Religious Life

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='jruss' timestamp='1306887465' post='2248427']
This topic reminds me of a nice story from the Nashville Dominicans (btw even they modified their habits post vatican 2). There is a professed sister in Nashville that just joined from another community about a year ago. This particular sister had been professed for years (guessing over 15 or 20)with a more liberal order. She got to wear the habit for 14 days as a novice before her community abandoned habits all together. But this sister loved her community and religious life and eventually came to be on the CARA team. She was completely content where she was in her life, but when she visited Nashville as part of the CARA study she knew she had to join there.

She is back on the CARA team as a ND and my daughter (a novice) was telling me what a blessing this sister has been to her because of her wisdom and her testimony. This sister has shared with my daughter about how many beautiful and authentic vocations there are among the so called liberal orders, as witnessed during her years in religious life and through her work on the study. She says in most cases the women responsible for the poor decisions in orders have since left.
[/quote]

It's wonderful that these kind of things exist for Sisters--transferring from other communities. It has to be difficult, for sure, since you thought that you were entering your original community for life. But with the way things are changing--sometimes not for the better--some Sisters are looking at this as a viable option. When I visited the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus in Milwaukee, WI, there was a cloistered Carmelite nun there who was planning to transfer from her community to the Carmelite DCJ Sisters, but I don't think she went through with it because I don't see her in any of the recent pictures. She was very nice, though, and I remember that she gave me a prayer for priests which I have to this day.

I also read recently that a Sister from Nigeria transferred to the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. I thought that was really neat.

http://www.fsecommunity.org/news/11-03-27_scollette.html

[Sister Marie]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1306888148' post='2248432']
It's wonderful that these kind of things exist for Sisters--transferring from other communities. It has to be difficult, for sure, since you thought that you were entering your original community for life. But with the way things are changing--sometimes not for the better--some Sisters are looking at this as a viable option. When I visited the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus in Milwaukee, WI, there was a cloistered Carmelite nun there who was planning to transfer from her community to the Carmelite DCJ Sisters, but I don't think she went through with it because I don't see her in any of the recent pictures. She was very nice, though, and I remember that she gave me a prayer for priests which I have to this day.

I also read recently that a Sister from Nigeria transferred to the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist. I thought that was really neat.

[url="http://www.fsecommunity.org/news/11-03-27_scollette.html"]http://www.fsecommun..._scollette.html[/url]
[/quote]

It is great that sisters have the ability to transfer communities if their hearts and God's will lead them elsewhere but I would clarify one point - not necessarily the point you were making. I think if it is the fruit of discernment and of God's will then yes, a transfer is something difficult but wonderful. At the same time the idea that it could be a solution to "the way things are changing" is one that I disagree with. We unfortunately have a real crisis in religious life and I don't see transfers as the answer... for some it may be what they need for their salvation - but not the answer to the crisis in religious life. I obviously don't judge what anyone's conscience calls them to do but it leaves me uncomfortable thinking of transfer as a way to possibly "fix" some of the problems communities are having.

The reason I feel this way is because I think God has called each community's charism, spirituality, and apostolate in a unique way to offer the Church a great gift. Some communities are failing to give that gift completely and in the way God and the Church have called them to - but I hope God won't deny us that gift because of it. I pray He calls women, puts into their hearts a deep charism to those communities so that they can be sanctified in the same way that Christ died for our sanctification. Religious life should be a uniting of our hearts with Jesus' on the Cross. They may never see the fruits of their sacrifice and maybe we won't either until eternity when I am positive that we will be shocked by how their sacrifice was used in God's plan for salvation.

I believe right now, if you can think of a community who you see as "unfaithful" or "unorthodox" or "liberal," there are some sisters there, who, because Christ has called them to, choose to stay and suffer for the sanctification of their communities rather than leave because they cannot be untrue to the heart which God Himself gave them. I believe that we may look right at them and automatically discount them because by their virtuous obedience they have followed their superiors directives and have martyred their own wills in order to live a radical religious life in the midst of modernization and change. I do believe that the future of those communities, the survival of their charisms is dependent upon and will be built upon those women who the world does not know exist - who the community doesn't know exists. It is all in the hands of God and I do not believe He has abandoned the communities who seemingly have abandoned Him.

I can't imagine being a dominican, or a franciscan, or a benedictine - because my heart has not been called to that - it isn't written in there. So if my community makes some bad decisions - I don't know what I'll do but I pray that God will give me the grace to offer myself in that situation to Him for the sake of my community. A transfer would seem to me not to be an option because it would be about what I want and not what God has already given me.

Thanks everyone for your wonderful replies. I learn so much from you! Know I continue always to pray for you!

Sister Marie

EDITED TO ADD - I don't think I was clear that I'm not saying if someone transfers from a more "modern" community to a more "traditional" one that there is anything wrong with that. It could be very clearly that it is where God wants her to be and that is something to rejoice in as was stated earlier by jruss.

Edited June 2, 2011 by Sister Marie

[cmaD2006]

[quote name='Sister Marie' timestamp='1307056924' post='2249319']
I believe right now, if you can think of a community who you see as "unfaithful" or "unorthodox" or "liberal," there are some sisters there, who, because Christ has called them to, choose to stay and suffer for the sanctification of their communities rather than leave because they cannot be untrue to the heart which God Himself gave them. I believe that we may look right at them and automatically discount them because by their virtuous obedience they have followed their superiors directives and have martyred their own wills in order to live a radical religious life in the midst of modernization and change. I do believe that the future of those communities, the survival of their charisms is dependent upon and will be built upon those women who the world does not know exist - who the community doesn't know exists. It is all in the hands of God and I do not believe He has abandoned the communities who seemingly have abandoned Him.
[/quote]


Wow Sister Marie -- there is a lot of wisdom in this. And I think this thread in and of itself makes us ponder about how quick we are to judge. It also gives me material to think about my own discernment and about the communities I may have not considered along the way because of their "liberalism".

Maybe what I (and maybe all of us who are still discerning) need to look at is how the sisters live out their lives. Granted -- the charism has to resonate within me. But maybe (just maybe) I've been too quick to not consider a community simply because of externals?

Just thinking out loud .

[MissScripture]

[quote name='jruss' timestamp='1306887465' post='2248427']
This topic reminds me of a nice story from the Nashville Dominicans ([b]btw even they modified their habits post vatican 2[/b]). There is a professed sister in Nashville that just joined from another community about a year ago. This particular sister had been professed for years (guessing over 15 or 20)with a more liberal order. She got to wear the habit for 14 days as a novice before her community abandoned habits all together. But this sister loved her community and religious life and eventually came to be on the CARA team. She was completely content where she was in her life, but when she visited Nashville as part of the CARA study she knew she had to join there.

She is back on the CARA team as a ND and my daughter (a novice) was telling me what a blessing this sister has been to her because of her wisdom and her testimony. This sister has shared with my daughter about how many beautiful and authentic vocations there are among the so called liberal orders, as witnessed during her years in religious life and through her work on the study. She says in most cases the women responsible for the poor decisions in orders have since left.
[/quote]
I thought of that, too, as I was reading this thread! I was somewhat surprised when my sister first told me, and then she took me to the heritage room and showed me what their old habits looked like, and it totally made sense from a practicality standpoint. They couldn't have driven in their old habits! Sometimes things do need to be "updated" because it is no longer practical to use the old way, though it served it's own purpose. I bet all the postulants are pleased that they have the outfits they do now, too, because the old postulant outfits were hilarious! (And very hot looking for the TN summers!)

[faithcecelia]

After mentioning it on the books thread, I am rereading 'Nun but the Brave' by Jean M Warner - its a 'fictional reflection on religious life from the 1950s to the 1980s and the impact of some of the decisions of Vatican 2'. I would recommend it to anyone, its beautifully written, with stories and prayers interwoven into the story of a fictional sister. It looks at traditions, customs, changes to the way of life and dress, changes to the Mass, etc etc and in the context of a story tells how some of the decisions were come to. Its the first time I have read it since leaving my former community and I am finding it very moving. Many of the things discussed in this thread come up in the book. Its on UK Amazon from 1p!

[Sister Andrew]

This thread is beautiful! Thank you for sharing Sr. Marie!
United in prayer!

[Santa Cruz]

[quote name='Sister Marie' timestamp='1307056924' post='2249319']
It is great that sisters have the ability to transfer communities if their hearts and God's will lead them elsewhere but I would clarify one point - not necessarily the point you were making. I think if it is the fruit of discernment and of God's will then yes, a transfer is something difficult but wonderful. At the same time the idea that it could be a solution to "the way things are changing" is one that I disagree with. We unfortunately have a real crisis in religious life and I don't see transfers as the answer... for some it may be what they need for their salvation - but not the answer to the crisis in religious life. I obviously don't judge what anyone's conscience calls them to do but it leaves me uncomfortable thinking of transfer as a way to possibly "fix" some of the problems communities are having.

The reason I feel this way is because I think God has called each community's charism, spirituality, and apostolate in a unique way to offer the Church a great gift. Some communities are failing to give that gift completely and in the way God and the Church have called them to - but I hope God won't deny us that gift because of it. I pray He calls women, puts into their hearts a deep charism to those communities so that they can be sanctified in the same way that Christ died for our sanctification. Religious life should be a uniting of our hearts with Jesus' on the Cross. They may never see the fruits of their sacrifice and maybe we won't either until eternity when I am positive that we will be shocked by how their sacrifice was used in God's plan for salvation.

I believe right now, if you can think of a community who you see as "unfaithful" or "unorthodox" or "liberal," there are some sisters there, who, because Christ has called them to, choose to stay and suffer for the sanctification of their communities rather than leave because they cannot be untrue to the heart which God Himself gave them. I believe that we may look right at them and automatically discount them because by their virtuous obedience they have followed their superiors directives and have martyred their own wills in order to live a radical religious life in the midst of modernization and change. I do believe that the future of those communities, the survival of their charisms is dependent upon and will be built upon those women who the world does not know exist - who the community doesn't know exists. It is all in the hands of God and I do not believe He has abandoned the communities who seemingly have abandoned Him.

I can't imagine being a dominican, or a franciscan, or a benedictine - because my heart has not been called to that - it isn't written in there. So if my community makes some bad decisions - I don't know what I'll do but I pray that God will give me the grace to offer myself in that situation to Him for the sake of my community. A transfer would seem to me not to be an option because it would be about what I want and not what God has already given me.

Thanks everyone for your wonderful replies. I learn so much from you! Know I continue always to pray for you!

Sister Marie

EDITED TO ADD - I don't think I was clear that I'm not saying if someone transfers from a more "modern" community to a more "traditional" one that there is anything wrong with that. It could be very clearly that it is where God wants her to be and that is something to rejoice in as was stated earlier by jruss.



[/quote]

Thank you Sister Marie, this is beautiful.

[sistersintigo]

This is a great thread and I am posting briefly just to say how happy I am to see Sr Mary Catharine posting on the Phorum again. I for one have missed her terribly during her absence. Whoever it was who encouraged her to join us again, thank you. End of digression.