Transfers

[nikita92]

Greetings all!

I have a question concerning sisters/nuns who "Transfer" from one religious community to another.

If a postulant was say.. in her 2nd year, and during this time determined that her present community was not compatible and she "transferred" to another community that was similar i.e.- Poor Clares to perhaps Poor Clares Colettine... Would she #1- Become a new "Novice" to that community, or still be a 2nd yr postulant?

#2-Be recognized/acknowledge in their newsletter (like new ones usually are)
and if not..what about "Group" photos that show all the sisters/nuns in that community on their website? Would she be included or not? (if the community choose to keep her her joining/transfer on the down low).
#3-Do they keep their name they originally were given, or does that change with the new community?

I know I will get responses saying that it is up to the community of how they choose to handle it.
I just have never seen or read about "Transfers" taking place from community to community.. And it's does happen!!! It seems to be handled covertly though.
Yet, new joinings and advancements i.e. are joyfully announced! I wouldn't consider a "Transfer" a negative.. But could it be viewed as such?

Any insight (such as procedures that need to be adhered to, and under what conditions would transfers fall under) would be welcomed and appreciated. Thank you!!

[truthfinder]

This is incredibly dependent on the community.  Dominicans, for example, have to re-do a novitiate even if they were in final vows before.  Some will remake them re-do their formation - which has some really good benefits, especially if you're transferring religious "families" ie Benedictine to Franciscan.  Others won't.  I think there might be a canon law that deals with this as well.

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

This depends from monastery to monastery but mostly canon law. A transfer or transfiliation (2 different things), is technically only by professed. If a novice leaves 1 monastery and goes to another that monastery MAY allow her to start in as a novice but she would have to do another canonical year (if it's a federation that could be another different story). One might start all over again as a postulant (most likely) but the new monastery could shorten it perhaps.

 

None of those are what are technically considered either a transfer or transfiliation.

 

Everything you asked is up to each religious community.

 

We have 1 sister who transferred here  from a Dominican contemplative congregation about 7 years ago. She was perpetually professed but she had to do a canonical novitiate. Then she waits 3 years and makes her solemn vows. Canon law requires the 3 year wait but our constitutions require the novitiate year. So, she was a perpetual professed novice! However, we didn't have her wear a white veil although some monasteries do that.

And we have a sister that transfiliated from another monastery to ours. We require 2 years before this is made final.

Transfers or transfiliations are often mentioned in community newsletters but most people don't even notice it.

 

http://nunsopsummit.org/2007/10/whats-in-a-name/

 

http://nunsopsummit.org/2007/10/meeting-harvesting-welcoming/

 

http://nunsopsummit.org/2010/02/welcome-sr-mary-john/

[AveMariaPurissima]

Here's the relevant (I think) canon law:

CHAPTER VI.

SEPARATION OF MEMBERS FROM THE INSTITUTE

Art. 1.

TRANSFER TO ANOTHER INSTITUTE

Can. 684 §1. A member in perpetual vows cannot transfer from one religious institute to another except by a grant of the supreme moderator of each institute and with the consent of their respective councils.

§2. After completing a probation which is to last at least three years, the member can be admitted to perpetual profession in the new institute. If the member refuses to make this profession or is not admitted to make it by competent superiors, however, the member is to return to the original institute unless an indult of secularization has been obtained.

§3. For a religious to transfer from an autonomous monastery to another of the same institute or federation or confederation, the consent of the major superior of each monastery and of the chapter of the receiving monastery is required and is sufficient, without prejudice to other requirements established by proper law; a new profession is not required.

§4. Proper law is to determine the time and manner of the probation which must precede the profession of a member in the new institute.

§5. For a transfer to be made to a secular institute or a society of apostolic life or from them to a religious institute, permission of the Holy See is required, whose mandates must be observed.

Can. 685 §1. Until a person makes profession in the new institute, the rights and obligations which the member had in the former institute are suspended although the vows remain. Nevertheless, from the beginning of probation, the member is bound to the observance of the proper law of the new institute.

§2. Through profession in the new institute, the member is incorporated into it while the preceding vows, rights, and obligations cease.

 

 

 

[cmaD2006]

I do think however in the hypothetical question (a 2nd year postulant) that the person would have to start over.  The one exception *maybe* *possibly* *remote-chance* is in a federation of sisters of like spirituality (then maybe, maybe an arrangement can be made for the postulant to move from one postulancy to another).  I would still think that the postulant would have to be a postulant in the new institute for some sort of time.  Maybe not as long as normal, but some time would be require.  Because it is a new institute.

 

It may sound difficult ... but I completely get it.  Each institute is different, and you have to be "in" to really get the culture/way of being a member of the institute.  It's different if you're a professed sister, or even a novice.

 

 

[cmaD2006]

Oh and I realize that Sr. Mary Catharine is 100% correct ... transfers do occur, but they are sisters already in vows.

[Benedictus]

I have a friend who was a Carmelite, getting to the point of needing to take perpetual vows. He sought a transfer to a Franciscan order. He needed to do a novice year and then three years in temp vows. He didn't need to do a postulancy as such, but spent a period of time visiting the various houses of the order before applying formally. There needed to be a willingness for superiors to be receptive on both sides, and this was a risk. It's possible that once the issue is raised that the order where entry is sought could reject the request. Then, because of the admission, your current order is likely to block a request to take any more vows with them. Who wants to be second prize? ;) So limbo is a risk, even if small.  Many orders see the novice year as good because there are new things to take on board etc. Plus if it's the right place then you've got a lifetime there -  no hurry, so you might as well go back to start (or near as).  It's easier, as far as I understand, to transfer between monasteries in the same congregation, subject to their constitutions. It maybe slightly different (probably harder) if moving between orders that aren't so akin in life or charism with eachother.

I think to save speculation, and to not make people feel awkward, many orders don't make a point of making a massive deal about transfers (esp from the exiting order). But many orders who receive the person do announce and celebrate the entry, as far as I've seen anyway.  I think most orders just want to be sensitive about what people may want kept private about their vocation journey. People outside the immediate community don't necessarily need to know everything.

In terms of names I think it depends on the custom of the community, superiors and the desires of the person. Some communities let you choose your name (or at least pick from a selected list), others don't. If the existing name is in keeping with the new order and isn't a clash they may not see an issue with it.

[Sponsa-Christi]

The pertinent canon law on this can be found in canons 684 - 685. I'm sure some of the religious on the board can chime in with more details, but to give a very general canonical overview: a transfer between religious communities can only happen for solemnly/perpetually professed religious. If a Sister still in formation wanted to transfer to a completely new institute, she would have to leave her first community and then re-enter the new community in the normal way.

 

If a perpetually professed Sister does decide to transfer to a new community, she needs the consent of both superiors and their respective councils. There is also probation period of at least three years. After the probation period, in which the Sister lives the life of the new community, she would either make profession in the new community or return to the original one (unless she had permission to leave religious life altogether). 

 

However, if it's a matter of transferring from one form of institutional consecrated life to another---e.g., a Sister wanted to become a member of a secular institute, or a Daughter of Charity (a member of a Society of Apostolic Life) wanted to become a Nashville Dominican (a religious institute)---the permission of the Holy See is required. 

 

Obviously, I'm approaching this from an academic rather than a personal perspective, so I'm sorry that this explanation is so dry!

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

Sponsa you are correct but I do know that now the Holy See allows temporary professed to transfiliate (that would be one monastery sui juris to another in the same Order). They didn't used to. I think they also allow it from one congregation to another as well.  For example, the Houston Vietnamese Sisters used to allow their sisters to transfer to monasteries. Now, they have to leave completely.

 

Also postulancy isn't required by canon law but by the particular institute. Our brethren in most of the provinces don't have postulancy and only the canonical novitiate so they make profession before we do! :cry:  We always say that it takes more time to make a GOOD NUN than a FRIAR! :saint2:

 

There are many areas not covered by Canon Law which keeps the folks in Rome busy!

[Nunsuch]

The Monroe, Michigan, IHMs currently have a novice who was a finally professed member of the Philadelphia IHMs, but who left over 20 years ago and was dispensed from her vows.  She went through an aspirancy and a BRIEF candidacy (postulancy) and was just admitted to the Monroe novitiate, after only a few months, because of her prior experience. BUT she must complete the whole novitiate and take temporary vows again.

 

I do know more than half a dozen women who transferred after taking perpetual vows. Almost all communities require a 3-year "trial" period, during which the sister is in vows, but she has not permanently transferred (she is, in effect, exclaustrated or on leave of absence from her original community).  After the 3-year trial (part of which will probably be spent in the novitiate), she may formally transfer. At any time, either she or the community can discern that the "fit" isn't right.... 

 

One of the transfers I know went from an apostolic community to Carmel (after 24 years as an active sister).  She was always in vows, but did go through a novitiate in Carmel.

[nikita92]

Thank you all for the informative feedback! I have learned a lot! ;)

[OnlySunshine]

Recently, a Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist transferred after a 3 year trial period.  She was perpetually professed in a Poor Clare community in Spain and moved the the US.  I followed her story and found it very interesting and was so happy for her when she was admitted to the FSEs permanently.  She's originally from Kenya.

 

http://www.fsecommunity.org/news/14-03-30_scollette.html

Edited August 10, 2014 by MaterMisericordiae