Extern Sister

[RoseOfGuadalupe]

What does an extern sister do? More specifically in discalced Carmel?

[puellapaschalis]

Roughly, an extern is one not bound by enclosure.

[Gabriela]

...so if the community needs someone to go out into the world—to buy groceries, to take another sister to the doctor, to go to the hardware store, etc.—the extern sister does it.

[Chiquitunga]

yep, that's true, although a lot depends on the particular monastery. for the above jobs, usually it's lay people who are friends with the nuns (sometimes they are 3rd Order) who will do the more external works like those. the Extern on the other hand, especially takes care of the external duties on the grounds of the monastery itself (though they may do the above tasks as well, again it depends) but one of the main duties is sacristy work and being like "guardians of the Blessed Sacrament" in the public chapel... doing things like setting up for Mass. and then the external work of greeting visitors & taking care of the monastery grounds outside the enclosure. 

 

Loretto Carmel has a nice page on them, http://lorettocarmel.org/content/extern-sisters-guardians-enclosure

 

some monasteries have their externs living in separate "extern quarters" as Loretto describes, and not with the cloistered nuns, while others have them living with the nuns.

 

finally RoseofGuadalupe, you might like to read this. she was a wonderful Extern! I will copy paste the article, because a few times I tried to get to it, it said I needed a subscription, http://www.ironmountaindailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/536482/Sister-Elizabeth-Marie.html?nav=5003

 

 

 

IRON MOUNTAIN - Sister Elizabeth Marie of the Trinity, OCD, (Margaret Marie Leeman), 70, a member of the Carmelite Community, died August 30, 2012, at the Carmelite Monastery in Iron Mountain, located at U.S. 2-M-95.

 

Sister Elizabeth Marie was born on February 3, 1942, in Green Bay, Wis., the daughter of the late Monroe and Veronica Leeman.

 

Sister Elizabeth entered the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity of Manitowoc, Wis. in 1958, making her First Profession of Vows on August 15, 1962. Sister transferred to the Carmelite Monastery of the Holy Cross on June 26, 1989, and pronounced her Profession of Perpetual Vows as an Extern Sister on October 15, 1993. Sister has resided at the Carmelite Monastery since that time.

 

She is survived by seven sisters and six brothers: Sister Pauline Marie, OCD, Sister Verone, OSF, Jeanne (Don) Zepnick, Mary Anne Brocker, Bill (Barb) Leeman, Betty Lou Ferron, Jim (Cathie) Leeman, Janet (Eugene) Van Boxtel, Joe (Debbie) Leeman, Peter (Anita) Leeman, Dan Leeman, Tom (Marcia) Leeman, and Teresa (David) Rosenbaum.

 

She was preceded in death by her parents, Monroe and Veronica Leeman, and one brother, John Leeman.

 

Sister Elizabeth's gentle, gracious presence, which found its source in her deep love for the Lord and true concern for others, was always a joy and consolation to her Community, her family, and all who met her as Extern Sister at the Carmelite Monastery. We know we can surely count on the continuing powerful support of her love and prayers now that she is with the Lord whom she tried to serve so faithfully throughout her life.

 

Visitation will be Monday, September 3, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Monastery Chapel. Father Dan Malone will preside at the public prayer services at 7 p.m.

 

The Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at the Monastery Chapel by the Most Reverend Alexander K. Sample on Tuesday, September 4, at 9 a.m. Central time.

 

Burial will be in the Carmelite Monastery Cemetery.

 

Memorials of Masses may be offered to the Carmelite Monastery in lieu of flowers.

 

Condolences may be expressed to the family of Sister Elizabeth Marie online at ernashfuneralhomes.com

 

The family has entrusted the Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home with the arrangements.

 

 

 

p.s. you may notice it says she made her "Perpetual Profession" that is because Extern Sisters, to my knowledge, to not take Solemn Vows because they are not bound by Papal Enclosure. however, I know that some nuns like certain Benedictine Nuns who are under Constitutional Enclosure, will take Solemn Vows, so I am not sure if it depends on the particular monastery if they have their Externs profess Solemn or Simple (which would be called Perpetual) Vows. Sr. Mary Catharine would know the answer to this :like:

Edited October 6, 2014 by Chiquitunga

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

The extern vocation is essential a vocation within a vocation of being contemplatives at that the service of the monastery. Beyond that it is up to each monastery to decide everything else according to the norms of the Holy See on extern sisters. HOWEVER, given that the Holy Father will be promulgating a new apostolic constitution for cloistered life and a new instruction for enclosure this could change. 

 

As far as I know extern sisters of the various charisms make simple, perpetual vows, not solemn. Again, that could possibly change especially since the 1983 code of canon changed the criteria of who makes solemn vows by delegating that to the constitutions of each institute. In practical daily life there is no reason why an extern sister couldn't have solemn vows.

[vee]

. HOWEVER, given that the Holy Father will be promulgating a new apostolic constitution for cloistered life and a new instruction for enclosure this could change. 

 

 

!!!!!!!!!!! wow

 

I googled to find out more if anyone is like me and this is the first theyve heard of this and found this article http://www.cloisteredlife.com/2014/05/rejoice-circular-letter-released-to-prepare-for-year-of-consecrated-life/

 

which says at the very end "During the Year of Consecrated Life, it is hoped that the Holy Father will promulgate a new apostolic constitution on contemplative life in place of Sponsa Christi, which was promulgated by Pope Pius XII in 1950."

 

This should be interesting

[puellapaschalis]

In place of Sponsa Christi?!

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

Yes. All the cloistered monasteries in the world have been sent a questionnaire to respond to and the questions sure weren't easy to answer. So, we'll see what, if anything, comes of it! It's exciting, though. SC is entirely obsolete so something is needed to replace it. 

[veritasluxmea]

On extern sisters... I meet one once, a Poor Clare, and she kind of described it as being the face of the community towards the outside world. She meet with retreatants and talked with them, gave them rides, and went shopping. It's considered its own calling. 

[puellapaschalis]

I remember the externs I met with an almost overwhelming fondness. I don't think I've met kinder ladies.

[Chiquitunga]

finally RoseofGuadalupe, you might like to read this. she was a wonderful Extern! I will copy paste the article, because a few times I tried to get to it, it said I needed a subscription, http://www.ironmountaindailynews.com/page/content.detail/id/536482/Sister-Elizabeth-Marie.html?nav=5003

 

Iron Mountain Carmel lost their other Extern Sister, http://www.ernashfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/Sister-Marian-Joseph/#!/Obituary May she rest in peace  :pray:

[vee]

I find it interesting that we occasionally hear of Sisters from active Orders transfering to contemplative ones, as in the case of the two externs from Iron Mountain, however does the reverse ever happen?  Anyone ever heard of a cloistered nun transfering  to an active community?

[Nunsuch]

Traditionally (prior to Vatican II), it was very difficult for sisters to get permission from the Vatican to transfer except to a "stricter" community.[This is assuming communities of papal approbation.]  That is why it was generally from an active community to a cloistered/contemplative one.  I don't think the same restrictions are still in place, but I don't know that I have met any sisters who have taken the contemplative-to-active route--though I know at least 3 who have gone in the other direction (including a couple of Carmelites, who were not externs, but enclosed).