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Old Habits Die Hard


OnlySunshine

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PhuturePriest

Sister of Mercy
 

 

When a sister is stylin', it doesn't matter what Order/Community she's in. ;)

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Actually, to the SISTER, it really DOES matter what community it is.  For most, at least historically, the details of the habit were the last thing they cared about.... To equate a Sister of Mercy with a Benedictine? Or to say it doesn't matter?  Perhaps I'm confused, but neither the Benedictines nor the Mercys I know would understand this.

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PhuturePriest

Actually, to the SISTER, it really DOES matter what community it is.  For most, at least historically, the details of the habit were the last thing they cared about.... To equate a Sister of Mercy with a Benedictine? Or to say it doesn't matter?  Perhaps I'm confused, but neither the Benedictines nor the Mercys I know would understand this.

 

I think you perhaps take things too seriously. The habit looks nice. I am not eligible to enter female communities, therefore I do not care which habit is worn by which community, just like I don't expect you to care which male habit belongs to which community. The sister is stylin', and that's all I really care about in this thread which is specifically about habits.

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I just find it interesting that people who seem to have so much reverence for the habit have very little reverence for those who may take the specifics of the habit seriously. The particulars of a habit are not mere incidentals, and most sisters do not regard it as compliment to be regarded merely as stylish figures, or people who are admired for what they wear.  I think that this has a tendency to objectify those who wear habits--to discuss them as if they are neither human nor individuals, and to regard them as mainly significant for what they look like, rather than who they are. If this marks me as someone who is taking things too seriously, so be it.

 

For the record, I am NOT someone who is particularly attracted to habits, and most of my friends who are religious do not wear them (though most of the older ones used to).  My point is, rather, that the essence of religious life is not visible, or reflected in attire or other externals. But, for those who do wear a habit, it is not merely an interchangeable piece of "holy garb." 

 

Edited by Nunsuch
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PhuturePriest

I just find it interesting that people who seem to have so much reverence for the habit have very little reverence for those who may take the specifics of the habit seriously. The particulars of a habit are not mere incidentals, and most sisters do not regard it as compliment to be regarded merely as stylish figures, or people who are admired for what they wear.  I think that this has a tendency to objectify those who wear habits--to discuss them as if they are neither human nor individuals, and to regard them as mainly significant for what they look like, rather than who they are. If this marks me as someone who is taking things too seriously, so be it.

 

For the record, I am NOT someone who is particularly attracted to habits, and most of my friends who are religious do not wear them (though most of the older ones used to).  My point is, rather, that the essence of religious life is not visible, or reflected in attire or other externals. But, for those who do wear a habit, it is not merely an interchangeable piece of "holy garb." 

 

You don't have to love the habit. But for many people, the habit is their external sign of their vocation, like a wedding ring is to a married couple. There's no problem with having an attraction to a habit, or even not having one. There is a problem, however, with acting like there is a problem with either one.

 

And I don't see how mentioning your religious friends who don't wear habits is relevant. What is your point with mentioning them?

Edited by FuturePriest387
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PhuturePriest

I just find it interesting that people who seem to have so much reverence for the habit have very little reverence for those who may take the specifics of the habit seriously. The particulars of a habit are not mere incidentals, and most sisters do not regard it as compliment to be regarded merely as stylish figures, or people who are admired for what they wear.  I think that this has a tendency to objectify those who wear habits--to discuss them as if they are neither human nor individuals, and to regard them as mainly significant for what they look like, rather than who they are. If this marks me as someone who is taking things too seriously, so be it.

 

For the record, I am NOT someone who is particularly attracted to habits, and most of my friends who are religious do not wear them (though most of the older ones used to).  My point is, rather, that the essence of religious life is not visible, or reflected in attire or other externals. But, for those who do wear a habit, it is not merely an interchangeable piece of "holy garb." 

 

And your continued disregard for the purpose of the habit is annoying me. If you don't like them, fine, but don't act like they're not important. Saint Dominic de Guzman absolutely insisted that his friars and nuns wore habits, and so did Saint Benedict. Wearing habits was important to both of them. Why would they do that if they were meaningless pieces of cloth?

 

This is a great article by Father David Mary of the Franciscan Brothers Minor on the importance or the habit and the impact it has on vocations: http://franciscanbrothersminor.com/FBM/Discernment_Part_XII_Making_a_%22Habit%22_out_of_it.html I don't agree with everything in it, but it does explain the importance of the habit.

Edited by FuturePriest387
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Deus te Amat

And your continued disregard for the purpose of the habit is annoying me. If you don't like them, fine, but don't act like they're not important. Saint Dominic de Guzman absolutely insisted that his friars and nuns wore habits, and so did Saint Benedict. Wearing habits was important to both of them. Why would they do that if they were meaningless pieces of cloth?

This is a great article by Father David Mary of the Franciscan Brothers Minor on the importance or the habit and the impact it has on vocations: http://franciscanbrothersminor.com/FBM/Discernment_Part_XII_Making_a_%22Habit%22_out_of_it.html I don't agree with everything in it, but it does explain the importance of the habit.


I don't think you understood what Nunsuch said in the post you quoted. Edited by Deus_te_Amat
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PhuturePriest

I don't think you understood what Nunsuch said in the post you quoted.

 

Quite possibly. I've been regularly falling asleep at the keyboard for two days.

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PhuturePriest

I certainly did not suggest disrespect for habits AT ALL. Please reread what I wrote. Enough....

 

My sincerest apologies. As I said, I've been falling asleep at the keyboard for two days now. Lots of work and little sleep does fascinating things to the mind.

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