Laudem Gloriae Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 I have always wondered about the Missionaries of Charity Contemplative Sisters branch of Mother Teresa's order. Does anyone know anything about them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InHisLove726 Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 [quote name='Laudem Gloriae' post='1805795' date='Mar 13 2009, 01:58 AM']I have always wondered about the Missionaries of Charity Contemplative Sisters branch of Mother Teresa's order. Does anyone know anything about them?[/quote] I never even knew there was a contemplative branch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 [quote name='Laudem Gloriae' post='1805795' date='Mar 13 2009, 02:58 AM']I have always wondered about the Missionaries of Charity Contemplative Sisters branch of Mother Teresa's order. Does anyone know anything about them?[/quote] A friend of mine had been in them once, but she left. You'd have to write the active sisters in the Bronx to learn more about the contemplative branch. Mother Nirmala, who took Bl. Mother Teresa's place upon the foundress' death, had been head of the contemplative branch. The Missionaries of Charity have the largest novitiate in the world, and I think that's the apostolic branch only. Blessings, Gemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbsconditaInDeo Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 Hi! I'm new around here but I've been reading this board for a really long time. I never thought I would have my own screenname and make comments on here, too, but I guess was wrong! My very close friend entered the Missionaries of Charity contemplatives in 2007. She just became a postulant and got the white sari this past December on the feast of the Immaculate Conception because their formation process starts first at pre aspirancy, aspirancy, postulancy, novice, temporary professed and then final professed. The formation process can take from 8-10 years. She entered the MC contemplatives in the Bronx (address: Missionaries of Charity 1070 Union Ave. Bronx, NY 10459) where she completed her pre-aspirancy and her aspirancy. During that time she wore a long nave blue skirts and a white blouse with a miraculous medal pinned to her blouse and a rosary (Job's tears) hanging from her skirt. They begin their day in prayer and right when the bell rings they get on their knees and pray. I used to know the prayer but I forgot what it was, I think it was a prayer to our Lady. They basically live a life like a cloistered nun but they do not have a grille and they leave the convent and go out on apostolate (speaking with the poor and spiritually poor and handing out miraculous medals and rosaries, etc.) only about three days a week for about two hours. When my friend went to visit there for the first time she told me how joyfully they received her into the convent. They all did a dance and sang "welcome, welcome sister!" They made such a huge impression on her that three months later she entered and from what I hear from her, she couldn't be happier. Now that my friend is a postulant, she is in NJ where she will complete her postulancy, and it is actually canonical. There are contemplative branches in actually a few places in the U.S. In the Bronx, in NJ, in San Diego, and I forget where else, but all those who enter start in the Bronk, I think, and then get sent to NJ for the next part of formation. I also have a booklet on the life of the MC contemplative and I know so much more about them but I can't seem to think of anything else right now to say but if you have any more questions about them, please feel free to ask! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orans Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Thank you for all the information, AbsoconditaInDeo, and I had a friend in the contemplative branch of the Missionaries of Charity although we haven't communicate for many years now as they do not write except on very especial ocassions -and I'm not a writer either . She was perpetually professed and later she was responsible for formation of the postulants in some Latin America country, and still later in Rome. Eventually I lost track of her. I had the opportunity of taking a look at their Constitutions. They had the same Constitutions book for both branches, the active and the contemplative Sisters. I remember that what is specific to the contemplatives -and doesn't apply to the active Sisters- was written in italics alternating with the rest of the text in normal type. They have four or five hours of prayer every day, sometimes they do pray -adoration- in some parish, or pray with poor people, this is the only external apostolate they have. They also allow people to pray with them in their convent. In their convents there is a room dedicated to Our Blessed Mother -like a chapel of Our Lady without the Eucharistic Reserve- besides their ordinary chapel. I think they have a fasting on bread and water every week. They are not enclosed, and change of convent as they are sent from one place to another. Sometimes a contemplative might be asked to help the active Sisters for a time, but I don't know how often or if this happen now at all. This are some few things I remember from 15 to 20 years ago. I'd guess that they haven't changed much. They are very prayerful and beautiful Sisters. Sr. Nirmala was the one who requested Mother Teresa again and again for the foundation of the contemplative branch, and eventually M. Teresa agreed and Sr. Nirmala started it in New Yourk with a group of Sisters that also had the call. My friend joined them a few months later. They are all one Congregation of Missionaries of Charity, although there is a Superior for the contemplative branch within the Society. At some point I met the contemplative Sisters of the Bronx a couple of times in the annual gathering of the contemplatives with the archbishop at the Seminary. I remember one of the contemplative Missionaries of Charity told me that some of them were trying to get permission to found a hermitage where they could live a more contemplative life, still within the Missionaries of Charity. I've never heard if that went anywhere. This happened around the time of the very beginning of the Sisters of Life, when Cardinal O'Connor was still our archbishop. At the time the Sisters of Life where thinking of founding a contemplative branch for themselves too; actually Cardinal O'Connor told us one year (to the contemplatives gathered annualy with him) that "next year there will be contemplative Sisters of Life among you". This never happened, and now the SV call themselves Active-Contemplative. Sorry that I've change topic within the post following fond memories .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnydigit Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 what's the schedule of the active sisters compared to the contemplatives? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbsconditaInDeo Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 Thank you for the kind welcome! You actually reminded me that I have another friend who is a solemn professed MC contemplative! I can't believe I forgot to mention it. She has been in the order for ten years and entered in the Bronx. She is now in the NJ branch and is the postulant mistress! Before she made solemn vows, she was hoping to be sent to India but because of lack of funds, she was sent to an active community in Washington DC for maybe about six to eight months and made solemn vows there in the basilica of the Immaculate Conception. She stayed in DC for a little while after, too, before she was sent to NJ to be the head of the postulants. Another cool little tid bit, the Sisters also have to periodically change cells so that they won't become attached to their own cells, and they also have to kneel before their superior and re-ask for permission to be able to use everything that they have, from their bed, their bath towel, everything! I'm not sure how often the latter takes place but my friend told me that they can be denied the use of something at that time and they don't always receive permission to use all that they had before. The Sisters also never hug each other but instead bow to one another, which I think is a custom that came from India. I think that their spirit of detachment is.. amazing. From time to time I think of my friend and ask myself how she is able to wash her clothes by hand everyday instead of using a washing machine and dryer, and how she is able to take a bath by solely using a bucket and some water instead of using a shower or a bathtub, and how she is able to live just like the poorest of the poor. It's all so amazing and truly she is only able to do it because she has received that grace from God in order to live out her vocation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AbsconditaInDeo Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 [quote name='johnnydigit' post='1806442' date='Mar 13 2009, 09:19 PM']what's the schedule of the active sisters compared to the contemplatives?[/quote] From what I know, the active sisters are extremely busy and don't pray the full office but only what is in the Christian Prayer. The sisters who switch from the active to the contemplative branch have to learn how to use the four volumes of the LOTH. As mentioned before, the contemplative sisters spend about four to five hours in prayer everyday, and from what my friend has told me, they have daily exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. I don't think the actives have daily Eucharistic adoration and if they do I doubt it is for as long as the contemplatives have it. Also, the contemplative sisters don't work as intimately with the poorest of the poor like the actives do. The contemplatives only go out about three times a week for only a couple of hours and speak to the spiritually poor. I don't know exactly what the schedule differences are because I'm not familiar so much with the active sisters, but I hope what I mentioned is helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ladybuggirl84 Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 I have also been interested in learning more about them, especially the active branch. Do you know where and how they serve? I know that they do not choose what they do or where they go, but do you know what kinds of things they do? I have not been able to find their real website. Do they have one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InHisLove726 Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 [quote name='ladybuggirl84' post='1806536' date='Mar 13 2009, 11:10 PM']I have also been interested in learning more about them, especially the active branch. Do you know where and how they serve? I know that they do not choose what they do or where they go, but do you know what kinds of things they do? I have not been able to find their real website. Do they have one?[/quote] Here is the official website: [url="http://www.motherteresa.org/"]http://www.motherteresa.org/[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Therese Posted March 14, 2009 Share Posted March 14, 2009 I have always felt very attracted to the MCs, but that's not my vocation. Such a beautiful, beautiful order though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lovejesus40 Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 [quote name='Laudem Gloriae' timestamp='1236923891' post='1805795'] I have always wondered about the Missionaries of Charity Contemplative Sisters branch of Mother Teresa's order. Does anyone know anything about them? [/quote] http://home.comcast.net/~motherteresasite/addresses.html Here is where you can find some info. I just signed up so that I could reply to your message. Good luck to you and God bless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indwelling Trinity Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Laudem Gloriae' timestamp='1236923891' post='1805795'] I have always wondered about the Missionaries of Charity Contemplative Sisters branch of Mother Teresa's order. Does anyone know anything about them? [/quote] Hi! If you or anyone have any questions about the Missionaries of Charity Either the contemplative or active branches I would be happy to help you. Before becoming a Carmelite Nun I was a professed member of the order and prior to entering Carmel i had lived for a few years as a member of the contemplative branch. Truly they are a beautiful, joyful, fervent and loving community! Yesterday I had the joy of talking with Sister Nirmala in India my former novice Mistress and superior. who later Became Mother General of the order when Our foundress Blessed Mother Teresa stepped down. Truly in Sister Nirmala is a saint of equal calibre as Mother Teresa. It was Sister Nirmala who founded the Contemplative branch in 1976 with Mother Teresa's permission. I had the joy of being an aspirant at that time and helping them prepare the first convent of contemplatives. So any questions, fire away! Tenderly, Indwelling Trinity Edited March 20, 2011 by Indwelling Trinity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmaberry Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 How would I go about contacting the MOC Contemplatives? I will be in NY late this June visiting the Monastic Sisters of Bethlehem and I would love to visit the MOC Contemplatives! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InPersonaChriste Posted April 25, 2012 Share Posted April 25, 2012 I am thinking of Volunteering with them after I graduate. I have always loved the Missionaries of Charity, Mother Teresa was the only nun I really knew about growing up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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