Is there a danger to joining newer communities?

[josephine]

Since the nature of religious life is so radical, we always need to discern carefully.

As said before, with a new community in it's founding stages there is even more prudence required, because:

1) a founding community requires special graces/is extra intense

2) the way of life in it self has not been proven yet! (it sometimes takes decades untill a rule of life/constitutions are approved - and sometimes they are denied with reasons!)

 

But, as others have pointed out above,

- every community once started with a couple of people 

- an ancient, well established rule of life doesn't garantuee that the local community is healthy

- even well established communities can dissappear within 2 generations.

 

[Mary Catherine]

I am really scared by this, because I am discerning with a new congregation which is started only last May. And up to now they have only 2 sisters in total.

My spiritual director asked me to wait until Easter to see if they can find their own charism or their specific apostolic work to do.

I am really confounded. Should I find another congregation to discern? 

[beatitude]

I think you should follow your spiritual director's advice, and wait until Easter.  S/he knows you best.

[Sponsa-Christi]

12 hours ago, Mary Catherine said:

I am really scared by this, because I am discerning with a new congregation which is started only last May. And up to now they have only 2 sisters in total.

My spiritual director asked me to wait until Easter to see if they can find their own charism or their specific apostolic work to do.

I am really confounded. Should I find another congregation to discern? 

Ditto to what Beatitude said. But it's also worth noting that some brand-new communities are more stable than others. For example, a new community founded by seasoned religious for a very specific, reasonable purpose (like a new foundation of a monastery in a mission territory) is likely to be more stable than a layperson founding a community with a nebulous charism. Also, if the local bishop is very supportive, this can also suggest that a new community has a stronger future. 

On 1/9/2016, 12:48:24, Nunsuch said:

I find it interesting in that the mendicant and monastic ways are so very different. To combine them is something of a patchwork. And, yes, I realize that the contemplative Dominican nuns have a monastic dimension, but that's less to do with their being Dominican than their being women, with Periculoso and all that....

In my experience, the Community of St. John actually has a very strong and distinctive charism. I've heard it described as "the call to be St. John in the Church today" (as in, taking on the spirituality of the Beloved Disciple). It's hard to describe it in words, but when I first got to know the community my first thought was basically: "Wow, they really have something original here. Why hasn't there been a community with the spirituality of St. John in the Church until now?"

[Mary Catherine]

36 minutes ago, Sponsa-Christi said:

Ditto to what Beatitude said. But it's also worth noting that some brand-new communities are more stable than others. For example, a new community founded by seasoned religious for a very specific, reasonable purpose (like a new foundation of a monastery in a mission territory) is likely to be more stable than a layperson founding a community with a nebulous charism. Also, if the local bishop is very supportive, this can also suggest that a new community has a stronger future. 

Dear Sponsa Christi, thanks for your comment.

Now this new community's main purpose is to assist a male congregation, and the foundress has formation with a Benedictine congregation for 3 years.They are very traditional and nice indeed. I think the local bishop is very supportive, but they need a third member to join them, and show stability for a while before they can receive the habit from the local bishop. 

 

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

On 1/9/2016, 12:48:24, Nunsuch said:

I find it interesting in that the mendicant and monastic ways are so very different. To combine them is something of a patchwork. And, yes, I realize that the contemplative Dominican nuns have a monastic dimension, but that's less to do with their being Dominican than their being women, with Periculoso and all that....

Not in the least. Dominican Nuns aren't monastic and cloistered because we "had" to be. St. Dominic came out of the experience of being  a Canon, living a very hidden, liturgical and basically monastic life. There has always been a strong monastic dimension to the Dominican charism. Less so for the brethren today than in the past but still much more present than say, for the Franciscans.The primary vocation of a Dominican nun is to be "Free for God Alone" and one of the best places to make that a possibility is when lived in the freedom of the cloister.

[TheresaThoma]

On 1/10/2016, 6:38:33, Sponsa-Christi said:

In my experience, the Community of St. John actually has a very strong and distinctive charism. I've heard it described as "the call to be St. John in the Church today" (as in, taking on the spirituality of the Beloved Disciple). It's hard to describe it in words, but when I first got to know the community my first thought was basically: "Wow, they really have something original here. Why hasn't there been a community with the spirituality of St. John in the Church until now?"

It really is one of those charisms that you just have to experience. When I first encountered the community that was the exact advice I was given, to just experience it. By the way if anyone does want to experince it they have a bunch of retreats every year, ranging from weekends to full month long ones

[chasmi]

Hello everyone....I hope all had a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  I don't comment here often any longer, but felt compelled to share in this thread.  The Adrian Dominican Sisters have been a very established community for many many years and have a beautiful and interesting history.  There has recently been a book published that covers their history from something like the 30's to present and authored by Sister Nadine Foley.  These sisters are very lovely and highly education women.  Also, on You Tube, you can find interviews that have been done recently with some of the older sisters that live in their retirement facility. Check it out...they're delightful!!  They also have a very nice website. www.adriandominicans.org

Sorry....I forgot to add one little detail.  The You Tube videos of the interviews with the retired sisters is Adrian Dominicans...A Sister's Story.  Enjoy!!!

[Sister Leticia]

On ‎10‎/‎01‎/‎2016‎ ‎12‎:‎32‎:‎46, Mary Catherine said:

I am really scared by this, because I am discerning with a new congregation which is started only last May. And up to now they have only 2 sisters in total.

My spiritual director asked me to wait until Easter to see if they can find their own charism or their specific apostolic work to do.

I am really confounded. Should I find another congregation to discern? 

Whilst I agree that you should follow your SD's advice, I wonder what s/he meant by this community "finding their charism" by Easter? I can understand there might be a timeframe/deadline for finding an apostolate (although new apostolic communities usually start as a response to a specifc need), but charisms aren't so easily or quickly "found"! As Nunsuch has already said on this thread, and in the article she linked to, it can be a process lasting many years. Why not have a read of her article, and see if any of what she says about the reasons and circumstances around starting new communities can be applied to this one?