Your Favorite Postulant Outfit

[Chiquitunga]

theirs are identical to the Community of St. John, although technically this is the "School of Life" stage which lasts for a year. they actually receive the Habit (though not with the full veil, but a simple one without the wimple/toque) when they enter postulancy which is two years. and then the novitiate is another two years. I just checked their vocation pamphlet. I'm not sure if they receive the full veil when they enter the novitiate or at First Vows. but for the community of St. John, as far as I remember, they do not have something called the postulancy, but go from School of Life to novitiate.

[Chiquitunga]

another Carmel with my favorite postulant outfit 

 

 

Rubio, Venezuela (1990 Constitutions) has many vocations, and they often send their Sisters to help at other monasteries especially in Spain 

[Chiquitunga]

Ecija, Spain ~ http://carmelitasecija.es.tl/ (this Carmel has a nun from Rubio :like:)

 

 

 

 

 

[Gabriela]

theirs are identical to the Community of St. John, although technically this is the "School of Life" stage which lasts for a year. they actually receive the Habit (though not with the full veil, but a simple one without the wimple/toque) when they enter postulancy which is two years. and then the novitiate is another two years. I just checked their vocation pamphlet. I'm not sure if they receive the full veil when they enter the novitiate or at First Vows. but for the community of St. John, as far as I remember, they do not have something called the postulancy, but go from School of Life to novitiate.

 

Yeah, but technically, the "School of Life' is the first year, so I considered it equivalent to postulancy. Do you know if it's different in any way?

 

I don't know about a "veil", because hermits technically don't wear one. They have a hood. Their novices receive a black habit with a hood, instead of the finally professed white one, like Carthusian novices. I don't know if there's a wimple for the novices, though, like there is for the finally professed (a blue one).

[Chiquitunga]

 

Yeah, but technically, the "School of Life' is the first year, so I considered it equivalent to postulancy. Do you know if it's different in any way?

 

I just know that after the year they ask them to go home/back to the world for a time to think about it. then if they decide to come back they start their two year postulancy and receive the Habit and simple veil.

 

I don't know about a "veil", because hermits technically don't wear one. They have a hood. Their novices receive a black habit with a hood, instead of the finally professed white one, like Carthusian novices. I don't know if there's a wimple for the novices, though, like there is for the finally professed (a blue one).

 

I thought the Novices (and I think postulants, since it says they receive the Habit upon entrance to postulancy in the brochure) had the white Carthusian cowl too, like this. I haven't heard of them wearing a black Habit, just the navy blue hoodie for the School of Life. But maybe things changed since I visited them.

 

 

 

 

edit to add: that simple veil when seen without the hood is actually like a large bandanna tied at the back

Edited November 26, 2013 by Chiquitunga

[TheresaThoma]

theirs are identical to the Community of St. John, although technically this is the "School of Life" stage which lasts for a year. they actually receive the Habit (though not with the full veil, but a simple one without the wimple/toque) when they enter postulancy which is two years. and then the novitiate is another two years. I just checked their vocation pamphlet. I'm not sure if they receive the full veil when they enter the novitiate or at First Vows. but for the community of St. John, as far as I remember, they do not have something called the postulancy, but go from School of Life to novitiate.

 

Is this for the contemplative sisters of St John or another community?

I know the Apostolic Sisters of St John do have postulancy which is 6-12 months (it varies based on the individual). And I have been told it is kind of in two stages. They wear a long dark colored skirt and simple modest tops. At the beginning of the second "stage" they recieve a "hoodie thing" (I forgot the actual name) which is the same fabric as the habit. http://www.soeursapostoliquesdesaintjean.com/index.php?action=page.prieure&id_prieure=1

You can see both in the top picture of the website.

Then when they begin the novitiate they recieve the habit but with the modified veil.

[Chiquitunga]

Is this for the contemplative sisters of St John or another community?

 

yeah, I mean the Contemplative Sisters of St. John. I think I remember them mentioning that they didn't actually have a postulancy stage, or one named that, but go from the School of Life to being clothed as Novices. this little description of their formation seems to suggest that too, http://www.communityofstjohn.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57%3Aprinceville-sisters&catid=34%3Aprinceville&Itemid=54

 

whereas this description of the Apostolic Sisters' formation includes postulancy as you described it (with no School of Life) http://www.communityofstjohn.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=66%3Aapostolic-sisters&catid=38%3Athe-community&Itemid=27&limitstart=2

 

so in a way, in seems like the Contemplative Sisters' School of Life is basically the equivalent of postulancy, whereas the School of Life for the Monastic Family of Bethlehem may be a little different, one reason being that the aspirant/discerner is asked to return home before coming back to begin postulancy, which Bethlehem has, and two full years of it!

Edited November 26, 2013 by Chiquitunga

[genesisweavers]

There is some information about the Monastic Sisters of Bethlehem in this thread that is not correct.  The first step (of course) is to simply come to the Monastery as a retreatant.  Then there is a period of aspirant.  While an aspirant the candidate is assigned a hermitage within the enclosure but she does not mingle with the community.  If that all goes well she is then admitted into a closer relationship with the community.  This phase is called - the School of Life.  At this time the candidate lives in a hermitage, sits in the Sisters' section of the church and she mingles with the community.  After that she will become a postulant.  During the postulancy she still wears her own clothing and over her own clothing she wears what they call the Mellot (sp?).  The Mellot is a navy blue garment that looks alot like a hoodie.  It comes down to the knees and of course has a hood (which is always worn up during her time in the church.  When the postulant becomes a novice she receives the habit (but not the veil).  This consists of a white tunic, a large rosary on her belt (the rosary is made of woolen yarn) a cuculla - which is fashioned after (but not identical to) the Carhtusian habit.  (Novices do not wear the black mantle as the Carthian novices and postulants do).  Also - the novice do not wear a veil - she wears a large bandana made from the same fabric as the Sisters' veil. 

 

When the novice is professed she is clothed again in the habit at the profession ceremony.  She appears in the church wearing only the white tunic with the belt and the bandana.  After she professes her vows the bandana is removed and her hair is cut, then two Sisters put the veil and guimpe on her head then the rosary and the cuculla.  I think this feature of the profession reflects their Byzantine style. 

[Gabriela]

There is some information about the Monastic Sisters of Bethlehem in this thread that is not correct.  The first step (of course) is to simply come to the Monastery as a retreatant.  Then there is a period of aspirant.  While an aspirant the candidate is assigned a hermitage within the enclosure but she does not mingle with the community.  If that all goes well she is then admitted into a closer relationship with the community.  This phase is called - the School of Life.  At this time the candidate lives in a hermitage, sits in the Sisters' section of the church and she mingles with the community.  After that she will become a postulant.  During the postulancy she still wears her own clothing and over her own clothing she wears what they call the Mellot (sp?).  The Mellot is a navy blue garment that looks alot like a hoodie.  It comes down to the knees and of course has a hood (which is always worn up during her time in the church.  When the postulant becomes a novice she receives the habit (but not the veil).  This consists of a white tunic, a large rosary on her belt (the rosary is made of woolen yarn) a cuculla - which is fashioned after (but not identical to) the Carhtusian habit.  (Novices do not wear the black mantle as the Carthian novices and postulants do).  Also - the novice do not wear a veil - she wears a large bandana made from the same fabric as the Sisters' veil. 

 

When the novice is professed she is clothed again in the habit at the profession ceremony.  She appears in the church wearing only the white tunic with the belt and the bandana.  After she professes her vows the bandana is removed and her hair is cut, then two Sisters put the veil and guimpe on her head then the rosary and the cuculla.  I think this feature of the profession reflects their Byzantine style. 

 

Thank you for clarifying this! Does anyone know how long the sisters send people home for after they have completed the School of Life? I was not aware that they do that...

[Chiquitunga]

There is some information about the Monastic Sisters of Bethlehem in this thread that is not correct.  The first step (of course) is to simply come to the Monastery as a retreatant.  Then there is a period of aspirant.  While an aspirant the candidate is assigned a hermitage within the enclosure but she does not mingle with the community.  If that all goes well she is then admitted into a closer relationship with the community.  This phase is called - the School of Life.  At this time the candidate lives in a hermitage, sits in the Sisters' section of the church and she mingles with the community.  After that she will become a postulant.  During the postulancy she still wears her own clothing and over her own clothing she wears what they call the Mellot (sp?). 

 

In the vocation brochure I have from them it says they receive the Habit at the beginning of postulancy. Perhaps it's a typo. It does seem odd, as I had never heard of that before. From what I remember during my time discerning with them, the women with the navy blue Mellot (never knew the name) were the ones in the School of Life, just like the Contemplative Sisters of St. John at that stage. 

 

yeah, the Novices just wear the blue bandanna, although I called it a simple veil. it falls in the back a little longer than an ordinary bandanna. I didn't know that though about their hair only being cut at First Profession when they receive the full veil with the guimpe. it sounds like you attended one of those ceremonies. that's awesome!! :like:

 

I'm not sure how long the discerner is asked to return home after the School of Life :think:

[Chiquitunga]

here it also says the Habit is received at the beginning of postulancy, http://english.bethleem.org/les_etapes_de_la_vie_monastique.php

[genesisweavers]

The Monastic Sisters of Bethlehem do not receive the habit at the beginning of postulancy.  They receive it at the beginning of their novitiate.  Yes I was at a Profession ceremony and like all of their liturgies it is a wonderful and prayerful experience.  I am a lay associate of Bethlehem and I have also been living at the Monastery in Livingston Manor for a little over a year. The Sisters are without a doubt the best people I have ever met.  Blessings. 

[Chiquitunga]

this is from one of their pamphlets from a few years back, maybe they changed the formation program since then though  :think: it's also written this way on their site, http://english.bethleem.org/les_etapes_de_la_vie_monastique.php  still may be dated though ... still maybe when they say habit they actually mean the navy blue long hoodie/Mellot 

 

[TheresaThoma]

Thanks Genisis for the correction! It is interesting to see the similarities/differences between the various communities.

 

Mellot! That is the word I was looking for. I have no idea how to spell it either though.

[genesisweavers]

Peace to you + after I posted a response to your posts yesterday I had the exact same thought that you posted.  I think the confusion here is what they are calling the monastic habit.  And I think it this context the monastic habit is the mellot.  The Sisters continue to wear the mellot for the rest of their monastic life.  However the only time I have seen it is when the Sister has to leave the monastery property.  Their 'going out' habit is a light blue tunic (which matches the veil), the same veil and head covering and the navy blue mellot - and recently they added a brass cross worn over the mellot.  Currently there are three lay associates living at the Livingston Manor Monastery and we wear the mellot for the liturgy but our's is grey not navy. 

[Chiquitunga]

Praised be Jesus Christ! Happy Thanksgiving! Please forgive me, I feel kind of bad going back and forth with this :blush: but now I'm really confused. Genesis, is there any  way you can ask one of the Sisters themselves? (only if you get a chance though, like the Sister who helps with guests, she's very nice! :))  

 

I do remember the Sisters wearing the Mellot when they went out, so it would be part of their habit. But I still wonder if the "celebration of the clothing of the monastic habit" is just the Mellot. If so, it would seem they would also describe on their formation page the bigger step of receiving the Habit of St. Bruno that would begin with the novitiate. http://english.bethleem.org/les_etapes_de_la_vie_monastique.php

 

Some pictures from a clothing ceremony, http://sainte-liberte.over-blog.com/article-les-soeurs-de-bethleem-58359272.html  This seems more like a celebration of receiving the monastic habit. 

 

In this blog written by someone who seems to know the Sisters well, he seems to be referring to a couple in the back as those in the School of Life, who have the navy blue Mellot on (although one doesn't have the hood up, but I remember seeing that sometimes they don't always keep it up in church) http://sistersofbethlehem.blogspot.com/2010/10/inside-of-chapel.html

 

I remember them saying that when I discerned with them (that those in the Mellot were in the School of Life) but I still could be remembering wrong. I know for sure the Contemplative Sisters of St. John have their discerners in the School of Life wearing the navy blue Mellot, as I visited there several times and talked with many of the School of Lifers, lol for lack of a better term.

 

Anyway, not the end of the world if we don't reach a final conclusion here. Just wondering. God bless!

[Chiquitunga]

okay, I'm still awake and on phatmass  <- love that old emoticon, have it saved so I can quickly copy/paste and still use it

 

just noticed that blog mentions the School of Life again here, http://sistersofbethlehem.blogspot.com/2010/10/transfiguration.html and says they wear the melotte over secular clothing. genesis your spelling was very close!! (assuming this blog owner is spelling it right that is) also props to you for remembering the term!!

 

seeing that chapel and all the pictures on this blog brings back memories, as they are all from Les Montsvoirons where the Evangelical Month is :heart:

 

finally, in my searching I came upon this icon. looks like Our Lady is where a melotte just like theirs :like:

 

[Chiquitunga]

wearing* a melotte :topsy: