to the Halloween party as St. Catherine of Siena.

But, other things happened, too. (Saints use even clueless people in following other people around.) LC has always had a great love for Mary and the Rosary, and I had spent the summer before last buying LC beads to use to make Rosarys to help raise money so she could enter as soon as possible (thus, in my case, living out in real life, my "joke" religious name on Phatmass--Sister Mary Rosary Bede). When LC was accepted for postulancy with the Dominicans of St. Joseph, I bought her a beautiful medal of St. Dominic sold by the Summit Dominicans. On the back of the medal is the image of Mary holding the baby Jesus, who is giving St. Domnic the Rosary. Also in the image is, yup, St. Catherine of Siena. (Along with the dog with the torch in his mouth.) And, although I didn't know it at the time, LC ended up entering the Dominican Sisters of St. Joseph on the Feast Day of our Lady of the Rosary.

Okay, most of you, especially those who don't know me very well, and weren't around when LC was posting on Phatmass are probably yawning (if you're even still reading). For "cradle Catholics," especially those who are in discernment to become religious Sisters or nuns, this is ho hum stuff. But, as a reminder, for those who don't know me very well, before I began posting on Phatmass, I only vaguely knew who St. Ignatius of Loyola was, and only vaguely knew what a Rosary was--these "happenings" took place only a very few months later to a person who is not only clueless but ignorant. When I bought the medal of St. Dominic for LC, I didn't even pay attention to what was on the back of the medal, much less know the identity and meaning of the woman on the back of the medal. Plus, I am not only clueless and ignorant--but non-Catholic in the bargain. God uses all kinds of people to give "clues," even people who have no idea they are being used.

For those who wonder why I am even here--most of the time I don't know. All I know is that God is using me for SOMETHING, even if I don't know what it is or what he is using me for.

SO PAY ATTENTION TO MY POSTS--God may be using this non-Catholic to speak to you. LOL (I'm kidding, most of my posts have no special meaning and are probably a waste of my time and yours.)

Edited by IgnatiusofLoyola, 20 October 2011 - 01:47 PM.

[faithcecelia]

Iggy, I love you in so many ways

[MithLuin]

My tree costume:



I suppose birch and sycamore start out mostly white....

[Lisa]

Iggy, that was a beautiful reflection! I've read quite a few of LC's posts as old threads are dug back up or I search for something. I can see that she has a very joyful heart. Personally, I love all your posts- you always have something really great to contribute, please don't stop!!!! And don't stop listening to those moments. By the way, did you try praying the Rosary a decade at a time? How did that go? (This is from some topic a couple months ago)

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

Iggy, that was a beautiful reflection! I've read quite a few of LC's posts as old threads are dug back up or I search for something. I can see that she has a very joyful heart. Personally, I love all your posts- you always have something really great to contribute, please don't stop!!!! And don't stop listening to those moments. By the way, did you try praying the Rosary a decade at a time? How did that go? (This is from some topic a couple months ago)

As it turned out, rather than say a Rosary, I have been saying the "Hail Mary" A LOT. I say it several times a day, and at night, as I am trying to relax my body and mind to sleep, that is what I say. I also recently have been saying "The Jesus Prayer" a lot.

I think I have posted this, but several months ago I began wearing a Miraculous Medal around my neck. I usually wear one or more medals with it, that change at times.

I suspect the time will come when I spend more time in formal, "sit-down" prayer like the Rosary, but, for right now, this is what I do. (I confess, I'm just a bit ADD. LOL)

Thank-you for your kind words about my posts. I know many people skip them, but that's okay. God has us read the posts he wants us to read.

[Luigi]

Stay in your regular habit and tell peole that you're the mother superior from "Sister Act."

[LaPetiteSoeur]

As it turned out, rather than say a Rosary, I have been saying the "Hail Mary" A LOT. I say it several times a day, and at night, as I am trying to relax my body and mind to sleep, that is what I say. I also recently have been saying "The Jesus Prayer" a lot.

I think I have posted this, but several months ago I began wearing a Miraculous Medal around my neck. I usually wear one or more medals with it, that change at times.

I suspect the time will come when I spend more time in formal, "sit-down" prayer like the Rosary, but, for right now, this is what I do. (I confess, I'm just a bit ADD. LOL)

Thank-you for your kind words about my posts. I know many people skip them, but that's okay. God has us read the posts he wants us to read.

I always wear my mircaculous medal! Isn't it wonderful?