passerby Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 Hi all, One of my friends attended a final vow ceremony and she said that the sisters got rings...but that they wore it on their right hand. Does anyone know why? Is it up to a community or could they choose to wear it on the left? I would have thought they'd wear it on the left hand because it was their wedding day. Thanks! BJ
Antigonos Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 I don't know that there is any particular symbolism involved. It is traditional in the US to wear one's wedding ring on the left hand, but Europeans commonly wear them on the right hand [I do too, but that's because it's more comfortable -- I'm left-handed] If the order or community originated in Europe, it might just be the custom.
AveMariaPurissima Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 I remember hearing a Sister mention that her community wears their profession rings on the right hand to signify that it's a spiritual marriage. Maybe that has something to do with it?
truthfinder Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 I think some do, but other keep to the right hand because they are European in origin (and I think even their ceremonials said to put it on the right hand). Also, you get the orders that don't wear rings at all - like just about all Discalced Carmelites, their black veils is their symbol of final profession (Terre Haute seems to be an exception to this, they receive rings as well).
Sister Leticia Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 In my congregation we generally follow the wedding ring custom of the country we're in, so for us in the UK that means wearing our profession rings on our left hand. However, we are free to choose, and some sisters have opted for their right hand for personal reasons. Likewise, some of our continental sisters (where wedding rings are worn on the right hand) have opted for their left hand. But whichever finger we wear them on, our rings mean a great deal to us, just as they do to married women. When one of my sisters had an accident a few years ago and dislocated her ring finger, she pulled her ring off straightaway even though it hurt more to do so. She knew her finger was starting to swell, which meant her ring would have to be cut off her finger, and that would have been more painful in a different way.
beatitude Posted January 3, 2015 Posted January 3, 2015 In my congregation we generally follow the wedding ring custom of the country we're in, so for us in the UK that means wearing our profession rings on our left hand. However, we are free to choose, and some sisters have opted for their right hand for personal reasons. Likewise, some of our continental sisters (where wedding rings are worn on the right hand) have opted for their left hand. Which is your community, Sister? :) It's nice to have UK religious on here.
Spem in alium Posted January 4, 2015 Posted January 4, 2015 This is interesting. In my congregation, some Sisters wear their ring on their right hand, and others on their left. It could be a European custom, but I've seen it also in other communities in which all Sisters are Australian. Maybe it's also personal preference.
Antigonos Posted January 4, 2015 Posted January 4, 2015 Which is your community, Sister? :) It's nice to have UK religious on here. Dare I hope that Leticia Crucis has rejoined us???
IgnatiusofLoyola Posted January 4, 2015 Posted January 4, 2015 Sure looks like it to me. :yahoo: Since she is signing on as a Noob she couldn't PM anyone.. I will send her an email right now to check. However, since it's Sunday, I may not hear back right away. Keep you posted.
truthfinder Posted January 4, 2015 Posted January 4, 2015 Maybe, maybe not - the poster joined in July. Whoever she is: Hello Sister!
IgnatiusofLoyola Posted January 4, 2015 Posted January 4, 2015 Maybe, maybe not - the poster joined in July. Whoever she is: Hello Sister! :( I didn't even think to check the date this poster joined. Well, I sent an email to Laetitia Crucis anyway. She already knows I'm clueless, so at least she won't be surprised. :paperbag:
IgnatiusofLoyola Posted January 4, 2015 Posted January 4, 2015 Okay, now I feel even more stupid (if that's possible). I closely checked the photos on the Web site of the Dominican Sisters of St. Joseph (the Community to which Laetitia Crucis/Sister Mary Catherine belongs). In most of the photos, the Sisters keep their hands under their scapulars, but based on two pictures, the perpetually professed Sisters in the Community wear their rings on their right hands. BTW--The Summit Dominicans also wear their Solemn Profession rings on their right hands. It's been a busy time for the Summit Dominicans, but I hope Sister Mary Catharine has time to see this thread and answer the question for her Community.
Cherie Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 My former community also wears the ring on the right hand. They said they did so as a way to show they are "counter-cultural" (as the cultural custom in the USA is to wear it on the left hand) and are not "of the world," that they are not married in an earthly, worldly sense, but in a spiritual one.
vee Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 I doubt that that is sr laeticia crucis because she hasnt used one single emote :)
TheresaThoma Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 Good to see you back around here vee. That is interesting about the rings. I had never really noticed that.
marigold Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 Orthodox customarily wear wedding rings on the right because of the scriptural symbolism of the right hand. I've seen quite a lot of people in English-speaking countries wear them on the left though, presumably to fit in with the culture. Our monks and nuns don't wear rings - I think because there is a lot more emphasis on remaining unmarried for Christ. It's a sacrifice. Anyway this is a really interesting discussion!
passerby Posted January 5, 2015 Author Posted January 5, 2015 This is very interesting! I guess I'm still very new with all these things...I don't understand why the right hand would signify a spiritual marriage.
Sister Leticia Posted January 5, 2015 Posted January 5, 2015 Oh dear, I seem to have raised all sorts of hopes without knowing I was doing so! My apologies, but I'm not your friend Laetitia Crucis. You all seem very fond of her, and I'm sure she was delighted to receive Ignatius' email and know how pleased you were when you thought she was here. So it's a kind of happy fault all round! Thank you for the welcome. I've been lurking and reading for quite a while: I noticed that sometimes religious would answer questions or comment from their own experience, so I eventually ventured into dipping my toe in the Phatmass water and adding my own comments here and there. But I still feel very much like a newbie, especially as the link to the guidelines is broken. One of the confusing things is all these designations. I get that I'm a lurker and a noob = newbie, AND seeking attention - presumably if I hang around long enough or comment x number of times (and behave myself, of course!!) I'll magically graduate to the next level? Does everything change or just one thing or what? One of you commented that as I'm a noob I can't PM. Are there other things I can't do as well? Sorry if I'm hijacking a thread about rings. Maybe the guidelines will come back, or it's all somewhere else which should have been obvious to me - in which case, please feel free to point it out! Thanks and God bless
IgnatiusofLoyola Posted January 6, 2015 Posted January 6, 2015 Oh dear, I seem to have raised all sorts of hopes without knowing I was doing so! My apologies, but I'm not your friend Laetitia Crucis. You all seem very fond of her, and I'm sure she was delighted to receive Ignatius' email and know how pleased you were when you thought she was here. So it's a kind of happy fault all round! Thank you for the welcome. I've been lurking and reading for quite a while: I noticed that sometimes religious would answer questions or comment from their own experience, so I eventually ventured into dipping my toe in the Phatmass water and adding my own comments here and there. But I still feel very much like a newbie, especially as the link to the guidelines is broken. One of the confusing things is all these designations. I get that I'm a lurker and a noob = newbie, AND seeking attention - presumably if I hang around long enough or comment x number of times (and behave myself, of course!!) I'll magically graduate to the next level? Does everything change or just one thing or what? One of you commented that as I'm a noob I can't PM. Are there other things I can't do as well? Sorry if I'm hijacking a thread about rings. Maybe the guidelines will come back, or it's all somewhere else which should have been obvious to me - in which case, please feel free to point it out! Thanks and God bless I hope all of you will forgive me if I go off-topic for one post in order to welcome Sister Leticia and answer some of her questions since she can't send or receive Personal Messages yet. Don't feel bad that you are not Laetitia Crucis. We welcome all new posters to Vocation Station, especially Religious. The link to the Guidelines is broken for me, too--it's not just you. The Help function answers some of your questions, but I couldn't find answers to some of your specific questions regarding Status, Levels, etc. Don't take titles like "Noob" or "Seeking Attention" seriously. As you make more posts, and as more people "Like" your posts, you will automatically progress to higher levels. I don't know how many posts you need to get this (it's in the Guidelines that aren't working now), but eventually you will be given the ability to send PMs--Personal Messages, that is, private messages to other Phatmass members. If you ever feel comfortable telling us what Community you belong to, we would love to know. Feel free to use Phatmass to link to your Community's Web page (if it has one). If you don't feel comfortable telling us, that's okay, too. In the meantime, enjoy! And call me Iggy. Everyone else does! End of Off-Topic post.
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