Head Shaving

[Sister Leticia]

I agree with Sister Marie. If someone is visiting/discerning with a community then she needs to find a suitable time and way to ask questions about things which might at most only be hinted at in their website or literature, but which might be major concerns for her. A simple, general question when meeting with the VD or sister responsible for formation such as "how short would I be expected to keep my hair?" should supply the answer she needs. It could then lead to a helpful conversation about it.

Having said that, I know that the sisters who joined my congregation before the post-Vatican II changes entered with absolutely no idea about the rules, weird underwear, penances, periods of silence, hair cropping, horarium, austerity etc they would come to embrace. Most had been to Society schools or colleges, but had only encountered the public side of RSCJ life. They probably assumed/speculated that the nuns got up really early, had all sorts of penances, had their hair cut short - and whatever else they might have heard rumoured or seen in The Nun's Story or The Song of Bernadette - but they didn't know for sure, and they certainly didn't ask.

They found out after they'd entered, not before.

When talking about their entrances and formation I've often heard these sisters, now in their 70s, 80s and 90s say things like "I didn't know what to expect - I just knew it would be strange and tough - I just accepted it." "This was where I felt called to be, and whatever happened was part of that." "You just accepted it and got on with it - and God gave the grace to do this."

Much of the life was indeed strange and tough - and they embraced it as wholeheartedly as possible, and grew in holiness in ways I cannot begin to imagine.

As Sister Marie said much earlier in this thread: "In the end, if one is called to a community one will have to accept both known and unknown parts of the life."

[Sister Marie]

3 hours ago, NadaTeTurbe said:

I don't think Sister Marie is part of an enclosed community, she's a teacher in an active community... 

 

(sorry if I'm wrong, sister !) 

You are correct!

[MarysLittleFlower]

I kind of like the example of the Sisters who were mentioned who just said "I feel called to this life so I'll do it whatever that means". I mean I understand hair can be hard to part with but we do part with everything including all our possessions and even self will as we enter hair is probably one of the smaller sacrifices! I realize some may struggle with it more than others but I'm thinking there could be more merit in not asking certain questions and just surrendering to God's Will. The more of these hidden unknown sacrifices there are the more there can be chances to show God our love. Plus if we want out hair longer and the community wants it short, that's an opportunity to get rid of an attachment. Small attachments to things or our own will often is what keeps us from union with God. I don't want to give the impression that I'm ready to make any sacrifices myself but the point I'm trying to make is that it doesn't have to be such a scary thing thinking of all the possible unknown sacrifices and other such things its also OK if they are not known! If a sacrifice feels too hard, sometimes I heard it helps thinking "how would I feel about this at the end of my life?" 

Anyway not to be preachy and I know its hard to make sacrifices for me too and I often fail. I just think often we can be too anxious about these little things! I used to be sooo scared of having to give up makeup as a nun because of how I felt without it, and later something happened and I gave it up while living in the world. Now I have no issue at all not wearing it and prefer not wearing it. I see this was all God's grace. So I think He could give grace to fight my other attachments as well

Keeping hair short can be an issue for some maybe just because it means forever giving up your hair, or perhaps its because a shaved head can be uncomfortable. I'm trying to see it as another chance to love God. Maybe even if the question is not too personal, I wonder if it might help us spiritually to not really seek an answer. I would definitely want to know certain things like if a community is healthy spiritually etc - but their hair, what they wear for PJs, what kind of toothpaste they have etc - those aren't deal breakers for any of us I think 

However I'm not saying all this applies to the person who asked the question. It could have just been curiosity but yes I guess the question could be rather personal.. ? 

Edited January 12, 2016 by MarysLittleFlower

[vee]

I have it on no authority whatsoever that they keep their hair cut in a mohawk.