First Vows Dsmme

[das8949]

Does anyone know why there are no photos of the 1st vow ceremony on Monday 8/1? Was it postponed? There names are added at the bottom of the juniors and the new novices are listed with the now 2nd year. Also when are the new aspirants arriving?

 

 

[AveMariaPurissima]

On the DSMME home page there's a picture of the newly professed. https://sistersofmary.org/

[andibc]

First profession pictures are on their facebook page. 

[SNJM]

I can't remember - do Dominican Sisters (or Nuns) receive a title? As in...Sister Mary Paul of the Holy Face?

It seems I've seen both, but now I'm unsure.

Thanks,

Rose

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

Nuns have titles, Sisters don't. Not that they couldn't but it's not in their tradition.

 

[das8949]

Nuns have titles, Sisters don't. Not that they couldn't but it's not in their tradition.

 

 

Good question and answer - so Carmelites are nuns and not sisters?

[Nunsense]

Good question and answer - so Carmelites are nuns and not sisters?

 

 

The family of Carmel is a very big one and there are both nuns and sisters in Carmel.

 

The cloistered ones are called nuns and those in the active apostolates are called sister. People tend to only think of the cloistered Carmelite nuns (and usually the Discalced ones), but there are many other expressions of Carmelite spirituality in religious life.

[Egeria]

I was assuming that Sr Mary Catherine was referring to Dominican practice, but just to be clear - not all nuns have titles, it depends on the Order. To the best of my knowledge Benedictines don't (although it's possible some congregations or communities do) and neither do Cistercians (at least the Trappist branch; my knowledge of the Common Observance is limited).

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

Since the question was if Dominican nuns or sisters receive a title I was just answering for Dominicans! :-)

 

I know that some new active communities have titles now.

[Nunsuch]

Some Benedictines DO, or at least did, have titles. One of my favorites (not necessarily in a good way!) was a 19th-century American Benedictine (in a teaching group, not cloistered), whose title--which SHE selected (not selected for her) was ... "of the Bloody Sweat"!

[veritasluxmea]

One example of an active community who take on titles are the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal. 

[OnlySunshine]

The Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus also take titles.  My friend took first vows last month and the title "of the Divine Heart of Mercy" was bestowed on her.  :)

[be_thou_my_vision]

The Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration also are given a title at investiture.

 

It's a cool story.

 

Blessed Mother Theresia, in the early days of the community, had very little room to house new Sisters. There was a huge class of women coming in, and there was literally no room to put them. She had a very strong devotion to St. Joseph. So she told St. Joseph that if he sent the money for a building to house the Sisters, then she would "dedicate every Sister now and in the future to him." Up to that point, it was not the tradition for the Sisters to be given any title. Lo and behold, the money arrived in a neat lump sum... the exact amount she needed. (She hadn't told anyone about this request or the amount of money needed.) So, all Sisters from that time and until the present are "Sister ____ of St. Joseph."

 

http://www.ssfpa.org

[marigold]

That's cool!

[das8949]

Some Benedictines DO, or at least did, have titles. One of my favorites (not necessarily in a good way!) was a 19th-century American Benedictine (in a teaching group, not cloistered), whose title--which SHE selected (not selected for her) was ... "of the Bloody Sweat"!

 

When I first read this I thought "yuck" but as I ponder the meaning behind it  I felt humbled and even teary eyed. As I am a visual person, I could visualize Jesus as he carried the cross, hot, tired , sweaty and bloody. He endured all of this for US, so that we may truly know God. He fell three times, was given vinegar to drink and abused by the soldiers - all for us.The fall to me symbolize our many sins as well as his basic humanity.

 

His Mother and John were there as well as other Christians. Remember, this is not only the son of God but a child that Mary carried for 9 months and was a mother to unlike any other mother of a 33 year old son.  The feelings he must have had coursing through his veins. As he was nailed to the cross, he bore that pain and disgrace for all of us as well as the two common thieves on either side of him. He said to God, "Forgive them father for they do not know what they have done." The Sister who chose this name must have been very holy  and wise. It is not "yucky" anymore but beautiful to me.

[SNJM]

Thank you Sister Mary Catharine. I saw the announcement about Sr. Maria Teresa of the Sacred Heart before this one, so at that point my question was answered.

I have been asked one question and said I would pass it on - does your Monastery (I'm not asking about anybody else for the moment - and I certainly don't expect you to know!) retain the practice of the Sister submitting three possibilities and then finding a surprise in her clothing day, with the caveat that it might NOT be one of the three - or - is there custom you follow regarding names? I think it is so beautiful for women (and men) to receive (or take) a new name in religious life. It really marks the line.

Thank you and I'm sure I can hear the rejoicing out in California!

Rose

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

Thank you Sister Mary Catharine. I saw the announcement about Sr. Maria Teresa of the Sacred Heart before this one, so at that point my question was answered.

I have been asked one question and said I would pass it on - does your Monastery (I'm not asking about anybody else for the moment - and I certainly don't expect you to know!) retain the practice of the Sister submitting three possibilities and then finding a surprise in her clothing day, with the caveat that it might NOT be one of the three - or - is there custom you follow regarding names? I think it is so beautiful for women (and men) to receive (or take) a new name in religious life. It really marks the line.

Thank you and I'm sure I can hear the rejoicing out in California!

Rose

 

No, we don't submit 3 names. We used to many, many years ago. Now, once a postulant is accepted for novitiate she talks to the novice mistress and if the novice mistress and prioress decide if she may receive the name she asks for. There is a story of Sr. Mary Antoninus of the Trinity who was told to write down FIVE choices. She picked "of the Trinity" for her title for each name but not Antoninus. She really wanted Gertrude, her baptismal name. She used to say to us, "Why did they even ask me!" :cry: