Traditions And Customs, Etc.

[gloriagurl]

[quote name='jkaands' post='1506710' date='Apr 22 2008, 02:44 PM']Thanks, GG

The use of the hairshirt may vary with the charterhouse. Or it may be optional.

Sad to say, there are only about 350 Carthusian monks left in the world, and I think the average age is high. About 75 nuns, who were only recently allowed(!) It may be in future that there will be more nuns than monks!
"Into Great Silence" is now available on netflix, in case there's anyone out there who hasn't seen it![/quote]

jkaands,

Do you know if Carthusian nuns still receive the maniple and stole at profession? I know it was their practice prior to Vat II and I believe at least for a while afterward, but I've lost track.

[irishdancer]

As a dancer and an aspirant to a contemplative community I have followed the conversation on corporal mortification with interest and a little fear. Granted that I clearly am not called to the Carmelites or Poor Clares, I am now more than ever grateful for the opportunity to share life with the Nuns before applying. For me, I think going to bed before dark and waking for the midnight office will be adequate corporal discipline.

As for the discipline an athlete practices (and I have studied dance since I was 3), the passion is always carefully monitored and used as motivation by those who are developing the young dancer. Where there is no concern for the human who happens to be a dancer, great harm can be done. I am 24 in a few weeks and only for God would I give up the life I love so much.

One of the questions Mother asked me was if I could give as much to the religious life as I do to dance? I think she was speaking of the total oneheart/mind focus that is required when one's body and mind are one's instrument I said yes but I know it is only by God's grace. Hope this makes sense.

[jkaands]

[quote name='gloriagurl' post='1506767' date='Apr 22 2008, 02:55 PM']jkaands,

Do you know if Carthusian nuns still receive the maniple and stole at profession? I know it was their practice prior to Vat II and I believe at least for a while afterward, but I've lost track.[/quote]

i don't know, but this point has been mentioned on some forum I've read. Gemma might know. Search under Carthusian nuns on PH and Religious habit on yahoo, one of Gemma's groups, if you can.

My limited knowledge of Carthusians is gleaned from two books, An Infinity of Little House, which is excellent, and Sound of Silences, not as good, but moving, and, of course, Into Great Silence. You can get the books heavily discounted on amazon or bookfinder.com. The dd remains expensive, I am sure, but you can rent it on netflix, which has decreased its prices, apparently.

[jkaands]

[quote name='Saint Therese' post='1506087' date='Apr 21 2008, 07:53 PM']I find this thread very interesting. I don't think the corporal penances practiced by the Littleton Carmel are extreme. Extreme to US, perhaps. But our culture is one of EXTREME over concern for bodily comfort. I think the penance are very similar to ones practiced by the original Teresian Carmelites. St. Teresa herself slept on a bed with a wooden block as a pillow. Also, in my opinion, it would not be completely correct to say that St. Therese was against penance. When the community took the discipline she hit herself as hard as possible, because she " didn't want to do anything by halves". Her spirituality, the Little Way, is very penetential when practiced according to her ideal.[/quote]

Back to the Littleton Carmel. The remark I quoted is old, from when they entered their monastery, and from a lay source. Its source isn't authentic, and I think that there's a good chance the penance isn't being practiced now.

...are the Constitutions available to the public?

[Nunsense]

[quote name='jkaands' post='1507231' date='Apr 22 2008, 10:56 PM']Back to the Littleton Carmel. The remark I quoted is old, from when they entered their monastery, and from a lay source. Its source isn't authentic, and I think that there's a good chance the penance isn't being practiced now.

...are the Constitutions available to the public?[/quote]


At Wolverhampton, we studied the Constitutions (the 1991s) daily and they covered such topics as charism, formation, elections etc. and the old (original) Constitutions by St Teresa were included at the back of the book just for reference. The Constitutions don't usually include the day to day traditions and customs however, as there are too many of these and they are different for each community. These are covered by a separate document called the Paper of Exactions. I don't see why the Constitutions wouldn't be available through some source or another - I know that our priest (chaplain) had a copy of his own, which he read to try to understand us better! Getting a copy of the Paper of Exactions is another matter however since they get changed and updated and might not be readily available.

[irishdancer]

I found this on the Irish Trappistines' Blog.

Prayer for Guidance

From THOMAS MERTON, Thoughts in Solitude

MY LORD GOD, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself,
and the fact that I think that I am following your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always
though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me,
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

Wanted to share it without starting a thread. I believe it's OK to post with attribution to author.