When A Cloistered Nun Receives The Habit...

[MarysLittleFlower]

This is just a random question.

 

I've seen pictures of Sisters receiving their habit and this happening in a church, with lots of people present, like I'm assuming friends/family (am I correct?). I've seen other pictures, where it's not obvious, or the ceremony seemed more private with just the nuns.

 

For cloistered contemplative orders... is this a private ceremony, or a public one? does it depend on the order?

 

I saw pictures on facebook of the Sisters Adorers of the Royal Heart of Jesus (the order that's with the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest) and they were wearing wedding dresses and led down to the altar by their fathers/brothers, in the church.

EDIT: I just found out they are not cloistered. So does it depend on whether an order is cloistered or not?

 

For those that do have private ceremonies... do their family members watch through the grille, or is it entirely private? I'm just basing this on pictures where I couldn't tell.

 

thanks!

Edited April 4, 2013 by MarysLittleFlower

[truthfinder]

This is dependent on the religious community.

[Pax_et bonum]

For the PCCs in Barhamsville, it seems like part of it's in the public chapel, then they go to a private chapel for the actual clothing, then back to the public chapel, and after, the new novice visits with her family in the parlor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnGUEOaxYGw&feature=youtu.be

 

It's different for each community. The Sisters of St. Francis of Perpetual Adoration aren't cloistered, but their investiture is private (other ceremonies such as vows are public). The Poor Sisters of St. Clare's investitures are public; however, the public doesn't see anyone. It takes place in the choir behind the wall that the altar's against in the oratory, so the people can hear it but can't see anything. They didn't greet anyone in the parlor afterwards either; they live a very hidden life. There's different types of enclosure, too, which could make a difference on how public or private ceremonies are. Poor Clares and Carmelites have papal enclosure, and Passionists have constitutional enclosure.

[maximillion]

Yes, it very much depends on the Order/Community.

 

For most Carmelites (cloistered) it is a private ceremony but there are celebrations in the parlour afterwards with relatives/friends.

Most cloistered Benedictines have a ceremony which is partly hidden from view.

Many also have wedding dresses, many others do not.

There is a thread on here 'for us romantics - the wedding dress orders'

 

Am trying to post a link.......:

 

 

http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/116361-the-wedding-dress-orders-for-us-romantics/

Edited April 4, 2013 by maximillion

[carmenchristi]

To add a perspective: The reception of the habit is technically a private act. Private does not signify that no one should know about it or be present, but it is not something that is public in the sense that it recieves the seal of the Church as does a profession. Because of the private nature, the reception of the habit is not done during the Holy Mass (or any other liturgy for that matter like LOTH) - though it can be before or after. It is up to the individual community exactly HOW private it should be. Some will have only sisters present, others will allow family members and friends. I have seen it done after a regular Sunday Mass, with the parishioners present though that might be a little too much like a public ceremony. The main point is that in some way its private character has to be kept seperate from the public character of the profession of vows.

 

Professions take place during the Holy Mass and the public is encouraged to be present. That is because a profession is recieved by the superior in the name of the Church. A change in state has taken place.

 

 

 

[krissylou]

On one end of the spectrum, I remember seeing a notice on a website of one of the extremely traditional Carmels (which is maintained by lay friends, not by the nuns) announcing that a postulant (no name given) had recently been clothed as a novice and posting a picture ... of St. Therese with a white veil!

 

(They can do what they like without permission from me, but that one cracked me up!)

 

Things vary a lot from order to order and from individual monastery to individual monastery within an order.  But I do believe that most are at least a little more public than that!  :)

[truthfinder]

(They can do what they like without permission from me, but that one cracked me up!)

 

Pretty ironic, but we have to remember that those pictures were never meant to be shared outside of the community.  Celine - I think it was her who brought the camera into the community - was only allowed to keep it because it was not yet seen as a hobby, only as another way to add to the chronicle of the community.  

[MarysLittleFlower]

Thanks for the replies! :) I wasn't aware that professions are public. Is profession when the nun takes final vows? Sorry I'm not fluent with the terminology yet :)

[Chiquitunga]

both final profession and temporary profession (often made for three years, it varies from community to community if they renew them a few times before final) are public :like:

[Chiquitunga]

Is profession when the nun takes final vows? Sorry I'm not fluent with the terminology yet :)

 

Edit: realized I didn't answer the question clearly .. yes, profession is when the nun/religious sister takes both temporary vows and final vows