Daughters Of Saint Paul

[AuthorOfMyLife]

Hello, all!

 

It has been a while since I've visited here, but it's nice to be back!

 

My brother, a seminarian in New Orleans, suggested that I look into the Daughters of Saint Paul, because they work with books and illustration and so forth.

 

However, I have read some warnings about them, indicating that they are not very orthodox in their teachings. I have also read that they are not a growing order (I don't think it is a problem if an order isn't growing as quickly as, say, the Nashville Dominicans, but SOME growth indicates health).

 

What do you think? I don't anyone to feel they need to criticize the Daughters of Saint Paul--I would just like to know if they seem, in your experience, to be orthodox or liberal, and if you would recommend that someone interested in the Extraordinary Form of the Mass (other "traditional" things, etc.) to consider them.

 

Thank you so much!

[Katiebobatie94]

I discerned with them for a little while. From what I remember they are in line with Rome. Their prayer life is beautiful! Their formation is small however. They have 3 postulants and like 4 or 5 novices. Where I live isn't too far from one of their stores & when I was in school I was always in there. They are a beautiful order. I think that it wouldn't hurt to look into them. I wouldn't say that they are liberal or orthodox -- they're somewhere in the middle. Definitely look into them, even if it is only a phone call with Sr. Margaret Michael, the VD. She would definitely be able to answer your questions more than me. 

 

[beatitude]

My experience is that they're very solid. Their life may have a more 'modern' flavour, in that they work intensively with various media, but they're still fully orthodox. Some people here have discerned with them in depth (MargaretTeresa is one, I know) and they should be able to tell you more.

[Lilllabettt]

The Daughters are what I would consider "middle of the road." 

The US community is one of the more conservative/traditional ones in the institute. My impression is that overseas it is less so -- the habit and veil are optional, for example.

After Vatican II many institutes experienced a great deal of upheaval as they sifted through what changes they wanted to make. The Daughters have been at the tail end of that movement for some time. So while in many institutes the questions are more or less settled, for the Daughters it seems like there is still a sense of flux on some things - in the  group as a whole. They are still working it out. Not a good or bad thing, but an fyi.

They are a very large group and you will find a diversity of personalities, preferences, and opinions there.

[Luigi]

They are as solidly orthodox as religious orders come. They publish and sell all of the encyclicals, approved missals & prayer books (including LOTH), catechisms (adult & children) - basically everything approved by Rome. They wear habits & veils, although they're modified. I think I've seen two styles - the solid blue dress + veil is one, and a blue skirt + white blouse + veil is the other. It's been a minute since I've been to their bookstore here in town.

 

Whether they have EF Mass I can't say for sure, but I doubt it. They live all over the country, and they're a community of sisters, not priests. Which means they attend Mass as celebrated in whatever diocese they're in. I suppose in some locations they have Mass in their own chapel, and they might be able to invite particular priests to say particular Masses. But basically they're just like the rest of us - they go to Mass where they can get it. And their communities tend to be small - four or five sisters is all they need to run a bookstore; there would be more at the motherhouse and I think that's where they produce a lot of their materials, too, so all the production sisters would live there, making for a larger community.

 

At a more basic level, do you think your brother would recommend an unorthodox order to you? He's a seminarian. And one you know very well. I'd trust him if I were you.

 

 

[salveregina10]

I had the pleasure of working for the Daughters of St. Paul in Chicago for about a year.  They struck me as very prayerful and energetic.  I agree with others' assessments that they are middle of the road.  They do have variety in terms of the expression of their life based on what I imagine is local circumstances.  I appreciated that they have an adoration chapel in the bookstore in Chicago, and are a great resource for the downtown faithful.  At least at that time, the Sisters were usually moved every four years, and that is a special grace to do that, in my view.  Overall, they are solidly Catholic and are very true to their charism.  While I did not feel called to their life, I have great respect for them and am grateful that they modeled Religious life in such a positive way.  

[AuthorOfMyLife]

 

At a more basic level, do you think your brother would recommend an unorthodox order to you? He's a seminarian. And one you know very well. I'd trust him if I were you.

 

Thank you all so much! I will read all your replies carefully.

 

Luigi, I do trust my brother, but he was recommending them based on meeting just one sister, and quite briefly at that! He told me I should look into them more if I was interested. I don't think I'm being distrustful here--I'm just trying to do what he suggested!

 

Anyway, thank you for your reply!

[Lumiere]

However, I have read some warnings about them, indicating that they are not very orthodox in their teachings. I have also read that they are not a growing order (I don't think it is a problem if an order isn't growing as quickly as, say, the Nashville Dominicans, but SOME growth indicates health).

 

Here is their postulant blog. They seem to have a new crop every year.

 

Here is their general blog.

[Lumiere]

Sr. Marlyn Evangelina Monge

 

First Profession

Edited June 21, 2014 by Lumiere

[krissylou]

I am in formation with their lay associates.

 

They are a member of the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious.

 

Technically speaking all the sisters around the world do have a habit.  They wear blue (they used to wear black but in some parts of the world they found themselves being confused for Muslims, which was kind of missing the point of being a habited Christian Nun, and switching to Marian Blue solved that problem).  What that habit is can vary in different parts of the world.  The Americans are clearly "nun" (though the habit has been modified a few times).  In some parts of the world they have the same dress but the veil is optional.  In other parts of the world they seem to use something more like a navy blue business suit, which wouldn't necessarily scream "Nun" if you saw one of them on the street -- but they always do have some prescribed habit.

 

I'm not sure if they're GROWING exactly, but they do have a significant influx of new vocations.  In the few years I've been hanging around they've had as many perpetual professions as funerals (five of each).  (In part this is because they came to the United States in 1938 and never had the huge entering classes in the 1930s-1950s that many communities had.)  At Jubilee celebrations the bulk of the sisters are celebrating their Silver jubilees, with markedly fewer celebrating gold or diamond.

 

Currently there are three postulants (typically postulancy is two years, although sometimes someone who enters quite young may stay in postulancy for a third year, and I have seen someone move onto novitiate after one year as a postulant), four novices for the US province (plus one who has entered with the Mexican province and will be professing in Mexico but came to the United States for her novitiate as part of an initiative to build closer ties among the provinces in the Americas), and let me see I think seven temporary professed although it's possible I'm missing one.  (Temporary profession is 5-6 years.)

 

One of the temporary professed is heading to Rome next month to begin preparations in anticipation of perpetual profession next summer.

 

If you want a Latin Mass community with habits that look like Ingrid Bergman in Bells of St. Mary's, this isn't it.  It could be that some Sisters attend a nearby Latin Mass occasionally on their own, but it really wouldn't fit with their general thrust as a community.

 

If you're interested in their general apostolate then why not give the vocation director a call and learn some more?  Talking and asking some questions doesn't mean you have to enter, just means you're checking things out.

 

 

[blazeingstar]

One of my good friends is discerning with them.  She is very happy and doing well....she had 3 other entrants with her, and I think they are welcoming 4 more this year.  That seems like a good number to me, I don't think it's ever been a huge order.

[Katiebobatie94]

And if you're 18 or under you could always look into the St Paul Summer Program.Its about a week long & its like a Come & See almost. Its at their Mother House in Boston. I went a couple of year sago. It was definitely worth while & there was a lot of good that came out of it. You would definitely have to go through Sr. Margaret Michael for that though

[MargaretTeresa]

The FSPs are awesome. They are def in line with Rome. I just got back from a week long live-in with them at their Metairie, La., bookcenter/convent. 

 

They are also very prayerful. The sisters practice a daily hour of adoration, daily mass, and also continue growth through studies in theology, media, etc. 

 

Not only do the publish/write/sell books, but their choir is also pretty known. Two of the sisters do movie reviews. (Sr. Helena and Sr. Rose.) 

 

The FSPs (to me) seem much more Christ-centric than Mary-centric as some groups can be.

 

They usually have 2-4 new posties every year, but I'm not sure if there's a new "Crop" this year. :hehe:

 

You should email Sr. Margaret Michael, the VD. She's awesome, and can give you a TON more information. (Which also reminds me, I need to email her. Oops!)

 

Feel free to message me any questions.

 

 

[AuthorOfMyLife]

Thank you for all the information! This is so helpful!

 

 

If you want a Latin Mass community with habits that look like Ingrid Bergman in Bells of St. Mary's, this isn't it.  It could be that some Sisters attend a nearby Latin Mass occasionally on their own, but it really wouldn't fit with their general thrust as a community.

 

 

Lol, you're right about that--but I've never been a big fan of that kind of movie! 

 

And if you're 18 or under you could always look into the St Paul Summer Program.Its about a week long & its like a Come & See almost. Its at their Mother House in Boston. I went a couple of year sago. It was definitely worth while & there was a lot of good that came out of it. You would definitely have to go through Sr. Margaret Michael for that though

 

Unfortunately (!?) I'm definitely over 18--I'm 26! But thank you for the information!

 

 

The FSPs are amesome. They are def in line with Rome. I just got back from a week long live-in with them at their Metairie, La., bookcenter/convent. 

 

You should email Sr. Margaret Michael, the VD. She's amesome, and can give you a TON more information. (Which also reminds me, I need to email her. Oops!)

 

Feel free to message me any questions.

 

Thank you for the offer to answer questions! My brother must have met the sisters working at the Metairie center -- since he's studying in New Orleans at the moment. 

 

I will go ahead and email Sr. Margaret Michael in the future!

 

[DameAgnes]

I know several of these sisters and they are uniformly faithful, busy about the work of the Lord and, importantly, they are joyful. Because of their work in media they are very "modern" in how they deal with the world but they are also very prayerful, and completely orthodox and loyal to Rome and the Magisterium. They're a very solid order of sisters. "Heterodox" does not describe them.