Nuns' Vows Aka Ladywell Convent, 1962

[marigold]

I was clicking around on British Pathe after watching the footage Anselm posted of Downside Abbey. Found this colour footage of sisters in Ladywell Convent. It shows a bit of how they live, and the vows ceremony. Interestingly there are two Chinese (someone correct me?) sisters at the front of the line who are wearing traditional dress instead of wedding gowns. Still got their white veils though ;)

 

There are actually a lot of good historical clips on there, especially for people interested in Roman Catholicism in the UK.

[marigold]

Well ok, clothing ceremony...

[marigold]

This one's even better!

 

(I should go and have breakfast now...)

[EmilyAnn]

Very interesting! It's lovely that the sisters from other cultures wore their own traditional wedding clothes - as well as the two Chinese sisters there appears to be some sisters in saris. 

 

There were a few FMDM sisters at my parish when I was at university, they were great. 

[maximillion]

The website says they have 15 communities across England and Scotland! Motherhouse is still Ladywell.

[maximillion]

On reflection its narrated as if the thought is that nuns waft about in cloisters all day and live entirely off the breath of the Seraphim......

 

Nuns must surely have been the first feminists, in everything that is right about that word. Yes, we were building our houses and farming the fields long before any other women in history! Especially the cloistered nuns!

Meanwhile those in the active appostolate endured primitive conditions in the missions and set up schools of nursing and teaching which, being initially for the training of their Sisters, have now become respected institutes for all.

 

 

[Benedictus]

Great video's. There decline since then is pretty sad in comparison, especially in the UK. But I guess they're not unique on that point.

[maximillion]

Decine....they seem to be flourishing as far as I can make out.

[Benedictus]

No, sadly not. They have about 300 sisters worldwide. Of that about 95 sisters, spread over 10 or 11 communities, in the UK (the website is out of date, some houses have closed). Of that number 65 of the sisters are over 71 years of age. They only have 1 or 2 sisters below 50 years of age, none below 40 years. At the moment about 30 of the sisters require long term care within one of the communities, I think at Ladywell. Some of the other houses are small, and may close in the future. Around 6 of the sisters are dying each year (at least that's been the case in recent years), and they have hardly any new vocations. In Ireland they have about 60 sisters,  although I think they've none under 50 years of age. These demographics are worrying and I suspect they'll eventually need to amalgamate with another religious institute facing simillar challenges.

[marigold]

No, sadly not. They have about 300 sisters worldwide. Of that about 95 sisters, spread over 10 or 11 communities, in the UK (the website is out of date, some houses have closed). Of that number 65 of the sisters are over 71 years of age. They only have 1 or 2 sisters below 50 years of age, none below 40 years. At the moment about 30 of the sisters require long term care within one of the communities, I think at Ladywell. Some of the other houses are small, and may close in the future. Around 6 of the sisters are dying each year (at least that's been the case in recent years), and they have hardly any new vocations. In Ireland they have about 60 sisters,  although I think they've none under 50 years of age. These demographics are worrying and I suspect they'll eventually need to amalgamate with another religious institute facing simillar challenges.

 

I much prefer thinking about what a wonderful store of spiritual maturity and long, hard-won life experience they must have. It's so tempting to think of religious communities needing to stay in steady growth with lots of young blood, but I do think that's a mistake. (Certainly not excluding myself here.) Someone once said that if their community 'declines', it will do so gracefully, knowing that its mission on earth has been completed.

[Benedictus]

Yes, agreed. Although my last post was to simply clarify their situation. I don't think they're resigned to the situation of decline quite yet, but I'm sure they'll do so gracefully if that's the case. I don't like to see a community go extinct (nobody necessarily does, and there can be a host of reasons why) but I know it's sometimes perfectly natural. But I am sad that compared to their heyday this is the current situation, even if it's meant to be.  My concern about the demographics was in the context that they pose challenges for the community to stay together, maintain the administration of their institute and maintain financial security for the remaining sisters (especially with rising care costs). That is, among others, one of the benefits of doing an amalgamation. But that process isn't necessarily an easy one either, although often necessary.

[marigold]

Yes, agreed. Although my last post was to simply clarify their situation. I don't think they're resigned to the situation of decline quite yet, but I'm sure they'll do so gracefully if that's the case. I don't like to see a community go extinct (nobody necessarily does, and there can be a host of reasons why) but I know it's sometimes perfectly natural. But I am sad that compared to their heyday this is the current situation, even if it's meant to be.  My concern about the demographics was in the context that they pose challenges for the community to stay together, maintain the administration of their institute and maintain financial security for the remaining sisters (especially with rising care costs). That is, among others, one of the benefits of doing an amalgamation. But that process isn't necessarily an easy one either, although often necessary.

 

Makes much more sense now. Yes, I think I'd agree with that too.