Sister Servants Eternal Word

[DameAgnes]

Does anyone know how big this community is? How many professed and how many novices?

[Tally Marx]

There are eighteen Sisters in this community.
There are currently two novices (both in their canonical year) and no postulants.
...I went to visit them week before last.

[DameAgnes]

Thanks for the information! How did you like them?

[Tally Marx]

I like them very much. The Sisters are [i]very [/i]sweet!
I'd never heard of combining the spirituality/charism of Saint Francis and Saint Dominic; I think that was pure genius.
And I like that, though they are only semi-contemplative and do retreat work and teach catechesis, they still have the prayer schedule of a contemplative cloistered order.

[DameAgnes]

[quote name='Tally Marx' timestamp='1291073433' post='2189906']
I like them very much. The Sisters are [i]very [/i]sweet!
I'd never heard of combining the spirituality/charism of Saint Francis and Saint Dominic; I think that was pure genius.
And I like that, though they are only semi-contemplative and do retreat work and teach catechesis, they still have the prayer schedule of a contemplative cloistered order.
[/quote]

I like that, too. I have always thought that a retreat-catechetics charism was incredibly undervalued and very needed. The religious of the Cenacle, whose work is similar has a lot of older sisters and almost no novitiate, worldwide. Perhaps these sisters can pick up where the Cenacle leaves off.

[Tally Marx]

Perhaps so.
I will pray that they (the Sister Servants) continue to have vocations.
They truly are a beautiful Order.

Edited November 30, 2010 by Tally Marx

[Tally Marx]

....Have you ever met the Sister Servants, Dame Agnes?
I'm just curious.

[Sarah147]

Woa! They are semi-contemplative AND FOLLOW PRAYER SCHEDULE OF A FULLY CONTEMPLATIVE?! That's a huge schedule. How do they fit it all in?

I heard that the Sisters don't give any of the talks or teachings, that they just answered some peoples questions after a Priest gives a talk. Is it still that way?

[Tally Marx]

Joyful, yes, it is still this way, which goes a long way toward relieving their schedule and opening it up for prayer. No doubt, the Sisters would be much more busy if they themselves had to give the talks! As it is, for the majority of the Sisters, their work involves the upkeep of the convent and retreat house itself (cooking, cleaning, gardening).
They do a really good job of keeping up their prayers (and they pray about 6 1/2 hours a day) even during weekend retreats, by scheduling the retreat around their prayers. The talks are broken up and squeezed in between prayer; the retreatants are welcome to pray the Office, the Angelus, Vespers, the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the Rosary, Compline, and attend Mass with the Sisters. Praying with the Sisters is part of the retreat (one of the best parts, I personally believe!).

If their schedule is hectic, they sure don't show it! They are so peaceful. Bubbly and energetic but not worn.

[Sarah147]

[1catholic]

[quote name='Tally Marx' timestamp='1291073433' post='2189906']
I'd never heard of combining the spirituality/charism of Saint Francis and Saint Dominic; I think that was pure genius.
And I like that, though they are only semi-contemplative and do retreat work and teach catechesis, they still have the prayer schedule of a contemplative cloistered order.
[/quote]

U should read St. Thomas Aquinas, The Dumb Ox by Chesterton - in his humorous and round about way he shows how while on the outside the two orders might seem to have different charism they are really quite compatible and after the same same thing (He does a lot of paralleling between St. Thomas and St. Francis and St. Dominic and St. Francis)

[Tally Marx]

[quote name='1catholic' timestamp='1292201187' post='2192432']
U should read St. Thomas Aquinas, The Dumb Ox by Chesterton - in his humorous and round about way he shows how while on the outside the two orders might seem to have different charism they are really quite compatible and after the same same thing (He does a lot of paralleling between St. Thomas and St. Francis and St. Dominic and St. Francis)


[/quote]

Francis and Dominic were a lot alike... probably why they are together in the Litany of Saints.
But I'd never heard of any Order that had actually done it! Not until the Sister Servants.

[Cherie]

[quote name='JoyfulLife' timestamp='1292022488' post='2192033']
I heard that the Sisters don't give any of the talks or teachings, that they just answered some peoples questions after a Priest gives a talk. Is it still that way?
[/quote]

They do, but not during their retreats given by Retreat Masters. For example, sometimes they give talks for days of recollection at parishes who ask them to come, or on vocation trips to other states, or other events they are asked to attend, like Youth Rallies, etc. They give talks and instructions during the Confirmation retreats and Mother/Daughter retreats, also

[Tally Marx]

[quote name='CherieMadame' timestamp='1292455035' post='2192932']
They do, but not during their retreats given by Retreat Masters. For example, sometimes they give talks for days of recollection at parishes who ask them to come, or on vocation trips to other states, or other events they are asked to attend, like Youth Rallies, etc. They give talks and instructions during the Confirmation retreats and Mother/Daughter retreats, also
[/quote]

Yes, every now and again, when they are asked to give a talk somewhere, they do.
I met Sr. Louise and Sr. Mary Anthony at the Ignite Your Torch Conference, in Kentucky...

[Cherie]

[quote name='Tally Marx' timestamp='1292559074' post='2193140']
I met Sr. Louise and Sr. Mary Anthony at the Ignite Your Torch Conference, in Kentucky...
[/quote]

Which one, this past year?

[Ale]

This community also has a male branch?

[Tally Marx]

Cherie Madame: Yes, this past July!

Ale: No....

Pax!

[Cherie]

[quote name='Tally Marx' timestamp='1292798726' post='2193506']
Cherie Madame: Yes, this past July!
[/quote]

That's awesome, Tally I was with them for five years - they're a great group of Sisters. Are you discerning with them?

Edited December 21, 2010 by CherieMadame

[Tally Marx]

[quote name='CherieMadame' timestamp='1292899677' post='2193717']
That's awesome, Tally I was with them for five years - they're a great group of Sisters. Are you discerning with them?
[/quote]

Lovely!

I'm definitely looking into them. But I'm looking into three different communities at the moment so...

[tnavarro61]

I think the order's nice. Franciscan and Dominican fusion. The habit is interesting too.