Extern Sister

[jubilatedeo]

Hello, 

I lurk on here often, but do not post very often.

I am wondering if anyone on here perhaps @Sponsa-Christi, may know the answer to my question.

Can a monastery, who does not have extern Sisters, assign someone as an extern sister - like someone enters to be an extern sister - even if their community is not known to have extern sisters. Or does it have to be something that is already written in their constitutions or statutes? I should note that this is not a Carmelite monastery or a Poor Clare monastery or a Benedictine monastery. This community follows the rule of St. Augustine.

Thank you!

[Mhairi]

Many contemplative communities in the UK do not have extern sisters any longer and so usually a sister is appointed whose responsibility would be to look after guests. Other sisters might take it in turns on a rota to answer the door for example. Many communities do online shopping reducing the need to go out and get shopping. My guess is that you would find it helpful to ask the Augustinian community what they do in the above cases as it is difficult to give a definitive answer for them.

[JHFamily]

Sometimes communities do not have externs simply because they have not had anyone discern into that role. I would certainly ask! It wasn't that long ago when most cloisters had externs.

[Nunsuch]

Many communities today do not have externs, but rotate the responsibility to go out for shopping or whatever. The policies and practices even within a single order can vary dramatically. For example, I believe that the Carmelite monastery to which @JHFamily's daughter belongs is quite strict in its practice of enclosure. But I know other Carmelite communities where sisters go out for good reason on a fairly regular basis. So, as with many things, ask the specific community. Some might want to have a person as an "official" extern. Others might not.

[graciandelamadrededios]

The Nuns of Carmel of St. Therese in Gilmore, Manila produced a commemorative book that chronicles the foundation of their monastery.  They celebrated their Diamond Jubilee last 2001.  The title of said book is:

 

Carmel of St. Therese

75 Years

1926 November 24 2001

 

The following lines are dedicated to their beloved Extern Sisters:

 

Community: Extern Sisters

 

            We are a strictly enclosed Community meaning that, except for some justifiable reasons allowed by our Constitutions, we simply stay inside the main building of our Monastery.  We dontt even go out and attend Mass inside our very own chapel, but attend Mass in the Choir inside the enclosure!  Even for minor ailments not needing hospital care, we rely on our own infirmary and infirmarians.  You may therefore wonder how come you see some Carmelite Sisters outside of our enclosure.  You may also wonder how in the world we do some necessary temporal affairs like purchasing, running errands here and there, etc.  We may profess to live with our sights set on heaven but we are not angels and we still have to live by the rules and trades of the world.

 

            Well, for these reasons and more, we do have our Sister-angels!  They are called Extern Sisters (while those inside the enclosure can be referred to as the Cloistered Sisters).  We are not really different.  For all intents and purposes, both the Extern and Cloistered Sisters are Carmelite Sisters, monghas, in the strict and essential meaning of our vocation.  The only difference is one of geography:  Extern Sisters pay and work outside the enclosure while the Cloistered pray and work inside the enclosure.

 

            In a real sense, our Extern Sisters are our eyes and ears.  They are our connection with the rhythm of everyday living.  They are our lifeline with the goings-on of daily life outside our walls:  the horrendous traffic, the skyrocketing prices, the floods, and the hassles and bustles of life.  And during our first years, they were literally our breadwinners!  For you they are our front-liners, so to speak.  They are your more ready access of Sisters to talk with, of Sisters to ask for prayers, of Sisters to unburden your cares on.

Before Vatican II, Extern Sisters are not considered at members of the Second Order but Third Order of Carmel with special set of statutes, if I can recall correctly.  

Regulations for the use of the Extern-Sisters of the Monastery of Saint Clare, Evansville, Indiana - https://archive.org/details/regulationsforus00poor

 

[JHFamily]

15 hours ago, graciandelamadrededios said:

Regulations for the use of the Extern-Sisters of the Monastery of Saint Clare, Evansville, Indiana

I lived practically on their doorstep and never knew they existed!