Religious Habits

[dominicansoul]

I again respectively disagree with you. I believe it is necessary to be somewhat cautious of those religious who do not follow the Church's guidelines to such a simple command as wearing attire that is necessary for their state in life. If a community cannot be obedient in such a "small" matter, what makes us think they can be obedient to greater matters? To tell everybody "you shouldn't judge a sister if she's not wearing a habit" is like tellling me, "don't pay any attention to what is wrong with this community." Like I stated above, it is necessary that we must recognize the error, and to announce it so that no one falls for the false doctrines propagated by such communities. The habit is a "visible sign of an invisible bethrothal" as Mother Marie William McGregor, O.P. so eloquently put it...to see "sisters" not wearing their wedding gowns warrants justifiable suspicions...

The Vatican is doing something about this...which is why those communities whose sisters are not wearing habits are all up in arms and foaming at the mouth about the inquiry...I for one say, "it's about time!!!"

Edited December 27, 2009 by dominicansoul

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[quote name='dominicansoul' date='28 December 2009 - 04:09 AM' timestamp='1261933745' post='2026551']
I believe the Church has stated time and again, that religious should wear habits...so when I see "sisters" not wearing habits, it is easily identifiable as disobedience...

in some cases, where a religous community is still in the beginnings of their foundation, a habit is not usually confirmed yet...or as in the case with Mother Seton's order...

I would like to share an experience I had while I was in the convent. I know that many of my Sisters did not hold prejudice against those sisters who did not wear habits. I met one such sister from Ireland, and she moved me profoundly by her words of wisdom. It seemed to me that the Holy Spirit had touched her heart in such a way as she knew the beauty of giving one's life to Jesus totally...

In her case, she did not wear the habit, not out of disobedience...but out of obedience. The area of Ireland she works in is prejudiced towards Catholics and religious can become targets. Out of obedience to her superiors, she was asked not to wear her habit, which could become dangerous for her.

But let me tell you of what happened to me one weekend in the convent. Me and my sisters were asked to participate in a Vocations retreat for youth at a huge parish in Illinois. Many communities participated in this event. Many sisters who did not wear habits were present at this retreat. I was VERY shocked at the ill treatment me and my sisters received from many of those un-habited sisters. Many of them I met were not friendly, they seemed angry...almost bitter...and they were not happy that me and my sisters were young, habit wearing sisters. They did not ask me or my sisters what we practiced, what we believed, what we stood for...they obviously judged us from the moment they saw us walking in all dressed in habits... I was told we were "old fashioned," "a step back for women in the Church", "trouble-makers" etc.

I'll never forget that experience. I was very surprised. I was shocked at those communities of sisters who showed me that there IS an agenda AGAINST authentic religous life in the Church. These women have taken it upon themselves to "re-write" in their own minds what religious life is. I feel obligated to say..their creations cannot be from the Almighty God... We witnessed several of this communities booths...and what we found was very surprising...many of them were advertising new age techniques, earth worship, eastern asian mysticism such as buddhism, taoism...i would even venture to say some of their ideas were outright demonic...and anyone practicing such "meditation" could easily open doors to Satan and his minions...

We were literally hissed at, growled at, snapped at...as if these women were possessed by something...

But truth always prevails. The youth groups that were gathered for this huge event were very open towards those communities whose religious wore habits. They were a little more shy towards those who didn't. At one question and answer session, one young lady asked one of my Sisters, "Why do you wear one of those, while that Sister over there does not?" And the non-habited sister went on to say that Vatican II gave them the right not to have to wear such an oppressive garment. My sister quickly and charitably corrected her and said, Vatican II never stated such a thing, in fact the Church has always said religous must wear a garment identifying one's state in religious life. The young lady who asked the question went on to say that she liked the habit more, and to that, the huge crowd of youth confirmed that with claps and whistles....

it isn't just a black and white issue. There is a hidden agenda of women who do a grave disservice against our Church because they have decided that their feminist ideals must overshadow the reasons for authentic religious life in the Church. Authentic religious life is all about service to God and to the Church. Authentic religious are called to SERVE and to live in SERVICE. Religious women are called to become BRIDES of CHRIST. Many of these terms are offensive to these women who do not wear habits. They don't consider themselves "Brides of Christ." And they DO NOT wish to wear their WEDDING GARMENT which is what the habit IS! If that is oppressive to some women, they should never have become sisters in the first place.
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[AccountDeleted]

I quote at length from a statement made this year by the Cardinal Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Religious. This congregation is under the direct supervision of the Holy Father and as I know from working at the Vatican, is the Pope’s authentic spokesman for religious throughout the world:

[i]In her wisdom the Church confides to the chapters the task of studying (after consulting with the members of their institutes) what changes are necessary in their constitutions.
It must be noted, however, that the motu proprio Ecclesiae Sanctae does not authorize experiments that would obscure the meaning of religious life and its function in the Church (17) or that would create confusion or disorder in the said institutes or give scandal.
Caution is therefore necessary in introducing changes and it is worthwhile to consult competent authority in order to obtain pertinent orientations. Institutes that have acted thus have assured themselves of an invaluable assistance that enabled them to take definite constructive and beneficial decisions.
The reference just mentioned demonstrates and explains why changes affecting the form, nature, or character of the institute are forbidden.
According to the norms of the motu proprio Ecclesiae Sanctae the constitutions cannot be altered so that religious consecration appears subordinate to apostolic activity. Such a shifting of values could have extremely grave consequences because religious consecration should be, on the contrary, the propelling force of every activity and hence of every apostolate.
To cite a particular instance, the chapter is not empowered to decide, for example, as an experiment, on the suppression of community life in the institute, or the suppression of the religious habit, and the use of secular clothes.
With reference to the religious habit it seems necessary to point out that it must conform to the norms of the decree Perfectae Caritatis. It may be changed (but not suppressed) and may not be left to the free choice of various people or the caprice of certain individuals.
The laity who venerate and respect those consecrated to God, expect that modesty and reserve, that edifying note of austerity and that external proof of poverty that enhance the service of Religious and render more attractive their vocation to virtue and goodness. [13][/i]
No religious who is serious about her loyalty to the Holy See can afford to ignore these directives. They are not a free option but are meant to be embraced with Christian generosity.

...
In my opinion, whatever changes are made, the new habit should be distinctive of the institute, uniform for all members of the community, modest in being not unnecessarily revealing, simple and therefore not elaborate in cut or tailoring, inexpensive as an apt sign of religious poverty, convenient for wear all day long and in any ordinary occupation, symbolic in retaining such features as the veil to signify consecration to God.

...
[url="http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Religious_Life/Religious_Life_047.htm"]From Father John A. Hardon, S.J. Archives[/url]
"Religious Life "

Father Hardon also has a questionnaire posted on this site about the religious habit, and the answers are very interesting, so I will post them separately.

[organwerke]

[quote name='cmariadiaz' date='27 December 2009 - 11:21 PM' timestamp='1261948895' post='2026603']
The fact that you automatically judged a religious (a non-habited sister) as not representing authentic religious life is what I am pointing to.

I understand that there are communities that are way out of line. But to judge before knowing the person is wrong. I say this in defense of those non-habited sisters who are excellent examples of religious.

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In fact it is right not to judge the person.
But I think you are saying "it is unfair to have a negative judgement on a nun only based on her external clothes".
Now, I think it is quite obvious that we can find excellent un-habited sisters as well as unfaithful habited sisters.
But consider the case that we aren't speaking about a particular person but about judging, [i]in general[/i], nuns or sisters only beacuse they wear/don't wear a habit.
Now, let me say that, in general, thinking of the case of very similar persons (regarding their soul dispositions, santity etc), I am inclined to have a better opinion of nuns with habit than nuns without it.
Is it fair to judge a person ONLY for her habit?
Of course not, but if I I'm speaking ONLY about the habit, I have a better opinion of those who wear the habit than those who don't wear.
Why? Because the habit is a very important symbol and and an essential part of religious life, and if there ISN'T a GOOD reason not to wear it this make me easily think that this is something wrong in it.