Sr. Dominica Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 I was looking for a thread on what people take with them when they enter religious life and lists of what some of the communities ask you to take with you. Can any of you share your wisdom and experience? What did communities ask you to bring? Can you share the list, or broad themes like: books, clothing, stationary, personal items... What did you take with you, and just for fun, what you have liked to have taken with you, what did you forget, what did you really miss, and what did you find that you couldn't live without? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carla Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Interesting topic:)I plain to enter this fall and i have already talk with postulants there about that.The told me it is important to brink only some basic stuff.So i plan to take some books and some personal items.But only few.With clothes it is simple i have buy some long skirt and a lot of white shirts.I'm missing some stuff more for clothes but i have plenty of time to get it.The biggest problem for me now are shues:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marigold Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 This thread is interesting: http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/116377-trousseau-for-carmel-what-to-bring-suggestions-welcome/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissylou Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Mater Misericordiae is Queen Of The Lists! And, actually, Queen of the Researchers generally. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salveregina10 Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Great question, we discussed that the other day. In terms of what I wish I had brought, these come to mind: - art or craft supplies to make cards or small gifts for Jubilees or other celebrations in the community - thank you notes and seasonal cards, people love notes from Sisters :saint2: - extras of what will help you feel comfortable like fuzzy socks or warm pajamas, culture shock is real... - stamps or phone cards - plenty of socks and stockings - with manual labor, it is easy to get a run in your tights etc. - old clothes for gardening/cleaning/cooking, even if you've never done these things before, it's likely you will in the monastery - baskets for organizing - you may have a big wardrobe as we do - solid shoes - if you try, you can find fairly cool "nun shoes" - notebooks, highlighters, pencils - you'll have classes - a real bathrobe and slippers - you may need to go down the hall to a shared bathroom, also bring a shower caddy if you think you might have to share If I think of more, I'll post again. The most important thing to pack is courage and faith! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 Mater Misericordiae is Queen Of The Lists! And, actually, Queen of the Researchers generally. :) :hehe2: I LOVE TO RESEARCH!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
be_thou_my_vision Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 When I entered, I brought things like underclothes, pajamas/robe/slippers, shoes, a Bible, and some toiletries. We also had to bring our own white button-up shirts for the postulant outfit. Pretty much everything else the community took care of. It varies from community to community, and they will give you a packing list anyway most likely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToJesusMyHeart Posted April 29, 2014 Share Posted April 29, 2014 9 times out of 10, the community provides you with a list of things to bring. Here's a sneak-peak of mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneLine Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Yes. And a list of what NOT to bring, as you have shown. when I entered 30+ years ago, we were given a list that looked a lot like yours, with more detail about specific kinds of things. (For example, we had to bring in a particular brand and a particular color of support nylon stockings (the kind that are attached with garters...) and a whole lot of otherthings. Mater Misericordae's 'nun locker' didn't exist (I'm not sure SHE existed yet!) and the internet was only a dream. We had to make due with the Sears' and Montgomery Ward's catelogs!!!!! And good luck at that point finding things like darning eggs (which were on the list) and a bunch of other esoteric stuff!!!! If you wanted to bring anything not on the list, you had to ask permission. I was allowed to bring my sewing machine and 4 boxes of books... but they lived in the basement and were NEVER opened during the time I was there.... and returned to my home with me when I left. they required m to bring my guitar and an extra set of strings. Most of the stuff we had to locate and bring.... but some things they just had ready for us when we got there (jumper, blouses, mantilla). Shopping for it all was.... a real experience. You have never lived until you walk into a store and ask for purchases that my mother refused to buy.... because even HER grandmother didn't wear stuff like that! ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneLine Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 I also remember, VIVIDLY, when my overstuffed suitcase popped open en-route to the convent -- in a major airport lobby -- disgorging nun underwear, flannel sheets and white flannel nightgowns.... it was ... embarassing.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Yes. And a list of what NOT to bring, as you have shown. when I entered 30+ years ago, we were given a list that looked a lot like yours, with more detail about specific kinds of things. (For example, we had to bring in a particular brand and a particular color of support nylon stockings (the kind that are attached with garters...) and a whole lot of otherthings. Mater Misericordae's 'nun locker' didn't exist (I'm not sure SHE existed yet!) and the internet was only a dream. We had to make due with the Sears' and Montgomery Ward's catelogs!!!!! And good luck at that point finding things like darning eggs (which were on the list) and a bunch of other esoteric stuff!!!! If you wanted to bring anything not on the list, you had to ask permission. I was allowed to bring my sewing machine and 4 boxes of books... but they lived in the basement and were NEVER opened during the time I was there.... and returned to my home with me when I left. they required m to bring my guitar and an extra set of strings. Most of the stuff we had to locate and bring.... but some things they just had ready for us when we got there (jumper, blouses, mantilla). Shopping for it all was.... a real experience. You have never lived until you walk into a store and ask for purchases that my mother refused to buy.... because even HER grandmother didn't wear stuff like that! ;) I didn't exist until July 1983. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximillion Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Oh yes, shopping for the nun list was........interesting. I had to contact a retailer in London who would not do mail order, so a friend and I went to London- a 300 mile journey, to get some of the stuff, especially the nunny underwear, massive bloomers, the thick cotton petticoats etc. We took in a show and stayed over in an hotel, and had fits of laughter in the hotel room modelling the latest trends in nunny unmentionables to each other. I think it was around this time that my friend got very concerned about my entering! My Possie outfit was a plain black or grey skirt and long sleeved white blouse, with a white mantilla for chapel. I had nunny type shoes anyway because of nursing, we were required to wear black or tan Oxfords on duty at that time (giving away my age). There was also some stuff that stayed in storage until Clothing day, a long black Burberry raincoat remains in my memory as it was the very devil to find and pay for...... Underwear was required in quantities and half of it stored for future use. We had to bring high quality cotton sheets, two sets, and a white cotton counterpane, as well as one pure wool blanket in a pastel shade. Mine was yellow. I recall it was specified that this had to be 'plain edged, no satin'. Toiletries had to be unperfumed, hair had to be kept off the collar and in a plain style....to be honest lots of it was not untypical of how it was in nursing back then too. I was permitted to keep my nurses fob watch and still had it when I left 14 years later. It was a wind up one. After all the fuss over the list then sending the stuff off to France, then entry, the one thing we overlooked was my Visa. I was an illegal alien for about 18 months!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneLine Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 heheheheh... I can almost top that one, Max. I had a warrant put out for me to be brought before the judge! I didn't respond to a jury summons. Because I was a number of hundreds of miles away AND in a convent. But it was forwarded to my mother. It said if you had moved, to not respond, so she didn't respond. Then she got the follow-up letter that said a warrant had been issued because I hadn't shown up for jury! OK! Then she noticed the name on the warrant... the Jury Commissioner was the FATHER of one of my CCD class kids. So... she called Mr. W. and explained where I was. And the two of them had a good laugh. And I didn't find out about it for 3 months until my next visit..... she didn't want to put it in a letter she knew would be read!!!! SO, yes, AnneLine is truly an evil creature...... We had to bring SETS and SETS of stuff, much of which came home with me when I returned in 6 months. Do you know how long it takes to wear out 2 flannel mother-hubbard style nightgowns and 2 heavy middy-twill type white cotton night gowns? I think Iwa s still using them 15 years later! And I having name tags on my underwear for I don't know how many years. That cotton stuff just does NOT wear out! And I still have my two darning eggs... one of which belonged to my GRANDMOTHER and is now over a hundred years old! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximillion Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 ^^^^LOL I still have a couple of white towels with 'our' number sewed on in neat cross stitch!!!!! Those nunny nightgowns.......voluminous, hardwearing, totally unglamorous - I once caught sight of myself in a window reflection, what a hoot! How come the most unflattering stuff lasted the longest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandelynmarie Posted April 30, 2014 Share Posted April 30, 2014 Rotfl...omgoodness you guys! Rotfl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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