a nun and her best friend reunite after almost 50 years

[vee]

I apologize if this has already been posted as it is from a year ago.  I came across the story by accident and it was the lead picture which caught my eye.

Here is the full article.

 

[TheresaThoma]

Its really nice to see an article from a non-Catholic writer that is able to capture the positives of religious life. I really like the last line "It’s ironic that at the age of just 20, my friend renounced everything, including her family and friends, yet I am the one who has ended up lonely, while her life continues to be busy and purposeful"

 

[vee]

Amen TT.  It is obvious the friend lived a very worldly life, she says so herself, yet she perhaps is starting to realize the empty promises the world has.  That when one follows God, in whichever way He calls us to it is not meaningless and lonely. 

[NadaTeTurbe]

Carmelite nun, the strictest and most enclosed female monastic order of all.

The carmelite are not the more enclosed, no ? 

I really like this story. I hope reuniting with her best friend will help Liz. 

 

[vee]

Carmelite nun, the strictest and most enclosed female monastic order of all.

The carmelite are not the more enclosed, no ? 

 

​The common vocation station answer, it depends on the Carmel and on other cloistered communities.  There are Carmels that would definitely be contenders. 

[NadaTeTurbe]

No, but I thought the carthusian were the most closed ? 

[vee]

If Im not mistaken though within the Carthusians there are converse nuns who do more work outside of their cell, and cloister nuns who spend more time in their cell.  Carmelites also work alone though either in their cell or out but there arent separate categories anymore.  Carmelites do come together for community recreation twice a day most days while the Carthusians have their weekly three hour walk but Im not sure of other recreations during the week aside from that.  Maybe if there is a solemnity something is added.  The Carthusians take their meals in their cells more often though. 

As for interaction with the outside world there are Carmels that do not allow live ins, nor photos or videos of their faces.  Carthusians do seem to allow this.  i am also uncertain if the Carthusian nuns use any kind of grate or grille between them and the public, them and family. 

Interesting to compare!

[Gabriela]

The Carthusians don't have any other recreation aside from the 3-hour walk once a week (and a once-a-year, half-day outing). I've been to both a charterhouse and a Carmel and I'd say the Carthusians are definitely more enclosed. Even the converse sisters have more solitude than Carmelites.

As a discerner with the Carthusians, I was allowed full access to the community, except for chapter meetings. When they meet family, there is a grille. Families can't even see them when at chapel: There's a kind of zigzag wall that blocks the view from the visitor's side of the chapel. The general public wouldn't come to visit Carthusians, and Carthusians never leave the monastery except for their walks/outings.

Carthusians take their meals in cell ALWAYS, excepting only one meal (at mid-day) on a solemnity or feast day of special significance to the order. When meals are taken in the refectory, they are always silent (i.e., with a reader). There's never a "talking meal".

[marigold]

The Carthusians don't have any other recreation aside from the 3-hour walk once a week (and a once-a-year, half-day outing). I've been to both a charterhouse and a Carmel and I'd say the Carthusians are definitely more enclosed. Even the converse sisters have more solitude than Carmelites.

As a discerner with the Carthusians, I was allowed full access to the community, except for chapter meetings. When they meet family, there is a grille. Families can't even see them when at chapel: There's a kind of zigzag wall that blocks the view from the visitor's side of the chapel. The general public wouldn't come to visit Carthusians, and Carthusians never leave the monastery except for their walks/outings.

Carthusians take their meals in cell ALWAYS, excepting only one meal (at mid-day) on a solemnity or feast day of special significance to the order. When meals are taken in the refectory, they are always silent (i.e., with a reader). There's never a "talking meal".

​Is there anything you haven't done, Gabriela?

[Yaatee]

Very interesting article. I assume that the nun is at the Terre Haute carmel.  The Indianapolis Carmel has moved, and is probably closed to entrants (not sure).

Nice that the nun was allowed to invite friend and was either able to leave enclosure or friend to enter, ie., that they were able to be photographed together.

The nun looks peaceful and pale-presumably from time inside. I thought that she looked her age, but good. I thought that she, as a teenager, was serious and unhappy. I thought that the friend did look young and fashionable for 70.  

I think that is is inappropriate to condemn the friend's "worldly" life.   It's always easy to look back wistfully at our mistakes, and the paths not taken.  Many religious probably have the same regrets later in their life when it would be very difficult to leave. 

There are many, like me, who considered religious life (in my teens), but who ended up pursuing a career, getting married and having children.  I have no regrets.

[Yaatee]

The friend also had some very bad luck. First husband left to become an eastern contemplative, second significant other died.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

Very interesting article. I assume that the nun is at the Terre Haute carmel.  The Indianapolis Carmel has moved, and is probably closed to entrants (not sure).

Nice that the nun was allowed to invite friend and was either able to leave enclosure or friend to enter, ie., that they were able to be photographed together.

The nun looks peaceful and pale-presumably from time inside. I thought that she looked her age, but good. I thought that she, as a teenager, was serious and unhappy. I thought that the friend did look young and fashionable for 70.  

I think that is is inappropriate to condemn the friend's "worldly" life.   It's always easy to look back wistfully at our mistakes, and the paths not taken.  Many religious probably have the same regrets later in their life when it would be very difficult to leave. 

There are many, like me, who considered religious life (in my teens), but who ended up pursuing a career, getting married and having children.  I have no regrets.

​I suspect that the "friend" colors her hair and is wearing make-up, which makes her look younger. (But, I don't think she looks inappropriate for her age.) 

I think if both women were wearing habits and no make-up, they would look more similar in age.

Also, I've often seen pictures of nuns/Religious Sisters who look young for their age. It can be very difficult sometimes to guess the age of a nun/Religious Sister. Wearing make-up, smoking, and being outside a lot and/or tanning can age you. Also, a wimple is a very flattering garment for an older woman.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

Later thought--As for the Carmelites being the strictest and most enclosed Order, I think that might be an exaggeration on the part of the Daily Mail (the newspaper where the article appeared). For those of you not familiar with the Daily Mail, it is a "tabloid-type" newspaper that is not known for caring about checking facts.

Some Carmelite Communities are more strict and enclosed than others, but I suspect there are other Communities that are just as strict, perhaps more so. I don't know a lot about Eastern Orthodox nuns, but I've always understood that they are also quite strict and enclosed.

In any case, in the end it doesn't really matter. Just because a Community is more enclosed or leads a more austere life doesn't mean that a given individual within that Community is necessarily more holy than an active Religious Sister. I suspect the holiest women may be those we hear least about--and perhaps they aren't in religious life at all. In any case, only God knows and decides, and I'm not sure He keeps a "pecking order" of who is holiest, but instead looks at each individual.

[Gabriela]

​Is there anything you haven't done, Gabriela?

​I have never taken a REAL rest from my life.

Oy!  

[Yaatee]

​I suspect that the "friend" colors her hair and is wearing make-up, which makes her look younger. (But, I don't think she looks inappropriate for her age.) 

I think if both women were wearing habits and no make-up, they would look more similar in age.

Also, I've often seen pictures of nuns/Religious Sisters who look young for their age. It can be very difficult sometimes to guess the age of a nun/Religious Sister. Wearing make-up, smoking, and being outside a lot and/or tanning can age you. Also, a wimple is a very flattering garment for an older woman.

​I agree with all of this. Friend undoubtedly colors her hair and wears makeup, and is probably not as "youthful" up close. Fashionably slim for age, a lot more so than I am!   This nun looks her age but is v well-preserved with few wrinkles. I note that many of the sisters look young for age, or at least "well preserved"--clean life style, no smoking, no drinking, regular sleep, tho' prob not that much of it.  "Expression" is also different.

Yes, the DC habit is v becoming, I think, with clean lines and no froo-frah.  And usually wearing any white against the face is becoming.  Ste. Therese of the Child Jesus was downright beautiful until the ravages of TB took their toll, and even then she looked beautiful in death.

Edited June 19, 2015 by Yaatee
punctuation space