Taking The Faith To The Streets

[BarbTherese]

Thank you and very much for the prayer.  Just moving along step by step slowly to see where the Holy Spirit leads.  To date in life I have found that if I am up a creek, The Lord soon lets me know in His Time, which to date has been Pronto in my time.

I have heard of the Sisters of St Cecelia in Sydney I think it is, but here in Adelaide Sth Aust (I live about 10 mins from the CBD) I have not seen a habit in many many years.  Not that I plan to look like  a religious sister and there will be no veil, but I am aiming for sufficiently standard looking dress to hopefully give others a hint that I am very serious indeed about Catholicism, Jesus and His Gospel.  I always thought I was called to contemplative living while not called to live the life in its usual current form .............perhaps I'm not!  Our God of the "SURPRISE!"  Time and unfoldings will be the test and final form.

 

When my initial Vincentian priest director and confessor was still alive, he died of cancer in 1989, I wore a standard type of dress that did resemble a religious habit and he certainly found nothing questionable.  I found during that time, that what I wore was sufficient for others to almost immediately ask me questions about my identity and Catholicism generally.  What I wore immediately aroused interest in Catholicism and many were the questions posed to me in all sorts of venues.  I was then under private vows and when I tried to explain re my identity that I was not a religious sister, rather a simple lay person, usually the response I got was  in the vein of "Oh yeah, you're a nun".  When I put this problem to Father, he said to tell people "I am a type of religious sister" and when I adopted that, the reply again was in the vein of "Oh yeah, you're a nun".  Strangely, it was never the general public that found problems with what I wore even if they did know from associating with me that I was not a religious sister, rather it was my parish and a religious sister then in our parish.  I even met formally our then Archbishop wearing what I wore and he had no problems either.

 

I found that amongst Catholic lay people and some religious there was considerable 'snobbery' surrounding a religious habit.  I did contact the police to ask if I was doing anything against the law and they said that I was not providing I was preserving that aura that does surround a religious habit and I was so doing.  Back then too, humanly speaking, I had a priest and a contemplative prioress prepared to back me to the hilt.  Our then Archbishop got on board too and this was encouragement. The prioress is still alive but is now quite old and rather frail.

 

Time and our culture have moved on and I feel that the atmosphere currently probably is more condusive to my plans than back over 25 years ago.  And my plan is to retain lay status - I'm not looking at becoming some sort of religious order in the future.  I can't see why Catholic lay people cannot adopt a formal style of dress should they choose and something that is nothing like a religious habit.  Retaining lay status too can also avoid all the problems associated with becoming a religious order..........all the rules and regulations, formalities.

Edited July 14, 2013 by BarbaraTherese

[BarbTherese]

...........all the 'officialdom' fuss and bother...................

[BarbTherese]

I am transferring and linking this thread to Open Mic as well as to the Vocations Forum in Catholic Answers.  I feel that Vocations forum in Phatmass here is not the correct forum under current rules.  I am also explaining further my concept, hoping to get some replies, questions, criticisms - anything in fact:

 

Open Mic: http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/130346-religious-type-of-way-of-life-for-single-celibate-only-lay-women/#entry2607833

 

Catholic Answers (under User Name: TiggerS) : http://forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=805049

[BarbTherese]

Much appreciated (very much indeed in fact)for the encouragement, Chiquitunga, especially keep 'my' venture in prayer..........and that includes me - a work in progress.  All I need is one Sth Aussie lady with the necessary qualifications willing to take an initial risk and with no commitment initially whatsoever.  And if that doesn't eventuate, thenI will continue to live the life and under a formal Rule of LIfe once my director approves it...............and I finally get it into some sort of logical order on paper so I can submit it to Him.  I don't feel motivated at all, but since my director has asked it, I feel obliged to rustle up motivation from somewhere or other prayerfully.....The Lord is Good and always without fail, overly Generous.

 

I have had people ask me if I am a nun even in secular dress because of the silver cross on the leather thong and the silver commitment ring on the wedding finger.  I just reply "Nahh, not a nun, just a very committed Catholic layperson".

Edited July 17, 2013 by BarbaraTherese

[BarbTherese]

This subject has been and will be updated as it unfolds here : http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/130346-religious-type-of-way-of-life-for-single-celibate-only-lay-women/

[Ima Lurker]

This is utterly beautiful! Keep us posted! 

 

 

[BarbTherese]

This is utterly beautiful! Keep us posted! 

 

Thank you very much, IAL :)

There are quite a few updates since 13th August 2013.  Because the Vocations Forums is stated in our Rules as for religious vocations only, the thread is only being updated in Open Mic.  

 The thread title in Open Mic is " Religious Type Of Way Of Life For Single Celibate Only Lay Women "

HERE

 

 

Updates since 13.8.13

http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/130346-religious-type-of-way-of-life-for-single-celibate-only-lay-women/#entry2615516

 

http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/130346-religious-type-of-way-of-life-for-single-celibate-only-lay-women/#entry2615657

 

http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/130346-religious-type-of-way-of-life-for-single-celibate-only-lay-women/#entry2615667

 

http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/130346-religious-type-of-way-of-life-for-single-celibate-only-lay-women/#entry2615743

 

http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/130346-religious-type-of-way-of-life-for-single-celibate-only-lay-women/#entry2615814

 

http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/130346-religious-type-of-way-of-life-for-single-celibate-only-lay-women/#entry2616243

 

http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/130346-religious-type-of-way-of-life-for-single-celibate-only-lay-women/#entry2616259

 

http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/130346-religious-type-of-way-of-life-for-single-celibate-only-lay-women/#entry2616337

 

Hope I got the links right.  If not, going to Open Mic and my thread title will reveal all.   :)   Once the Rule of Life is approved by Father and any of his edits completed - and this wont be until mid October 2013 or even later, I will make the Rule available through the PM system. I can set up an email address especially for the Rule only for any who might like to sight the Rule who do contact me via PM on the subject.  After a time, I am able to delete this 'dummy address' if it should become problematic.

Edited August 17, 2013 by BarbaraTherese