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gabrielofsorrows

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gabrielofsorrows

Does anyone know about this community? Its horiarim. Do they have monks and nuns? I heard of them briefly, but since this is a vocation station i wanted to know if. They are a good, stable order? I heard its a newer order but dont know much about them ( honest answers, i appreciate,but no crude remarks about any brothers or nuns.  Only asking to learn more about the monks and nuns for my cousin who may be interested to learn more about them. Thank you.

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I know them well.  They were founded by the former Mother Vicar of the PCPA's in Hanceville at OLAM after Mother Angelica died (RIP) and she was given a sabbatical by the Vatican.  She went to study in Rome, was released from her vows as a PCPA, and immediately took private vows.  Then she discerned she should found this new Order.  She is now Mother Gabrielle.  There is at least 1 other former PCPA with them now.  They were founded, I believe, 7 years ago and now have a men's branch (priest and brothers) and lay Oblates.  They answer emails quite quickly.

Edited by Francis Clare
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Their newsletters can be located on bookofheaven.org.  They were founded before Mother's passing and If you read the Raymond Arroyo books on Mother, especially his last one, you'll see how things unfolded.  

 

 

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I'd be careful in reading Raymond Arroyo's book on Mother's last days.  It has a definite bias, and if you're not careful, you wouldn't necessarily notice.  An example is when he writes about Mother not being happy with the election of Sr. Margaret Mary.  However, the one he quotes on this is Sr. Mary Catherine, who was the superior that was voted out.

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Raymond's books were written with Mother's input and approval.  Mother and Raymond as well as his family were very close. He was directed as to when to release the last book by her.  I found them all to be interesting.  The last I found sad, as it brought to light the unrealized truth to most, that living in a Monastery with a bunch of women of varying ages is not always peaches and cream.

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The last one may have been written with her approval.  However, he does emphasize in the book that she was so debilitated by this point that she could not contribute to it other than a squeeze of the hand to show that approval.  Almost everything in this book comes from hearsay.  It is a matter of "She said ... / She said..."  That is why I do not recommend this particular book of his.  It seems scandalous.

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He was so close to her AND the Community I doubt seriously that he would write anything scandalous.  Look at what happened to that Community. However, lets not turn this into a debate about a book--or a Community.  Mother opened the door of her Community and their life and I pray that they readjust and prosper.  Honestly, it's really none of our business.  

 

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underatree
On 7/5/2018 at 8:51 PM, Makarioi said:

He was so close to her AND the Community I doubt seriously that he would write anything scandalous.  Look at what happened to that Community. However, lets not turn this into a debate about a book--or a Community.  Mother opened the door of her Community and their life and I pray that they readjust and prosper.  Honestly, it's really none of our business.  

Of course none of it is "scandalous" -- if you haven't lived religious life, it all seems fine, and if you have lived religious life then the obvious implications of that book won't even surprise, let alone scandalize. 

Hard disagree on the "it's none of our business" -- if you are discerning religious life, these things are important. Every community has problems, just like every family or every company. However, if you're job-hunting, you might want to know which companies in your sector are booming, which are close to bankruptcy, which ones have a reputation for sexual harassment or 80-hour workweeks, which ones have good health plans or retirement benefits....

It's your life, and there are no extra points for making bad decisions. Please please don't join a religious community because you think they need you or you're doing them a favor.

Lots of people who are attracted to religious life are the same people who can never say no to anything in the parish, or at work, or in their family or among their friends. Some people who become "mother foundress" are doing it to fulfill their personal psychological or emotional needs, or for other reasons unrelated to a call from the Holy Spirit. A genuine and balanced foundress of a new community will understand your questions and concerns as prudence, not doubt or disagreement or suspicion of wrongdoing.

I can understand a community wanting to pretend in a published work that a split among the sisters was a mutually agreeable gift from God -- but if they maintain that front while speaking to a discerner privately and in person, they're not being truthful, with you or with themselves (particularly if the split was as recent as the one in question). Conflicts like this create deep wounds, especially among women who have lived, prayed and worked together for many years. According to Arroyo, the sister who now has taken the name of Gabrielle Marie founded her new community after she was prohibited by the PCPA sisters from returning to the monastery after her required sabbatical. Of course he uses lots of nice words to make it sound all very spiritual, because the idea that he's selling here is that Mother Angelica was responsible for the foundation of many religious congregations (and that this is a good thing). 

You are not responsible for the vocations crisis in the Church, and you are not responsible for fixing it.
You are responsible for your own life and your own decisions.
Do not listen to people who want to use you to fix their congregation, or their diocese, or their mistakes. Your discernment is not about them. Remember that God does not need you in order to do anything! He is more than capable. He will give you work; you do not ever have to go looking for the biggest cross you can find. 

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