Reality Show About Five Women Discerning Religious Life

[Feankie]

If you follow the link to the trailer, there's also an option to view photos. Whew!! Neon nail polish, lots of jewelry including multiple piercings, heavy makeup. Are these girls aspirants or what?! Maybe I'm too old to get it :)

[Gabriela]

If you follow the link to the trailer, there's also an option to view photos. Whew!! Neon nail polish, lots of jewelry including multiple piercings, heavy makeup. Are these girls aspirants or what?! Maybe I'm too old to get it :)

 

I looked at the photos and think the network is blatantly sexualizing them in any way possible: posture, stance, gaze...

[truthfinder]

I looked at the photos and think the network is blatantly sexualizing them in any way possible: posture, stance, gaze...

No kidding - that's what struck me about the pictures the first time I saw them.  The garb they're wearing almost makes me think the network is trying to fetishize them - their uniform looks rather Catholic-school-girlish.

[puellapaschalis]

Nothing about reality tv is actually real. It wouldn't surprise me if these 'discerners' were in fact actresses looking for their break, and willing to do anything the producers told them to do.

[Batman]

I hold the hope that God will use this situation to touch the hearts of these women in such a way that it will be visible to all who see it.  We may be forgetting that God has given us the means to help these women in their discernment.   We should remember these women in our prayers and during Mass, and offer our penances up for their conversion.   They are our sisters in Christ and we are their family.  

 

 

[veritasop1206]

These attempts by various media people to get into the mind and heart and soul of a discerner (whether the person is discerning consecrated religious life, priesthood, or marriage) fail dismally. Discernment is a deeply personal journey and something like this trivializes that journey. It's sad and disappointing.

[DameAgnes]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thought the girls were being sexualized in those pics. 

[inperpetuity]

Wow, the trailer features the Carmelite Sisters for the Aged and Infirm.  I used to live down the road from their motherhouse and work in their nursing home.  They are a good group of sisters but I knew from the beginning I was not being called to the active life.  It's good to see them.  Seems a tad bit over dramatized.

[Poor Friars]

Peace and Good "Kateri89"
Just wanted to say sorry that that I only recently found your message and have now sent you a reply.
I hope to hear from you soon!
Best wishes of Holiness,
Friar Antonio.
 

Hey you guys might catch a glimpse of my face if you watch the show :)  I was on a retreat with one of the women that's on this show.  Just a couple months ago I was visiting the Capuchin Sisters of Nazareth and the film crew was there so at most you might see me entering the chapel with the rest of the young women and that's about it lol.

 

[Spem in alium]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thought the girls were being sexualized in those pics. 

 

Oh no, they are clearly being sexualised - so unnecessary and inappropriate. Praying for these women and for the Sisters featured - I hope they have a positive experience journeying together.

[TIWW]

I've only seen the first installment, but it does such a disservice to women who are really discerning. To allow those 5 girls to show up for this short experience, and not provide them with some basics such as our life is about prayer and devoting our lives to God, and that is the foundation of life here. I would assume that they would have been given some basic information, such as modest dressing, no cell phones and living in an atmosphere  of payer, silence and service. It was painful to watch.

 

[Gabriela]

I agree wholeheartedly, TIWW. But I think that's part of the "drama" they were trying to create, and arguably, those women had a responsibility to look into what religious life really is before agreeing to visit a community, and to do it on camera. You'll notice that Claire, the only one who really seems to be doing this for Jesus, has not been shocked by anything so far. She's clearly from a solid Catholic family, and she knows what she's getting herself into. The others mostly seem to be running away from something, or to be running towards some ideal of religious life that isn't the reality.

 

From what I've heard from sisters, though, that's not at all uncommon. And apparently the "no cell phones" often causes a freak out.

 

(BTW: I watched the first episode on the website. It's up, for those who want to see it. The buffering is BAD BAD BAD, though!)

[vee]

It will be neat to see how they change over the two weeks they spend at each place, especially once they start dong the apostolate and really living the life.  Hopefully they will find the transitions much smoother as they go to their second and third live ins.

[Gabriela]

Yeah, I think some of the crises in the first episode suggest progress already. :)

[emma8201986]

I watched this show On Demand last night.   Did these girls wake up 2 days before shooting and decide - hey - it would be cool to be a nun?  They can't wear makeup - no way?  Who would have guessed?  No cell phone - O.M.G - torture!  Eseni (or whatever her name it) arrives at the convent dressed like a hooker with a man she has been having, until (it would appear) that morning, a sexual relationship.  She has finger nails longer than a raptor painted orange and thinks this is ok.  Mother Mark should have told her that either the nails go or the girl goes.   I could be wrong here, but I would bet $1 million she has no vocation.  None of the girls with the possible exception of Claire (I think - the girl with the braids) has the remotest idea what being a religious is all about.  Anyone who has done more than 1 week of discerning knows a few things about life in the convent - you don't have boyfriends (and you don't leave your boyfriend's bed to enter or test your vocation.)  When I first started discerning, my SD said you always must be open to God's plan - and even if you think it's religious life, it may not be - but if you are a serious discerner, you don't initiate, pursue or consummate relationships with men.  In the 2 years I have been discerning, I have gone to parties and movies with mixed groups but I have not gone on dates or encouraged any men of my acquaintance.  One girl talks about Jesus as if he were the hero in a romance novel.  She even has a picture of Him that looks like it could have come off a paperback bodice ripper.  Did anyone else find this VERY uncomfortable?  I had said before on this forum that I find the bride imagery a bit disconcerting and this woman is Exhibit A of why I feel that way.  I'm ok with the uniforms although in what universe would any community pick a pencil skirt for its aspirants?  If nothing else, you can't bend or do sports in it.  The sisters seem very nice but I think they were taken in by the producers or thought that, even if this isn't real, at least it gives a broader audience some idea that religious life has value; that it's a choice young women can make and that the convent is not a prison.  It amazes me that they didn't seem to be able to find real discerners.  They could have asked me or 10 other people on this forum.  I'll probably not watch the rest of the series as these women are not representative of true discerners - IMHO.

Edited November 29, 2014 by emma8201986

[Feankie]

Did any of you watch the final episode? I won' t spoil it, but I was pleasantly surprised with some decisions, others were pretty obvious from the start.

[totustuus20]

I saw it and I really enjoyed the ending!

[vee]

How are you guys able to see the final episode? I have Lifetime on cable and I thought the new episodes were on Tuesdays so I havent seen it yet and wonder why Im a week behind.

[cartermia]

I am hoping they do a marathon of it before the final episode so I can catch up. I am on episode 4...

[Not A Mallard]

A reality show that I might consider watching?

Well, I didn't end up considering watching it.  Nor did I remember its existence.

Edited December 22, 2014 by Not A Mallard