Ohio Poor Clares Move To Nc

[Guest ElainePayne]

I stumbled on this topic tonight and joined the forum!

I live in NC and have met these dear Nuns. What they tell me is that they're happy to be in NC, they like the feel of the Diocese and the Bishop. We need them! They are the first cloistered community in NC in 30 years!

I take my daughters there HOPING to attract them to a cloistered vocation. I plan on visiting every few months, I live about an hour from their location. The location where they hope to build a new Monastery would be awesome; there is a very pro-life female OB/GYN there, and there was a saintly priest in that area a few years ago who is probably interceding from Heaven for things to work out.

Now I had no idea about why they left Ohio, sorry, BUT we need them SO badly in NC. The first time I visited, I felt so blessed! We used to visit Irondale when Mother Angelica was active, but haven't done any traveling in recent years.

[MithLuin]

Sometimes, a group has to move. Sometimes, they are called to fulfill a need somewhere else. Sometimes there is a conflict that has not been resolved. Whatever the reason, hopefully those who welcome the new community and those who bid farewell can both be united in praying that God's will be done. New foundations are always part of monastic history, and sometimes old monasteries and convents have to close. Things change.

[quote]In Scripture, Our Lord says, “My ways are not your ways…” Yes, He is certainly mysterious in His Ways. In the mysterious plan of God, it is time for the [Franciscan Sisters] to leave our beloved B----. Our higher superior and those who advise her have decided that it is best for the [Franciscan Sisters] to take root in another Diocese which will help our new community to become established as a Diocesan Congregation. Even as I write this, my heart is breaking at the thought of it. It is not an easy decision to come to or to accept; all I can do is trust that the good Lord knows what is best for all of us.

With that being said we ask for your good prayers as we continue to seek God’s will.

[url=http://www.saintbrendansparish.org/Home/ANotefromtheFranciscanSistersMinor/tabid/109/Default.aspx](full letter)[/url][/quote]

That was from the farewell letter of a religious community to a parish who had hosted them for six years. They were very grateful to the people of the parish...but they were called to another diocese, so they could be under the same bishop as their brother community. It's no one's 'fault' that this happened - it was just time to move. It is unfortunate if a group does not come across as grateful for the many blessings they have received in their old home, but appearances can be deceiving. I, for instance, do not have red hair, despite my avatar .

This very public forum is perhaps not the place to air actual grievances. Writing to the sisters and sharing your concerns would perhaps be more appropriate.