MC IMaGiNaZUN Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 has anybody ever heard that kind of question. "the church needs to be active in the world, not locked up in a cloister..." etc. It seems there are some ladies here that might be called to that sort of thing, which i find to be a truly beautiful calling. The contemplative and eremetic callings go back centuries in the church, and should be validated likewise. Besides, i think the world wouldn't be half as screwed up as it is today if there was much more cloisted sisters and hermit priests in mountains and the wilderness constantly praying for the needs of the church militant. I would even want to be a hermit, but i don't feel called to that. SHALOM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ofpheritup Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 [quote name='MC IMaGiNaZUN' date='Sep 11 2005, 11:07 PM']has anybody ever heard that kind of question. "the church needs to be active in the world, not locked up in a cloister..." etc. It seems there are some ladies here that might be called to that sort of thing, which i find to be a truly beautiful calling. The contemplative and eremetic callings go back centuries in the church, and should be validated likewise. Besides, i think the world wouldn't be half as screwed up as it is today if there was much more cloisted sisters and hermit priests in mountains and the wilderness constantly praying for the needs of the church militant. I would even want to be a hermit, but i don't feel called to that. SHALOM [right][snapback]720129[/snapback][/right] [/quote] It will always be an "eternal" question. It was when I was a little girl and it still is. People just do not or will not understand. I have spoken to many nuns over the years they deal with this on an almost daily basis. I am sure they are tired of it. The best explanation I have heard is that "prayer is like electricity, where would we be without it?" It has always been my opinion that if it were not for our monks and nuns the world would be in worse shape than it is. SCARY THOUGHT. WE NEED THEM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msahara Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 (edited) [quote name='ofpheritup' date='Sep 12 2005, 06:50 AM']It will always be an "eternal" question. It was when I was a little girl and it still is. People just do not or will not understand. I have spoken to many nuns over the years they deal with this on an almost daily basis. I am sure they are tired of it. The best explanation I have heard is that "prayer is like electricity, where would we be without it?" It has always been my opinion that if it were not for our monks and nuns the world would be in worse shape than it is. SCARY THOUGHT. WE NEED THEM. [right][snapback]720267[/snapback][/right] [/quote] I know- ppl will never really understand b/c being a contemplative (either cloistered or eremetical) is so unbelievably counter-cultural. He who has ears will indeed hear, however. And I believe that understanding is an extraordinary gift. Edited September 12, 2005 by msahara Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totus Tuus Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 (edited) [quote name='MC IMaGiNaZUN' date='Sep 11 2005, 11:07 PM']has anybody ever heard that kind of question. "the church needs to be active in the world, not locked up in a cloister..." etc. It seems there are some ladies here that might be called to that sort of thing, which i find to be a truly beautiful calling. The contemplative and eremetic callings go back centuries in the church, and should be validated likewise. Besides, i think the world wouldn't be half as screwed up as it is today if there was much more cloisted sisters and hermit priests in mountains and the wilderness constantly praying for the needs of the church militant. I would even want to be a hermit, but i don't feel called to that. SHALOM [right][snapback]720129[/snapback][/right] [/quote] I have a few friends/family who are particularly disturbed by the fact that, not only am I entering Religious Life, but I'm becoming a [b]contemplative[/b]?! It seems there is no way to "get it through their heads" that I am happy and Jesus is happy with this vocation for me. They won't rise above what the world wants them to think of the enclosure. It's so beautiful, but it's entirely counter-cultural, and, as I heard it very well put one time, "a life against nature". Our natures don't naturally gravitate towards complete seclusion, but the more we love Jesus, the more we want to be alone with Him. Or maybe it would be better to say, [i]He wants to be alone with us[/i]: "I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart" -Hosea 2:16 I don't know what I can do but pray for the people who are so opposed to the contemplative life... Edited September 12, 2005 by Totus Tuus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All For Jesus Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Yes, it does seem that some people feel that the contemplative life is almost useless. I don't think people understand the beauty of a vocation to the contemplative life or how much contemplatives do for the Church. Its hard for them to understand though.-Our culture is so focused on what one can physically do that we tend to overlook how wonderful a vocation to the contemplative life is. I still don't know what my vocation is, but pray that if it is to the contemplative life, that I will have the strength to answer the call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piccoli Fiori JMJ Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 I hear this all the time from my Grandpa, saying it'll be a waste of time and so on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
materdei Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 It is very hard for some to see the importance of Religious life in general. Our society is so "me" oriented. I do think it is important to note that "contemplative" and "cloistered" are not synonomous. semi-active communities can and are also considered contemplative. Not to be nit-picky, but I do think it important to know the distinctions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ora et Labora Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 I know they're not, but thank you for the clarification. I used the term "contemplative" because I think that the sentiments towards cloistered and contemplative life are almost the same. But you're right, maybe they aren't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totus Tuus Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Sorry, that was me ^^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ofpheritup Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 [quote name='msahara' date='Sep 12 2005, 10:39 AM']I know- ppl will never really understand b/c being a contemplative (either cloistered or eremetical) is so unbelievably counter-cultural. He who has ears will indeed hear, however. And I believe that understanding is an extraordinary gift. [right][snapback]720481[/snapback][/right] [/quote] I don't know where God is leading me. I don't know where I'll end up. Whether it is to the religious life or to being married. But my PM family I am old enough to know and I have been around long enough to understand that our (specifically) cloistered monks and nuns stand at the doorway of eternity. They do now what we will be doing in heaven. PRAISING GOD UNCEASINGLY. They have chosen this for love of Jesus and for "love of the world." Does it strike you as odd that the ones who need to see this thread probably never will. We are all on the same page here. I would encourage anyone who believes they have a vocation to the cloistered life to RUN TO IT. The greatest gift you can give to the ones who don't believe in it is to live it. PRAYER IS POWERFUL. Sooner or later you will see them change their minds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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