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Diff. In The Dominican Communities


TeresaBenedicta

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dominicansoul

[quote name='TeresaBenedicta' post='1865622' date='May 12 2009, 06:17 PM']Awesome-- that helps bring out some of the differences. A few follow-up questions (since you seem to know both communities fairly well):

In Ann Arbor, do all of the Sisters get their Masters in Education, or do some of them further their education in other fields? Do all further their education?

How many Sisters does Ann Arbor have currently? 'Cause it seems like that 100 mark might be quite soon.[/quote]

Mother sends the Sisters to college for various programs and for various degrees/certifications. It is pretty much left to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit...

...around this time of the year, announcements are made as to who is going where and for what...

Edited by dominicansoul
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[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1865670' date='May 12 2009, 08:45 PM']yes, it's about 80. I won't be surprised if this next group coming in August will top it close to the 100 member mark. This is why they are already planning on beginning a new community, where the limit will be 100, too. That's another difference. Ann Arbor tries to keep the communities small. This way every Sister gets to know each one of her sisters personally. That isn't easy when you have 200 + that you might never see for months and years.[/quote]

The question of course is, will the "oldest" of the new nuns (figure 9-10 years in religious life) be sufficiently mature to be able to guide that "new" community? DSSME began with four sisters who each had three decades or more in religious life...I assume two of the foundresses would have to go help get another new community started. Not sayign anythign negative about it, but it seems like an awful lot to put relatively "new" nuns in charge of setting up a sister house.

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[quote name='AbsconditaInDeo' post='1865364' date='May 12 2009, 02:53 PM']Also, I've heard that Ann Arbor is a little more charasmatic than Nashville and although they're both musical, I think Nashville is a bit more so than Ann Arbor.[/quote]

The Nashville Dominicans have a quieter joy than the DSMME.

Edited by NisiTe
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dominicansoul

[quote name='NisiTe' post='1866211' date='May 13 2009, 12:41 PM']The Nashville Dominicans have a quieter joy than the DSMME.[/quote]
I agree. DSMME group gets pretty rowdy. (especially on the soccer field!) :lol: But when it comes to quiet and contemplation, the Sisters are pros.

I used to tell them, (and don't no one steal this, it's mine.. :lol:)

"Silence is Love holding It's breathe."

:) And we all felt it permeating our hearts and souls and the very walls of that house. God is abundant in those Sisters through and through.

as HE is in Nashville, (of course...)

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dominicansoul

[quote name='DameAgnes' post='1866184' date='May 13 2009, 11:58 AM']The question of course is, will the "oldest" of the new nuns (figure 9-10 years in religious life) be sufficiently mature to be able to guide that "new" community? DSSME began with four sisters who each had three decades or more in religious life...I assume two of the foundresses would have to go help get another new community started. Not sayign anythign negative about it, but it seems like an awful lot to put relatively "new" nuns in charge of setting up a sister house.[/quote]

Mother would never send those she didn't believe could do the job. I remember years ago when I was there, Cardinal Pell came to us to ask Mother personally, if she would start a new community down in Australia (Nashville wasn't his first choice...) and she said "No." He was a little surprised by this. Mother said "My girls are not ready."

I lived with the ones who are coming to Texas. It is surprising how the Holy Spirit worked through all of us to get jobs done that we never were capable of doing out in the world. I know that they are ready to do this, or else it wouldn't be happening. God is totally in control of that community. He takes them and leads them where they go. None of it is coming from them...they only participate in His Divine Will.

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TotusTuusMaria

[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1865355' date='May 12 2009, 02:48 PM']their charisms are slightly different.

Ann Arbor Dominicans consecrate themselves as a community to Jesus through Mary using the De Montfort formula.

Ann Arbor Dominicans are open to all forms of evangelization not only teaching.

Ann Arbor Dominicans spend an hour in adoration together as a community.

Ann Arbor Dominicans are more diverse, as they don't really have a "mold" that young ladies need to shape and shift and change into. While I was in Nashville, I felt I had to become some type of southern belle. I'm not a southern belle. In Ann Arbor, I felt I could breathe and be more of myself. I felt the Ann Arbor community uses the differences and the uniqueness of each individual to form her into that consecrated relationship with Jesus. And all our differences came together to form a very special family.

Ann Arbor Dominicans are limiting their community to only 100 members, and are already looking toward the future. After 100 is met, a WHOLE NEW MOTHERHOUSE and a WHOLE NEW COMMUNITY will be formed in Buda, TX. This is unheard of in Nashville. All other convents in the Nashville branches are only mission convents, not totally new communities.

Nashville is a well-established community, who's future endeavors include a convent in Australia and convents in diocese across the country. But they are happy with the home-base continuing to be Nashville. Ann Arbor was created to spread convents (formation houses, motherhouses) and create new communities across the country, with the hope that everywhere more and more Catholics would be able to witness the true form of Consecrated Life as envisioned by St. Dominic.

So, there is quite a difference in their charisms. Different means, but the same end: spreading the Gospel and being "lights in the darkness."[/quote]

Thank you for posting this!!!

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dominicansoul

[quote name='the lords sheep' post='1867916' date='May 15 2009, 09:30 AM']Does any one know what the new Texas community will be called?[/quote]
I'm not sure if they have a new name for it yet. It's in it's earliest stages.

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laetitia crucis

This is excellent! I'd always wondered about the differences between the two communities. Thanks for asking, and thanks to those for answering! :clap: :D

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AbsconditaInDeo

[quote name='dominicansoul' post='1867975' date='May 15 2009, 01:37 PM']I'm not sure if they have a new name for it yet. It's in it's earliest stages.[/quote]

I'm willing to bet that it may be along the lines of "Dominican Sisters of Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit"

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[quote name='AbsconditaInDeo' post='1868796' date='May 16 2009, 03:03 PM']I'm willing to bet that it may be along the lines of "Dominican Sisters of Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit"[/quote]

I can totally see that as well!! :clap:

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  • 2 weeks later...
Thomist-in-Training

Postulants have a black chapel veil in Nashville and in Ann Arbor whether you wear a chapel veil is up to you.

I've heard that Ann Arbor has more girls who enter out of high school, and also something very similar to NisiTe's comment about a "quieter joy", but I don't have firsthand experience.

Speaking of chapel veils, does anyone know whether either community supports the TLM at all?

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DominicanPhilosophy

Thomist-in-Training, I think the "quieter joy" is more a characteristic of the Nashville Dominicans. Regarding the TLM, I would assume that Nashville [actually, probably both communities] support it, but I don't believe either actually celebrates the Mass in the Tridentine form. I have never heard of either community making any comments regarding the TLM, though I know Nashville employs Latin when praying certain parts of the Divine Office. Sometimes, the "Our Father" is prayed in Latin ("Pater Noster"), and there is a lot of chant/singing that they do in Latin. BEAUTIFUL!

I am in Nashville, so I have more of an idea what these Sisters do than what the Ann Arbor Dominicans do. We can leave the latter up to DominicanSoul. ^_^

+JMJD

Edited by DominicanPhilosophy
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  • 2 weeks later...
TeresaBenedicta

Just out of curiosity:

Does anyone know if their guidelines for family visitation, home visits, letters, etc differs between each community?

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[quote name='TeresaBenedicta' post='1888583' date='Jun 11 2009, 06:16 PM']Just out of curiosity:

Does anyone know if their guidelines for family visitation, home visits, letters, etc differs between each community?[/quote]
I don't know. But I'll wager that someone on this board does....

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