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Leaving The Motherhouse


LaPetiteSoeur

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Strictlyinkblot

Reading through these posts I'm very saddened. Firstly, these women who have served the church and the poor have lost their home. We don't have to agree with what they've done or the way they've done it. I understand that some people have had bad experiences of them. I don't think we're in the position to judge. We don't have all the facts.

Catherine McAuley the founderess was Irish. She didn't initially set out to found a new order. Rather she wanted to help the poor and set up a house for women who found themselves in trouble and then later for children. She saw great poverty around her and wanted to do something about it. She and her helpers prayed in common and worn simple clothes but insisted that they were not a religious congregation. She did not want this as she felt at the time that being a religious congregation would put too many restrictions on their work with the poor. They were considered scandalous by many of the religious of the time.

It was only several years later in order to preserve her vision that she founded the Sisters of Mercy. She fought for her sisters not to be enclosed and to not have the obligation of praying the Divine Office so they would have more time to serve the poor. When formally installed as the Mother Superior she refused to use that title. One of her most famous quotes was 'I believe in time that women will come to do much'. She believed that women should be educated and should have a place of safety. If you want to learn more of her story check out www.mercyworld.org

What would she think of her sisters today? I don't think she would condemn them for not wearing a habit and her vision was very much based on social justice. I'm sure she would not have agreed with many of the things that some of the religious have said but having had to fight the establishment all her life I think she would've understood.

As for the other things mentioned I really don't think we're in a position to judge. I recently watched the film 'The Nun's Story'. I also read Karen Armstrong 'Through the Narrow Gate' and some other autobiographical accounts of life in convents preVatican II. I don't know about you but I truly don't believe I could have lived like that. I read stories of the head gear causing open sores to appear on the faces of sisters and when they told their superior they were informed that they just had to put up with it. Of illnesses not being treated and sisters sent to teach subjects that they knew nothing about.

I think if I'd lived several years in a convent preVatican II wearing a heavy habit and several layers of head gear, afraid to talk to my fellow sisters in case I'd be accused of having a 'particular' friendship and accustomed to obeying my superiors without question and then I was suddenly given freedom I'd possibly go a little mad with it. Maybe that's what happened to some sisters. I genuinely don't know. I think most of these sisters did their best. As Sr. Marie said we don't know what they were faced with.

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Sister Marie

[quote name='Lil Red' timestamp='1335310479' post='2422932']
why is it wrong to acknowledge that some orders aren't orthodox to the Church? (and i'm still failing to see where anyone is attacking sisters personally, but "attacking" their attitudes towards the Church)
[/quote]

First, the original post was about the sisters losing their motherhouse. Then it was implied that it was good because they were unfaithful and bad sisters... those posts showed little compassion for sisters who just lost a piece of their history. Whether you like them or not they are people who lost their home.


[quote name='ACS67' timestamp='1335310281' post='2422928']
Oh for crying out loud Sister Marie! What an emotional tirade. No one was directing this at you. Good grief.

Don't worry about "leaving" Sister Marie. I'm a :"lurker" for a reason....and now I'm absent for a reason.

Pax et bonum.
[/quote]

It wasn't an emotional tirade... it was a heartfelt sharing of who I am as a religious woman and my relationship with Jesus. I was trying to show that our identities aren't so black and white. We are complex people who can't be as easily labelled as you did. You are speaking about individuals as though you know their minds and hearts. I respect your opinion and experience but I don't care for the way you express it.

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[quote name='Strictlyinkblot' timestamp='1335310889' post='2422937']
I think if I'd lived several years in a convent preVatican II wearing a heavy habit and several layers of head gear, afraid to talk to my fellow sisters in case I'd be accused of having a 'particular' friendship and accustomed to obeying my superiors without question and then I was suddenly given freedom I'd possibly go a little mad with it.[/quote]

Agreed.

Bet you didn't expect to trigger all this, LPS!

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[quote name='AnneLine' timestamp='1335311449' post='2422943']
I think winchester has a vocation... and he's whistling in the dark. We must pray for him....
[/quote]
Already married. That's me vocation.

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IcePrincessKRS

With all due respect (and I don't mean that in the snarky way, but in the real, I respect you way) I think some folks might want to take step away from discussions like this (and, yes, I do mean this in a moderatorly way, if you're getting upset over someone's opinion shared via the internet take a breather, it isn't worth the stress).

I agree that it is sad that these women are losing their home. It's awful. I don't think anyone has taken glee in the fact that this is happening. Honestly, though, I think we all know that not every order is a bed of roses. PhatMass does NOT condone talking smack about any religious order. Personally, though, I do not see the harm in noting that an order isn't faithful to the Magisterium even if their grounds are pretty. Nice grass doesn't an (faithful) order make. Stating a word of caution about unfaithfulness shouldn't create this much angst. Maybe it could have been stated more delicately, but I truly don't believe it was meant as any sort of attack on their persons.


Prayers for them and for you all. If this thread is upsetting you, please, take a break and read something else. Post a goofy fun thread and leave the frustration behind.

:amen:

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Thanks, Ice Princess.... puts it in good focus.

Very hard to listen to what each other are saying without denying the reality, without denegrating, without getting defensive.

Prayers for loving charity for all of us.... and that the richness of Christ's love will always dwell within us and among us.

Love you all....

Edited by AnneLine
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I sincerely meant no offense and had NO idea my opinion would cause this kind of firestorm...not on this forum anyway which upholds orthodoxy (small "o" Marigold :smile2: ).

This has truly been a strange day for me. I've been battling friends who are "ultra-traditionalist" who I disagree with vehemently, and yet still love dearly, and now I'm battleing y'all, Catholics who are rather moderate. Ice Princess, you are right, it's time for a break, for me at least, from all forums. Looking forward to, my Marian prayer group meeting, and Adoration tomorow (confession wouldn't be a bad idea either!).

Sister Marie, I obviously offended you, therefore I apologize. That was never my intention. Please know that.

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[quote name='Winchester' timestamp='1335312554' post='2422955']
Except ardillacid, amirite?
[/quote]

that's a given.

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