First Vows Or Final Vows

[jruss]

[quote name='jruss' timestamp='1296174339' post='2205415']
My daughter is making her first vows this summer and my parish is chartering a bus to take people down for the event; and we are 10 hours away! (She is very loved here). It got me wondering which event is more important to the sister, first vows or final vows? My daughter said they consider the first vows to be their "wedding" since it is intended for life, but final vows are. . . well. . .final?? It is at the first vows that the sisters are officially part of the congregation as well.
[/quote]
Well, I asked my daughter in a letter about the topic and finally received a reply. (Dealing with convent restrictions gives new meaning to snail mail!)
Here is her reply:

The church has placed an emphasis on final vows since Vatican II, in her wisdom, making this a very definitive statement. We follow this in the ceremony of final vows, including the litany and a welcoming where all the finally professed sisters hug each sister making final vows, welcoming them into final profession. Yet, our community really puts emphasis on first vows as the definitive moment of commitment. When we make vows "for three years" our intention cannot be to make this a trial period or loophole- not offering ourselves for all of our lives; while we follow the church's guidelines for necessary temporary profession. And there we become consecrated objects, genuine holocausts, women set apart for God and for His works. We receive all the graces of the vows by making a vow under the virtue of religion. So none of this waits or is withheld in expectation until final vows. I will be consecrated wholly to God this summer; the only difference in five years is that I will make this vow binding for all my life.

[TeresaBenedicta]

[quote name='jruss' timestamp='1298133712' post='2213838']
Well, I asked my daughter in a letter about the topic and finally received a reply. (Dealing with convent restrictions gives new meaning to snail mail!)
Here is her reply:

The church has placed an emphasis on final vows since Vatican II, in her wisdom, making this a very definitive statement. We follow this in the ceremony of final vows, including the litany and a welcoming where all the finally professed sisters hug each sister making final vows, welcoming them into final profession. Yet, our community really puts emphasis on first vows as the definitive moment of commitment. When we make vows "for three years" our intention cannot be to make this a trial period or loophole- not offering ourselves for all of our lives; while we follow the church's guidelines for necessary temporary profession. And there we become consecrated objects, genuine holocausts, women set apart for God and for His works. We receive all the graces of the vows by making a vow under the virtue of religion. So none of this waits or is withheld in expectation until final vows. I will be consecrated wholly to God this summer; the only difference in five years is that I will make this vow binding for all my life.
[/quote]

Thank you for sharing your daughters reply! I think this helps a lot with our understanding.

[Ephrem Augustine]

For our order, our anniversary is always celebrated for the day of our first vows, not our final vows...
however, i think the final vows should be a bigger celebration.

For us, the parents are part of both ceremonies. For our final vows, the parents are affiliated to the Order as well. (that is to say, they are made honorary Augustinians. It is the same thing that happens when somebody joins the seculars/third order, except they don't have to make the promises).

I think it would do your daughter well to have a large group come down for the event. Perhaps, you can request that it be recorded, and a 15 passenger van be rented instead. Assuming that a bus would be rented for the solemn/final vows. Sometime after your return, you could gather many of the people who would like to celebrate her, and have some kind of party, which could be recorded. Maybe a prayer, and a toast can be given to her, as well as the camera going around and having people say some well wishes. (kind of like what happens at a lot of weddings.)

First vows may or may not warrant a large bus. But you should be able to express that support tangibly.

[jruss]

[quote name='Ephrem Augustine' timestamp='1298140619' post='2213869']
For our order, our anniversary is always celebrated for the day of our first vows, not our final vows...
however, i think the final vows should be a bigger celebration.

For us, the parents are part of both ceremonies. For our final vows, the parents are affiliated to the Order as well. (that is to say, they are made honorary Augustinians. It is the same thing that happens when somebody joins the seculars/third order, except they don't have to make the promises).

I think it would do your daughter well to have a large group come down for the event. Perhaps, you can request that it be recorded, and a 15 passenger van be rented instead. Assuming that a bus would be rented for the solemn/final vows. Sometime after your return, you could gather many of the people who would like to celebrate her, and have some kind of party, which could be recorded. Maybe a prayer, and a toast can be given to her, as well as the camera going around and having people say some well wishes. (kind of like what happens at a lot of weddings.)

First vows may or may not warrant a large bus. But you should be able to express that support tangibly.
[/quote]

Wow! great ideas that I never would have thought of! Thanks