Convent Adventures!

[Nunsense]

Ok, faith's post on the Moral Dilemma thread made me think that we need a thread for convent adventures. She might want to cross post hers here, or post a new one. And I am sure there are lots of wild and wonderful convent adventure stories from those who have experienced religious life here.

We were talking in the other thread about not having any soft drinks in Carmel, and it made me remember a time when I had to go to the optometrist to get my glasses fixed. The sister who drove me there had been given a little purse for any expenses we might encounter along the way (and a cell phone, but that isn't part of the story).

We had the glasses repaired and I asked what it cost, but they said there was no charge. Then when we went outside the shop, I happened to say to Sister that the thing I missed most about being in Carmel was not having any Diet Coke. She stopped and looked at me, and then took me into the nearest shop and bought me a bottle of DC with the money she had! I almost went into shock but she just laughed and said that it didn't cost us anything at the optometrist so God must have wanted me to have a DC. Even though she didn't have permission to do this, she acted out of charity first - and she took pity on me. I will never forget that kindness.

The postscript... this sister later became the Sub Prioress!

[Aya Sophia]

Oh, dear . . . once in, I can't say I really had any adventures. Or, the whole thing was an adventure . . .?

[Aya Sophia]

Can't think of any from recent time in Carmel but here's one (in the form of a novella, from she who likes to write - sorry - you may want to go and get your cup of tea and come back) from years ago when I was a novice in a Benedictine monastery

In the summer, during the meridian, which was about an hour and half long, I often walked out the back and into the woods. The community had about 100 acres abutting on a forest preserve of about 1,000 acres more. There were narrow, simple paths through our property and then, once in the preserve, well worn dirt tracks used by the foresters in their vehicles. I liked to walk quietly or to run along these tracks or skip along the stones in the bed of a stream farther in, wandering generally and without aim, enjoying the deep sweetness of being alone with the Lord in nature.

A local saying about the weather in this area was "If you don't like it, wait five minutes." When I had left the house the sky was clear. As I ambled I was aware of a change, of newly forming cloud cover, of a hint in the air of rain. I had wandered, as was my custom, just about far enough into the preserve to turn around and make it back in time for Rosary and None. Then, quite suddenly, as I was standing beside a particularly beautiful tree, admiring it, the heavens opened, releasing an avalanche of rain, reminiscent of the tropics in the rainy season when the rains beat down endlessly with a whoosh and a roar on every created thing. Instinctively, I grabbed hold of the lowest branch of the tree, swung myself up and clambered up into the leafy cover of its upper reaches.

So, here the picture is complete: the novice, high up in the arms of a tree in the middle of the woods in the middle of a storm, tucked up in the crook of its branches, unseen by any but the Lord God Most High, enjoying enormously the sumptuousness and splendor of His ways, so sumptuous that, despite the leafy cover, habit and veil have become drenched and so splendid that, despite the constraints of time, all thought is suspended for anything beyond this present age of glory!

It did occur to me soon enough, however, that, having become wet through, I really had no excuse to linger. Wistfully, I abandoned my perch and trotted back toward the house through the pelting rain. Entering through the end door that let into the baking room and pantry, I wrung myself out a bit at the sink there. Then, turning toward the back stairs to go up to my cell, I glanced at the clock on the wall above the ovens. For an instant there was that familiar sinking feeling we have when we know some unpleasant presentiment is about to be made actual. This was followed by a momentary surprise, which was in itself surprising since the hands of the clock only confirmed what, in my heart of hearts, I already knew: the meridian was long past and Rosary and None had both become history!

[FutureSister2009]

I need more Convent adventures in my life

[TeresaBenedicta]

[quote name='Aya Sophia' timestamp='1317225700' post='2311700']
Can't think of any from recent time in Carmel but here's one (in the form of a novella, from she who likes to write - sorry - you may want to go and get your cup of tea and come back) from years ago when I was a novice in a Benedictine monastery

In the summer, during the meridian, which was about an hour and half long, I often walked out the back and into the woods. The community had about 100 acres abutting on a forest preserve of about 1,000 acres more. There were narrow, simple paths through our property and then, once in the preserve, well worn dirt tracks used by the foresters in their vehicles. I liked to walk quietly or to run along these tracks or skip along the stones in the bed of a stream farther in, wandering generally and without aim, enjoying the deep sweetness of being alone with the Lord in nature.

A local saying about the weather in this area was "If you don't like it, wait five minutes." When I had left the house the sky was clear. As I ambled I was aware of a change, of newly forming cloud cover, of a hint in the air of rain. I had wandered, as was my custom, just about far enough into the preserve to turn around and make it back in time for Rosary and None. Then, quite suddenly, as I was standing beside a particularly beautiful tree, admiring it, the heavens opened, releasing an avalanche of rain, reminiscent of the tropics in the rainy season when the rains beat down endlessly with a whoosh and a roar on every created thing. Instinctively, I grabbed hold of the lowest branch of the tree, swung myself up and clambered up into the leafy cover of its upper reaches.

So, here the picture is complete: the novice, high up in the arms of a tree in the middle of the woods in the middle of a storm, tucked up in the crook of its branches, unseen by any but the Lord God Most High, enjoying enormously the sumptuousness and splendor of His ways, so sumptuous that, despite the leafy cover, habit and veil have become drenched and so splendid that, despite the constraints of time, all thought is suspended for anything beyond this present age of glory!

It did occur to me soon enough, however, that, having become wet through, I really had no excuse to linger. Wistfully, I abandoned my perch and trotted back toward the house through the pelting rain. Entering through the end door that let into the baking room and pantry, I wrung myself out a bit at the sink there. Then, turning toward the back stairs to go up to my cell, I glanced at the clock on the wall above the ovens. For an instant there was that familiar sinking feeling we have when we know some unpleasant presentiment is about to be made actual. This was followed by a momentary surprise, which was in itself surprising since the hands of the clock only confirmed what, in my heart of hearts, I already knew: the meridian was long past and Rosary and None had both become history!
[/quote]

What a fun story! Well- maybe- were you reprimanded for having missed the rosary and None?

[maximillion]

I have a few but I have to rush to choir right now......

[Aya Sophia]

Had only to explain to Novice Mistress - no penance required (not like the Carmelites! ) - my own sheepishness about it was apparently enough.

[cmaD2006]

Did I ever mention the time that I (with the help of my fellow postulants) played a joke on the assistant postulant mistress?



(I will post the details later). It was an april fool's joke.

[MarieLynn]

Back soooo many years ago, myself and other postulant were put on Refectory duties. We thought it would be hilarious to fill the sugar containers on each of the tables with salt instead of the usual sugar. In came the Community for morning collation, we watched, under lowered eyes of course, the Sisters using the "sugar" bowl. There followed many splutterings and sounds of disgust as they realised what had happened. Needless to say both of us were singled out by our PM (and rightly so) and the result was we were both given a very stern lecture about frivolity, and a week of penances to "curb our immature natures". Now some 40+ years later, I still check the sugar container in our staff room !

[brandelynmarie]

While I have not been "inside" yet, I did go visit some Dominicans about 5 years ago. I was blest because one sister had more free time to be in the parlour since her parents were there for their annual visit. Well, at one point I was helping her to blow out the egg whites & yolk from eggs so that the sisters could paint them later (maybe in the Ukranian style?). I had one egg that was being exceptionally stubborn, no matter what I did, nothing came out! So finally I took the deepest breath & gave it all I had & the egg promptly exploded all over me!!! After the initial look of shock, we all started laughing. I don't think I got any on the grille...

[brandelynmarie]

[quote name='Aya Sophia' timestamp='1317230839' post='2311747']
Had only to explain to Novice Mistress - no penance required (not like the Carmelites! ) - my own sheepishness about it was apparently enough.
[/quote]

How did you explain it to her?

Edited September 28, 2011 by brandelynmarie

[Aya Sophia]

"I got caught in the rain!" She seemed more amused than anything else (I must have looked like a wet rat.)

[brandelynmarie]

Were you blessed enough to have a softer veil? (Picturing different veils, sopping wet!)

[OnlySunshine]

I remember when the Sr. Joseph from the CFRs was driving me and the other retreatants to the Youth2000 conference in Westchester, NY about 2 hours away. We had a blast talking about discernment and saying the Rosary (and I offered to begin the Divine Mercy Chaplet since we were in the car at 3pm). It made the time go by pretty quickly. Everyone was so tired afterward, though, that hardly anyone talked except me and two other girls. Everyone else fell asleep. There was one named Natalie and she was so funny talking about her farm animals and younger brothers and sisters.

I went with Sr. Annunciata from the Carmelite DCJs to South Bend, IN to pick up a baby who had been staying in the hospital. I think he was dehydrated or something. My throat was really sore so I brought along some money and asked Sister if we could stop at the gas station along the way so I could get some cough drops. She decided to come inside with me rather than sitting in the car and it was interesting seeing all the people watch this Sister in a brown habit walk around the gas station. She was very nice. When we got to the hospital, we got lost twice and had to ask the way to the pediatric ward. The nurses were very nice, but you could tell they weren't used to being around religious and were very cautious about what they said. We said the Rosary on the way back while I sat in the back of the car with the baby. He slept almost the whole way and wasn't fussy at all.

Edited September 28, 2011 by MaterMisericordiae

[begin_again]

This is not really an adventure...well, maybe one of sorts. It snowed my first winter there and,of course,I had never seen snow (yes I am from the South). Those of us who were from the South

wanted to know what sledding was like. So we conspired together to get the lids of the garbage cans and turn them over.......we had a huge hill down to a set of railroad tracks...one of us had

to watch for the train. We send one down first..there she went screaming and laughing all the way down. We then sent two. Before long all 12 of us (Including the train watcher) were flying up

and down the hill. Looking up, we immediately recognized someone who was not one of us standing at the top of the hill. Putting the lids in front of our faces we started the climb back up, but

before we had gotten very far, something or someone flew past us veil flying. Yes, indeed it was our Novice Mistress. We were stunned, not believing our eyes. She stood at the bottom of the hill

and cupping her hands yelled, "What are you waiting for, this snow isn't going to last very long!" Soooooo a good time was had by all. When she walked back into the back door of the kitchen,

she adjusted her veil, brushed all the snow off herself and it was back to business again. Occasionally we thought we saw her smile at one or two of us, but it must have been a vision. By the way

this dear nun was no young thing.



recognized a familiar figure standing at the top of the hill. Putting the lids in front of our faces we started the climb back to the top, when swishhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......there she was flying past

us

[Feankie]

I wrote about my 2 elderly Sister friends in another post. One of them related this story to me a while back while reminiscing at their Motherhouse. When she was a very young Sister in the 1960's, her Novice Band decided to play a trick on some of the older sisters.
They put saran wrap on the toilet seats in one of the Community bathrooms that was frequented quite often by some of the Professed Sisters they weren't too fond of. Of course, when the Sisters sat on the seat...whoops!!!! And my friend and her fellow Novices never got caught as they all looked the same when you looked at them running down the hallway! Nobody could tell who the culprits were, and they never confessed it in Chapter. Sr. Ruth Eileen told me she'll go to her grave with that story in her mind

[maximillion]

Well, I only have about a zillion, so get a tea or a coffee or a Rosary or something......

In 1976 there was a drought and our poor cows could be heard crying piteously in the fields cos their bellies were empty. Hay was too expensive for us to buy. One day MS got a call from a priest in town who said there were lots of bananas going free on the dock because they had been somehow contaminated by sea water. We novices went trundling off with Sr Farmer (who had Tourettes - another story!) and managed to get three big loads of bananas, and oh joy! the man from the Ag said we could feed them to the cows.
Now Sr Kitchen was a dear soul who was great in every way, but kind of had to do things pretty much by rote. Every Monday she made butter and ch***e from the milk, so she did that week........
It was an amazing penance to put this sort of pale version of a banana shake in the coffee, spread it on the bread and eat it, salted, in an omelette.
Not one sister complained. We grinned lots!!!!!

They decided I could drive the tractor during harvest while I was a still a possie....
I killed the first chicken trying to back out of the barn, another when I crashed into the chicken pen and the third - well, I still don't know that it was actually me. I think it was Bonniface, the dog. She saw her chance for a meat meal and went for it at my expense! Our Chaplain was very pleased though, he had chicken to his plate for some time grace a moi. I knelt in Refectory yet again...asking the community yet again......this time holding the poor blood encrusted chicken in my hands and trying not to get blood on our habit or the floor.
I never did learn to drive that tractor. They taught the next entrant and taught me music instead.

About three weeks after I entered, we were at Compline one night when I noticed something moving along the seat of the pew in front of me. The Psalm progressed as did the most enormous black beetle, the biggest I had ever seen. It was about five inches from tip to tip. Now, I spoke hardly any French, and didn't know the Latin for big black beetle, and at any moment the sisters would all sit down and.......
So I poked Sr Francoise in the back. She ignored me (pesky English Postulant!).
So I poked Sr MC and hissed. She frowned over her shoulder at me, and which point NM poked me in the back from behind. I turned and SHE was frowning at me.
Then everyone sat down.
Sr M erupted, shrieked something in French, and got up on the pew, jumping up and down in the most amazingly vigorous way for the novice who was usually very sedate and correct.
The sisters attempted to go on with Office. NM came out of her stall and shook Sr M, who was by this time incoherent and had lifted her habit, peering into the folds of the two petticoats and habit skirt, shaking them and gabbling about 'grosse bete noir'.
At this point I started to laugh. It really was like something out of a French farce. NM was not best pleased, shoved Sr M back in place, gave me a quelling look and the sisters took up the thread of the psalm again with gusto. Then Sr MC shrieked and ran from chapel.
The poor beetle had got mixed up in Sr M's habit skirts, been shaken out and had landed, unseen, next to Sr MC, and in a brave effort to escape, had tried to clamber over her. Sr Francoise, finally spotting the beastie, belted it one with her Breviary.......
And how, I ask, did[b] I [/b]end up getting the blame for all of this?

Then there was the entrant who had to re-iron her little possie's veil each day to make it look neat......
I tried to tell her she would be doing some sort of penance related to vanity when NM caught her. She never got to do the penance, she left. Sad, I think she would have been lots of fun, and someone else getting into bother besides me!

I volunteered to go with the Extern, Sr J, when she went on her annual begging trip. A nice fresh faced white veiled novice to get at the heart strings of the hard nosed businessmen.
Er....that was before the eau de vie. (Kind of like Vodka). The first guy offered it,and he swigged his back in one go, so so did I. Sr J sipped hers primly and didn't ever finish it.
Hmmm.
I do recall some singing, and even a bit of dance. The rest I will not admit to, never.
We made a fortune that year though!

[linnie]

[quote name='maximillion' timestamp='1317316053' post='2312327']
Well, I only have about a zillion, so get a tea or a coffee or a Rosary or something......

In 1976 there was a drought and our poor cows could be heard crying piteously in the fields cos their bellies were empty. Hay was too expensive for us to buy. One day MS got a call from a priest in town who said there were lots of bananas going free on the dock because they had been somehow contaminated by sea water. We novices went trundling off with Sr Farmer (who had Tourettes - another story!) and managed to get three big loads of bananas, and oh joy! the man from the Ag said we could feed them to the cows.
Now Sr Kitchen was a dear soul who was great in every way, but kind of had to do things pretty much by rote. Every Monday she made butter and ch***e from the milk, so she did that week........
It was an amazing penance to put this sort of pale version of a banana shake in the coffee, spread it on the bread and eat it, salted, in an omelette.
Not one sister complained. We grinned lots!!!!!

They decided I could drive the tractor during harvest while I was a still a possie....
I killed the first chicken trying to back out of the barn, another when I crashed into the chicken pen and the third - well, I still don't know that it was actually me. I think it was Bonniface, the dog. She saw her chance for a meat meal and went for it at my expense! Our Chaplain was very pleased though, he had chicken to his plate for some time grace a moi. I knelt in Refectory yet again...asking the community yet again......this time holding the poor blood encrusted chicken in my hands and trying not to get blood on our habit or the floor.
I never did learn to drive that tractor. They taught the next entrant and taught me music instead.

About three weeks after I entered, we were at Compline one night when I noticed something moving along the seat of the pew in front of me. The Psalm progressed as did the most enormous black beetle, the biggest I had ever seen. It was about five inches from tip to tip. Now, I spoke hardly any French, and didn't know the Latin for big black beetle, and at any moment the sisters would all sit down and.......
So I poked Sr Francoise in the back. She ignored me (pesky English Postulant!).
So I poked Sr MC and hissed. She frowned over her shoulder at me, and which point NM poked me in the back from behind. I turned and SHE was frowning at me.
Then everyone sat down.
Sr M erupted, shrieked something in French, and got up on the pew, jumping up and down in the most amazingly vigorous way for the novice who was usually very sedate and correct.
The sisters attempted to go on with Office. NM came out of her stall and shook Sr M, who was by this time incoherent and had lifted her habit, peering into the folds of the two petticoats and habit skirt, shaking them and gabbling about 'grosse bete noir'.
At this point I started to laugh. It really was like something out of a French farce. NM was not best pleased, shoved Sr M back in place, gave me a quelling look and the sisters took up the thread of the psalm again with gusto. Then Sr MC shrieked and ran from chapel.
The poor beetle had got mixed up in Sr M's habit skirts, been shaken out and had landed, unseen, next to Sr MC, and in a brave effort to escape, had tried to clamber over her. Sr Francoise, finally spotting the beastie, belted it one with her Breviary.......
And how, I ask, did[b] I [/b]end up getting the blame for all of this?

Then there was the entrant who had to re-iron her little possie's veil each day to make it look neat......
I tried to tell her she would be doing some sort of penance related to vanity when NM caught her. She never got to do the penance, she left. Sad, I think she would have been lots of fun, and someone else getting into bother besides me!

I volunteered to go with the Extern, Sr J, when she went on her annual begging trip. A nice fresh faced white veiled novice to get at the heart strings of the hard nosed businessmen.
Er....that was before the eau de vie. (Kind of like Vodka). The first guy offered it,and he swigged his back in one go, so so did I. Sr J sipped hers primly and didn't ever finish it.
Hmmm.
I do recall some singing, and even a bit of dance. The rest I will not admit to, never.
We made a fortune that year though!
[/quote]

Oh my goodness! You should write a book!!!!!

[brandelynmarie]

I will never look at another banana the same way again . Yes, you really should write a book!

[dominicansoul]

i'm saving all my convent adventure stories for the book I'm writing about my convent adventures