Attention Communities

[krissylou]

So I stopped by a convent yesterday for Vespers.

They have their horarium posted on the internet and say that all their services are open to guests.

So I stop by. Vespers is at 5:30. I show up maybe 10-15 minutes early. See signs to the "Chapel" door.

It's locked.

I go around to the main entrance and ring the doorbell. No answer. I wander around the building a little more and come across some assistant who lets me in. He says that nobody had answered the doorbell because the Sisters are all in chapel. (Note: I had not gotten there at 5:31, or even 5:29.) A housekeeper points me in the direction of the chapel (down a hall and up some stairs.)

And then I slip in the back row -- there is no separation between a choir and public space. Not only are there no grilles (it's not a cloister) but there's no visual separation. (They do have WAY more seats than they need for the Sisters, although I think this is a motherhouse and so when the Sisters from the mission houses are home that would make a difference.) I was the only guest there. (Not surprising given all that hubbub. It might be worthwhile to think for a while about what "open to visitors" might really mean.)

Given the timing of their horarium, I would think that they might attract a regular crew of visitors -- stop in for morning prayer before going off to work, etc. But I don't get the impression that they get many guests.

So, clearly, this wasn't the right way to make the acquaintance of the Sisters. Now to come up with Plan B. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/crazy.gif[/img]

But I do want to have a Plan B. They don't use this word for themselves but it looks like they're active/contemplative. Historically a nursing order, now serving the poor in lots of different ways. All the Sisters were in pretty traditional habits, with grey tunics and scapulars, but only a few of the older ones wore veils of any sort -- I thought that was interesting. Mostly an older community but with some young vocations too.

So obviously "just stop by for services sometime" is sub-optimal but I'll come up with a Plan B.

[cmaD2006]

My two cents -- even though a community may say "open to guests" I would think it is a good idea to call a day ahead (even a few hours ahead in the case of vespers would work) just to confirm their horarium. Once they know you its a different story I'm sure.

Now I do know of at least one community that if you just stop in it isn't a big deal -- they'd accomodate really quickly and be quite joyful at your arrival.

Finally -- maybe plan on arriving for Mass on a first visit -- they may have more visitors then.

Blessings, Edited September 6, 2010 by cmariadiaz

[MithLuin]

Hehe, yes, stealth-mass-attendance often works.

Last summer, I was visiting University of Loyola, Chicago for a conference. Their main chapel was under construction, so daily mass was offered at the private chapel of the Jesuits.

When I returned this past summer for another conference, I just went back to the same chapel at the same time, not asking anyone if it was still open to the public. It....was mostly Jesuits there, and then me. I'm sure some people were bemused by my appearance, since presumably there was now a daily mass in the newly renovated college chapel.

But that's what they get for not locking their doors......

[AccountDeleted]

It may be that they haven't had visitors in so long that they now keep the main doors closed. I know that some communities I have been in won't bother to open the grille between the choir and the chapel unless they know for sure that someone is/will be there. And some communities keep the main chapel door locked and have a side door that people use. Once you get used to how that comunity does things, then it's easier.

Even though this particular community didn't have a grille or enclosure, they still might not be expecting people to join them for the Office, only for Mass. ??

It is frustrating though, when you have made the effort, for things not to work out as expected. Twice, I went to visits the Morrisville Carmelites, and each time I missed seeing them. One day was a Saturday, and their sign said they don't receive visitors on Saturday. The second time, no one answered the bell. They had no phone listed, only a fax, so both times I left a letter in their turn, and I tried faxing them, but never got any response at all! Eventually I gave up trying with them. God works in His own ways....

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='MithLuin' timestamp='1283802597' post='2168894']
Hehe, yes, stealth-mass-attendance often works.

Last summer, I was visiting University of Loyola, Chicago for a conference. Their main chapel was under construction, so daily mass was offered at the private chapel of the Jesuits.

When I returned this past summer for another conference, I just went back to the same chapel at the same time, not asking anyone if it was still open to the public. It....was mostly Jesuits there, and then me. I'm sure some people were bemused by my appearance, since presumably there was now a daily mass in the newly renovated college chapel.

But that's what they get for not locking their doors......
[/quote]

Do you remember the name of the Jesuits' chapel? I have been on a kind of an on and off "stealth search" for Jesuits, for someone to ask all my "impertinent questions." I know that some Phatmassers aren't fond of the Jesuits, but a Jesuit performed my wedding (he is a friend of my ex's) and I was VERY impressed both by his high intelligence and his sincere and strong faith, and loyalty to the Pope. Unfortunately he lives in Baltimore, and I haven't been in touch with him since my wedding many eons ago. I know how to reach him, so if I ever get up my courage, (knowing me, that could take months or years or never), I could ask him for names of Jesuits in Chicago who might be willing to talk to me.

Community is very important to Jesuits, so even though I have a Jesuit High school located in my town, less than a mile or so from me, the Jesuits live elsewhere, I think on the campus of Loyola University. However, my understanding was that the Jesuit residence on the Loyola University campus was going to be torn down and relocated, but I don't know exactly when. If you were there earlier in the summer, either they are already in their new residence, or their old residence hasn't been relocated yet.

[MithLuin]

I was there in July, and it was the same building as it was last July. It looks decently new-ish, so I would be very surprised if it were going to be torn down. I could point to it on a campus map, but don't know what directions you'd need....

I'll get back to you.

I am, incidentally, in Baltimore, teaching at a Jesuit high school. I likely work with people who live with your friend

[MithLuin]

It's the Lakeshore Drive Campus (not the Water Tower campus) that I was at.

If you look at the map [url=http://www.luc.edu/construction/index.shtml]HERE[/url], you will see that on the bottom, there are buildings marked Regis Hall and Simpson Learning Center. The next building to the right (the red one) is where the Jesuits have their chapel (and presumably live, though I didn't ask that). It's called Ignatius House and it's at 6324 North Kenmore Ave.

I am happy to assist those wishing to stalk religious communities

[sistersintigo]

You know, Krissylou, it WAS a holiday/long weekend and the holiday was not a religious feast or anything....perhaps what was done this past weekend was not a typical weekend for them? Benefit of the doubt?

[krissylou]

[quote name='sistersintigo' timestamp='1283905272' post='2169407']
You know, Krissylou, it WAS a holiday/long weekend and the holiday was not a religious feast or anything....perhaps what was done this past weekend was not a typical weekend for them? Benefit of the doubt?
[/quote]

Very possible.

And I may have gotten spoiled by the Benedictines (and their reforms).

I'll give them another go.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='MithLuin' timestamp='1283901705' post='2169367']
It's the Lakeshore Drive Campus (not the Water Tower campus) that I was at.

If you look at the map [url="http://www.luc.edu/construction/index.shtml"]HERE[/url], you will see that on the bottom, there are buildings marked Regis Hall and Simpson Learning Center. The next building to the right (the red one) is where the Jesuits have their chapel (and presumably live, though I didn't ask that). It's called Ignatius House and it's at 6324 North Kenmore Ave.

I am happy to assist those wishing to stalk religious communities
[/quote]

Thank-you. I was figuring that it was the Lake Shore Drive campus (which is much closer to me than the downtown campus). I had looked at the campus Web site and map, and read somewhere on the Web site about plans for changes to what was referred to as the "Jesuit residence," which led me to assume that at least some Jesuit priests live there. I'm not really stalking their residence, just a church or chapel. When I looked at the lists of parishes in the Chicago area that are run by the Jesuit Order, it didn't appear that any were within 15 or 20 miles of where I live, so I figured that the Jesuit chapel on the Loyola campus might be their closest "parish."

I don't know that I'll be well enough to try going there anytime soon anyway. It was just something that crossed my mind, and I like trying to find things on the Internet.

I know a little about the Lake Shore Drive campus, because I took a class there many moons ago.

Thanks!

Edited September 8, 2010 by IgnatiusofLoyola

[AccountDeleted]

Iggy, have you thought about approaching the priests at the high school and asking if they have any free time?

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1283923475' post='2169617']
Iggy, have you thought about approaching the priests at the high school and asking if they have any free time?
[/quote]

Yes, I've thought about that, especially since the high school is only a mile or so away. I never think of high school teachers as ever having any "free time," but, from a practical standpoint, since I don't always feel comfortable driving longer distances, that could be an option. Any priest who can handle high school kids could probably handle me. LOL

I'd been hoping they had a chapel open to the public on campus, so that I could just sort of "sidle in" and not approach anyone until I felt comfortable. However, although they offer Mass to their students, from their Web site it does not appear there are any Masses open to the public. Obviously, I could call the campus and ask, but I'm not there yet. I'm still at the stage of thinking about whether I should consider the possibility of possibly calling them and asking what sort of options might be available if there came a time when I could pursue it. LOL

It's funny, within a mile or two of me there is a Jesuit, coed high school, AND almost next door to it, a Dominican girl's high school, but in neither case do the members of the Order have a residence on the campus, or offer Masses where the public is invited.