Weight Loss For The Lord

[gloriagurl]

[quote name='jkaands' post='1578996' date='Jun 21 2008, 10:46 PM']that's not the only daughter-and-mother-who are sisters pair--Gemma can name others--foundresses and saints, I think...[/quote]


I believe that Mother Angelica's first postulant was her own mother. That's not first hand information but I do believe the person who told me this is a very good source.

[gloriagurl]

[quote name='jkaands' post='1577850' date='Jun 20 2008, 07:47 PM']It's my impression that the traditional habited cloistered groups who are getting applicants are the ones who can afford to lower the age limit. It would be kinder and I think more accurate for them to say that they prefer a younger vocation because [i]in their experience [/i] the younger vocations have worked out better than the later ones. It's hard to argue with that. To say that it's God's will is presuming a lot , when another monastery down the road may have reached a very different conclusion.[/quote]

Jkaands,

You say it in an much softer - and therefore probably much better - way than I did...but this is the point I was trying to make. I believe we have to be not only more kind but more honest with each other..and just say "what is" rather than defer to the "will of God" concerning things that are really a choice...sometimes for good reason, other times for not such good reasons..but even then, at least it's honest.

[franciscanheart]

[cmaD2006]

Grrr ... 2008 was SUCH a long time agoooooo

[jkaands]

[quote name='cmariadiaz' timestamp='1297809526' post='2212701']
Grrr ... 2008 was SUCH a long time agoooooo
[/quote]


Yes, it was.

I think that weight and age are still problems, though. I can see, however, how monasteries would have a tough problem with weight. Excess weight, especially obesity and morbid obesity, are shown to significantly increase the likelihood of one's having severe health problems down the road, if not now. Diabetes, the type-2-related to obesity type, is the main culprit with its hypertension, coronary heart disease, vascular disease, and blindness, all of which producing horrendous medical bills that the monastery would have to pay for. Also obesity-related cancers, including breast, uterus and colon. And I think that no one wants to have be be a Big Brother (Sister? Mother?) watching every bite going into someone's mouth. Or be responsible for what they eat, preparing special diets, etc.

There was a story in our local paper about a young man applying to the US Army, who told him to lose 90 pounds and re-apply! The young man did just that. If one wants to enter religious life, one of the first things one has to learn is self-control. Losing weight is a good way to start.