Habit Of The Sisters Magdalens Of The Good Shepherd Of Angers (now Cgs

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Professed Sisters wore Black Veil and Bandeau similar to Visitation Nuns and with Black Mantle similar to Dominicans

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STATUTES

FOR

THE SISTERS MAGDALENS

OF THE

GOOD SHEPHERD OF ANGERS

 

Chapter 1

 

Aim and Spirit of the Sisters of Saint Magdalen

 

1. Their general aim is to promote the glory of God and the personal sanctification of the members by the practice of the three simple vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience as a special branch of the Congregation of the Good Shepherd of Angers.

 

Their particular aim is to repair the injury offered to the Divine Majesty by their sins and those of all mankind, to expiate their faults and to obtain from God the conversion of souls, by devoting themselves in the Congregation of the Good Shepherd of Angers to a great spirit of penance, abnegation and mortification in all their actions.

 

1. To attain these ends, they must attach themselves to a true spirit of prayer, to complete solitude, and above all to profound humility, often calling to mind the example of their glorious Patroness, Saint Mary Magdalen, who retired from the world to live a life of penance and prayer.

 

In these sentiments, they shall say “Lord, create in me a clean heart, and renew within my soul the spirit of justice and rectitude, that I may walk in Thy ways.”

 

1. They shall apply themselves particularly to the practice of interior mortification, perfect obedience and charity, thus subduing their nature and its evil tendencies, in order to arrive at union with God and to attain to His love, which is the most efficacious and surest means of perfect reparation.

 

 

Chapter II

 

Government

 

1. The Sisters Magdalens are under the ordinary jurisdiction of the Bishop of the diocese, according to the prescriptions of Canon Law, in the same measure and with the same limits as the Good Shepherd Congregation, of which they form a branch.

 

1. The Ordinary of the diocese in which the community is establish, names the Confessors, He, or his delegate, examines the candidates for clothing and profession.

 

1. The Sisters Magdalens, as a branch of the Congregation of Our Lady Of Charity of the Good Shepherd of  Angers, are dependent on the Superiors of this Institute: the Superior General has the authority over all the Magdalens, the Provincial those of her Province, and the local Superior over those of her convent.

 

1. A religious of the Good Shepherd is charged by the Superior General or Provincial with the spiritual direction of the Sisters Magdalens.  She shall watch with great care that each gives herself to the practice of every virtue; her vigilance shall extend to all their corporal necessities, while urging them to a true spirit of penance and mortification.

 

1. All the Sisters may have recourse to their Superiors, either verbally or by writing, without opposition on the part of any Mistress.  The local Superior should know anything serious or importance that happens in the Magdalen community.

 

1. The Sisters Magdalens shall have no voice, either active or passive, in the directive charges of the Congregation, or with regard to the elections.

 

1. The Sisters Magdalens shall have great respect for all the Superiors whom God in His goodness, has given them to guide them in the way of virtue and religious perfection, obeying them with over and promptitude, often remembering that their Superiors will one day render an account of their souls before God.

 

Chapter XXI

 

The Habit of the Magdalen Religious

 

133. Their habit shall be of coarse or woollen brown serge, the material being more or less heavy according to the climate of difference countries.  The robe shall be a sac, full enough to make two large plaits at the either side, which shall be held in place by a leather belt of natural colour, two inches wide; the sleeves should reach the end of the fingers, and should be twenty-five and a half inches wide, will be of the same material and length as the robe, which will be almost to touch the ground.  The bandeau and veil worn by the Novices shall be of ordinary linen, as well as the guimpe which is worn under the habit.

 

134. The veil and bandeau received at profession will be of black material; over the belt the Sisters wear a girdle of white wool, with tassels.  The rosary is made of large black beads, strung on a cord, with a crucifix in the centre; it is worn at the right, and the girdle at the left.  The choir mantle which they receive at their Clothing, is made of coarse black material, as long as the habit in front, and nine and a half inches longer at t he back.  The shoes shall be of black and very common leather, when this is possible.  The tunics will be the same colour as the habit, if this can be done, but the material should be coarser and lighter.

 

135. The professed shall wear a silver cross.  It shall be worn on black worsted braid, three quarters of an inch wide.

 

136. The night veil, as well as the guimpe and the bandeau, shall be of coarse linen or cotton; the professed shall wear a small black veil of luster or some other light material, over the white veil.

 

137. Let the Sisters wear with great esteem the religious habit with which the Holy Church clothed them when they consecrated themselves to their Divine Spouse.  This holy livery should constantly remind them of their holy engagements, and particularly of their entire renunciation of the world, the life of reparation and mortification to which they devoted themselves by retiring into this solitude as into a tomb.  Let them never fail to raise their souls to God while clothing themselves by the holy habit.  For this purpose they shall recite the prayers of Rule.