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Discerning Contemplative Carmelite Life


FutureCarmeliteClaire

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FutureCarmeliteClaire

[quote name='marigold' timestamp='1319450035' post='2326175']


Yikes! Automatic postulancy - I think I'd have freaked out. My live-in (after letter contact) was a month, which was either incredibly stupid or incredibly brave, considering I'd never even been to the States before. As we drove up to the door I thought, 'What the £$!% have I got myself into' but on reflection it was a good length of time, long enough to stop being just a guest, and to get a taste of the ups and downs of boredom and consolation, yet short enough to have an endpoint in sight.

Anyway, Claire, I think it's wonderful that you're considering this, and may God grant you discernment and perseverance! :blowkiss:
[/quote]

Yeah, I would have freaked out too. I think a live-in period is a really good idea. Thank you for the kind words!

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  • 7 months later...
OnlySunshine

[quote name='emmaberry' timestamp='1338358188' post='2437685']
The Roswell Poor Clares I'm visiting have automatic postulancy--veeeeery scary :(
[/quote]

What do you mean? Like, if you feel God is calling you there, you could make an application and enter on the spot?

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Chiquitunga

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1338367813' post='2437708']
What do you mean? Like, if you feel God is calling you there, you could make an application and enter on the spot?
[/quote]
They mean entering without a live-in first.

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FutureCarmeliteClaire

I can't believe this thread was bumped. Old thread, and older memories.

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OnlySunshine

[quote name='Chiquitunga' timestamp='1338478348' post='2438677']
They mean entering without a live-in first.
[/quote]

Oh, OK. That's what I thought since it is a Poor Clare Colettine order and they take a vow of enclosure. :)

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Chiquitunga

[quote name='MaterMisericordiae' timestamp='1338480289' post='2438691']
Oh, OK. That's what I thought since it is a Poor Clare Colettine order and they take a vow of enclosure. :)
[/quote]
I don't know if the vow of enclosure makes a difference in them allowing live-ins or not .. I've never read the Collettine Constitutions (or know anything about how or if they were modified ever). But I have heard of the Collettines in Palos Park, IL (founded from Roswell) allowing a live-in. I think it is up to each community. But in general for Carmelites, as we know, 1990 Carmels never allow it .. though Littleton might. I read that somewhere. In the 1991 Constitutions though, it is written specifically that a live-in of up to 3 months is allowed. I see benefits either way :)

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The Mother I am corresponding with said I cannot enter the enclosure unless I am a postulant because of their solemn vow of enclosure. I suppose some communities might take this same vow but allow aspirants to have a live in, but this monastery must not view aspirancy as a valid reason for entering the cloister. My wording may not be entirely right here, but I hope it explained a little bit!

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DaughterOfMary

I want to be a Contemplative Carmelite also. A 91 constitution monastery has invited me to visit and said then they'll see if they will invite me for a live in. The 90 constitution monastery in Tasmania is stricter as they told me I have to be Confirmed 5 years. I've been Confirmed now since April last year... So 4 years to go.
It seems the 91 constitution is a lot more lenient.. I don't know if that's a good thing.
I'm kind of leaning towards exercising patience and applying to the Tasmanian Carmel in 4 years

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Welcome to phatmass, Daughter of Mary!!! (from a fellow Lurker :))

EDIT: nevermind, I am a newbie now.

Edited by emmaberry
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[quote name='DaughterOfMary' timestamp='1338495241' post='2438880']
I want to be a Contemplative Carmelite also. A 91 constitution monastery has invited me to visit and said then they'll see if they will invite me for a live in. The 90 constitution monastery in Tasmania is stricter as they told me I have to be Confirmed 5 years. I've been Confirmed now since April last year... So 4 years to go.
It seems the 91 constitution is a lot more lenient.. I don't know if that's a good thing.
I'm kind of leaning towards exercising patience and applying to the Tasmanian Carmel in 4 years
[/quote]

I don't think this is a constitutional thing at all. The general recommendation is that converts to Catholicism wait for at least two years before becoming a nun, but ultimately it's left up to each individual monastery to make their own decision on this.

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DaughterOfMary

Thanks for the welcome!!
The 91 constitution didn't have any problem with that I had Only been Confirmed last year , they even let someone in who had just been baptized!!!
But perhaps it does differ in each community

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[quote name='DaughterOfMary' timestamp='1338515970' post='2439071']
Thanks for the welcome!!
The 91 constitution didn't have any problem with that I had Only been Confirmed last year , they even let someone in who had just been baptized!!!
But perhaps it does differ in each community
[/quote]

I'm detecting some snobbery towards 1991 Carmels here.

No matter whether they are 1990s or 1991s, the prioress and novice mistress should be experienced enough in formation to judge the right time for a person to enter. St Therese entered at fifteen. That would not be right for many people, but it was right for her. St Edith Stein did not enter until she was middle-aged, after a delay of many years during which her spiritual director told her to keep teaching at the university. That would not be right for many people, but it was right for her. Perhaps, through prayer and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the sisters at this monastery decided that the newly baptised woman was ready to enter - and she may well have been. Everybody is different.

Talking about how they 'even let in...' makes them sound like a sorority who have disappointed you by not being exclusive enough. Zacchaeus was still a tax collector when Christ called him. ;)

Edited by beatitude
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Chiquitunga

Yes, it is not a Consitutional thing as beatitude said. It's up to each community. We had a girl on here who entered a 1990 Carmel within a year of being confirmed.

Did the [url="http://www.carmelite.com/nuns/default.cfm?loadref=42"]Carmel in Tasmania[/url] (Launceston) recently switch to the 1990s? because [url="http://www.discalcedcarmel.com/index.php?Seccion=oceaniaodir&CodNacion=3"]here[/url] they are not marked as so (with the three stars ***), but they can be slow to updates things there :/

[quote name='emmaberry' timestamp='1338489967' post='2438809']
The Mother I am corresponding with said I cannot enter the enclosure unless I am a postulant because of their solemn vow of enclosure. I suppose some communities might take this same vow but allow aspirants to have a live in, but this monastery must not view aspirancy as a valid reason for entering the cloister. My wording may not be entirely right here, but I hope it explained a little bit!
[/quote]
No you're wording is right :like: Thanks for letting me know. The one live-in I heard about in Palos Park was from someone overseas, so it was probably an exception for her (or perhaps she actually was a postulant and the person telling me about it, who wasn't one of the nuns, had it wrong) as I know another girl who just entered straight.

Passionist Nuns also take a solemn vow of enclosure but all of their monasteries in the US allow live-ins, including Ellisville, MO, which tends to be the strictest one. So they probably define the vow differently.

edit: wait, actually Passionist Nuns do not have solemn vows, [url="http://www.passionistnuns.org/MothersNotebook/Cloister/index.htm"]http://www.passionis...ister/index.htm[/url] .. as they are not an Order. St. Paul of the Cross wanted this but it never happened - http://www.passionistnuns.org/Saints/VenMotherCrucifiedCP/index.htm That makes sense, because I remember hearing that their enclosure is not Papal but Constitutional.

Edited by Chiquitunga
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