Annie12 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Hello, Some of you may know I am discerning a vocation to religious life. However, I have never met a nun in my life besides when I was very little and can't remember. This said, I have been wondering lately weather the mean nun stereotypes have any truth to them. I guess I'm just wondering if most religious women are nice or like all people are people and are individuals with their own personality. I feel like I'm being a little weird in asking this question but I thought I should get some clarification before I worry about it! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clare~Therese Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 [quote name='Annie12' timestamp='1329781176' post='2390295'] Hello, This said, I have been wondering lately weather the mean nun stereotypes have any truth to them. I guess I'm just wondering if most religious women are...[b]like all people are people and are individuals with their own personality.[/b] [/quote] The bold part. Each individual has their own personality and so on; this is the same for nuns also. Don't pay too much attention to stereotypes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FutureSister2009 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I used to think all nuns were mean until I met my dear friends Sr. Theresa and Sr. Jessica. They are two of the nicest nuns you'll ever meet. And I've met a lot of other incredibly nice Sisters since then. Granted they all get in their moods because they are humans and they are women. But there are many nice ones out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyAnn Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Nuns are just like normal people! They're all different and they all have different personalities. Admittedly all the nuns I've met have been amazing but they're all unique people. Nuns will have good days and bad days just like everyone else. I was lucky I guess I never thought nuns were mean because I was taught in primary school by nuns and they were so lovely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie12 Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 But in religious life, don't people strive for sainthood? So, I would expect that women religious to be more nice than lay people (in general/ theory). Am I correct in this thinking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sister Marie Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 This is a really good question. Nice has nothing to do with holiness... one can be quite nice while sinning profusely. We all have different personalities and different ways of expressing ourselves. I often think that there are two stereotypes out there about nuns. I guess there are more than that but I think these two are taken the most seriously. The first is that we are all stern or mean, serious, and boring. The second is that we are always smiling, beautiful, kind, docile, and gentle always. Neither of them is good or true. We are complex people on the same journey as everyone else - no better and no worse - and we are individuals with different personalities. Sometimes being nice is actually the wrong thing to do, like when we see injustice or when we are standing up for what is right. It would be crazy if we were walking around among the poor and suffering, obliviously smiling and looking pretty. We cry, and we debate, and we work, and we pray, and we discuss... we are striving for sainthood. But sainthood is being your truest self in the circumstances God gives you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyAnn Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 ^ What she said. Sister Marie, you always have such amazing insights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 [quote name='Annie12' timestamp='1329781947' post='2390300'] But in religious life, don't people strive for sainthood? So, I would expect that women religious to be more nice than lay people (in general/ theory). Am I correct in this thinking? [/quote] Theory isn't always reality There are a lot of lay people who are striving for holiness and there are religious who enter for reasons other than simply a desire for holiness. It's just life, and human beings are human beings. don't expect saints and you won't be disappointed. Expect human beings. And focus more on your own sanctity than worrying about that of others. Convents are just like families, sometimes it's great and sometimes not so much. I love what Sr Marie writes - so pay attention to her! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie12 Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 [quote name='Sister Marie' timestamp='1329782444' post='2390303'] This is a really good question. Nice has nothing to do with holiness... one can be quite nice while sinning profusely. We all have different personalities and different ways of expressing ourselves. I often think that there are two stereotypes out there about nuns. I guess there are more than that but I think these two are taken the most seriously. The first is that we are all stern or mean, serious, and boring. The second is that we are always smiling, beautiful, kind, docile, and gentle always. Neither of them is good or true. We are complex people on the same journey as everyone else - no better and no worse - and we are individuals with different personalities. Sometimes being nice is actually the wrong thing to do, like when we see injustice or when we are standing up for what is right. It would be crazy if we were walking around among the poor and suffering, obliviously smiling and looking pretty. We cry, and we debate, and we work, and we pray, and we discuss... we are striving for sainthood. But sainthood is being your truest self in the circumstances God gives you. [/quote] Thank you so much for this response! It was so helpful. I guess since I have never met any women religious really, I just had the stereotypes to hold onto which I didn't want to because stereotypes are wrong. I would like to discern my vocation further, but I feel like I am rushing it. ( patience has never been my thing) What Should I do? How should I get to know women religious when I don't know any? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sister Marie Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Listen to nunsense too! She is also right that not all sisters are working towards sainthood all the time either. Things happen in our lives too that change us and break us down and its hard to get back on the road to God when we've been hurt - just like it is hard for anyone else. Annie, if you don't feel ready to discern yet, a great way to get to know some religious sisters is to find somewhere where they work and see if you could volunteer to help. That way you would be able to see them together and at work without the focus being too much on you and on discernment. Do you know of any sisters near where you live? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie12 Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 No I do not. I live in a small dioceses and I [b]never[/b] see nuns around. It's a shame. I think the only nuns I know of are cloistered. I'm planning on going to college either next year or the year after. Are there any colleges in the US that are run by devout women religious? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sister Marie Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Annie, although you may never see them around, there probably are some. If you would like to PM me and give me a general idea of where you are located I might be able to give you a few links. No pressure though! Even if they aren't a community you would want to discern with, you could still get an idea of who religious women are and what they are like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyAnn Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 [quote name='Annie12' timestamp='1329783634' post='2390317'] No I do not. I live in a small dioceses and I [b]never[/b] see nuns around. It's a shame. I think the only nuns I know of are cloistered. I'm planning on going to college either next year or the year after. Are there any colleges in the US that are run by devout women religious? [/quote] There may be nuns that you just haven't noticed. If they don't wear habits then you wouldn't be able to tell necessarily. There is a community of Franciscan missionary Sisters near where I live and after seeing her for months at Daily Mass I only learnt a like last week that she is a Sister. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mysisterisalittlesister Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 All nuns are different! Two of the avvesomest nuns EVAH (in my opinion) have [i]completely [/i]different personalities. One is sarcastic and has an amazing sense of humor, and the other is very shy, adorable, and sweet. Both are very holy women, but with two totally different personalities. I suggest looking up different orders, like the Little Sisters of the Poor and the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal (I'm very bias ) And find the locations of their homes/convents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyAnn Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 (edited) You know this topic reminded me of when I was meeting with the novice mistress at St Cecilia's. She was talking about the two novices they have and talking about how different they were: one is really studious and intellectual whereas the other is more practical and loves working in the garden. They're different people, even though they are nuns. On an unrelated note, it was so sweet how enthusiastic she was when she talked about them. Edited February 21, 2012 by EmilyAnn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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