Franciscans Of The Immaculate

[AccountDeleted]

An English priest friend of mine was talking about the Franciscan nuns who are using the Carmelite Monastery at Lanherne in Cornwall. They are Latin Rite and he thought I should check them out. I googled them and found a couple of articles about them on the NLM and a website for the whole order, but wondered if anyone here knew them well.

According to one article, anyone wanting to enter the contemplative community, must first spend 7 years with the apostolic community first in temporary vows. Is this true?

I am not a Franciscan in spirituality, but I do attend Mass in the EF now, so was curious about any personal knowledge that anyone might have.

[laetitia crucis]

I don't know the FSI nuns in Lanherne specifically, but having spoken with the US Vocation Director and Sisters about the contemplative branch, I would say it's only partially true.

Normally ALL Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate go through [b]initial [/b]formation together -- at least your aspirancy, postulancy, and novitiate (2yrs). Soon after professing temporary vows some may be able to enter into their contemplative branch. There can be exceptions.

However, in all honesty, having been in an active order and then having visited these (amazing!) Sisters after, I can tell you they are most definitely semi-contemplative, and more "contemplative" than "active" at that.

I lovelovelove these Sisters!

Their former Mother General (Mother M. Francesca) waited years upon years to be in the cloister; however, the Sisters loved her so much as their Mother General that they elected her in that position as long as they could. Then Fr. Manelli, FI (the founder and Father General) made her "Mother for life" (not "General Mother for life" mind you!)! She is now the Mother superior of all the contemplative houses. Of her, Fr. Manelli said, "She is the perfect Franciscan Sister of the Immaculate." -- when he said this, she was only a first year professed. Having met Sisters that know her, they speak very highly of her sanctity. And one asked her, "Mother, so how is it finally being in the cloister?" -- she answered, "I finally have my cake and am eating it, too!"

Anyhoo -- I think another PMer may know how to answer your question better than I in regards to their contemplative branch. Perhaps she will post here! If you have any additional questions about their semi-contemplative "active" branch, feel free to ask. (I've discerned very closely with these wonderful Sisters.)

P.S. They also have the 4th branch, the [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G1KmarrhR0"]Poor Clares of the Immaculate[/url].

Edited January 11, 2010 by laetitia crucis

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='laetitia crucis' date='11 January 2010 - 11:29 PM' timestamp='1263212982' post='2034603']
I don't know the FSI nuns in Lanherne specifically, but having spoken with the US Vocation Director and Sisters about the contemplative branch, I would say it's only partially true.

Normally ALL Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate go through [b]initial [/b]formation together -- at least your aspirancy, postulancy, and novitiate (2yrs). Soon after professing temporary vows some may be able to enter into their contemplative branch. There can be exceptions.

However, in all honesty, having been in an active order and then having visited these (amazing!) Sisters after, I can tell you they are most definitely semi-contemplative, and more "contemplative" than "active" at that.

I lovelovelove these Sisters!

Their former Mother General (Mother M. Francesca) waited years upon years to be in the cloister; however, the Sisters loved her so much as their Mother General that they elected her in that position as long as they could. Then Fr. Manelli, FI (the founder and Father General) made her "Mother for life" (not "General Mother for life" mind you!)! She is now the Mother superior of all the contemplative houses. Of her, Fr. Manelli said, "She is the perfect Franciscan Sister of the Immaculate." -- when he said this, she was only a first year professed. Having met Sisters that know her, they speak very highly of her sanctity. And one asked her, "Mother, so how is it finally being in the cloister?" -- she answered, "I finally have my cake and am eating it, too!"

Anyhoo -- I think another PMer may know how to answer your question better than I in regards to their contemplative branch. Perhaps she will post here! If you have any additional questions about their semi-contemplative "active" branch, feel free to ask. (I've discerned very closely with these wonderful Sisters.)

P.S. They also have the 4th branch, the [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G1KmarrhR0"]Poor Clares of the Immaculate[/url].
[/quote]


wow - you know so much about these nuns - thank you! Do they also consider older vocations? The priest who told me about them thought they would because he was obviously thinking of the English Lanherne ones, but since their apostolic sisters are in several places, they might not be as open to this as other English convents are.

[laetitia crucis]

[quote name='nunsense' date='11 January 2010 - 08:36 AM' timestamp='1263213366' post='2034605']
wow - you know so much about these nuns - thank you! Do they also consider older vocations? The priest who told me about them thought they would because he was obviously thinking of the English Lanherne ones, but since their apostolic sisters are in several places, they might not be as open to this as other English convents are.
[/quote]

They "say" they accept ages 16-35, BUT they DEFINITELY make exceptions!! (Their first American vocation was -- I'm fairly certain - 50 when she entered.)

In all honestly and reality, they really do take each vocation on a case-by-case basis in [b]all[/b] aspects, including (but not limited to) age, health (physical, psychological, intellectual, etc.), religious life experience, etc.

*happy sigh* They're a truly beautiful order...their formation, their traditions, their [url="http://www.ewtn.com/library/PRIESTS/TRACMARI.TXT"]Traccia Mariana[/url]... May God and our Blessed Mother continue blessing them with many holy vocations!

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='laetitia crucis' date='12 January 2010 - 01:16 AM' timestamp='1263219368' post='2034653']
They "say" they accept ages 16-35, BUT they DEFINITELY make exceptions!! (Their first American vocation was -- I'm fairly certain - 50 when she entered.)

In all honestly and reality, they really do take each vocation on a case-by-case basis in [b]all[/b] aspects, including (but not limited to) age, health (physical, psychological, intellectual, etc.), religious life experience, etc.

*happy sigh* They're a truly beautiful order...their formation, their traditions, their [url="http://www.ewtn.com/library/PRIESTS/TRACMARI.TXT"]Traccia Mariana[/url]... May God and our Blessed Mother continue blessing them with many holy vocations!
[/quote]


I heard that they already had too many vocations for that Carmelite convent! thanks for all the info on them!

[Laudate_Dominum]

I've spent some time among the male version of this order. Two of the visits had to do with discernment and I've made retreats at their retreat place several times. Not sure if I have much useful information though... I can say that they're a most excellent order.

[laetitia crucis]

[quote name='nunsense' date='11 January 2010 - 10:24 AM' timestamp='1263219899' post='2034662']
I heard that they already had too many vocations for that Carmelite convent! thanks for all the info on them!
[/quote]


No problem! You're quite welcome!

And it's true -- their houses are filling quite fast everywhere!

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='Laudate_Dominum' date='12 January 2010 - 01:29 AM' timestamp='1263220157' post='2034665']
I've spent some time among the male version of this order. Two of the visits had to do with discernment and I've made retreats at their retreat place several times. Not sure if I have much useful information though... I can say that they're a most excellent order.
[/quote]

But did they let you watch old episodes of ST?

[Thomist-in-Training]

[quote name='nunsense' date='11 January 2010 - 04:01 AM' timestamp='1263200516' post='2034561']
An English priest friend of mine was talking about the Franciscan nuns who are using the Carmelite Monastery at Lanherne in Cornwall. They are Latin Rite and he thought I should check them out. I googled them and found a couple of articles about them on the NLM and a website for the whole order, but wondered if anyone here knew them well.

According to one article, anyone wanting to enter the contemplative community, must first spend 7 years with the apostolic community first in temporary vows. Is this true?

I am not a Franciscan in spirituality, but I do attend Mass in the EF now, so was curious about any personal knowledge that anyone might have.
[/quote]

Yeah, it's a weird thing to me but that's not a "self existing" monastery. One enters the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, contemplative-active missionaries, and receives missionary formation. One may after formation request to enter a contemplative [i]house[/i] of this contemplative-active Institute. So Lanherne is really a house [i]of[/i] those Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate who choose and receive permission to live a purely contemplative life. It's not an independent monastery. Then there's another in Italy, Citta' di Castello. I think there's a third? But I don't remember.

Someone who has a contemplative vocation [i]only [/i], might enter the Poor Clares of the Immaculate. They receive their formation as monastics, in cloister, and make the vow of enclosure that all the branches of Poor Clares make, as well as the Marian vow and the other three vows. I don't know much about the other nitty-gritty differences between them and the sisters at Lanherne etc, except the Lanherne sisters pray the Little Office as well as the Divine Office. Lifestyle-wise, it might be pretty similar, like the enclosed contemplative Dominican tertiaries vs. the Dominican nuns of the Second Order... except the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate belong to the [b]First Order [/b] of St. Francis! That's right, the same as the friars! Wild, eh?

For age and everything, someone posted a while ago that a friend of theirs with some kind of chronic illness was told she would be welcome so I'm assuming the same inclusiveness goes for age.

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='Thomist-in-Training' date='13 January 2010 - 04:08 PM' timestamp='1263359334' post='2035868']
Yeah, it's a weird thing to me but that's not a "self existing" monastery. One enters the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate, contemplative-active missionaries, and receives missionary formation. One may after formation request to enter a contemplative [i]house[/i] of this contemplative-active Institute. So Lanherne is really a house [i]of[/i] those Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate who choose and receive permission to live a purely contemplative life. It's not an independent monastery. Then there's another in Italy, Citta' di Castello. I think there's a third? But I don't remember.

Someone who has a contemplative vocation [i]only [/i], might enter the Poor Clares of the Immaculate. They receive their formation as monastics, in cloister, and make the vow of enclosure that all the branches of Poor Clares make, as well as the Marian vow and the other three vows. I don't know much about the other nitty-gritty differences between them and the sisters at Lanherne etc, except the Lanherne sisters pray the Little Office as well as the Divine Office. Lifestyle-wise, it might be pretty similar, like the enclosed contemplative Dominican tertiaries vs. the Dominican nuns of the Second Order... except the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate belong to the [b]First Order [/b] of St. Francis! That's right, the same as the friars! Wild, eh?

For age and everything, someone posted a while ago that a friend of theirs with some kind of chronic illness was told she would be welcome so I'm assuming the same inclusiveness goes for age.
[/quote]

Ok, now you have totally confused me because how can they be inclusive and accept those with illness, when the person has to enter as a missionary first??

And it makes me wonder why they pray the Little Office as well as the Divine Office, wouldn't a lot of this be repeats? And just how does an order of nuns belong to the order of friars? I am more confused than ever before but I do thank you for the info!

[Thomist-in-Training]

[quote name='nunsense' date='13 January 2010 - 12:18 AM' timestamp='1263359910' post='2035881']
Ok, now you have totally confused me because how can they be inclusive and accept those with illness, when the person has to enter as a missionary first??

And it makes me wonder why they pray the Little Office as well as the Divine Office, wouldn't a lot of this be repeats? And just how does an order of nuns belong to the order of friars? I am more confused than ever before but I do thank you for the info!
[/quote]

Uh I have no idea about your first question. That was just something someone posted on PM or that someone I know only from the internet sent me in a private message. I use the word missionary in the loose sense, many of them are in developed countries, Italy, US etc.

As for the First Order, I read a booklet about that when I was staying w/them in Indiana. The sisters (not the Poor Clares, who belong to the 2nd order, but the sisters) follow the [url="http://www.shrinesf.org/francis12.htm"]Regula Bullata[/url] and so they belong to the First Order, even though they are women. Their Constitutions (or something) omit the parts pertaining to priests--other than that the same Rule was found to be acceptable for women. So this includes both the active sisters and those living in contemplative houses like Lanherne.

The Poor Clares of the Immaculate follow the Rule of St Clare, a Traccia Mariana di Vita clariana, and I guess their own Constitutions.

I have no idea about the Little Office, I only learned that recently from a thread in the last month or two linking to a page about Lanherne that had their schedule. But if you're unfamiliar with the Little Office, it's the same for every day, except Advent and Christmastide; so the main time when it would 'double up' would be on feasts of Our Lady since that is whence its texts come. The Magnificat and things [i]are [/i]repeated though presumably.