The Wedding Dress Orders (For Us Romantics)

[Chiquitunga]

updating this .. taking Sugarloaf off, as they will be Trappistines soon

 

Quick list of the US OCD Carmels we know so far that do ..

Dallas, TX 
Littleton, CO
Lafayette, LA
San Francisco, CA

 

 

found a new one :heart: Burgo de Osma ~ España

 

 

 

 

 

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

The older orders didn't use a wedding dress. Poor Clares were the big exception. In the Dominican Order (and the OCD Carmelites get a lot of things from the Dominicans) the clothing and profession were always in the chapter hall with just the community. The ceremony was about putting off the old man and being clothed with the new. It was about conversion and transformation.

 

After the French revolution, reflecting the tenor of the times Dominican nuns in many places began wearing the wedding dress, having the ceremony of the choosing of the crowns and being clothed in the choir after Mass. It was a big, showy ceremony. The wedding dress phase didn't last long. I don't know if it was expressly forbidden or the monasteries realized that it is not part of the Dominican customs. I think only 1 or 2 of our early postulants used it.

 

Now we are back to the ancient ceremonial with the clothing ceremony in the chapter hall. Even First Profession may take place in the chapter hall and there are times when I wish it would be. Then Solemn Profession would be the big ceremony in the chapel.

I remember when I entered that I really missed that we didn't wear a wedding dress, crown or have a candle but as I grew in the understanding and meaning of the ceremonies it didn't matter anymore.

[Chiquitunga]

Thanks for sharing that! I have a great love of history, especially regarding monastic practices. Yeah, I'm not sure when the Discalced Carmelites started doing it, but I would guess it was during that time too, after the French revolution.. definitely not around or during the time of St. Teresa. I need to research this. Maybe the oldest account I can think of a Carmelite saint having it is our modern day St. Therese (then Blessed Elizabeth, St. Teresa Benedicta, etc.) after that most Carmels seemed to have it, especially the French, until our time. I find it interesting the Carmels that still do it, though most seem to not, which isn't related to their degree of be traditional, etc. - just a community decision/custom. Some of the most traditional Carmels like Valparaiso, NE and Buffalo, NY do not have it probably to return to the more ancient practice as you say. Anyway, I find it all very interesting.. 

[Chiquitunga]

new pictures from the investiture of the Adoratrices in Florence ~ http://www.institute-christ-king.org/news/236/92/Five-Sistaers-Receive-Religious-Habit/  :heart: one of them is from Chicago :)

 

 

[Guest Allie]

new pictures from the investiture of the Adoratrices in Florence ~ http://www.institute-christ-king.org/news/236/92/Five-Sistaers-Receive-Religious-Habit/  :heart: one of them is from Chicago :)

That was truly beautiful. :heart:

[Desire]

I made a Video from the Investiture from Sister Mary Gratia of Jesus the Highpriest:

 

http://de.cross.tv/96820

 

[Chiquitunga]

I made a Video from the Investiture from Sister Mary Gratia of Jesus the Highpriest:

 

http://de.cross.tv/96820

 

"Video nicht gefunden" :(

 

maybe it can't be viewed in certain countries .. 

[inperpetuity]

Love this community

[Desire]

"Video nicht gefunden" :(

 

maybe it can't be viewed in certain countries .. 

 

I don't know what the problem is, here is the Video by Youtube, but the Audio is not really good:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEMLcs43Bz4

 

I hope now that it works ;)

[Spem in alium]

new pictures from the investiture of the Adoratrices in Florence ~ http://www.institute-christ-king.org/news/236/92/Five-Sistaers-Receive-Religious-Habit/  :heart: one of them is from Chicago :)

Beautiful photos :)

 

[Guest Allie]

Where do they find all the modest bridal gowns?

[TheresaThoma]

Lovely video Desire! She looks so happy! I love all the Sisters holding candles processing in with her!

[Chiquitunga]

SO beautiful, Desire!!! :heart: Thank you so much for sharing!! You got such great footage! She looks so happy! My day is so much brighter for having seen that! Thank you! 

[Kayte Postle]

Where do they find all the modest bridal gowns?

 

Some communities receive them as donations, and I think that some make them. If a community receives a dress that isn't modest, I'm sure that they sew to the dress to make it so. Nuns are sewing wizards...

 

Someone correct me if I'm wrong. =)
 

[Antigonos]

Where do they find all the modest bridal gowns?

Lokking at all the photos from 2005 it looks to me as if they were originally custom made, from a single pattern, and kept for future use, after individual alteration. They are all the same. After all, they only need a few -- I don't think more than five postulants have received the habit at any one time.

[maximillion]

My community had about 30, all swathed in tissue paper and carefully mothballed - they did away with the wedding dress ceremony while I was a Postulant.

The dresses had been donated over a period of time, some had antique lace trains and veils.

[maximillion]

We had the camo wedding dresses once before I recall........

[Lumiere]

Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (slide show)

 

 

[Lumiere]

Another Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary slide show from the previous year.

 

[dymphnamaria]

Another Slaves of the Immaculate Heart of Mary slide show from the previous year.

Did the sisters also wear this gowns when they were invested as novices?