Adorers Of The Sacred Heart Of Montmartre / Tyburn Nuns

[EJames2]

More here -http://www.pinterest.com/catholicfeast/cf-consecrated/

[DameAgnes]

I wish I could remember the saint's name, but can't.  She founded a religious order and later was demoted from leadership completely eventually and the community were quite 'skewed' as it were.  She continued in her Order as a simple nun in community doing the most ordinary of things as a humble and simple religious and for quite a number of years until her death.  Later, of course, she was canonized - but how dreadful her life must have been for many years and gigantic the change she effected in herself to go from foundress and leadership to a humble nun in the community.  I'll have to make a note to research and see if I can find her name and biography. 

Quite a few of our female saints for one have continued in a community that was a literal persecution for them.  And of course, Jesus Himself, was persecuted, derided, calumniated and finally cruelly executed and "No man is greater than His Master" - "Take up your cross and follow Me" and these sets the bar for us.  And I fall far far short of it, which cannot shift that bar down one iota of course.  I simply have to admit that I do indeed fall far short of it.

 

Sounds like St. Therese Couderc who founded the Religious of the Retreat in the Cenacle. Called the Cenacle sisters, now. 

[BarbTherese]

Thank you

[Ex postulant]

Ex Tyburn Junior. I left Tyburn as a postulant, but for different reasons. I left in 1985 but have known Mother Xavier since I was 14. My reasons for leaving were personal and ones that she was very supportive with to begin with. I still keep in touch. I was friends with Sister Mary of the Cross, Mother Simeon and Mother Elizabeth.

[Ex postulant]

Lil nun, don't be afraid to ask them questions. Go with what you believe God is asking you to do and where He is asking you to be. After all, that's what it's all about xx

[Ex postulant]

They will have time for you. I have know Mother General for years, and she has always had time

[Lil'Nun]

Ex postulant. Could you message me please? For some reason I cannot message you. x

 

[truthfinder]

Ex postulant. Could you message me please? For some reason I cannot message you. x

 

​Lil'Nun, pm has been disabled for the time being due to a privacy issue - see the Open Mic.  Further, ex-postulant would need 100 posts before being able to pm, even if it were working.

[oratefratres]

Hi

 

Has anyone communicated or discerned with this lovely community of Benedictines?

http://www.tyburnconvent.org.uk/home/index.html

 

​Yes I go there for the Adoration (they have adoration all day, watched by one nun but also open to the public - also at night, not open to public ) and sometimes Night prayer. (open to the public)
It is wonderful. My sister wanted to join once. They do monthly days for women, and also have special women private retreats where you stay with the nuns.

I have a good friend who was at Tyburn a couple of decades ago and left under very distressing circumstances. Her perspective is obviously only presents one side of the story, but I do know through her that there have been numerous ex-sisters who have had serious issues with Tyburn and particularly with the Mother General that led to a Vatican (I think) investigation a number of years ago. That investigation cleared the Mother General, but was regarded by some as a whitewash and a cover up. This is all second-hand and rather vague knowledge on my part, but I do know of a very reputable priest (with extensive contacts with contemplative communities in Britain) warning people to avoid it. And when I asked about them at other British Benedictine monasteries (again, a number of years ago) I got the distinct impression that, while they did not want to speak ill of them, they were decidedly cautious about recommending that people go there.

​A very reputable person - ex Benedictine not ex Tyburn told my sister a similar story which she heard from one of her diretees (didn't give any names). A discerner was staying with a group of young women in the convent, and told the Mother Superior she sometimes had issues with sleepwalking at night. The mother superior said it was fine and no problem then didn't mention it. but then at night, the girl woke up needing the bog. Turned out the Mother Superior had locked her in her cell to stop her sleepwalking. it was not discussed with her beforehand at all. she had to start banging and yelling to be let out until someone woke up to let her out.

Apparantly the Mother is very domineering, controlling and has upset a lot of women. My sister and I still participate in their Adoration sometimes but she doesn't want to go there anymore.
 

[oratefratres]

 

​This is what my sister heard, but not from a priest - from someone else.

Just to be clear my sister was interested in them in around  2013 so not a very long time ago

[AccountDeleted]

​Yes I go there for the Adoration (they have adoration all day, watched by one nun but also open to the public - also at night, not open to public ) and sometimes Night prayer. (open to the public)It is wonderful. My sister wanted to join once. They do monthly days for women, and also have special women private retreats where you stay with the nuns.

​A very reputable person - ex Benedictine not ex Tyburn told my sister a similar story which she heard from one of her diretees (didn't give any names). A discerner was staying with a group of young women in the convent, and told the Mother Superior she sometimes had issues with sleepwalking at night. The mother superior said it was fine and no problem then didn't mention it. but then at night, the girl woke up needing the bog. Turned out the Mother Superior had locked her in her cell to stop her sleepwalking. it was not discussed with her beforehand at all. she had to start banging and yelling to be let out until someone woke up to let her out.
Apparantly the Mother is very domineering, controlling and has upset a lot of women. My sister and I still participate in their Adoration sometimes but she doesn't want to go there anymore.
 

​I certainly hope this was just a rumor and not true because if it is, it is a violation of fire codes. What would have happened to that poor sister if there had been a fire and she couldn't get out of her room? In Carmel, there are no locks on the cell doors, and we had a small covered container for our personal toilet needs in the night (but we could also walk to the toilet block if we preferred). Sleep disorders are a sign of some other problems, so I hope the sister got some professional help eventually.

[oratefratres]

​I certainly hope this was just a rumor and not true because if it is, it is a violation of fire codes. What would have happened to that poor sister if there had been a fire and she couldn't get out of her room? In Carmel, there are no locks on the cell doors, and we had a small covered container for our personal toilet needs in the night (but we could also walk to the toilet block if we preferred). Sleep disorders are a sign of some other problems, so I hope the sister got some professional help eventually.

​
The lady who told my sister was extremely reliable (I know her too) and she personally knew the sleep-walking girl. This was the reason the girl decided not to join and ended up getting to know the lady for SD etc to discern something else.

Even if it was not true, the other things she said - about the Mother being domineering and controlling echo other things on here that several other posters and ex postulants have said. I post it on here in support of what they are saying because I too have heard such things in relation to my sister's discernment, and wish anyone who is not near the UK to investigate further into these particular issues

[AccountDeleted]

​The lady who told my sister was extremely reliable (I know her too) and she personally knew the sleep-walking girl. This was the reason the girl decided not to join and ended up getting to know the lady for SD etc to discern something else.

Even if it was not true, the other things she said - about the Mother being domineering and controlling echo other things on here that several other posters and ex postulants have said. I post it on here in support of what they are saying because I too have heard such things in relation to my sister's discernment, and wish anyone who is not near the UK to investigate further into these particular issues

​

Although I don't doubt either your veracity or that of your sister's friend, I would caution against passing along stories of a second hand or third hand nature on this forum about religious communities in good standing with the Church. Even a first-hand experience could be  construed as slander. Just a suggestion, but perhaps you could simply write that you have heard some unpleasant things and then ask those who want more information to contact you privately. Once a community's reputation is destroyed, it is very difficult to rebuild it. And phatmass is not really the place for this type of discussion.

Don't get me wrong, I have had my own share of negative experiences in convents, but I still think it preferable to keep those disclosures private, or to reveal them only in private communication if someone asks me about them, all in the interests of church unity. Of course, if you fear a crime is being committed, then there are proper channels of authority to contact about this. Your sister's friend made her decision based on her experiences, and she made the decision to leave the community. Very sensible for her. But there are certainly others who had made the decision to stay and it would be in the interests of charity to discuss this issue privately with those who want more information, rather than passing along 'she said, she said' type of comments. 

[kg94]

I've known the Tyburn Nuns for the last 6 years now. They are very loving and kind, though they can be a bit austere and very traditional. They do let women stay on retreat where they can also do 24 hour adoration. There are night vigils too. 

It is true to say that they don't like walking around in the night. It can be disruptive to the silence, so if someone were locked in their room, that might have been thought to be for their own good (not that I necessarily support it though). I was not allowed to go home so late at night and Mother asked me to stay overnight after a day on retreat and then requested I spend more time in silence. At the time I thought it was a bit much, but then realised later on that I really did need it. I am not with their congregation, in fact, I am with a different one. Anyhow, just depends on how you know the sisters I guess. 

Love and prayer,

Kim-Therese x

[John Paul]