SMME

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

[quote name='Veritas' post='1173496' date='Jan 22 2007, 11:45 PM']
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No, it would be very different. It would be an autonomouse convent -another motherhouse- of DSMME. There will be a new mother superior for each new motherhouse. The plan is very Benedictine I'm told . The DSMME plan that every time a motherhouse reaches 100, part of the community will leave to form a new foundation with a new motherhouse and local internal leadership. Unlike the Missionaries of Charity, i.e., who were all under Mother Teresa, the DSMME will have NO such international/national/supra-convent superior general. I am sure all sisters at every motherhouse will retain the habit and apostolate in fidelity to the founding mission, although I am not sure how this will be ensured.

I actually wasn't fond of this structure, myself, and this was ultimately one of the reasons I decided not to join, but I have talked about it extensively with Sister Joseph Andrew in Ann Arbor. I do think it has great promise to renew religious life, which is the intent. Again, there's nothing inherently "bad" about the plan, as far as I can tell, I just prefered a more hierarchically structured community.

Blessings!
[/quote]

It doesn't sound very Benedictine to me. It sounds more like Provinces.
Dominican monasteries are each autonomous but we all follow the same constitutions. Each monastery has its own spirit and particular way of living out the constitutions. We're all Nuns of the Order of Preachers but each monastery is distinct. Maybe that's more what is what is envisaged.

It will be interesting to see how it plays out. Often a new community will have plans for the future but they get adjusted as time goes on. The Holy Spirit often has tricks up his sleeve! I think keeping a congregation small is a good thing because people can get lost in big ones. That's the nice thing about monasteries! :

It's all very exciting though, don't you think! What a nice problem to have!

[BurkeFan]

[quote name='Sr. Mary Catharine' post='1173906' date='Jan 23 2007, 10:59 AM']
I think keeping a congregation small is a good thing because people can get lost in big ones. That's the nice thing about monasteries! :
[/quote]

That's actually, as far as I know, a major reason for this plan. Some of the Dominican Sisters that are having the hardest time right now are those that were very, very large. I'm fairly sure (and this Sr. Joseph Andrew mentioned too) that the they want to avoid having a community so large that some of the sisters can be strangers to each other.

[sanctafamilia]

DSMME is my absolute favorite order I have ever visited. I wish they used Catholic curriculum for their schools, though. (i.e., Seton) I wanted to join them so bad when I went there for retreat a few years ago, since I got my elementary education degre (no certificate, due to my speech). I cried soooooooo bad when both Mother and Sr Joseph Andrew sain "no." I love this oprder so much, as they've got to be one of the most orthodox around.

Also, I went to a FOCUS conference last year and saw Sr, Joseph Andrew and she remembered me lol! I thought that was amazing since they meet so many aspirents. That's my story about the Sisters of Mary, and I'm stickin' to it lol.

[AlterDominicus]

28 days to all who are going

[she_who_is_not]

I had a dream that I was on retreat with the DSMME last night. It was kind of strange, we made homemade french fries. But they were all very sweet. That's the second nun dream I've had this week. Maybe I'm spending too much time on VS before bedtime.

[shortnun]

[quote name='she_who_is_not' post='1176821' date='Jan 26 2007, 01:16 PM']
I had a dream that I was on retreat with the DSMME last night. It was kind of strange, we made homemade french fries. But they were all very sweet. That's the second nun dream I've had this week. Maybe I'm spending too much time on VS before bedtime.
[/quote]