Nuns haircut

[LukeDominican]

Hi! I'm new in this forum and english is not my native language, therefore excuse me for my mistakes!

I'd like to know if all the nuns have to cut their hair during investiture ceremony, or just cover them under the veil. And this traditional haircut is well accepted by the young novices? Or this sacrifice is not easy to accept by a girl with a vocation for the religious life?

I'm very interested on this topic because a relative of mine would enter a convent but she is very sad at the thought of having to cut his long hair! Is this normal or strange for an aspirant?

[Spem in alium]

Hello! I would suppose that it depends on the order. My congregation gives Sisters the option to wear the veil. Most Sisters who wear the veil have short hair, but some do keep their longer hair pinned up under their veil.

God willing, I will soon be moving forward in formation. I am still in the early stages and soon after I entered I cut my hair short. It's easier to manage and I believe it looks neater (for me, anyway, as my hair is very thick and slightly curly). I wasn't pushed by any of my Sisters, and while I do miss my long hair sometimes, it's really a very small thing to do without, especially compared to the wonderful joys to be found in living religious life.  

[sr.christinaosf]

In my community, when I was received as a novice on the Feast of St. Clare, my hair was cut at the ceremony.  This was especially fitting in honor of that Saint who I believe had hers cut by St. Francis.  

I used to have long hair and was quite attached to it.  I wrote an article this past spring on Our Franciscan Fiat blog that refers to the hair issue. 

I think the cutting of hair (especially when it has been a prized possession) can be beautifully symbolic of giving up what this world offers for love of Christ.

[Swami Mommy]

If I had beautiful long hair and was serious about entering religious life, I think I would get my hair cut shorter before entering so that my investiture ceremony wouldn't be marred by residual feelings of vanity, and I would donate my shorn locks to a cancer wig making group.

[sr.christinaosf]

Oh...I don't think I would - it would diminish the symbolism and sacrifice involved on that day.  I do like the idea of donating it for cancer victims, though...good thought!

[LukeDominican]

I think that the sacrifice of the hair is a beautiful thing that all the orders should have. But my relative who would enter in a convent has very beautiful long and silky hair and, despite her vocation (it's really true), she is sad at the thought of having to cut  it very short. 

Another question: hair cutting takes place while investiture ceremony or in a different time?

Anyway, I saw some haircut ceremonies in Internet and I love this moment. I see the true love for God and the true sacrifice of the novice. About this, someone has some photos or video of nun's haircut?

[Spem in alium]

 I believe usually during the ceremony - very symbolic. 

 

 

[sr.christinaosf]

There's a photo from my haircut at novitiate reception: https://ourfranciscanfiat.wordpress.com/2015/04/27/theres-no-place-like-home-reflections-after-a-visit/

Here's the image url: https://ourfranciscanfiat.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/q-nov-71.jpg?w=338&h=450

[Nunsuch]

The majority of communities today do not require the cutting of hair, and do not incorporate it into any kind of reception ceremony. This is true whether one is referring to women or to men being tonsured.

Edited July 26, 2015 by Nunsuch

[nikita92]

Guest that leaves out Mother Angelica's Poor Clares community.

Edited July 26, 2015 by nikita92

[veritasluxmea]

The majority of communities today do not require the cutting of hair, and do not incorporate it into any kind of reception ceremony. This is true whether one is referring to women or to men being tonsured.

Yes, this is true. Just tell your friend... Ask the community! There's no better answer than that. Encourage her to reach out and talk to the vocations director. I have seen a few cloistered communities cut hair at the investment ceremony- but they just trim off a snip, not all the hair. 

I for one have very short hair, it doesn't go past my ears, and I'm very happy with it this way. If I need to grow it out to pull it back for a veil I'm sure they'll let me know in time. 

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

The majority of communities today do not require the cutting of hair, and do not incorporate it into any kind of reception ceremony. This is true whether one is referring to women or to men being tonsured.

I was surprised to hear you say this. I'll be the first to admit that my knowledge of practices among nuns/Religious Sisters is almost all second-hand, and mostly from Phatmass, so I could very well be wrong. But, my understanding was that virtually every nun/Religious Sister, whether veiled or not, wore her hair short (meaning around ear/neck length at the longest). In Communities where the Sisters do not wear a veil, from the pictures I've seen, the Sisters have a short, practical haircut.

From what I've read, the symbolic cutting of the hair is part of many reception ceremonies--either at clothing, or less frequently, first profession, but is not a custom in all Communities. For example, I've heard of Communities where the Sisters have their hair cut short before or after the clothing ceremony.

As for exactly how short the Sisters in a Community wear their hair under the veil, I think that is the personal business of the Community, not mine. However, I think that a serious candidate for a specific Community should be told before she enters about the customs of the Community regarding the length of hair under the veil, so that she is not caught by surprise. I believe there are still some Communities where Sisters shave their heads (the Ellisville Passionists(?), but I believe they are a small minority nowadays.

I'm sorry to hear that your relative who hopes to enter religious life feels sad about cutting her hair. Maybe because I'm older, it would sound lovely to me to wear a veil and not have to worry about how my hair looks. From my perspective, the cutting of hair sounds like one of the smaller sacrifices a nun/Religious Sister makes, and the cutting of hair not only has an important religious symbolism, but is very practical under a veil, and means the Sister doesn't have to waste time on how she looks. 

The good thing for your relative is that I'm not aware of any Communities that require postulants to cut their hair. (Although, I could easily be wrong, so someone correct me if I am.) So a postulant for whom cutting their hair is an issue would have six months to a year to not only to get used to the idea, but (ideally) to embrace it. In fact, I've heard of postulants who deliberately grow their hair as long as possible before their Clothing, so that it can be donated to Locks of Love or some other cancer charity. (As I understand it, hair must be a minimum length for it to be accepted by Locks of Love.)

In the meantime, I hope your relative has a spiritual director to talk with about this issue, so that if/when she enters she might have more peace about eventually wearing her hair short.

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

The 1st time I had to cut my hair when I became a novice I cried myself to sleep! But long hair under the veil is rather impractical although I do know that with the older veil it was easier to have long hair. Now I'm grateful I can throw my veil on and not worry about it!

Bottom line is that it is for Jesus and he's worth it!

 

[Lilllabettt]

 I have very difficult to manage  thick, curly hair, and when I entered my idea was I would have it up in a bun until it was cut very dramatically for investure. Well where I was the superior did not like buns. So off it came! They did a reasonably good job, but if I could do it again,  I would pay for a professional cut before becoming a postulant. I remember one of the Sisters walking in as I was getting it cut off and saying "its a good thing you're detached." I wasn't detached though!  My hair only gets curlier and bushier  and more difficult the shorter it is cut. So yeah. It tormented me all that postulant year, and I dearly missed my bun.  It did dry faster though, although always in odd shapes.

Then when it was time for investure, I got it cut even shorter!  I am not ashamed to say that I took one look in the mirror, thanked Sister hairdresser, and went down to my cell and cried my eyes out!  It seems silly, but I think it is an emotional time, and plenty of new novices are driven to tears by silly things.  

I loved having a veil and not giving a care about bad hair days. Definitely one of the perks!

 

[SophiaMaria]

I had no particular attachment to my hair and was happy to see it go.  My hair was cut the night before receiving the habit. It actually got cut twice. The first time and then was told to go and shower. Then later they checked the fit of my cap, veil and wire and I had at least an inch of hair showing past the bottom of my cap and then they cut it again and back to the shower I went.  Oh well

[katherineH]

A good way to gauge whether or not a community cuts their hair is looking at how the veil fits.  If no hair is visible, there's a good chance it is completely cut.  This isn't an absolute rule, but you'll notice that the Servants of the Lord and the Missionaries of Charity do not reveal any hair under their veil - this is because it is completely cut off at investiture.  The Religious Sisters of Alma, for example, have their hair cut in a bob because they allow so much of it to be revealed.  

[Gabriela]

@LukeDominican: Welcome to Phatmass!

As you can see, the answer to your question is that whether a community cuts hair depends on the community, and whether it's normal for a woman to be upset about this is "yes," but it depends on the woman.

I have long, extremely fine, annoyingly straight, but hugely thick hair that will not hold a curl or shape no matter what you do to it. The sheer weight of it makes it impossible to manage. People say it's gorgeous, but if I were getting invested, I'd tell them to shave it down to the scalp, and I'd keep it that way!

[Nunsense]

@LukeDominican: Welcome to Phatmass!

As you can see, the answer to your question is that whether a community cuts hair depends on the community, and whether it's normal for a woman to be upset about this is "yes," but it depends on the woman.

I have long, extremely fine, annoyingly straight, but hugely thick hair that will not hold a curl or shape no matter what you do to it. The sheer weight of it makes it impossible to manage. People say it's gorgeous, but if I were getting invested, I'd tell them to shave it down to the scalp, and I'd keep it that way!

Shaving is only a good idea if you are NOT wearing a veil.  Sound silly? Of course, but I tried shaving my head one time when I was a Carmelite and as it grew back in, it rubbed against the toque (headpiece) and veil and was so itchy for weeks that I thought I would die. It would hardly look right to be scratching one's head all the time in choir!  Talk about mortification! After that lesson, I learned to keep it short, but not shaved!

[dominicansoul]

I had my hair shaved off.  It was liberating and I loved the feel of my bald head on my pillow, it was very cool and comfortable at night, didn't ever have head sweat again.  I loved the symbolism and the practicality of it all.  My veil would pop off if I kept all that thick hair under it.  There was no possible way it would remain...

 

Few months later, the novices who had been there to shave my head told the Vicaress General that I had actually asked for a small tonsure in honor of St. Dominic, which the sister shaving my hair did for me.  She laughed her head off, but Mother General was not amused...

 

I do still love St. Dominic very much and am reminded of my small sacrifice when ever I try to brush my hair now---that area of the tonsure sure grew out all weird... 

 

:/

[BarbTherese]

The 1st time I had to cut my hair when I became a novice I cried myself to sleep! But long hair under the veil is rather impractical although I do know that with the older veil it was easier to have long hair. Now I'm grateful I can throw my veil on and not worry about it!

Bottom line is that it is for Jesus and he's worth it!

 

Oh to be able to chuck something on my head and not be concerned about my self-willed hair.