If You Could Design A Habit...

[cmaD2006]

Well, if I *really* could design *any* habit ...

jeans (dark blue, not the ones that look like they're glued on but more baggy) and a t-shirt (more like a polo-shirt), with some sort of veil. Probably black (so that it wouldn't get as soiled). Why the veil, well it makes bad hair days go away.

[Nunsense]

For me, wearing the Carmelite habit felt like being embraced. Taking it off was the hardest thing I ever had to do, and even now I wonder what possessed me to do so, but nevermind, God will take care of things.

As for jeans being a habit, I personally adore jeans and they are my everyday "uniform" when I am not working in an office or attending Mass, but there is just something so special about wearing a nearly floor length habit, a scapular and a choir mantle along with that veil that hides the bad hair days! Maybe its the romantic in me but I just love the look of a long habit. I do wish the Carmelites had veils more like the Poor Clares or the Dominicans (longer) but that's just one of those things that one has to accept as part of their whole habit.

And I do agree that one's reaction to a habit can sometimes be a guide as to which community one should enter because one nun told me that when she was contemplating religious life, she came across a picture of St Therese and the minute she saw her habit she said that she knew she was meant to wear it!

The religious habit is not just something that one wears for the rest of their life either, it is also the shroud in which a sister is buried. It is so special and I like the analogy of the wedding dress, but one that is worn forever.

[Cherie]

[quote name='cmariadiaz' date='15 May 2010 - 01:15 AM' timestamp='1273900555' post='2111008']
Well, if I *really* could design *any* habit ...

jeans (dark blue, not the ones that look like they're glued on but more baggy) and a t-shirt (more like a polo-shirt), with some sort of veil. Probably black (so that it wouldn't get as soiled). Why the veil, well it makes bad hair days go away.


[/quote]

The community I was with had denim aprons we would use for kitchen work, and sometimes we had to go to the Maintenance Building to get some supplies (it's where all the extra freezers were) ... so many times, the retreatants and visitors would see us in our aprons.

Often people would ask us, "Who are the Sisters without veils? Who are the Sisters with white veils, or dark brown veils?" And inevitably, we'd then get the question, "Who are the Sisters in the blue jeans?"

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='cmariadiaz' date='15 May 2010 - 12:15 AM' timestamp='1273900555' post='2111008']
Well, if I *really* could design *any* habit ...

jeans (dark blue, not the ones that look like they're glued on but more baggy) and a t-shirt (more like a polo-shirt), with some sort of veil. Probably black (so that it wouldn't get as soiled). Why the veil, well it makes bad hair days go away.

[img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/lol_roll.gif[/img] [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/D.gif[/img] [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/P.gif[/img]
[/quote]

My first thought is only marginally related to your post, and that is that I find it sad that there seems to be a huge divide between habited orders of Sisters/nuns and non-habited orders. The habited orders seem to look on the others as "not true religious" and the non-habited orders tend to look on habited ones as "stuck in the past." The truth of course, is that the situation is far more complex than that. There are non-habited orders that lead lives that are just as true to the Magisterium as habited ones, and there are some habited orders that are not necessarily emotionally healthy and may be straying from Rome.

We do have different standards for men versus women--both of who have dedicated their lives to serving God--and I am no better than anyone else about this. I have no problem with priests or even male religious wearing standard "civilian clothes" in some situations, but sisters/nuns whose only indication that they are in religious life is a small pin or a cross around their neck, seem to me to be less like nuns, even though I know many of them lead very holy lives--possibly holier than many habited sisters/nuns.

So, to your post--I have mixed feelings. Certainly the veil with the jeans would be an outward symbol that you were a religious Sister or nun. But, to me, once you start wearing "civilian clothes" you bring up problems by having a choice of clothes. One is the point at which having a choice of clothes becomes vanity. Not to mention that it is cheaper to wear a habit every day, which speaks to the vow of poverty.

I'll also bring up another problem with jeans that may not have occurred to you. I don't know your age, but I'm going to guess you are under 40. Particularly as you get older (and you WILL get older, we all do), jeans are not necessarily the most flattering or comfortable clothes. Gravity is unkind to women. Even if you manage to stay the same weight (despite the fact that your metabolism slows WAY down), your fat moves downward. So the jeans that fit you at 25 or 30, probably won't fit at 40 even if you are the same weight. Also, jeans aren't flattering to all womens' figures. However, one good thing about jeans is that nowadays, women of all ages wear them. My mother still wears jeans at age 83, and she looks great. However, she weighs about 100 pounds soaking wet, and even she admits the the location of her fat has moved downward.

On the other hand, a habit is flattering and more comfortable for a woman of any age. No tight waistband to remind you that you ate too much at dinner. Even with baggier jeans and tops, various bumps and bulges show, which they don't with a habit. Habits are just as flattering on a woman of 60 as they are on a woman of 20. Plus, I think it would be nice not to have to decide what to wear every day.

I don't know the answer to the "habit" question. Habits do seem to attract young women to the religious life. What I don't know is how these same young women are going to feel about the habit in 20 or 30 years--it will be interesting to see.

And, I don't see preferring to wear jeans as an indication that a person loves God less or is less obedient to the Magisterium. Just are there are different tastes in habits, I could see a very religious woman still not wanting to wear a habit.

I'm rambling, because the whole issue of "the habit" is a very complex one that I have no suggestions of how to address, so I'm going to stop.

Edited May 15, 2010 by IgnatiusofLoyola

[Michele]

[quote name='laetitia crucis' date='14 May 2010 - 07:17 AM' timestamp='1273843060' post='2110531']
I'd be tempted to kill myself.
[/quote]

please don't. people would miss you. God loves you. life is worth living no matter what you have to wear.

[Michele]

[quote name='CherieMadame' date='15 May 2010 - 08:54 AM' timestamp='1273935255' post='2111075']
The community I was with had denim aprons we would use for kitchen work, ... so many times, the retreatants and visitors would see us in our aprons.
[/quote]

neato. one time i (re)gifted an italian apron to a convent's formation house kitchen... it had lots of different types of bread pictured on it

Edited May 16, 2010 by Michele

[vee]

[quote name='laetitia crucis' date='14 May 2010 - 10:58 AM' timestamp='1273852706' post='2110590']

I always think, "Oh man, I would LOOOOOOOVE to get my hands on those scapulars and iron out those creases!!" (I always found them oddly distracting. Hahaha! )
[/quote]

Me too! Must. Iron. Stuff.


Also one of the things I noticed on my come and see was that the habit really doesnt matter as much as who the person is thats wearing it. Speaking with someone behind a grille draws your focus to their eyes and not what they have on at least thats what I found.

[Amor vincit omnia]

+JMJ+

Helppp I am not sure if this is the right place to post this put i was wondering if someone could help me. I have been thinking about this particular community that I saw a few years back but I do not remember the communities name. The sisters habit was long and they were in a light blue habit, they also had a very long veil. I would love to find out the communities name so I can look them up

Thank you and God Bless

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='Amor vincit omnia' date='17 May 2010 - 10:58 PM' timestamp='1274151521' post='2112450']
+JMJ+

Helppp I am not sure if this is the right place to post this put i was wondering if someone could help me. I have been thinking about this particular community that I saw a few years back but I do not remember the communities name. The sisters habit was long and they were in a light blue habit, they also had a very long veil. I would love to find out the communities name so I can look them up

Thank you and God Bless
[/quote]

I believe you are referring to the Trinitarians of Mary.

http://www.trinitariansofmary.org/

Here is a picture from their website:

[img]http://www.trinitariansofmary.org/images/About%20Us/Lord%27s_Feet/Hna_Capilla_SD.jpg[/img]

Edited May 18, 2010 by MaterMisericordiae

[Amor vincit omnia]

Beautiful but its not the community I am speaking off...the veil and having were a bit darker blue but vibrant! but i am definitely going to check this community out!

Thank You

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='Amor vincit omnia' date='17 May 2010 - 11:50 PM' timestamp='1274154603' post='2112515']
Beautiful but its not the community I am speaking off...the veil and having were a bit darker blue but vibrant! but i am definitely going to check this community out!

Thank You
[/quote]

Do you remember the color of the veil? That might help me find the community you are speaking of.

[Amor vincit omnia]

the color of the veil was blue but not navy or light blue...it was the same color of the habit...i believe im sorry its been a few years...and i just started discerning a religious vocation after 8 years of running from Him

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='Amor vincit omnia' date='18 May 2010 - 12:02 AM' timestamp='1274155336' post='2112526']
the color of the veil was blue but not navy or light blue...it was the same color of the habit...i believe im sorry its been a few years...and i just started discerning a religious vocation after 8 years of running from Him
[/quote]

I'm going to search around a bit and see if I can figure out which community you are looking for.

[Amor vincit omnia]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' date='18 May 2010 - 01:03 AM' timestamp='1274155432' post='2112530']
I'm going to search around a bit and see if I can figure out which community you are looking for.
[/quote]


Thank you so much...it means a lot they have been on my mind a lot lately

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='Amor vincit omnia' date='18 May 2010 - 12:06 AM' timestamp='1274155607' post='2112535']
Thank you so much...it means a lot they have been on my mind a lot lately
[/quote]

Do you perhaps remember what their apostolate was? Are they a new community? I have two that I know of that have long blue habits with the same color blue veils.

[url="http://www.cmswr.org/member_communities/SMMI.htm"]Sisters Minor of Mary Immaculate[/url]

[url="http://www.cmswr.org/member_communities/DOI.htm"]Daughters of the Immaculata[/url]

[Amor vincit omnia]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' date='18 May 2010 - 01:12 AM' timestamp='1274155952' post='2112547']
Do you perhaps remember what their apostolate was? Are they a new community? I have two that I know of that have long blue habits with the same color blue veils.

[url="http://www.cmswr.org/member_communities/SMMI.htm"]Sisters Minor of Mary Immaculate[/url]

[url="http://www.cmswr.org/member_communities/DOI.htm"]Daughters of the Immaculata[/url]
[/quote]




Thank you for that those two communities but those aren't it either... i believe its a new community...i am not sure of the apostolate...from what i remember about the sisters...and they have a community somewhere in P.A i believe...im so sorry for the vague information...at the time when i met them i was already in a community and did not think anything of it and here I am 26 re-discerning a religious vocation

[Cherie]

[quote name='Amor vincit omnia' date='18 May 2010 - 12:02 AM' timestamp='1274155336' post='2112526']
the color of the veil was blue but not navy or light blue...it was the same color of the habit...i believe im sorry its been a few years...and i just started discerning a religious vocation after 8 years of running from Him
[/quote]

Could it possibly be the following?:

http://www.ssvmusa.org/about.shtm (they have two houses in PA)

http://marymediatrix.com/religious-life/sisters-of-the-immaculate

http://dmml.org/default.aspx

http://www.daughtersoftheimmaculata.com/


Or you could check out the "blue habit" thread: http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=96883

Hope that helps!

[laetitia crucis]

[quote name='CherieMadame' date='18 May 2010 - 06:54 AM' timestamp='1274180069' post='2112679']
Could it possibly be the following?:

http://www.ssvmusa.org/about.shtm (they have two houses in PA)

http://marymediatrix.com/religious-life/sisters-of-the-immaculate

http://dmml.org/default.aspx

http://www.daughtersoftheimmaculata.com/


Or you could check out the "blue habit" thread: http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=96883

Hope that helps!
[/quote]



Good suggestions! You listed all the ones I was thinking of as well.

Including the "blue habit" thread! Hahaha!

[Amor vincit omnia]

[quote name='CherieMadame' date='18 May 2010 - 07:54 AM' timestamp='1274180069' post='2112679']
Could it possibly be the following?:

http://www.ssvmusa.org/about.shtm (they have two houses in PA)

http://marymediatrix.com/religious-life/sisters-of-the-immaculate

http://dmml.org/default.aspx

http://www.daughtersoftheimmaculata.com/


Or you could check out the "blue habit" thread: http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=96883

Hope that helps!
[/quote]



YAY you found themmmm its Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matará Thank you thank you thank youuuu so much...you do not know how much I appreciate it your help!

[FutureSister2009]

I'm just weird because mine would be pink or purple or blue or all three.