How To Have Family Refer To Religious

[MissScripture]

So, my sister is a soon-to-be novice with the Nashville Dominicans. She and I discussed what my baby should call her, but never really came up with a solution. How do you refer to Religious who are related to you, or how have you heard other people do it?

[Ave Maria Totus Tuus]

One of my best friends is a Nashville Dominican (side note, she professes her Final Vows on Monday!!), and her little nephew calls her "Aunt Sister" :-)

Edited July 24, 2011 by Ave Maria Totus Tuus

[she_who_is_not]

How about Aunt Sister?

[Ave Maria Totus Tuus]

And another note, in the company of family, they all call her by her baptismal name. But in the company of others, they call her by her religious name.

[MissyP89]

For priests and brothers, I've always heard "Uncle". The new priest at our parish is Fr. Ed, and he told us recently his young niece likes to call him Uncle Fred.

[she_who_is_not]

[quote name='Ave Maria Totus Tuus' timestamp='1311478986' post='2274681']
One of my best friends is a Nashville Dominican (side note, she professes her Final Vows on Monday!!), and her little nephew calls her "Aunt Sister" :-)
[/quote]

Ha! Didn't see your post. I was being silly but I guess it works.

[CatherineM]

I have a cousin who is an episcopalian nun. She was an only child, but she was so close to her cousin, that she called him brother and he called her sister. His kids called her sister aunt.

[LaPetiteSoeur]

My priest friend's nieces and nephews call him "Uncle Joe."

My friends who know about my vocation said their children are to refer to me as Auntie Sister. Let us know when you decide!

[TeresaBenedicta]

[quote name='Ave Maria Totus Tuus' timestamp='1311479156' post='2274683']
And another note, in the company of family, they all call her by her baptismal name. But in the company of others, they call her by her religious name.
[/quote]

That's probably what my family will do, I'd wager.

[MissScripture]

We'll all be calling her by her religious name, because that's what she wants. AHHH! I can't wait to find out what her new name is!!!

[Deus te Amat]

[quote name='MissScripture' timestamp='1311481729' post='2274717']
We'll all be calling her by her religious name, because that's what she wants. AHHH! I can't wait to find out what her new name is!!!
[/quote]





Will you call me?

[MissScripture]

[quote name='Deus_te_Amat' timestamp='1311482073' post='2274721']



Will you call me?
[/quote]
Sure! And I just realized that I still have a message from you on my phone that I need to listen to. I hope it wasn't important.

[Deus te Amat]

[quote name='MissScripture' timestamp='1311482245' post='2274722']
Sure! And I just realized that I still have a message from you on my phone that I need to listen to. I hope it wasn't important.
[/quote]

Uh....

I don't remember what I said.

[MissScripture]

Well, it was from Thursday. I don't know what I said that day, either.

[Deus te Amat]

Thursday as in two days ago? You'd think I'd remember.


I don't want to get old.

[Maximilianus]

[quote name='TeresaBenedicta' timestamp='1311481389' post='2274713']
That's probably what my family will do, I'd wager.
[/quote]

Just going off my thoughts for I have no idea what I'm talking about but it seems logical to me. Or maybe dropping their title and just calling them by their religious name, kind of like how in the Marines we would call each other by our last names or by Rank and last name in public but in private some would resort to first names.

Edited July 24, 2011 by Maximilianus

[faithcecelia]

If my brother and sister-in-law are blessed with children (sadly unlikely) I will be Auntie Faith, just as I will be Faith to my family and friends. It would never occur to me to use the title with my family and friends - its not like I am called Miss Faith now!

[MissScripture]

[quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1311514064' post='2274844']
If my brother and sister-in-law are blessed with children (sadly unlikely) I will be Auntie Faith, just as I will be Faith to my family and friends. It would never occur to me to use the title with my family and friends - its not like I am called Miss Faith now!
[/quote]
Do you not change your name, or would you just have them use your Baptismal name, regardless?

Part of my sister's request has to do with the fact that certain people in our family have a hard time with her decision, and to not use her Religious name would be conducive to them taking her decision seriously. Said relatives seem to think this is just sort of a game, or something a passing phase or something. Plus, when my name was changed after getting married, she didn't still call me by my maiden name, so I have no problem not calling her by her previous name.

[faithcecelia]

[quote name='MissScripture' timestamp='1311517315' post='2274867']
Do you not change your name, or would you just have them use your Baptismal name, regardless?

Part of my sister's request has to do with the fact that certain people in our family have a hard time with her decision, and to not use her Religious name would be conducive to them taking her decision seriously. Said relatives seem to think this is just sort of a game, or something a passing phase or something. Plus, when my name was changed after getting married, she didn't still call me by my maiden name, so I have no problem not calling her by her previous name.
[/quote]


I am hoping to become Sr Faith Cecelia of Christ Crucified but may need to drop Cecelia if thry think it too long. Notting Hill tend to keep their own name and add a devotion now as its easier for formalities suc as doctors, etc. If I did have to change my first name, in my own case I would probably have my family continue calling me Faith simply because it is not my baptismal name and it already cost my family a lot emotionally to call me Faith and not Ruth.


However, in your sister's position is I went from being Faith to being Sr Sarah (etc) i would ask family to call me Sarah and babies Auntie Sarah. I would never ask a family member or friend to call me Sister, though its lovely when they do!

[MissScripture]

[quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1311517861' post='2274875']
I am hoping to become Sr Faith Cecelia of Christ Crucified but may need to drop Cecelia if thry think it too long. Notting Hill tend to keep their own name and add a devotion now as its easier for formalities suc as doctors, etc. If I did have to change my first name, in my own case I would probably have my family continue calling me Faith simply because it is not my baptismal name and it already cost my family a lot emotionally to call me Faith and not Ruth.


However, in your sister's position is I went from being Faith to being Sr Sarah (etc) i would ask family to call me Sarah and babies Auntie Sarah. I would never ask a family member or friend to call me Sister, though its lovely when they do!
[/quote]
Okay, that makes sense. I asked my sister about how they do doctors and that, and I guess for all legal purposes, they are still their legal name, such as doctors, driver's licenses, etc (so I'm guessing that's what's on their teaching license as well). I know my mother is very irritated with the ("Catholic") hospital she works at, because they don't even show in patient charts if they are Religious, and have no way to put that title into their chart (even though they have options for the rest of the possible titles --Miss, Mrs., Ms., Mr., Dr), and while they have a spot in the demographics for "preferred name" that doesn't show up anywhere except in the demographics, which you have to hunt down in their chart.

It would be hilarious if my sister became Sr. Sarah, since that is my name (well, Sarah is...though my sister frequently called me Sr. Sarah on her home visit, just out of habit). I started calling my sister and another Sister that I am friends with by "Sister Mary" and "Sister Samantha" when they entered, as kind of a way of saying, "Cool! Look, you're really a Sister!" much like my family started addressing things to me as Dr. Sarah right after I received my doctorate. Both of them were so pleased by it, particularly Sr. Samantha, because no one else would call her Sister, that I couldn't stop doing it!