Moral Dilema

[Nunsense]

I love tamales!! And I am not a big meat eater either. There is just something about the taste of them that is so good - maybe it's the corn tortilla? I became a vegetarian when I was a Buddhist about a hundred years ago, and when I became a Christian I kept it up until I adopted a child and she wanted meat!

I love being vegetarian but use common sense now... if the body needs more protein or if it would inconvenience someone who is cooking for me (such as when I lived with my sister), then I eat meat... but I don't buy it or cook it at home anymore, now that there are no children to worry about.

In a religious community, I tried to eat what they put before me.... Edmonton ate meat and I found it hard but didn't object. I preferred that the other Carmels only ate fish --- I don't mind fish (except shellfish which makes me sick).

Food is a pretty important thing to most people, but I think most communities are aware of this and take individual needs into consideration.

[cmaD2006]

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1317170372' post='2311259']
I love tamales!! And I am not a big meat eater either. There is just something about the taste of them that is so good - maybe it's the corn tortilla? I became a vegetarian when I was a Buddhist about a hundred years ago, and when I became a Christian I kept it up until I adopted a child and she wanted meat!
[/quote]

Don't you mean 150 years ago?

Love you my sister in Christ!

[Nunsense]

[quote name='cmariadiaz' timestamp='1317174157' post='2311290']

Don't you mean 150 years ago?

Love you my sister in Christ!
[/quote]


Well, we all lie about our age a little

[das8949]

When I was a postulant I hated apples so as a penance twice a week instead of taking the orange which there were less of I would takethe apple.

[Nunsense]

[quote name='DarleneSteinemann' timestamp='1317185464' post='2311462']
When I was a postulant I hated apples so as a penance twice a week instead of taking the orange which there were less of I would takethe apple.
[/quote]


These are the kind of little penances that I liked to do as well - take something I didn't want or deny myself something I loved!

[brandelynmarie]

I think oranges would be my penance...it's a texture thing.

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1317188444' post='2311481']
I think oranges would be my penance...it's a texture thing.
[/quote]

I know what you mean. I love Navel oranges and Clementines, but other oranges have a weird texture and funny taste that I'm not fond of. It's not terrible to eat, but I prefer not to.

Edited September 28, 2011 by MaterMisericordiae

[dominicansoul]

in the dominican convent, you eat what is given, there may come a day when the pantry is empty and you get nothing...


oh, and an interesting note: a young lady came to visit the convent one day, and was telling all of us during a talking meal how she avoided such and such foods, etc. (she was a strict vegetarian.) Mother overheard her and told her, "If you want to join this community, you eat what is given." In an instant, she became a carnivore! Such is the desire to follow where God leads you...

[Totally Franciscan]

When I was in Carmel, we did have meat. Now and then we were served liver. I have a real aversion to the texture of liver, not necessarily the taste. When the liver was passed down the table, I didn't take any and continued to pass the plate. This would have been fine with me and the end of it, except the novice mistress noticed that I did not take the liver and asked me why. The fact that I did not like liver was not the problem, but that I passed on what was given. Soooooo, her suggestion was that from now on, when liver was served, I would be given a hamburger patty instead. However, the shame of having something else prepared for me while the others ate the liver was worse than eating the liver!

[faithcecelia]

[quote name='Totally Franciscan' timestamp='1317190248' post='2311491']
When I was in Carmel, we did have meat. Now and then we were served liver. I have a real aversion to the texture of liver, not necessarily the taste. When the liver was passed down the table, I didn't take any and continued to pass the plate. This would have been fine with me and the end of it, except the novice mistress noticed that I did not take the liver and asked me why. The fact that I did not like liver was not the problem, but that I passed on what was given. Soooooo, her suggestion was that from now on, when liver was served, I would be given a hamburger patty instead. However, the shame of having something else prepared for me while the others ate the liver was worse than eating the liver!
[/quote]


Its not religious life, but marriage, so I guess it still fits in VS....

When my parents first got married my mother got into a lovely routine cooking my dad's dinners - Sunday roast, stew, sausages, fish on Fridays, liver and bacon once a week, etc etc. Just after their first wedding anniversary my dad finally summed up the courage to tell my mother that he really cannot stomach liver! Its gone down in family history because my dad is the least fussy eater in the world, I think that is literally the only thing I know he doesn't like, bless him!

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='dominicansoul' timestamp='1317189933' post='2311489']
in the dominican convent, you eat what is given, there may come a day when the pantry is empty and you get nothing...


oh, and an interesting note: a young lady came to visit the convent one day, and was telling all of us during a talking meal how she avoided such and such foods, etc. (she was a strict vegetarian.) Mother overheard her and told her, "If you want to join this community, you eat what is given." In an instant, she became a carnivore! Such is the desire to follow where God leads you...
[/quote]

That's a good point! I remember when I was living with the Carmelite DCJ Sisters for a few days and I was having trouble eating because of anxiety (not on meds at the time). SrMG (the provincial superior) asked me if I was OK and I tried to explain to her that I was on a diet to lose weight and I was taking Alli. She explained to me that the Sisters don't go on diets. They eat what they are given and everything is in balance so most get healthier anyway. In the mornings (since I usually only ate breakfast with the Sisters), you were supposed to eat cereal or oatmeal and then there was a bowl of fruit on the table that every Sister was to take a piece from. One day, there was coagulated milk and bread, too. I kept trying to eat at every meal and was eating like a bird (not much because of the butterflies in my stomach). It helped me realize that I was not prepared to be a Sister yet and that I needed more time at home before taking such a step.

When I went to visit the CFR Sisters in January 2010, I ate quite a bit. The Sisters are very into eating leftovers and would pull out several Tupperware containers of food that would be reheated on the stove (no microwave) in a skillet or pot. One day for lunch, Sr. Francis told us to please try to eat most of the leftovers, so I put what I thought I would eat on a plate (all cold stuff -- nothing to heat up). I think I emptied about 4 small containers. They had really good food there. I loved eating the mashed potatoes with beef stew on top that we ate for lunch Saturday after serving in the soup kitchen. It was exactly what the visitors to the SK had eaten, so, in a way, you felt one with the poor. I really liked that.

It was funny. There was a girl there who was very thin. She ate like a bird, eating very slowly and mostly talking. It brought back memories of when I was with the Carmelite Sisters. I even remember her talking about her conversation with Sr. Francis when the retreatants were alone for a moment. She said that she didn't feel called there because Sr. Francis asked her why she didn't eat very much. Apparently, she is a picky eater.

I'm going to try my very best to eat what is given to me when I visit the RSMs in November. Hopefully, they won't have any odd or disgusting things like beef tripe, tongue, liver, etc. That would definitely be penance for me.

[faithcecelia]

I am absolutely certain I will lose weight on my month live-in, and when I first enter, because I will not have easy access to sweets!

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1317191520' post='2311498']
I am absolutely certain I will lose weight on my month live-in, and when I first enter, because I will not have easy access to sweets!
[/quote]

That's always a plus! Sweets are unnecessary anyway.

[faithcecelia]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1317191900' post='2311504']

That's always a plus! Sweets are unnecessary anyway.
[/quote]

But sooooooooo yum!

And quick energy when sleep is lacking!

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1317192524' post='2311506']

But sooooooooo yum!

And quick energy when sleep is lacking!
[/quote]

[brandelynmarie]

[quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1317192524' post='2311506']

But sooooooooo yum!

And quick energy when sleep is lacking!
[/quote]

Oh yes! Working nightshift & depriving my body of sleep...sweets & coffee seem to be the next thing that my body wants .

[faithcecelia]

[quote name='brandelynmarie' timestamp='1317194504' post='2311511']

Oh yes! Working nightshift & depriving my body of sleep...sweets & coffee seem to be the next thing that my body wants .
[/quote]

Yes, I often take Corin to school dragging him past the sweetshop telling him we do not eat sweets at that time of day, then go in myself on the way back That and/or go and grab a coffee in Thorntons - they use really strange soya milk, but with a double shot of gingerbread syrup it does the job!

Edited September 28, 2011 by faithcecelia

[Nunsense]

I'm cross posting On another thread someone talked about an Almond Joy, and I come here and we are talking about chocolate! I had chocolate a plenty in Carmel - it was the Diet Coke I missed


And on the liver topic, I used to hate chicken livers, but when I lived with my girlfriend's family for six months, they had it once a week and I was expected to eat it too... never got used to it, but it was good training for eating what was put in front of me!

[faithcecelia]

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1317197623' post='2311526']
I'm cross posting On another thread someone talked about an Almond Joy, and I come here and we are talking about chocolate! I had chocolate a plenty in Carmel - it was the Diet Coke I missed


And on the liver topic, I used to hate chicken livers, but when I lived with my girlfriend's family for six months, they had it once a week and I was expected to eat it too... never got used to it, but it was good training for eating what was put in front of me!
[/quote]


I was stunned by how much chocolate I got in Carmel too, but yes, fizzy drinks were distinctly lacking. When I had a dental disaster (its own thread ) my NM and I drove down to my old dentist in Essex to get it sorted, and I was given permission to ask my mother to pop over and see us - took me for coffee, bless her! As she was leaving, she gave us a bag of goodies for our return journey - you have never seen 2 nuns down Pepsi Max at such speed That then resulted in the need for a 'comfort break' and the 2 of us running round Tescos in Ipswich, then NM remembering she needed photos done for a new driving lisence, so faffing getting change for the machine, much fiddling with veil, giggling and then moaning about nose size. Oh, that was a good day!

[Nunsense]

[quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1317198393' post='2311541']


I was stunned by how much chocolate I got in Carmel too, but yes, fizzy drinks were distinctly lacking. When I had a dental disaster (its own thread ) my NM and I drove down to my old dentist in Essex to get it sorted, and I was given permission to ask my mother to pop over and see us - took me for coffee, bless her! As she was leaving, she gave us a bag of goodies for our return journey - you have never seen 2 nuns down Pepsi Max at such speed That then resulted in the need for a 'comfort break' and the 2 of us running round Tescos in Ipswich, then NM remembering she needed photos done for a new driving lisence, so faffing getting change for the machine, much fiddling with veil, giggling and then moaning about nose size. Oh, that was a good day!
[/quote]

Ok, you got me thinking that we need a new thread for convent adventures!