OP_MOM Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 I am so glad to know that there is a special space here for parents of nuns! Last May, my daughter Marjorie joined the Dominican Nuns in Lockport, Louisiana. Sr. Marjorie was 18 when she entered the Monastery of the Heart of Jesus. I had a hard time visualizing her living the monastic life. Sr. Marjorie has always been a vibrant, happy person. I was concerned that living such a disciplined life would be hard on her or maybe even crush her spirit. I couldn’t have been more wrong! She is thriving in the Dominican life, and is stronger, happier and healthier than I’ve ever seen her. As she explained it to me, everything that she was blessed with by Jesus, she chose to return to Him. I can only thank God for giving Sr. Marjorie what no human could ever offer – her vocation. The Monastery of the Heart of Jesus reminded me of my childhood days. The nuns there live a life distinctly separate from the secular world. I thought it was incredible how they could do so many things in a day with such efficiency. Coordinating their time “to the minute” to include everything from their beautiful chanting in the chapel, to the meticulous way they run the monastery, to the way we were treated as family during our visit, are perfect displays of love in action. It would be easy to write endlessly about our visit to Lockport but there just isn’t time…maybe on another day.
HisChild Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 God bless you for allowing your daughter to respond with her fiat, her 'yes' to our Lord. May you be richly blessed 100 fold. Please pray that my mother and family also soften their hearts to my yes, so that, as time goes by after my entrance, they will see my thriving, my growing. . .that they might see the reason for my happiness. Again, God bless you abundantly. May Jesus protect and keep you, Denise
Marieteresa Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 Sorry for Hijacking but I just wanted to say Hello to Sr. Marjorie's mum! Welcome to PM, glad that your here. Welcome to PM! In JMJ
HisChild Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 Was Sr Marjorie on PM before her entrance?
All For Jesus Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 Yes, she was on PM...and welcome OP Mom!
cmotherofpirl Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 Thank you for starting this thread To all those who are discerning religious life, send your parents HERE to talk to HAPPY parents of nuns and sisters. [color=red][b]Their joy is contagious[/b].[/color]
zunshynn Posted February 21, 2006 Author Posted February 21, 2006 I'm ing my own thread, but I thought I'd celebrate because this is the first topic of mine that's ever been pinned and I'm quite proud of it. So ! Back to the topic.
franciscanheart Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 My parents told everyone when I said I was considering the convent. I didn't like it.
OLAM Dad Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 [quote name='zunshynn' date='Feb 20 2006, 01:22 PM'] Hey OLAMdad... sorry to bug you again, but may I include that post as part of my project for school? I think it'd be another cool perspective to include, if that's alright with you. Pax Christi, Jen [right][snapback]892822[/snapback][/right] [/quote] Which post? The one where I called PCPA2Be to task for insulting magnificat? Absolutely!
HisChild Posted February 22, 2006 Posted February 22, 2006 [quote name='zunshynn' date='Feb 21 2006, 10:32 AM']I'm ing my own thread, but I thought I'd celebrate because this is the first topic of mine that's ever been pinned and I'm quite proud of it. So ! Back to the topic. [right][snapback]893766[/snapback][/right] [/quote] What does being pinned mean?
HisChild Posted February 22, 2006 Posted February 22, 2006 [quote name='OLAM Dad' date='Feb 21 2006, 11:14 AM']Which post? The one where I called PCPA2Be to task for insulting magnificat? Absolutely! [right][snapback]893805[/snapback][/right] [/quote] Oooooh, he's so mean!
OLAM Dad Posted February 22, 2006 Posted February 22, 2006 Olam mom here. Rambling follows. I don't know much about these kinds of posts. So excuse my ignorance if it shows. Lauren has left several things in her room, which she hoped we would find. She wrote notes in old notebooks to us, pinned prayer requests on her wall, and left files with recent letters to Jesus and even wrote a vocation story. Can you imagine finding these things every couple of weeks? It is hard and yet so incredibly beautiful. I have a beautiful daughter, in whom I can truly say, has surpassed me spiritually. I am proud but fight that because she did not like us advertising her vocation to the world. People would ask me, "aren't you so proud of your daughter?" Or, "why didn't you tell us, you must be one proud parent?" Of course, I also get "Why?" "Wasn't she smart enough to go to college first?'... God's call, God's timing. She really was and is Totus Tuus for her beloved Christ. It somehow reaffirms to me my hearts desire for the children. But then on the flip side you want it to be their's and totally their decision. I think it was for Lauren. As a homeschooling mom for the last thirteen years, I have wrestled with the issues of school, peers, and maybe too much religion, Well, for the things I did to an extreme, I did apologize to the two oldest. The years of graces have also shown me that you can't take the health of your child's soul to lightly. Ask Ray Gaurendi. But it is so funny how Our Lord either affirms you or slams you. Lauren, of all people is still wanting me to make sure that the children are in safe environments or going to adoration hours. Is she an extremist? She's a very happy one then. I should probably say Sister Lauen, not Lauren. I sent her and the externs Valentine presents(Godiva chocolate, holy cards I made, pink hot chocolate, and some homemade cookies). It is so much fun to dote on them. I think she enjoys the gifts and she knows we are thinking of her. I think of Madeleine, when they say in the cartoon, "but most of all, we love our butter". For Sister Lauren, but most of all, she loves her coffee. Her one addiction. My husband gets a kick out of mailing bags and bags of it to her. I think Mother Vicar is inspiring her to cut down. We'll have to think of something else he can send the externs. Sometimes I miss her and I get choked up. Sometimes I see the mess in the secular world and am glad she is where she is . But I know she is sacrificing. And I know it is beautiful and hard for her. And I know she is in love with Christ. All of these things at the same time go through my mind. When Sister Lauren was around eight years old, my husband and I went through a kind of pilgrimage back to our faith. I fell head over heels in love with the faith. And God's timing was so perfect. I would read the novels of the saints to the girls and we fell in love with St Therese. St Therese sent us two gifts on the same day. Imagine that. Lauren dressed up as her on All Saint's Day that year and from then on I could picture her being a nun. So could she. The rest is history. But she still grew into an alien we call the dreaded TEENAGER! She had her awful teenage moments where I was ready to ship her off to India, far far away, (Lauren and I) but I guess she turned out okay. Her passion for the pro-life movement, her desire for Adoration hours, and her love for her siblings grounded her and made me interiorally very glad she was my daughter. Even when she was being the alien TEENAGER. Now I'm very happily, Sister Lauen's Mom
HisChild Posted February 22, 2006 Posted February 22, 2006 Oh that's such a beautiful story, OLAM Mom. Thank you so much for sharing it. I praise God for you each day, that Sr Lauren has such wonderful and loving parents. God bless you. (soon to be Sister) Denise
Marieteresa Posted February 22, 2006 Posted February 22, 2006 That was so wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing!! Its good to hear from you both! I am so happy that I got a chance to met all you guys! Okie Iam going stop gushing! In JMJ
magnificat Posted February 22, 2006 Posted February 22, 2006 Thanks for the post! It's always great to hear the parents' perspective. Hope you keep posting!
brandelynmarie Posted February 22, 2006 Posted February 22, 2006 What a blessing Sister Lauren has in her family! Thank you for sharing "Mom"! And we always enjoy the postings of OLAM Dad too...It helps us all so much out here...Pace e bene, Brandelyn
OP_MOM Posted March 3, 2006 Posted March 3, 2006 [quote name='OLAM Dad' date='Feb 21 2006, 10:23 PM']Olam mom here. Rambling follows...Sister Lauen's Mom [right][snapback]894411[/snapback][/right] [/quote] Hello Olam Mom! : It was such a treat listening to you describe life as the mother of a young woman who has found such delight in Jesus. I can understand fully everything you said. Sr. Marjorie left behind a number of things too. One in particular was an expandable file full of her artwork and writings. I had no idea that she had accumulated so many things. To date I haven't been able to open the file. Part of me feels like an intruder. The other part of me knows that I won't walk away without tears. Another thing I discovered in Sr. Marjorie's room (the one she shared with three other sisters) was behind her dresser, where when she was little, she'd drawn a rough mural of her favorite subject - cows. In her absence, her sisters lovingly finished painting it for her. In spite of our crowded quarters, Sr. Marjorie managed to find the solitude she needed to pray. Underneath our basement steps, she cordoned off a little private area, filling the space with statues and pictures of the Blessed Mother and Jesus. She would bring the books she used for spiritual reading down to that shabby little place and spend hours alone with Him. There were times that her siblings teased her about her desire to be holy. But no amount of teasing could deter her. That little shrine still stands untouched. It's only inches from the pool table, the television and the boom box - but it's a world of its own - a little piece of heaven here on earth. No one makes jokes about it anymore. One of these days I'll find the courage to open the box that is so full of Sr. Marjorie. Until then, I'll just be happy knowing that it is there. God bless you Olam Mom. You are a very special person!
shortnun Posted March 3, 2006 Posted March 3, 2006 Beautiful OP_MOM, thanks so much for sharing part of Sr. Marjorie with us.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now