Gabriela Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 Okay, the PM system hasn't worked for weeks, so SNJM: If you're discerning with the Sisters of Bethlehem, I would urge strong caution. I discerned with them for over a year and they were extremely non-transparent with me, as I understand they are with all their discerners. If you'd like to talk further, we can figure out a way to exchange contact info outside the PM system. I'd be happy to tell you more by Skype/phone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genesisweavers Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Dear Friends - I strongly and respectfully disagree with all the Gabriela is saying about Bethlehem. I have lived at the Monastery for four years and they are the best people I ever met. They are the most prayerful and they all have amazing souls. It's no wonder this congregation can claim (and the only one who does) the Virgin Mary is their foundress. It's a grace for me to be with them. your brother - john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nunsuch Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Genesis, I don't know anything about this community, and am certainly not in a position to "take sides." However, it should be noted that MANY congregations claim Mary as their foundress. I'm happy for this community's devotion, but they are hardly alone or unique in that regard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yaatee Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Dear Friends - I strongly and respectfully disagree with all the Gabriela is saying about Bethlehem. I have lived at the Monastery for four years and they are the best people I ever met. They are the most prayerful and they all have amazing souls. It's no wonder this congregation can claim (and the only one who does) the Virgin Mary is their foundress. It's a grace for me to be with them. your brother - john John, I am interested in how you came to live at the monastery. Did you work there? Were you a claustral oblate (an oblate who lives on the property, works there, follows the horariam but can't vote (for obvious reasons, as he hasn't taken vows). The claustral oblate is an old monastic practice, mainly in the Benedictines, I think, but is coming back, especially among cloistered branches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genesisweavers Posted June 21, 2015 Share Posted June 21, 2015 Nunsuch - I know the Monastic Family of Bethlehem is not unique in their devotion to Mary. However, they are the only congregation on the books who list Mary as their Foundress. Mary is also considered to be the Prioress of all of their monasteries. Yaatee - I have been going to Bethlehem for about 15 years now. It started with day visits and retreats. When I retired four years ago the Prioress asked me if I would like to move to the Monastery. The day after I retired - I was there. The nearest thing that Bethlehem has to Oblates is lay associates. I am one. We make public promises and live by a rule. I do attend all of the liturgies and my main job is cooking for the guests. But I also do a lot of other things for the community. I live in a log hermitage. Whatever I give them I receive back a hundredfold just praying with them and knowing them. I have said this before in this Phorum - they are the best people I ever met - every one of them. What a blessing. your brother john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beatitude Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Dear Friends - I strongly and respectfully disagree with all the Gabriela is saying about Bethlehem. I have lived at the Monastery for four years and they are the best people I ever met. They are the most prayerful and they all have amazing souls. It's no wonder this congregation can claim (and the only one who does) the Virgin Mary is their foundress. It's a grace for me to be with them. your brother - john John, The Sisters of Bethlehem are having a papal visitation. This suggests, and very strongly, that Rome is concerned about some of the happenings in the community. This doesn't mean that the sisters aren't lovely people. Gabriela hasn't said that they aren't. She has said that as a woman who was seriously discerning with the community, there was not the transparency that she would expect. You are a male oblate, not a candidate for entry with the sisters, and this alone is likely to make your experience different. Making superlative claims about a community (i.e. "They are the only ones founded by Mary!") in response to a discerner's very tactfully worded concerns is not a reassurance. The Church was founded by Jesus himself, and that doesn't mean we haven't had bad issues over the years. It's wonderful that you have found your home at Bethlehem, but discerners do have a right to voice legitimate concerns, especially when their uneasiness is apparently shared in the Vatican. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genesisweavers Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 Thank you Beatitude for being the 'voice of reason' here. My deep love and affection for these Sisters has blocked out my desire to be open, fair and clear. It also has activated a strong 'protection' tendency that I have toward them. And actually I firmly believe that the Sisters and Brothers themselves hope to be transparent in the Church's deeper look at them. My sincere apologies to anyone who has been offended by my comments. May you be blessed ... your brother - john Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josephine Posted June 22, 2015 Share Posted June 22, 2015 I have had the privilige of meeting these sisters and staying with them for a couple of days. They are very lovely, there life seems very beautiful and when they sing they sound like angels. That doesn't change the fact that they, or one of their many houses, might have issues. (in leadership, formation, balance, whatever) So, to anyone who discerns with this community: write, visit, see for your self. Enjoy there artwork and beautiful chanting. But be aware that there might be issues. Know what to watch out for (see "15 signs of problems in new communities post"). I just hope and pray that the papal visit will bring any issue to the surface and that if there are issues, they will be solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNJM Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 Thanks for the advice and comments to everybody. I firmly believe that all communities, just like people, have a "shadow side." This can present itself in different ways to different people, what may be a "deal-breaker" for me might not bother another. Interacting with others, living under Obedience, and so much more, is something that must be experienced and given time to be integrated into one's physical, spiritual and emotional life. In short, sharing stories and experiences is good, but we must always remember that everyone's experience is based on their own individual experience and history. I have been an SD far too long to ever suggest that one stops asking questions or gathering information, but remember living the life with the community (especially cloistered) is very, very different than parlor visits or reading books. I hope this helps tie together some of the conflicting experiences/opinions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mariepaix Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Does anyone know what the results of the papal visit are/were? Having spent some time with the sisters in different monasteries I found this disturbing. Everything on the internet seems to be in French.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriela Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 @NadaTeTurbe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NadaTeTurbe Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 I have no idea, it may be still going on ? A NGO was founded to help the ex-members of the Bethleem Community, that's the most recent news I have. An apostolic visitation is something long, the case of the little sisters of Bethlehem is complicated, I guess that one year is not enough to investigate everything. I have some other informations that I don't think are usefull to share in a public forum, but if you really need more informations, you can PM me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mariepaix Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Ok. Thanks. Having spent some years there at several different monasteries I was disheartened to read some of the testimonies of nuns who have left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabriela Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 4 hours ago, NadaTeTurbe said: A NGO was founded to help the ex-members of the Bethleem Community Seriously? Do they have a website? 1 hour ago, mariepaix said: Having spent some years there at several different monasteries I was disheartened to read some of the testimonies of nuns who have left. Are these testimonies online? I'd be interested to read them to see if they accord with my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NadaTeTurbe Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Gabriela, I'll PM you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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