Dateline Tonight At 9pm

[alicemary]

Just a reminder that at 9 pm edt on ABC Dateline will be doing a show about Faith. They are visiting the Poor Clare's in Roswell, as well as the Cistercians in Mount St mary's. I know this has been mentioned before, but want to remind everyone!! Lets discuss it after!
Alicemary

[Totus Tuus]

I don't have T.V. so y'all will have to fill me (and Ora et Labora) in!!

Lauren

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

Dang! I think I missed it Unless it is still on... darn commercials! I wanted to watch it too... I even wrote myself a note to remind me! I guess getting paintings for my final done is of a little higher priority now though...

OH! It is still on yeah!

[DiscerningSoul]

There is a commerial on right now, I have tears in my eyes and this longing for our Loving Lord even more.
'follow me, don't run, trust in me my child' keeps comming to mind
The show is back, be back later

Edited May 12, 2007 by DiscerningSoul

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

I feel much the same! I want to go back to visit. I feel ever so certain... He keeps calling and tugging! What a beautiful poverty and lowliness He calls us to! Praised be Jesus Christ now and FORVER! Amen.

[DiscerningSoul]

I still have tears in my eyes.
Just yesterday I took a picture of Jesus off my mother's bedroom wall and prayed alot to him, he hangs right now over my couch(with mom's permission) and even before I knew this program was going to air, I told my mom just this evening:
I will marry Jesus, weather it be in a cloister, community or lay, I will be a bride of Christ. I also told her I will never give her children, because my children are unsaved souls, and she can help them thru prayer. She seemed happy about what I told her.

I LOVE JESUS!

Jessica

Edited May 12, 2007 by DiscerningSoul

[alicemary]

It was wonderful, and very well done! Went inside the Roswell Poor Clares, with Mother Frances still alive!! Showed many of the sisters in their every day life and at prayer. At Mount St Mary's, they followd several young woman who were discerning. One is a Harvard Professor. None of them chose to enter that particular order, though one young girl did enter a Carmel which they said was right up the road from the Cistercians. She looks like a posutlant there, but they only showed her at the grille and in chapel. These sisters would not allow the cameras inside.
Diane Sawyer was respectful and really tried to understand the life. I have a friend, who is Baptist, watching it, and he is totally blown away and has no understanding. I don't think anyone can explain the mystery and love of serving the Lord in such a total way.

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

Oh my... this next bit on exorcism looks a little frightening... But it rightly should be... evil and demons are scary stuff.
(Goes runs and gets Holy water to bless herself...)

[stlmom]

What a wonderful surprise to see video of the late Mother Mary Frances! I thought the segment was alright, although I sensed a little too much melodrama in some of the commentary. Diane Sawyer asked some light but thought provoking questions and she seemed genuinely interested in the nuns. I give it a solid "B" grade. I wish they would have spent more time on the sister's lives and let them talk more about their lives, but I have to remind myself that this was not a vocations video.

[alicemary]

I think it is important to remember this is not a vocation video, you are right. This went out and will reach many people. I just wish, when Dianne Sawyer was speaking to the Poor Clares, they had spoken more. They laughed, but did not feel comfortable enough to answer her questions. I felt that was awkward. The other community seemed more open to answering questions. Does anyone know what Carmel that was?

[Graciela]

Could anyone tell whether it was Danvers Carmel that the one young woman entered? I don't have a TV but I have a radio that I can listen to the TV channels- so I had no visuals! Maybe abc will have the full segments on their web page later. Right now it's only shorter bits are available.

Overall, I also would give the segment a B to B+ grade. I was dismayed that the Poor Clares could only giggle in response to perfectly reasonable questions about their life and call. This was a great opportunity to have people hear about the meaningfulness and richness of cloistered religious life, and they came off, it seemed to me, as childish gigglers. And that coupled with Diane Sawyer's comment about the nuns talking about Jesus like an infatuation seemed to undercut a more powerful message. I remember the Poor Clares used to have some vocation info that talked about "spiritual motherhood of souls" and I think it would have been nice to hear that said on TV. Just my opinion, mind you.

And I think it's great to have them shown on a national TV broadcast, nonetheless.

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

One thing that I did not particularly like was the paraphrasing of the Sister's answers for certain parts, which I am sure was done to save time, but it makes it a much stronger message to hear it from the Sister's in their voice.

[TotusTuusMaria]

[center]J.M.J.[/center]

I give it a C+. I think it was very dramatic, and it did not show much of the joyful side of becoming a nun. It did not answer why, truly, these women leave everything. It hinted at the love they have for Christ (the best part I think), but it presented it (in my opinion) in a way that would make the regular person watching the show think these women ridiculous. Like, I don't mean what the sister's were saying was ridiculous. What they said was beautiful, but the reporters, I think, did not understand it and questioned their words in a way that portrayed to the audience that Diane Sawyer (or whoever was doing the editing) thought what they had to say ridiculous. I think there was bias undertones.

I could be a little bias in this review myself. I watched it with my parents, and it made them totally fearful of me being called to the religious life. So, I was plagued with questions about my mental state which I did not altogether enjoy and take delight in. I wish I would have watched this first by myself before deciding whether to show it to them or not. The part about the sister taking the discipline... ah, that was a thirty minute conversation right there. I love how Diane added at the very end quite shortly that it was no longer practiced after she spent about three minutes talking about it and questioning it.

The sisters looked beautiful though, and I am sure that they had the purest intentions when letting Diane come in and do the interview. I wish they would have given the sisters more time to talk. I have a feeling they edited a lot of beautiful comments the sisters made.

In Jesus and Mary,
Marie

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

[quote name='TotusTuusMaria' post='1271679' date='May 11 2007, 09:55 PM'][center]J.M.J.[/center]
The sisters looked beautiful though, and I am sure that they had the purest intentions when letting Diane come in and do the interview. I wish they would have given the sisters more time to talk. I have a feeling they edited a lot of beautiful comments the sisters made.

In Jesus and Mary,
Marie[/quote]
I totally agree. Even when the summarized the answers, it was definitely not with the same strength as it would have had coming straight from the mouth of Sister. It was beautiful to see Mother Mary Francis however. And even Audrey Santo was quite beautiful to see.

The show was kinda funny in how they included an atheist, one without faith. That did not quite fit in the 'theme' of the show.

[TotusTuusMaria]

[url="http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=3160621&page=1"]http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=3160621&page=1[/url]

Here is the link. There is three segments. This looks like pretty much what they showed in all. Only the blonde headed one entered, and she did not enter either of the two communities showed on the video. She entered Carmel.

After watching these a second time I like it better. Maybe it can move up to a B-... I don't know though.

God bless!

In Jesus and Mary,
Marie

[cathoholic_anonymous]

Parts of the accompanying article are not truthful.

[quote]These sisters spend their days in silence and isolation, giving up not only the outside world but often whatever gives them pleasure, however small.[/quote]

That, for instance. I know many cloistered sisters and all of them have activities that they really, really enjoy, ranging from calligraphy to tennis. It's not as if the purpose of the cloister is to make you miserable.

[Ave Maria Totus Tuus]

[quote name='TotusTuusMaria' post='1271679' date='May 11 2007, 11:55 PM'][center]J.M.J.[/center]

I give it a C+. I think it was very dramatic, and it did not show much of the joyful side of becoming a nun. It did not answer why, truly, these women leave everything. It hinted at the love they have for Christ (the best part I think), but it presented it (in my opinion) in a way that would make the regular person watching the show think these women ridiculous. Like, I don't mean what the sister's were saying was ridiculous. What they said was beautiful, but the reporters, I think, did not understand it and questioned their words in a way that portrayed to the audience that Diane Sawyer (or whoever was doing the editing) thought what they had to say ridiculous. I think there was bias undertones.

I could be a little bias in this review myself. I watched it with my parents, and it made them totally fearful of me being called to the religious life. So, I was plagued with questions about my mental state which I did not altogether enjoy and take delight in. I wish I would have watched this first by myself before deciding whether to show it to them or not. The part about the sister taking the discipline... ah, that was a thirty minute conversation right there. I love how Diane added at the very end quite shortly that it was no longer practiced after she spent about three minutes talking about it and questioning it.

The sisters looked beautiful though, and I am sure that they had the purest intentions when letting Diane come in and do the interview. I wish they would have given the sisters more time to talk. I have a feeling they edited a lot of beautiful comments the sisters made.

In Jesus and Mary,
Marie[/quote]


Totally there with you on the whole watching it with my parents. They thought it was totally strange. They couldn't get over that these women don't do anything for the world. Then they asked me my opinion, and I was like, "well, I suppose it depends on how much you believe in the power of prayer." My dad said it was a "waste of a life" and my mom said it seemed "selfish." I almost cried right there in the middle of it all. I spoke only if they asked me a question but I kept quiet most of the time. My heart was wrenching, all I could do was ask Jesus to bring them faith. It was very awkward, after the celibacy part where Diane questioned the women if they were just escaping the world where they might have failed in relationships, my mom started asking me about two ex-boyfriends of mine and if I ever talk to them anymore. It was just not an enjoyable experience.

I will pray for you and your parents, TotusTuusMaria! (haha, we even have similar names! yess!)

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

I didn't know I was supposed to be miserable!

My prioress asked me to tape it because of Mother Mary Francis. They must have taped this over a year ago because she died a year ago this February.

We don't watch TV. Sometimes we watch something special with the Holy Father or tape something that we think would be good to watch. We sometimes have a movie but it's usually an old black and white!

Your comments are very good. From our experience with the media you've got to work really really hard to get across to them the truth of the life.

Also, I'm sad to say that some cloistered communities tend to "foster" this sort of gigglingly girlishness of the nuns and not form them to be women who are spouses of Christ. It's too bad that the Rosewall nuns came across as you say they did. (I've not seen it yet.)

For those of you who have parents who feel this life is a waste--just keep giving them to the Lord and ask the Holy Spirit to enlighten them. They will come around. Most parents feel this way until they get to know the community. Then they becomes your best advocate!

Remember this life is ultimately, a mystery. Even I can't entirely understand it. I only know that I have fallen in love with God and that He has called me to give myself to Him this way! It's about acknowledging the that God is the One who has given me my life and existence. Why? So that I can love Him in return.

[ofpheritup]

[quote name='Sr. Mary Catharine' post='1271753' date='May 12 2007, 05:37 AM']Remember this life is ultimately, a mystery. Even I can't entirely understand it. I only know that I have fallen in love with God and that He has called me to give myself to Him this way! It's about acknowledging the that God is the One who has given me my life and existence. Why? So that I can love Him in return.[/quote]

I watched the program and was disappointed in its lack of content. To me it was as if I had ordered a steak dinner and was given a hamburger. It just left me wanting more.

I will be 50 years old in August and I was raised in Philadelphia. I have loved and understood the cloistered life ever since at the age of 4 my father put me in the "turn" at the monastery spun me around and I got the opportunity to visit with the nuns for an hour.

The questions that were asked left me shaking my head. One in particular I don't remember it exactly but it was women could possibly be entering because of a broken heart. Well some may that's not to say it doesn't happen but those type don't last.

At the end of the day (the end of their lives) LOVE is what impelled them to enter and it is what kept them there.
Love for God and Love for their brothers and sisters in the world.

HOW IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THIS IS NOT UNDERSTOOD?
Rhetorical question.

The life has always made sense to me and always will.
One of my prayers is that the ones God is calling will have the courage to enter and for the ones already "in" the courage to persevere.

[ofpheritup]

I think I hit the wrong button .

I tried editing and it didn't work. Anywhoo.....

I wanted to finish my thought by saying I do not understand why when entering the religious life your motives are questioned. No one questioned me when I told them I was engaged.

God calls us all to serve Him in a variety of ways. I happily support everyone in their choice.
My prayers are with you.

Edited May 12, 2007 by ofpheritup