Sisters Of Christian Charity

[Lumiere]

[quote name='Two Hearts' date='31 July 2010 - 07:19 PM' timestamp='1280618373' post='2150374']
I made that reference because of your comment about Sr Joan, which I found disrespectful. Her belief that women should be welcomed into the priesthood is based on Jesus' teaching. Unfortunately, the men in Rome believe pedophiles are okay, but women would be a danger to the priesthood.

Heaven only knows why I read or respond to this phorum - it is by far the most judgemental and mean-spirited I've ever encountered. Jesus must cringe! Do you honestly believe he cares about habit lengths and orthodoxy more than how we treat one another or serve his people? Jesus was a gentle soul, not judgemental. Let's discuss how religious communities best serve, rather than the image. Catholics are taught to use our God given conscience....which seems to have gotten lost in much nonsense the last several years. If only as much energy went into caring and serving the disadvantaged and disenfranchised, both financially and spiritually, as it does into discussing to which organizations communities belong or how long the veil is or how many home visits are allowed or if they wear bridal attire at reception.
[/quote]

I agree. I too think there are people on this forum whose judgmental comments reflect very poorly on Christians, let alone Roman Catholics. Yes, Jesus must cringe!

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='Two Hearts' date='01 August 2010 - 09:40 AM' timestamp='1280673624' post='2150496']
How about we move on and go back to why the SCC's are a wonderful Community? [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img]
[/quote]

I think this sharing of views was needed.

I will send my love across the street where the Blessed Pauline Mallinckrodt is watching over her elderly Sisters and me. (The convent across the street from me is not the provincial center, but the retirement home.) The Blessed Pauline was a wealthy woman who saw a need in caring for the blind and physically sick. Holy, but practical. If I remember correctly, during WWII, the Community had to leave Germany, but eventually returned. The Community in the U.S. is not as large as before. The original Western province motherhouse is a few blocks from me and it is huge and gorgeous. But, as vocations were reduced, it was no longer needed, and the Order needed the income and had to sell it. Thankfully, it had been declared an historic building, so the outside remains intact. The town I live in debated for years about the property. It is now condos, but condos only for those over 65(?), with (I think) some set aside for people of lower incomes. The town has moved all its senior services to the lower floors of the former convent. So, it is still quiet and peaceful, and the convent grounds have been made into a quiet town park.

Now, vocations are growing again in the U.S., and there are provinces in South America and the Philippines and other places I can't remember off the top of my head, as well as the motherhouse in Germany.

Changes happen to every Order, and the good of the work an Order does is not measured by the number of new postulants, or by its habit. The Order only sent a few Sisters when it first arrived in the U.S. in New Orleans, and it has overcome obstacles before. Who knows what the future brings?

I don't know whether this means anything or not, but, as far as I know, the SCC were NOT included among the Orders visited in this year's Apostolic visitation.

Every SCC sister I have met is genuinely nice, and they seem nice to one another. My friend Sister Helen is now 81, and is getting very good care, as Mother Pauline would have wanted. There is always someone to drive Sister Helen to the dentist, or to buy her special shoes because she has bad feet, and every day that the weather is at least marginally okay, she walks over to my house across the street and feeds the birds and squirrels in my yard. She used to walk around the block, and everyone with a dog met her (she loves animals). My mother, a non-Christian, has only met Sister Helen once for about 15 minutes, but was so impressed that she says that Sister Helen is the closest thing to a saint we will ever meet. Sister Helen is 4'11'', stooped over, and simply goes about her few chores in the convent. She is always happy and rarely complains, except when they want her to take a nap after lunch, when she doesn't want to. The SCC is doing something right, and I am blessed to have them as neighbors. Sister Helen seems docile, but she has a sharp wit, and in the winter, uses a cane given her by a friend, that has a very sharp point at the end to help walking on the ice. I would not take for granted any Sister, no matter how old and tiny, who has kept in line thousands of sqirmy schoolchildren over the years, and carries a sharp cane!

In the meantime, the Blessed Pauline, and Jesus, who is alive in the chapel, watch over all of us.

Edited August 1, 2010 by IgnatiusofLoyola

[Lilllabettt]

Well, I visited the SCC over this weekend. Here cometh the information dump!

First of all, their motherhouse looks like something out of a movie. Acres of rolling hills, mature trees. Really breathtaking. The building itself is big and old and beautiful in that traditional, big convent kind of way. I really don't have words to do it justice ... it was Sound of Music city.

Formation consists of a two year postulancy and two year novitiate. Interestingly they "don't turn away" people who have school debt. The first postulant year, its possible to work while living in the convent. After a year, when the debt is at a "reasonable" level, the community takes care of it, and the cost is deducted from the salary you earn as an apostolic religious.

Most of the time, the Sisters recite (not chant) the Divine Office. Morning and Evening prayer. While I was there, they were on summer break, so it was said privately. On Sundays and Feast Days they sing part or all of it. I'm a little disappointed I didn't get to hear that, but if its anything like Mass, then it is lovely. (There are enough Sisters, and the chapel is all marble, so there is wonderful reverb Rosary is said privately, although you can go on a Rosary Walk) Every day, the Sisters have Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The time varies from convent to convent, depending on the apostolate ... sometimes in the morning,sometimes at night.

The Sisters do not keep silence at meals; except on retreat Sundays, which is once a month. I was told this is because they are apostolic, and if there was not speaking at meals, there would be limited time for the community to be together. Instead the professed in each convent choose an hour to keep silence; after Compline "sacred silence" is kept until Mass the next day.

As far as home visits goes, this also varies by convent. But at the Motherhouse, the professed have "one month" of visiting time. This is usually broken up to a little time around Christmas, a little time around Thanksgiving or Easter, and some time in the summer ... sisters rarely use all of this time, but it is available if needed.

There IS an age limit ... 45 yrs .. after that special permission is needed from higher authority. But the congregation has not admitted anyone over age 50 in "quite some time."

They have four postulants spread out over the 2 year program; 3 college aged and 1 older. They have two 2nd year novices in their twenties, along with (11?) temporary professed.

They watch the news on television most every evening.

The Sisters who attend Assumption College (did you know, the Salesian Sisters send people there! Our own Sister B (philosobrat) goes to school there!) do not live apart from the Sisters ... so the community has African and Vietnamese Sisters in beautifully colored habits walking around. They have 28 scholarships that they give out to Sisters in developing countries whose apostolate includes working with women and children. The professed and the novitiate are kept separate; they are allowed to mix together at one meal, but otherwise, they eat, recreate, study and sleep apart -- there is a formation and a professed part of the house.

The vocation directoress volunteered the information that they are "completely under the magisterium" and have never "experimented away" from the habit, which they consider an important sign. During my stay, anyway, the community seemed very focused on the Gospel quite apart from politics. The only flashes of politics that concerned me occurred when: 1. I was told there was no absolute guarantee the habit would be kept (although almost certainly it would be, as it had been the past century and in spite of the flux after Vatican II) since as time went on, different groups come "into power." 2. During mealtime, the Sister read a maxim of the foundress, Blessed Pauline, and read the names of all the Sisters who have died that day over the years. A beautiful custom. At one point, however, the Sister was reading from a place where Bl. Pauline uses the word "mankind." Sister read that word half way, but then corrected herself and said "human kind." These were the two things that bothered me ... but overall, the community seems wonderfully free of any agenda (whether "conservative' or "liberal") I had a conversation with one postulant in particular who visited my former community when I was with them. She is traditionally minded, and is perfectly comfortable there.

I felt very welcome and relaxed while being there. I really recommend visiting this community.

-fin information dump-

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

Thanks Lillibet! That wasn't too much information at all! I learned a lot!

I've always felt like the SCC was a good Order, so it's nice to hear your expert opinion on them!

Because I live near one of the Order's retirement homes for Sisters, I've never known whether their Rules were different than those still actively working. So, I was interested to hear that many of the things you described, such as talking during meals, apply to active Sisters, as well.

I think the SCC's get overlooked sometimes because they are not affiliated with any of best known orders (Bendictine, Franciscan, etc.). And, yet, they are not a new Order at all--they just celebrated their 160th anniversary. And, although the number of Sisters went down after Vatican II, as happened with so many Orders, the Order is actually larger than it first appears because, besides its two U.S. provinces, it has provinces for example, in South America, the Phillipines, Germany, and Italy.

[Yaatee]

[quote name='Lilllabettt' timestamp='1280524812' post='2149998']
The [url="http://www.scceast.org/"]Sisters of Christian Charity[/url] were mentioned in the earlier thread about [url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=106865"]"Middle of the Road"[/url] communities.

I think Iggy mentioned that some of the Sisters from the Western province live near her.

Anyways, these are some pictures from the 2009 profession/investure ceremony in the Eastern province. They are inviting young women to come to this year's ceremonies, the weekend of August 15th ... Keep in mind, these are from 1 year ago. No doubt some of the Sisters pictured here will be invested or make first vows in a couple weeks...

They seem like a solid community, with young vocations ... according to their video, devotion to the Eucharist is the "distinctive mark" of their congregation .... and their foundress wanted them to cultivate "a characteristic spirit of youthful joyousness."

Interesting: they run [url="http://www.acs350.org/Welcome.html"]Assumption College for Religious Sisters"[/url] training nuns for apostolate. Kind of neat

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v320/Lilllabettt/2009Sept_newsletter4.jpg[/img]
Postulant and Novice

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v320/Lilllabettt/2009Sept_newsletter.jpg[/img]
Sr. Marie Jose and Sr. Maria Angeline


[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v320/Lilllabettt/2009Sept_newsletter3.jpg[/img]
2 Sisters just after 1st profession ...


[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v320/Lilllabettt/00000006.jpg[/img]
Renewal of vows ...

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v320/Lilllabettt/2009Sept_newsletter2.jpg[/img]
Sr. Anne Marie Paul and Sr. Maria Goretti, making final profession

[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v320/Lilllabettt/00000001.jpg[/img]
Their chapel
[/quote]

Lillabet,

WHERE DID YOU FIND THESE?

I couldn't find any pix, events, what's new, newsletters. or other clues on their website!

In awe,

your devoted admirer, etc., etc.

[philosophette]

[quote name='Lilllabettt' timestamp='1283780880' post='2168746']
The Sisters who attend Assumption College (did you know, the Salesian Sisters send people there! Our own Sister B (philosobrat) goes to school there!) do not live apart from the Sisters ... so the community has African and Vietnamese Sisters in beautifully colored habits walking around. They have 28 scholarships that they give out to Sisters in developing countries whose apostolate includes working with women and children. The professed and the novitiate are kept separate; they are allowed to mix together at one meal, but otherwise, they eat, recreate, study and sleep apart -- there is a formation and a professed part of the house.

[/quote]

It is a [i]beautiful school. [/i]One of our Sisters is on the theology staff there. I feel very blessed to attend with so many AMAZING women religious from other countries.
The SCCs are kind of our cousins and we do formation days with them. They are a wonderful congregation for those who feel called to teaching or nursing in a more monastic setting (although they are not [i]strictly[/i] monastic). Salesians are not monastic and have more "family-like" community life and customs. You'd have to visit to really "get" what i mean here... it is something that has to be experienced rather than explained.

--- Sister B

P.S. The postulants and novices in the pictures are my friends!

Edited September 6, 2010 by philosobrat

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='Yaatee' timestamp='1283801966' post='2168887']
Lillabet,

WHERE DID YOU FIND THESE?

I couldn't find any pix, events, what's new, newsletters. or other clues on their website!

In awe,

your devoted admirer, etc., etc.
[/quote]

I found pics the other day of 2010 events posted on the Web site of the German motherhouse. I should have saved the links (but forgot). I looked again, and everything was in German, so the first time I must have accessed the pictures some other (easier) way. However, when I have a chance, I will continue to look, and will post the 2010 pictures when I find them again. To the best of my recollection, the 2010 pictures included one final profession, and quite a few Sisters making their renewal of vows. And, Lillibet has already given us an update above on on current postulants and novices. The SCC seems to be getting a steady stream of vocations, which makes me very happy, because I think the SCC's are one of the "underappreciated" Orders. (Of course, the fact that the Western province Sisters live across the street, and every Sister I've met has been lovely to me has not influenced my opinion in any way. LOL)

It's funny, other people look at the SCC's and think "modified habits so they can't be the real thing." Balderdash. Because I see SCC Sisters out my front window every day, they completely look like religious Sisters to me--there is no mistaking them for secular women. As I've posted before, even with a modified habit, I have never seen any Sister from novice on up who does not wear a veil all the time (at least outside the convent--or inside, either, at least in the public part of the convent). I have never been past the visitor's parlor of the convent.

Added later:

Okay, a few links. Here is a link to the English version of the Web site of the Generalate in Germany. One thing that always pleases me is that, although the Superior General, Sister Adalberta, lives in Germany, she always seems to be present at important events in the U.S., so that I actually recognize her now.

[url="http://www.sccgen.org/"]http://www.sccgen.org/[/url]

And, here is the link to the events at the Eastern Province in mid-August 2010. It also includes a group photo of the Sisters who are students at Assumption College. [url="http://www.sccgen.org/extras.html"]http://www.sccgen.org/extras.html[/url] (Sister Adalberta is the second from the left in the front row of the picture of Sisters making their annual renewal of vows.)

Edited September 6, 2010 by IgnatiusofLoyola

[LaPetiteSoeur]

While at a vocation retreat my diocese held I got to meet one of the sisters from the SCC, Sr. MaryRose. She was wonderful! Even though there were only two women there (and I was the youngest!) Sr. MaryRose helped us immensly. Everything you said, Lillabettt, is completely true!

Thanks for sharing..

[quote name='Lilllabettt' timestamp='1283780880' post='2168746']
Well, I visited the SCC over this weekend. Here cometh the information dump!

First of all, their motherhouse looks like something out of a movie. Acres of rolling hills, mature trees. Really breathtaking. The building itself is big and old and beautiful in that traditional, big convent kind of way. I really don't have words to do it justice ... it was Sound of Music city.

Formation consists of a two year postulancy and two year novitiate. Interestingly they "don't turn away" people who have school debt. The first postulant year, its possible to work while living in the convent. After a year, when the debt is at a "reasonable" level, the community takes care of it, and the cost is deducted from the salary you earn as an apostolic religious.

Most of the time, the Sisters recite (not chant) the Divine Office. Morning and Evening prayer. While I was there, they were on summer break, so it was said privately. On Sundays and Feast Days they sing part or all of it. I'm a little disappointed I didn't get to hear that, but if its anything like Mass, then it is lovely. (There are enough Sisters, and the chapel is all marble, so there is wonderful reverb Rosary is said privately, although you can go on a Rosary Walk) Every day, the Sisters have Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The time varies from convent to convent, depending on the apostolate ... sometimes in the morning,sometimes at night.

The Sisters do not keep silence at meals; except on retreat Sundays, which is once a month. I was told this is because they are apostolic, and if there was not speaking at meals, there would be limited time for the community to be together. Instead the professed in each convent choose an hour to keep silence; after Compline "sacred silence" is kept until Mass the next day.

As far as home visits goes, this also varies by convent. But at the Motherhouse, the professed have "one month" of visiting time. This is usually broken up to a little time around Christmas, a little time around Thanksgiving or Easter, and some time in the summer ... sisters rarely use all of this time, but it is available if needed.

There IS an age limit ... 45 yrs .. after that special permission is needed from higher authority. But the congregation has not admitted anyone over age 50 in "quite some time."

They have four postulants spread out over the 2 year program; 3 college aged and 1 older. They have two 2nd year novices in their twenties, along with (11?) temporary professed.

They watch the news on television most every evening.

The Sisters who attend Assumption College (did you know, the Salesian Sisters send people there! Our own Sister B (philosobrat) goes to school there!) do not live apart from the Sisters ... so the community has African and Vietnamese Sisters in beautifully colored habits walking around. They have 28 scholarships that they give out to Sisters in developing countries whose apostolate includes working with women and children. The professed and the novitiate are kept separate; they are allowed to mix together at one meal, but otherwise, they eat, recreate, study and sleep apart -- there is a formation and a professed part of the house.

The vocation directoress volunteered the information that they are "completely under the magisterium" and have never "experimented away" from the habit, which they consider an important sign. During my stay, anyway, the community seemed very focused on the Gospel quite apart from politics. The only flashes of politics that concerned me occurred when: 1. I was told there was no absolute guarantee the habit would be kept (although almost certainly it would be, as it had been the past century and in spite of the flux after Vatican II) since as time went on, different groups come "into power." 2. During mealtime, the Sister read a maxim of the foundress, Blessed Pauline, and read the names of all the Sisters who have died that day over the years. A beautiful custom. At one point, however, the Sister was reading from a place where Bl. Pauline uses the word "mankind." Sister read that word half way, but then corrected herself and said "human kind." These were the two things that bothered me ... but overall, the community seems wonderfully free of any agenda (whether "conservative' or "liberal") I had a conversation with one postulant in particular who visited my former community when I was with them. She is traditionally minded, and is perfectly comfortable there.

I felt very welcome and relaxed while being there. I really recommend visiting this community.

-fin information dump-
[/quote]

[Lilllabettt]

I got to visit these Sisters for a second time this weekend. I am too lazy to post them again but here [url="http://thebeautifulroses.blogspot.com/2010/11/new-jersey-has-green-things.html"]are a few pictures[/url]

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='Lilllabettt' timestamp='1290429970' post='2188555']
I got to visit these Sisters for a second time this weekend. I am too lazy to post them again but here [url="http://thebeautifulroses.blogspot.com/2010/11/new-jersey-has-green-things.html"]are a few pictures[/url]
[/quote]

Thanks for the pictures. It not only looks like the monastery was gorgeous, but that you had gorgeous weather, too.

The picture of the Motherhouse looked eerily familiar because the former Western motherhouse (that I pass virtually every time I go out) looks very similar--and is just as gorgeous! Unfortunately the Sisters had to sell it due to lack of funds, and concentrate more of their resources in New Jersey. I'm SO glad they were able to keep at least one of the Motherhouses. As I think I've posted before, the Western Motherhouse had been designated an historical building, so the outside facade of the building was retained. It is now condominiums, but they are very tasteful (some lavish), and only available to tenants over 55, so the quiet atmosphere has been retained. The Sisters in the West don't have as much land as those in the East, because some of it has been sold off over the years. In fact, the land my house was built on was once owned by the Catholic church, and could well have once been part of the Sister's property. I'll have to ask Sister Helen--she wouldn't have been in the Order then, but she might know the history. But, the land immediately surrounding the former Motherhouse is a lovely, peaceful city park with lots of benches.

I'm not surprised you had a great weekend, because every contact I've had with the SCC Sisters has been good. They are all so nice!!! I thought teaching Sisters were supposed to be mean. LOL (Since I went to public school, the neighbor kids who went to Catholic school used to tell us horror stores--most of which, I suspect, were either exaggerations or total fabrications.)

I found two out-of-print biographies of the Blessed Pauline von Mallinckrodt and have been reading them. I wish I'd known her, because I think I would have liked her. I also have a Blessed Pauline medal attached to one of my Rosaries. Since so much of her apostate was caring for blind children and other people with illnesses (teaching school came a little later), I feel like she is watching over me from across the street.

BTW Lillibett--If you haven't looked on the Western Province Web site recently, it has a slideshow that includes a number of pictures from an archive museum the retired Sisters have set up with lots of historical memorabilia from the early days of the Order in the U.S. I've never asked Sister Helen if I could see it--I don't know who is allowed to visit. Since the SCC's are the only Sisters I have ever known, I am still very shy and hesitant to ask questions--although they are not shy and hesitant with me at all. But, in all the years I've lived across the street from the convent for retired Sisters, I've never been past the visitor's parlor, and you know much more about the Order than I do!. The slide show also includes some pictures of the inside of the retired Sisters' convent. The chapel is lovely, but as you might expect, the common areas look comfortable but basic. This Order appears to take poverty seriously, but at the same time offers wonderful care to its retired Sisters. For the most part, most Sisters seem to live into their 90's, and the last Jubilee celebration in the Western province included 2 Sisters celebrating their 75th Jubilees! (And, for all I know, there might have been more 75th Jubilarians who couldn't attend because they were bed bound.)

Random Factoids: Bill Murray and his 8(?) brothers and sisters attended the nearby grade school run by the SCC Sisters. Bill Murray talked in a book he wrote about shooting golf balls off the pillars of the Western Motherhouse, which is literally across the street from the very tiny house he grew up in. That family either had to learn to laugh or kill each other. He has a sister who is a religious Sister (in a non-habited Order), who is also an actress, and has been traveling around the U.S. with a one-woman show on (I believe) St. Catherine of Siena. When the retired SCC Sisters needed an elevator for their Convent, Bill Murray gave them the money to pay for it.

Edited November 22, 2010 by IgnatiusofLoyola

[Sarah147]

Is it safe to discern this Order? Is there concern that they could split with the Church, or go liberal etc. in the future?


I'm interested in the one in NJ.

Edited September 16, 2011 by JoyfulLife

[she_who_is_not]

It is very safe to discern with this community. They are strong, faithful women who are seeking to live out a joyful and authentic expression of religious life. They are loyal to the Pope and have a deep Eucharistic devotion. They are a diverse bunch and open-minded but I don't see them leaving the Church or "going liberal" in the sense of abandoning church teaching.

[Lilllabettt]

This is a large-sized, international, well-established community that also happens to be orthodox -- a pretty rare thing. Their orthodoxy is the most truly "catholic" kind-- universal - not limited to Church teaching on either sex or social justice. A lot of religious communities lean one way or another. Not these Sisters. It was actually really refreshing to see first hand..

Edited September 17, 2011 by Lilllabettt

[Sarah147]

Can y'all please calm my fears about the below quoted?

[quote name='IgnatiusofLoyola' timestamp='1280560882' post='2150220']
They don't have an explicit "political" alignment.

Their formation programs incorporate more recent advances in understanding of psychology. [/quote]




[quote name='Lilllabettt' timestamp='1280589324' post='2150252']
Well, first of all, they are NOT members of the CMSWR. They are in fact members of the [url="http://www.lcwr.org/index.htm"]LCWR[/url], an organization which has the reputation of hosting [b]more liberal communities[/b], a number of them I would say appear to be less than faithful. On the other hand, they are also members of the [url="http://db.religiouslife.com/reg_life/irl.nsf/wa?OpenForm&Count=1000"]Institute on Religious Life[/url] which is composed entirely of more traditional, very orthodox communities.

. . . .

One of the Superior General's [url="http://www.sccgen.org/supgen.html"]"circular lettters"[/url] has a [b]quote from the rather infamously heterodox [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Chittister"]Sr. Joan Chittister[/url].[/b] There was nothing iffy about the quote itself, but she is quoting a decidedly iffy person. On the other hand, the Popes are quoted far more often; several letters are presentations of Pope Benedict's encyclicals.

The Sister's website advertises a social justice [url="http://sccjpic.blogspot.com/"]blog[/url] and "social justice initiatives" [url="http://www.scceast.org/SocialJustice/SocialJustice.html"]which revolves around the usual ecology/nonviolence/migrant[/url] sort of thing. They send a group to protest at the School of the Americas. [b]This is definitely left-wing stuff.[/b] But none of this is unorthodox: I don't see any prayers to Mother Earth or calls for women's ordination.

[u]"Traditional" Quotes from their vocation video:[/u]

[i]"Our name expresses our life's purpose: to glorify God by letting the love of Christ so permeate and fill us, that it flows over to love of others in our service of the Church."[/i]
[i]"In its deepest dimension, all our religious life is prayer."[/i]
[i]"Our particular love of the Eucharist is the distinctive mark of our Congregation and the source of its life."[/i]
[i]"The focus of our life is not what we do, but who we are ..."[/i]
[i]"Whatever our ministry is, it is to be rooted in a distinctive charity that is the fruit of a contemplative, Eucharistic lifestyle."[/i]

[u]and the "middle of the road" element:[/u]

[i]"We appreciate and celebrate [b]diversity of character, background and opinion."[/b][/i]

[/quote]

Can you explain all of that? Why?

[quote name='she_who_is_not' timestamp='1316224158' post='2305688']
They are a [b]diverse bunch and open-minded[/b] but I don't see them leaving the Church or "going liberal" in the sense of abandoning church teaching.
[/quote]

What's that supposed to mean?

[quote name='Lilllabettt' timestamp='1316226967' post='2305704']
This is a large-sized, international, well-established community that also happens to be orthodox -- a pretty rare thing. Their orthodoxy is the most truly "catholic" kind-- universal - [b]not limited to Church teaching on either sex or social justice. [/b]A lot of religious communities lean one way or another. Not these Sisters. It was actually really refreshing to see first hand..
[/quote]

How can they be putting forth secular ideas?


[quote]spirit of aggiornamento [my understanding is openess to change, up dating, etc.][/quote]

So, they could end up going astray from the Church?

Edited September 17, 2011 by JoyfulLife

[Lisa]

Joyful, it might be best to find out most of this from their Vocation Director. If you went up and said "I heard from a bunch of people on the internet that you support/don't support this-and-that", they might be hurt or offended. As fantastic as Lilllabettt is and the others are, I think much of this information should be heard from the community first, and then you can decide if you want to discern [i]with[/i] their community... instead of "discerning about" them from what you've heard. I hope this doesn't come off harsh as that's not my intention at all. I'm praying for you and am so excited that you have made these contacts! Please let us know how it progresses.