What Do You Take With?

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='JoyfulLife' timestamp='1313536134' post='2289417']
I know that the Religious Sisters of Mercy (Alma, Michigan) have a crazy amount of items needed to enter. You'd have to ask the VD for specifics, but I just heard it is A LOT. If I ended up entering there, should it not work out with the SsEW, I sure hope I could pay for all that stuff.

How are Orders about an entrant wanting to take some extra things? (Books, certain clothes, personal care items, calendar, extra eyeglasses, etc. etc.)
[/quote]

Most orders that are active/contemplative and not Carmelite or mendicant orders (like certain Franciscans - i.e. CFRs and FFIs) probably would allow extra items to a certain extent. I've heard that the RSMs are pretty nice about working with aspirants.

P.S. - I'm thinking of contacting Sr. Catherine Marie again. I haven't contacted her since I ended discernment last year, and I've been too chicken since she asked me why I wanted to finish school before entering. I didn't have a good enough excuse at the time, but now I do - I need time to mature.

[Zenith15]

My goodness--is it typical that they would not allow deodorant? Please say it isn't so!

[MissScripture]

[quote name='Zenith15' timestamp='1313556415' post='2289712']
My goodness--is it typical that they would not allow deodorant? Please say it isn't so!
[/quote]
Well, depending on how frequently they shower/bathe, wearing deoderant can actually make you smell worse. Or the convent could be providing it or something like that, too.

[Deus te Amat]

MS, what does Nashville do in that regard?

[MissScripture]

If I remember correctly, they provide all the toiletries.

[Deus te Amat]

Thanks.

[she_who_is_not]

When I went to a Jesu Caritas retreat the dormitory showers had big bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and soap. They also showed us a cabinet where we could find extras that we might need, toothpaste, feminine hygiene products, etc. I didn't look inside the cabinet. I was too busy wondering what would happen if I went through the door marked Cloister.

Edit: awkward sentence construction

Edited August 17, 2011 by she_who_is_not

[das8949]

I also entered a very long time ago but we had a list that did not include anything personal such as books, etc. I still have one of the hankerchiefs with #39 on it as that was my order in the novitiate. It is over 40 years old. We had to bring every thing in a trunk I remember.

[Totally Franciscan]

Darlene, your post brought back many memories, one of which was the trunk! My number was 99, of all things, but we were just handed out numbers as they became available most probably through death of the sister who had that number before me. One can only imagine the sister or sisters who have had #99 before.

[Sarah147]

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1313541691' post='2289495']

Most orders that are active/contemplative and not Carmelite or mendicant orders (like certain Franciscans - i.e. CFRs and FFIs) probably would allow extra items to a certain extent. I've heard that the RSMs are pretty nice about working with aspirants.

P.S. - I'm thinking of contacting Sr. Catherine Marie again. I haven't contacted her since I ended discernment last year, and I've been too chicken since she asked me why I wanted to finish school before entering. I didn't have a good enough excuse at the time, but now I do - [b]I need time to mature. [/b]
[/quote]


Totally ! Me too!

I'm unsure how to handle future discernments with Orders because I will want to discern what Order God may be calling me to, but I'm not ready to enter anywhere for some years.... how do I get them to understand that?

[ameliabedelia]

[quote name='she_who_is_not' timestamp='1313616632' post='2290083']
I didn't look inside the cabinet. I was too busy wondering what would happen if I went through the door marked Cloister.

[/quote]

been there done that.

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='JoyfulLife' timestamp='1315088471' post='2299753']


Totally ! Me too!

I'm unsure how to handle future discernments with Orders because I will want to discern what Order God may be calling me to, but I'm not ready to enter anywhere for some years.... how do I get them to understand that?
[/quote]

You might just want to casually look and not get in touch with them right now. The RSMs like it when people contact them as they are really serious. I've contacted their VD when I wasn't serious about entering at that time and felt like I had to put it off again. Now, I'm completely open to it and I would love to enter now if God wants me to. I am still trying to discern whether or not to continue my education next semester at a university out-of-town or stay nearby and discern to enter. I hope God will give me the answer soon.