Gabriela Posted December 24, 2012 Share Posted December 24, 2012 So there isn't a Rule of St. Dominic? :think: I asked the same question a few weeks ago. I was totally confused. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmaberry101 Posted December 24, 2012 Share Posted December 24, 2012 So do all Dominicans orders... Thanks for correcting me, DC (or should I say Dominican Extraordinaire? :P) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLordsSouljah Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Does anyone know if the Sisters of Life are considered a Dominican order? They wear the beautiful Dominican style habit, albeit in blue and white instead of black and white but in all the time I've been discerning with them and researching the history of their order, I don't ever recall reading anything about them being Dominican. They were assisted by the Nashville Dominicans along with other orders when the community was being formed but that's the extent of what I've read. I was just curious. I seem to have an affinity for Dominican orders :) To the extent of my knowledge, when the original eight respondents to the call of Cardinal O'Connor began the new order, they began with the Nashville Dominicans so as to start their journey as religious. As (I'm pretty sure) they were all lay women before starting, they needed help getting on their feet. For this reason (not to mention their Dominican-style habits!) they are often affiliated with them. However, they are a completely separate order now and their charism and works are very unique. Thanks for starting this post!! Love the Sisters of Life! Hope to join them after College. :dance5: Pax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sr Mary Catharine OP Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 The government St. Dominic and the early friars chose for the Order is such that the constitutions are always open to being revised in order to better live the mission of preaching. So, the constitutions of the friars have NEVER been approved by the Holy See. There is a fundamental constitution that stays and a rather complex process if something needs to be changed in the ordinary constitutions. The friars may also propose changes to the Nuns' constitutions but this has to receive the approval of the Master AND the Nuns and now, since 1917, the Holy See. Unfortunately, with the new code of canon law in 1917 the Nuns lost our process where our constitutions could be tweaked as needed and now it requires the approval of the Holy See which makes it rather involved and complicated. We have something called "ordinations" which the Master gives the nuns and these are lived sort of on a trial basis and then they would be made part of the constitutions but it doesn't happen as easily as it used to. It's not that the constitutions are constantly in a state of flux but the government of the Order is very much tied into our spirituality. General Chapters are a big deal. We were the first Order to have a General Chapter. The Master just convoked the 2013 Chapter which will be held in Croatia! It sounds all very dry but in practice it is has an amazing effect on our life. Our constitutions are very much a part of our everyday life, not so much as "rules" but as the way we strive to live the Gospel. Merry Christmas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToJesusMyHeart Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 (edited) To the extent of my knowledge, when the original eight respondents to the call of Cardinal O'Connor began the new order, they began with the Nashville Dominicans so as to start their journey as religious. As (I'm pretty sure) they were all lay women before starting, they needed help getting on their feet. For this reason (not to mention their Dominican-style habits!) they are often affiliated with them. However, they are a completely separate order now and their charism and works are very unique. This is correct. "Throughout the first years of Formation, the new community was greatly assisted by the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate, who provided our postulancy residence and first directors. The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia and the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma provided our first novice director, Sr. (now Mother) Assumpta Long, O.P., and assistant novice director, Sr. Yvonne Mary Loucks, RSM. They remained with us for one year before Mother Agnes Mary was missioned as Superior General on August 22, 1993. The Little Sisters of the Poor and the Hawthorne Dominicans granted us the privilege of working in their apostolates before we had our own." http://www.sistersoflife.org/about-the-sisters-of-life/history Thanks for starting this post!! Love the Sisters of Life! Hope to join them after College. :dance5: Pax Wonderful to hear! What year are you in for school? Have you attended a Come and See with them yet? (I'm also discerning with them) Edited December 26, 2012 by ToJesusMyHeart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosa immaculata Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Update! I spoke with Sr. A awhile ago and asked her about this contemplative community. She said that is was a LONG time ago, before she herself even joined the community (and she just made her perpetuals), and they did a brief trial run of having contemplative sisters, and they found it was too difficult to have both contemplatives and actives living together, and they didn't have an option of putting the contemplatives in another convent (they lacked the resources), and so they discontinued the project. It would be cool though, in the future, if them or another pro-life group had a contemplative branch like the SSVM have. :) Ave Maria! It would be so marvellous that these sisters have a contemplative community: pray for the Life in the cloister, ah, so beautiful; it would be indeed the same concept as the Servidoras and the FSI (always the FSI, aha): the contemplative communities are created to pray for the missions of the apostolic branch of their order, and of course for the Pope, the Chruch and the entire world!! If someone is attracted by a contemplatve life within the Sisters of Life, don't hesitate to say it to the sisters! They will (or already are) be aware of that particularity necessity for certain souls and for their mission, and surely in the future, this creation will happen:). It is a so marvellous order... Prayers for this project to be achieved one day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLordsSouljah Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 This is correct. "Throughout the first years of Formation, the new community was greatly assisted by the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate, who provided our postulancy residence and first directors. The Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia and the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma provided our first novice director, Sr. (now Mother) Assumpta Long, O.P., and assistant novice director, Sr. Yvonne Mary Loucks, RSM. They remained with us for one year before Mother Agnes Mary was missioned as Superior General on August 22, 1993. The Little Sisters of the Poor and the Hawthorne Dominicans granted us the privilege of working in their apostolates before we had our own." http://www.sistersoflife.org/about-the-sisters-of-life/history Wonderful to hear! What year are you in for school? Have you attended a Come and See with them yet? (I'm also discerning with them) That's so good!! I have just finished first year, with two years left to go in my BA degree. No, unfortunately I haven't been to a Come and See yet (I am from Sydney in Aus.... but I will be going to see them in June next year - can't wait! I saw some of them a few weeks ago when they came to Sydney for a conference, and met with Sr Antoniana, so she is aware of my vocation. How far are you along your discernment process? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikita92 Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 Rosa- you are talking just contemplative and not cloistered correct? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToJesusMyHeart Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 That's so good!! I have just finished first year, with two years left to go in my BA degree. No, unfortunately I haven't been to a Come and See yet (I am from Sydney in Aus.... but I will be going to see them in June next year - can't wait! I saw some of them a few weeks ago when they came to Sydney for a conference, and met with Sr Antoniana, so she is aware of my vocation. How far are you along your discernment process? Yay June! So exciting. :) When I was on Come and See, there was a girl from Australia there. She was in her later twenties. They have a postulant from New Zealand, if I remember correctly. Now whenever I read your posts on here I will read them in an Australian accent. ;) I'm just moving along slowly but steadily in the process with them. I hope to make my live-in retreat with them this summer, and if all is still going well, I may apply for entrance next year. I graduate college in May 2014, so I have to pace my discernment with my education. I can't really rush it. I do feel a strong attraction to them, but I'm going to be visiting a few other communities soon if the Lord permits it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLordsSouljah Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 Yay June! So exciting. :) When I was on Come and See, there was a girl from Australia there. She was in her later twenties. They have a postulant from New Zealand, if I remember correctly. Now whenever I read your posts on here I will read them in an Australian accent. ;) I'm just moving along slowly but steadily in the process with them. I hope to make my live-in retreat with them this summer, and if all is still going well, I may apply for entrance next year. I graduate college in May 2014, so I have to pace my discernment with my education. I can't really rush it. I do feel a strong attraction to them, but I'm going to be visiting a few other communities soon if the Lord permits it. Ahh, I know, right?? I just WISH WISH WISH we had them in Australia.... we need them so badly... we currently have in Victoria one of the harshest abortion laws IN THE WORLD, so we need to step up the pro-life support game. I figured the Lord placed me here for a reason, so perhaps I may live someday a lot less than sixteen-thousand kilometres from home. He might even use me for it! One never knows. He has the most unexpected plans and the biggest sense of humour.... honestly....!!!! I'm just like, 'God, take me on an adventure!!' Hehe, not sure if that was the wisest thing to pray... He probably will... :wacko: Well, who knows! If lots of things fall into place, I graduate in December 2014, and will probably enter in September 2015, God willing. May His beautiful love guide you in your discernment. We may just be sisters one day!! Be not afraid!!! I'm so happy for you! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToJesusMyHeart Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 Ahh, I know, right?? I just WISH WISH WISH we had them in Australia.... we need them so badly... we currently have in Victoria one of the harshest abortion laws IN THE WORLD, so we need to step up the pro-life support game. I figured the Lord placed me here for a reason, so perhaps I may live someday a lot less than sixteen-thousand kilometres from home. He might even use me for it! One never knows. He has the most unexpected plans and the biggest sense of humour.... honestly....!!!! I'm just like, 'God, take me on an adventure!!' Hehe, not sure if that was the wisest thing to pray... He probably will... :wacko: Well, who knows! If lots of things fall into place, I graduate in December 2014, and will probably enter in September 2015, God willing. May His beautiful love guide you in your discernment. We may just be sisters one day!! Be not afraid!!! I'm so happy for you! :) :) You can be a huge witness to the dignity of human life right in your hometown! "Be not afraid" indeed!!! It's so crazy to think that you and I could be sisters. Whatever the Lord wills! :nunpray: I'm delighted for you as well. Stay diligent, and have so much fun in June! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosa immaculata Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 Rosa- you are talking just contemplative and not cloistered correct? Thanks Ave Maria! Euh, for the FSI and the Servidoras, they are cloistered, and for the Sisters of Life I had no special idea in the back of my head, even if instinctively I thought of not cloistered contemplative sisters in regard of what has been said before in the thread ... There are many many possibilities, and cloister or not, it would be so marvellous that contemplative sisters would be created to pray for the Life! :) Sorry if you thought I was thinking exclusively of cloistered sisters, it is highly possible I am biased :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLordsSouljah Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 :) You can be a huge witness to the dignity of human life right in your hometown! "Be not afraid" indeed!!! It's so crazy to think that you and I could be sisters. Whatever the Lord wills! :nunpray: I'm delighted for you as well. Stay diligent, and have so much fun in June! Yeah, you are so right! We just had the Crossroads walk for life come through Sydney a few days ago - amazing witness! I think prayer especially outside the abortion clinics is very important. With 40Days coming up soon, I'm getting excited!! :bounce: :nun: Amen, amen - so crazy!! Wow.... say, do you have a particular name/s you would like to be called as a sister? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToJesusMyHeart Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Yes! Standing and praying (and sidewalk counseling) are beautiful ways to witness to the sacredness of every human life. :) I have a few thoughts for names, yes. ;) I really like Sr. Mary Elizabeth of the Visitation currently, but of course whatever Mother gives me will be brilliant I'm sure. How about you, any names yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLordsSouljah Posted January 1, 2013 Share Posted January 1, 2013 Yes! Standing and praying (and sidewalk counseling) are beautiful ways to witness to the sacredness of every human life. :) I have a few thoughts for names, yes. ;) I really like Sr. Mary Elizabeth of the Visitation currently, but of course whatever Mother gives me will be brilliant I'm sure. How about you, any names yet? True, true, God has the best name. Sheesh, I have been baffled for so long about names... there are so many beautiful ones! I was told that in the Dominican line of name-picking, the postulant picks three names, Mother prays about it, and generally chooses one of them. I have heard of incidents where Mother sometimes chooses one completely different. Funnily enough, there is already a SV that has both my first and second names together (... the chances??), so I am leaning towards Sr Chiara Marie, after Bl Chiara Luce, who was a HUGE inspiration to me. Though there are a million other amazing names... Maybe I should just not pick three names and leave it to God alone? :P.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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