Non-habited Communities.

[dominicansoul]

Now, of all the NEW communities that are being founded without a traditional habit, I've met a few from this community:

 

 

http://www.servantsofgodslove.net/

 

 

One of their members writes the most amazing songs and the DSMME sings them for Adoration, Mass, etc.  I've met a few and they are very beautiful souls...

 

 

[krissylou]

Surprise, surprise and truth be told -  I'm feeling more and more called to one!

 

I know there are a variety of views on what the habit represents. Some I've heard state that the habit shows or achieves:

- a person's commitment to God

- visibility and promotion of the church

- sets communities apart

etc., etc.

 

I also know some people who see habited communities as more "authentic" or "faithful" than non-habited. 

 

What do you guys think about them? I'm not interested in debating or criticising opinions. My interest derives from the fact that until recently I upheld some of the views above and was not even considering discerning with a non-habited community. Now much seems to have changed :)

 

I have heard Sisters who wear habits talk about why they think it's important to have that visible witness.  I have heard other Sisters whose communities have chosen not to wear a habit talk about why they have made that choice.

 

What I have found is that BOTH of them talk in terms of being open and available for ministry.  Some people talk about how they get approached on city buses (or whatever) and asked for prayer, or people pour out their life stories because they need to talk to SOMEONE and the habit identifies them as "safe."

 

That is a good and wonderful thing.

 

Others talk about how the habit can impose a division between them and the people they're trying to serve, that far from being welcoming it is offputting and creates a barrier they need to cross before being able to do ministry.  It got in the way of their mission, and the mission is the important thing, so the habit was set aside.

 

That also sounds like a good and wonderful thing.

 

But what really jumped out to me was that both groups were giving basically the same sort of explanations.

 

So either one is nuts and flat-out wrong, or (my vote) for some people the habit is an attraction and for some it is a barrier.  No one person, or one community, can be all things to all people.  So maybe God knew what he was doing in creating a lot of diversity, on this issue as on many others.  :)

[Pax_et bonum]

Making a Habit Out of It by Fr. David Mary Engo. He's on the more traditional side, but it's important to note that he's NOT saying that religious who don't wear habits/habits that are too modified don't do any good. Towards the end he talks about Mother Angelica when she wore that very modified habit and was on TV. "Although she did an insurmountable good for the Church, she was not living the cloistered life as the Church had recognized." I think that's the important part, and he didn't say that she wasn't living it because she wasn't wearing a full habit; the overly modified habit was a reflection of not living it. It needs to be examined what it means to be a sister and if their apostolate is being placed before their consecration especially for those who say the habit is a barrier. One doesn't enter religious life to be a social worker (because it was mentioned above) or whatever because you can be that without being a sister.

 

That being said, I cannot judge communities, especially ones I haven't met, and it's not my place to do so. Krissy may be right:

 

No one person, or one community, can be all things to all people.  So maybe God knew what he was doing in creating a lot of diversity, on this issue as on many others.

 

[krissylou]

Making a Habit Out of It by Fr. David Mary Engo. He's on the more traditional side, but it's important to note that he's NOT saying that religious who don't wear habits/habits that are too modified don't do any good. Towards the end he talks about Mother Angelica when she wore that very modified habit and was on TV. "Although she did an insurmountable good for the Church, she was not living the cloistered life as the Church had recognized." I think that's the important part, and he didn't say that she wasn't living it because she wasn't wearing a full habit; the overly modified habit was a reflection of not living it. It needs to be examined what it means to be a sister and if their apostolate is being placed before their consecration especially for those who say the habit is a barrier. One doesn't enter religious life to be a social worker (because it was mentioned above) or whatever because you can be that without being a sister.

 

That being said, I cannot judge communities, especially ones I haven't met, and it's not my place to do so. Krissy may be right:

 

In later years she was in a much more traditional habit and still on TV.

 

I agree that regular television appearances don't really fit with my understanding of papal enclosure.  Maybe the Holy Spirit was not overly concerned with the norms of papal enclosure when designing her particular call in this world.  :)

 

But either way, the form of the habit didn't seem to affect that particular question.

[ChristinaTherese]

I would want to know why, but good reasons can be had and habits do not define the faithfulness of the community. If it was a cloistered order, I'd really want to know their reasons, because I can't imagine what good reason they could possibly have.

 

I also have extremely mercenary reasons for liking habits. (I mean, there are better ones out there, and I'd maybe agree with them, but the one I'm saying now is extremely mercenary.) I really don't like buying clothes. Which is why I've sewn and patched my own (except for t-shirts and jeans and socks and stuff), but still. And I have trouble finding patterns I'm willing to use and then tailoring the neck lines on those so that I'm willing to wear them. So, a habit would be immensely practical to me. That's an awful reason, and there are better ones, but that's just one. Oh, and inside of a cloister (and I think I'm called to be cloistered), what good reason could you possibly have for not wearing a habit?? But that's just me.

[Spem in alium]

Well ma dear, I once felt that habit-less sisters were all ridiculous social workers, but I have come to change my view muchly. The change came especially through meeting the MGL sisters and some consecrated single women. They still wear some sort of habit, but I must say it is the state of life that matters. They are certainly not nuns per say, but they are still consecrated sisters doing work for God, and while habits are wonderful, sometimes people will not listen to religious just because they have habits on. They definitely have their place in the Church. I say God bless you!! :)

 

It is the state of life for sure. I don't want to discredit habits, because they are beautiful in so many ways, but ultimately I believe the most important thing for any sister to do is to live her life in faithfulness and love. I have seen that in sisters who are both habited and non-habited. I think it can be easy (definitely for me, in the past) to identify faithfulness more strongly with habited sisters, but I've since realised that it's all around if we look for it :)

 

I have heard Sisters who wear habits talk about why they think it's important to have that visible witness.  I have heard other Sisters whose communities have chosen not to wear a habit talk about why they have made that choice.

 

What I have found is that BOTH of them talk in terms of being open and available for ministry.  Some people talk about how they get approached on city buses (or whatever) and asked for prayer, or people pour out their life stories because they need to talk to SOMEONE and the habit identifies them as "safe."

 

That is a good and wonderful thing.

 

Others talk about how the habit can impose a division between them and the people they're trying to serve, that far from being welcoming it is offputting and creates a barrier they need to cross before being able to do ministry.  It got in the way of their mission, and the mission is the important thing, so the habit was set aside.

 

That also sounds like a good and wonderful thing.

 

But what really jumped out to me was that both groups were giving basically the same sort of explanations.

 

So either one is nuts and flat-out wrong, or (my vote) for some people the habit is an attraction and for some it is a barrier.  No one person, or one community, can be all things to all people.  So maybe God knew what he was doing in creating a lot of diversity, on this issue as on many others.  :)

 

That's a very interesting and wise post. Thank you :) 

 

I would want to know why, but good reasons can be had and habits do not define the faithfulness of the community. If it was a cloistered order, I'd really want to know their reasons, because I can't imagine what good reason they could possibly have.

 

I also have extremely mercenary reasons for liking habits. (I mean, there are better ones out there, and I'd maybe agree with them, but the one I'm saying now is extremely mercenary.) I really don't like buying clothes. Which is why I've sewn and patched my own (except for t-shirts and jeans and socks and stuff), but still. And I have trouble finding patterns I'm willing to use and then tailoring the neck lines on those so that I'm willing to wear them. So, a habit would be immensely practical to me. That's an awful reason, and there are better ones, but that's just one. Oh, and inside of a cloister (and I think I'm called to be cloistered), what good reason could you possibly have for not wearing a habit?? But that's just me.

 

Thank you :) I do agree with you that habits within a cloistered community makes sense, and I'd also want to know the reasons for why a cloistered community did not wear a habit. 

[elizabeth09]

I have to disagree.  One year, my mom and dad was at my high school action.  My mom had asked a lady if she has a daughter at the high school.  She was a sister.  The pin was the clue.  Anyone could wear a tiny pin.  To my mom credit, anyone could wear a tiny pin.

[the171]

Different charisms. Deal with it. Embrace it. Celebrate it.

[Sister Marie]

I have to disagree. One year, my mom and dad was at my high school action. My mom had asked a lady if she has a daughter at the high school. She was a sister. The pin was the clue. Anyone could wear a tiny pin. To my mom credit, anyone could wear a tiny pin.

I don't understand what this proves. Misunderstandings happen all the time. Once, while wearing my habit and veil with some other sisters on a trip we went through the drive through to buy lunch. The man surprisingly asked me, "are you allowed to drive?" He thought I was an Amish woman! We both laughed about it and moved on. People who don't know sisters ask me all the time if I am married or have children... So we have a conversation and no harm done!

[vee]

Mother Angelica has been mentioned and I am in the early pages of rereading her biography by Raymond Arroyo.  I read it several years ago  so dont remember if it covers the permissions she must have had to be on tv. 

 

[ACS67]

I too have changed my views on this matter.  I was a complete jerk last year on vocation station because I was so ridiculously overly conservative.  I'm so glad Sister Marie is back on VS because I believe I owe you an apology.  I was jerk to you.  I was also a jerk to nunsense (I'm so glad you are back in Wolverhampton! I always hoped you would return there after reading your story) and I apologize to you as well.  In any case, I would join a non-habited community in heartbeat if I felt called to one.  I don't feel called to any community at the moment, habited or not. 

 

As for Fr. Engo's article, he needs to be careful.  It's just my opinion (and gut feeling) here but I believe he is setting himself up (and his own community) for a big fall.  He's a little too sure of himself.  Again, just my opinion....

[Pax_et bonum]

I just wanted to make it clear that Fr. David Mary's opinions are not my own, but I do think it's a well written article for wearing a habit. My experience with religious who don't wear habits is largely what he described, but I disagree with him making blanket statements saying that all non-habited communities are like that. Also, I don't know much about Mother Angelica. I was just using his example to emphasize that there is a difference between doing good and being a consecrated religious.

Personally, I don't feel drawn to a community that doesn't wear a habit just as I don't feel drawn to a community that has charismatic worship or prays the office in Latin. There are different ways of living out religious life that are authentic. As with any community, you want to make sure the community is faithful to the magisterium and their Rule/constitutions and that it's a healthy community. Isn't there an old list somewhere of red flags to look for in a community?

[Antigonos]

I've written on this before.  As a nurse, I've worked in situations where I wore uniform, and in others [clinics, mostly], where I have not.  Uniform was easier.  Just fling it on, and away you go.  No choosing what to wear, and usually, no washing and ironing [hospital laundry does it].  Patients generally expect a nurse to be in uniform, too.  OTOH, in an outpatient setting, there have been times when being in civvies encouraged patients to be more forthcoming when discussing intimate matters; you become less a medical professional and more a sympathetic listener, or so you are perceived.  Some people find even a white jacket off-putting [children certainly do -- they remember getting injections from The White Coat at a surprisingly young age].

 

It would seem to me, however, that wearing a visible symbol of one's committment would act as a reminder of one's priorities, in the way that a Jewish man wears a scapular with the ritual fringes or a Mormon his special undergarments.  However, whenever I look at the kinds of habits Victorian and early 20th century nuns were wont to wear, I can completely understand why so many orders were glad to either modify or dispense with them.  Some versions of the headgear, especially, must have been really painful to wear.

[Sister Marie]

I too have changed my views on this matter.  I was a complete jerk last year on vocation station because I was so ridiculously overly conservative.  I'm so glad Sister Marie is back on VS because I believe I owe you an apology.  I was jerk to you.  I was also a jerk to nunsense (I'm so glad you are back in Wolverhampton! I always hoped you would return there after reading your story) and I apologize to you as well.  In any case, I would join a non-habited community in heartbeat if I felt called to one.  I don't feel called to any community at the moment, habited or not. 

 

As for Fr. Engo's article, he needs to be careful.  It's just my opinion (and gut feeling) here but I believe he is setting himself up (and his own community) for a big fall.  He's a little too sure of himself.  Again, just my opinion....

 

Dear ACS67,

 

I too apologize!  I don't remember our conversations completely but from what I can remember I was harsh and difficult with you and I truly am sorry for that.  I'm happy to see you here again, too! 

 

Our God is so good to give us so much diversity.  I think when it comes down to it, sisters, as individuals and communities, live their lives as responses to their relationship with God.  Each one is unique!  Just as we try as individuals, in very different circumstances, all the time to respond to God's love with our lives and our love.  

 

As far as spirituality is concerned (I'm not talking right and wrong morally), we can never really know what is happening in the heart of another person and we can't judge it.  I've also tried to persuade people to think the way I do about God and about religious life.  For me it was a lack of faith, in the vastness and the dynamic nature of God, that made me want to put Him into a box that limited who He was "allowed to be."  I know though that my mind can never contain the whole truth of who God is and I feel called now to reverence and stand in awe of the experiences of others and their responses to God because they reveal to me more of the God I keep trying to know and love.

 

This is how I am trying to look at differences between all of us... as reflections of the wonderfully unique relationship each of us has with our God.  Only together can we truly see Him, know Him, and love Him.        

[Yaatee]

Ah, yes, the old, old discussion(s) on VS.

 

Habits.

 

Pro and con, mainly con.

 

I am very happy to see a change of heart, and at least more openness on the subject.

 

Also, before I launch on this topic, I am very happy to see Nunsense back at Wolverhampton.  VERY happy!

 

Now.  Re staying faithful to the founders' charisms, many if not most of the 17th-19th c. founders meant to have their sisters dress as one of the people. Daughters of Charity. Grey Nuns. Religious of the Sacred Heart and prob all those other 19th c. French orders w/ the beautiful fluted caps (Bon Secours, Cenacle, Dgtrs Jesus and Mary).  BUT the sisters didn't change their habits as fashions changed and adapted a habit only remotely resembling that of the foundress (BVM's in those awful horseshoe and box things they used to wear, which did not resemble their foundress' simple fluted cap. These sisters adopted civvies and never looked back).

 

I do not think that Benedictine sisters/nuns have habits mentioned in their rule, as I don't think that Benedict mentioned it in his rule for monks, except possibly in a very general way.  He wrote his rule in the 5th century. So I don't think that the Bennies have compromised their charisms at all in this way.

 

I do think that there is an argument for 'witness' that the habits provide, in., in airports, etc.  There is also a valid argument that habits may erect barriers among the people whom the sisters are actually serving, amongst the poor, abused and under-served, for ex.

 

So there are good arguments on both sides.  For the Dominicans of St. Cecilia, there is their beautiful habit, which creates status and solidarity and authority in the classroom, important facts to consider.  That habit in a soup kitchen may not be such an advantage.

 

Regarding traditional habits, I have read a good deal of the literature published not long after the traditional habits were abandoned.  The habits were hot, unconfortable, and dirty and hard to maintain.  Dirty, bec they were often changed only once a week or so,  and in the case of the under-crinoline of the Daughters of Wisdom, one of the most beautiful habits (Se  McCarthy) only once a year.  The maintenance was a big problem. In 1957, I learned at Eden Hall, run by the Religious of the Sacred Heart (the RSCJ), that it required a lay sister TWO HOURS to flute one of the choir (teaching) nuns' caps. The nun wore the cap for one week.  Another teaching sister wrote that their convent spent all of each and every Saturday washing, starching and ironing their habits. She said that during that time they could have conducted remedial English classes for their underprivileged neighborhood.

 

Looking at sisters who continue to wear traditional habits, it occurs to me that they remain hot and probably difficult to maintain.  Some are indeed beautiful, it is true, and may attract those who seek the beauty and status of the habit, as I once did long ago. Many are wash and wear, cotton poly mixes, which are also hot, tho' no longer made of wool serge, as the old ones were.

 

I think that communities wearing modified habits may have the best of both worlds, tho' I suspect that many people don't recognize the sisters for who they are.  These habits often have several separate pieces: a skirt, blouse, sweater, jumper, and possibly a long tunic for formal church occasions. A  simple off-face veil.  All easy to clean and maintain.

 

Many cloistered communities also have modified habits or often no habit.  They are bound by simplicity and ease of maintenance, especially as they keep up their own houses, grow, put by (can freeze) their own food, maintain their own grounds. Some, as the Baltimore Carmel, wear a special cowl in church.  Many of these houses are small and ageing, without the staff or time to iron and starch wimples.

 

Some habited communities are attracting many new applicants, but others either do not appear to be doing so, or do not discose their numbers, entrances, professions, etc.,  on the web.  It is a well-known fact that the formerly large communities are imploding, but I think will remain in much smaller but vital communities, probably full of middle-aged women, judging by who is entering and professing there now.  This does not mean that these communities will disappear.  I think that they (Benedictines, Dominicans Franciscans, BVM's, Mercies) will always be around.