Enquirer Re Religious Life

[krissylou]

I took her to mean that the community is not strictly enclosed like Carmel and some other monasteries - although I think that some who follow the Carmelite rule also have some sort of ministry and usually I think on the grounds like a school or retreat house.  Non here in Australia I know about - although things can change quickly at times and what one knows is out dated. Some enclosed do have extern Sisters who can go out the enclosure for shopping, driving Sisters to important appointments etc. and join in the life of prayer of Carmel anyway whenever they are at home.  I know whenever I have been to Carmel for the LOTH, extern sisters are there too, but in modified habit.  The have sat with me outside the cloister proper in the Chapel - although I think that can go onto the enclosure or cloister proper.  I don't know of any other Orders in Australia however, but that does not mean that there aren't any and I certainly do not know much at all about monasteries overseas really.  Also she is enquiring about a community that does not wear a religious habit.  The Benedictines I know about here in Australia all wear habits and are cloistered or enclosed and one anyway strikes me as thinking quite liberally (open to the new) while some Sisters are quite traditional it seemed to me.

 

I would think that most communities would have a solid life of prayer - some not wearing habits - and with some sort of ministry either on the convent/monastery grounds or outside of it.  Seems to me it might be a matter of research on the internet and making enquiries about their way of life, horarium etc. as well as staying in touch with this thread - something might come up.

 

That's right, the Pauline Sisters wear a modified habit - but the last time I was in the Pauline bookshop, the Sisters while in the same coloured clothing more or less and it was more like secular clothing than a habit, they were not wearing a veil and ministry is outside of their convent grounds in bookshops as far as I know.

 

Thank you to all who have contributed and hopefully will contribute.  I am in hospital on 7th May and don't know quite how long it will be before I'm back on deck and feeling like sitting at the computer.  Visitors tomorrow and then final packing Monday.

 

Not the Daughters of St. Paul (FSP).  They are definitely active.

 

The Pious Disciples of the Divine Master (PDDM) aka Sister Disciples of the Divine Master share the same spirituality but are the contemplative branch and spend their time in prayer and liturgical arts.  They do have some stores as well, but it's different than the bookstores.  (Who comes in to buy a chasuble?  A narrower population than the people who come to bookstores!)

 

For the Daughters of St. Paul, the habits vary around the world.  Some of them look like navy blue business suits, some are modified habits but more clearly nunny (have veils).  I think the PDDM are more consistently "nunlike" around the world but I could be wrong.

 

I'm not sure at all if the PDDM are what she's looking for but it maybe might be worth a look.

[TIWW]

The Benedictine Sisters of Jamberoo, Australia are a lovely community.  I have been there, because I have friends there. They are very contemplative, but they do go out, some go to school and they have guest cottages on their huge property. Lovely blue Benedictine habit

[Mary+Immaculate<3]

http://heartsofjesusandmary.com

 

This is a community of habited, contemplatives with a small ministry to local hospitals, nursing homes, etc. Most of their day is spent in prayer and they are not enclosed.

[Feankie]

The above order has it's upper age limit at 40! YIPPEE