Maria Faustina Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 [quote name='shortnun' post='1018001' date='Jul 6 2006, 12:11 AM']In my superficial/trivial world, where I think about what would be hardest for me to "give up" as a religious, swimming is it! Theeeeeeeeen, when I visited Nashville OPs, I learned that the sisters DO have a pool. They don't use it very often. And it's just for solitary use. But still... I think that's a bit of a God-incidence in my life. [/quote] I found this nearly 2 year old post last night when I was looking for another one. So... I found this kind of weird. I never really thought nuns went swimming. So, I was wondering, do some communities actually have pools? I had never even thought about that before. And one of the girls in my class asked Sr. John Thomas (a Nashville Dominican) if she was allowed to go swimming and I remember her saying something about not being able to because there wasn't a place secluded enough, though I could be completely mixing this up. And in the above post, how exactly does she mean solitary? Could anyone either confirm or deny Nashville having a pool? Sorry, I know it's an extremely random question, but I guess I just couldn't believe it. Thanks! In Christ, Maria Faustina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amor vincit omnia Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Well yes the IHM's are allowed to go swimming...a bathing suit is actually on the list of things you have to bring..When I was a postulant in their community we used the pool in the back of formation its actually part of their catholic school which is next to their mother house...they also have a Retreat house on the beach so yea...it is allowed in this particular community. [quote name='Maria Faustina' post='1582920' date='Jun 25 2008, 01:31 PM']I found this nearly 2 year old post last night when I was looking for another one. So... I found this kind of weird. I never really thought nuns went swimming. So, I was wondering, do some communities actually have pools? I had never even thought about that before. And one of the girls in my class asked Sr. John Thomas (a Nashville Dominican) if she was allowed to go swimming and I remember her saying something about not being able to because there wasn't a place secluded enough, though I could be completely mixing this up. And in the above post, how exactly does she mean solitary? Could anyone either confirm or deny Nashville having a pool? Sorry, I know it's an extremely random question, but I guess I just couldn't believe it. Thanks! In Christ, Maria Faustina[/quote] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alicemary Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Many communities have swimming pools, especially in the South. When I lived in NJ, several communities had places at the shore and went there in the summer, and yes they went to the beach. I am not so sure about what solitary means...sounds a little strange to me. I know some of our other phatmaseers will know about specific communities Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the lords sheep Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 This was actually the thing I said I'd miss when I was younger! So I asked one of the Little Sisters of the Poor who I was working with at the time, and she said that some of their Sisters can go swimming if there's a private pool (no one but the Sisters). Maybe that's what shortnun meant by solitary? When my cousin came home for her homevisit before she entered the novitiate, the ONE thing she wanted to do was go swimming. Luckily her brother-in-law's parents have a pool that's surrounded by a high fence. The community told her she could go as long as it was only her family around and if she wore a one-piece. She loved it, but after not having any sun on her shoulders and back for 10 months, she got a little burnt.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DameAgnes Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 (edited) I once lived near a retreat house of Cenacle sisters (a great ministry - they give retreats for women and men, bereaved, silent retreats, workshops - one house even does "knitting" retreats where you bring your yarnwork. They also do parish retreats and CCD and spiritual direction) - but I think they have only a handful of novices worldwide, if that. They had a pool meant to be refreshment for the sisters and also a means of exercise for sisters with joint problems. They took it down, eventually. [url="http://www.cenaclesisters.org/"]http://www.cenaclesisters.org/[/url] They are considered contemplative/active. They pray morning and evening prayer in community. It would be a shame to see the order die out, but I think they're a little lost trying to figure out how to appeal to younger women. I don't know if they've yet figured out that this generation is largely (though not wholly) one that is looking for things both community prayer life and some outward sign of consecration to give witness. And some of the Cenacle sisters I've met are a little New Agey and hung up on the idea of emphasizing the feminine aspects of God - but they seem to be a distinct minority. I sort of wonder if they've all but given up the idea of attracting new vocations; they don't even have a vocations page on the website - although they seem to have covered the business end of things very well. One thing I have noticed - some communities make a point of not even using the word "vocations" on their site, they talk about "membership," as these sisters do. Does that matter to anyone? Edited June 25, 2008 by DameAgnes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ambrose Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 just remembering that in [i]Brides of Christ[/i], there's a beautiful pool with mosaic walls underneath the convent that the Mother Superior has a morning swim... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortnun Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 Seeing as the "really old post" is mine.... I'll clarify a bit. The Nashville sisters have a pool at their motherhouse (I believe it's part of the old hotel that used to be on their property... or something like that). By "solitary" I mean that the sisters only go by themselves. It's different than other sisters who can only can to a sisters-only pool. I think it varies from one community to another as to if/when swimming is permitted. And of course it makes a difference if it's a men's community or a woman's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maria Faustina Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 thanks a lot shortnun!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totus Tuus Posted June 26, 2008 Share Posted June 26, 2008 (edited) [quote name='alicemary' post='1582987' date='Jun 25 2008, 12:40 PM']Many communities have swimming pools, especially in the South. When I lived in NJ, several communities had places at the shore and went there in the summer, and yes they went to the beach. I am not so sure about what solitary means...sounds a little strange to me. I know some of our other phatmaseers will know about specific communities[/quote] Hmm, just to throw in MY observation here: I have visited maaaaany communities in the South and none of them had swimming pools. Maybe it's coincidence that we have seen the opposite when it comes to this but I wanted to share my own experience. And when I have gone to the beach with nuns up north, they have never actually worn swimming suits. SOME may not have been wearing their habits, but they weren't in swimming suits proper. Edited June 26, 2008 by Totus Tuus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maria Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 I know that for the Monastic Communities of Jerusalem, the nuns at least are not allowed to go swimming. It's something they're hoping to change for their Canadian house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alicemary Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 I lived at the Jersey shore, and yes certain communities do allow swimming. And they can go to the public beach in a swim suit. Now they are not advertising it, nor wearing a veil. They look like average woman, which in reality they are. Swimming is wonderful low impact exercise, and I certainly see no harm in sisters swimming. In fact, the thoughts that communities would not allow it is a tad strange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HolyHearts Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 Years ago Sisters & Nuns never went swimming because using a bathsuit was considered immodest....Also, it was considered to be part of bodily mortification not to go swimming. Mortification was also NOT doing some things that you would have liked to do. It was a kind of spiritual exercise to strengthen your spiritual muscle-power...It never really hurt the body; rather it empowered the spirit. We should all try to practice these little mortifications or penaces. It means to offer up some tiny thing for love of Jesus: 1st, to unite ourselves in some small way to His Total Sacrifice on Calvary; & 2nd, to grow spiritually in the practice of virtue....These are the first steps in imitating Jesus and in personal holiness.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jkaands Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 [quote name='HolyHearts' post='1584679' date='Jun 27 2008, 08:48 AM']Years ago Sisters & Nuns never went swimming because using a bathsuit was considered immodest....Also, it was considered to be part of bodily mortification not to go swimming. Mortification was also NOT doing some things that you would have liked to do. It was a kind of spiritual exercise to strengthen your spiritual muscle-power...It never really hurt the body; rather it empowered the spirit. We should all try to practice these little mortifications or penaces. It means to offer up some tiny thing for love of Jesus: 1st, to unite ourselves in some small way to His Total Sacrifice on Calvary; & 2nd, to grow spiritually in the practice of virtue....These are the first steps in imitating Jesus and in personal holiness....[/quote] Moritfication may have been an excuse but I suspect that a falsely directed modesty was at the bottom of it all. Swimming, after all, is exercise and one way of saving a life, maybe yours, maybe someone else's. In this day and age, controlling the salivary glands is a more appropriate mortification, I think--there are many opportunities to practice this, and it's good for your health! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TotusTuusMaria Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 [quote name='HolyHearts' post='1584679' date='Jun 27 2008, 09:48 AM']Years ago Sisters & Nuns never went swimming because using a bathsuit was considered immodest....Also, it was considered to be part of bodily mortification not to go swimming. Mortification was also NOT doing some things that you would have liked to do. It was a kind of spiritual exercise to strengthen your spiritual muscle-power...It never really hurt the body; rather it empowered the spirit. We should all try to practice these little mortifications or penaces. It means to offer up some tiny thing for love of Jesus: 1st, to unite ourselves in some small way to His Total Sacrifice on Calvary; & 2nd, to grow spiritually in the practice of virtue....These are the first steps in imitating Jesus and in personal holiness....[/quote] This makes sense. Thanks for posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maria Posted June 28, 2008 Share Posted June 28, 2008 And I think perhaps the attitude toward it in Europe and in North America is slightly different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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