Physical Needs in Religious Life

[franciscanheart]

It's cool. :

[Mary-Kathryn]

[quote name='hugheyforlife' post='964400' date='Apr 28 2006, 04:15 PM']
It's cool. :
[/quote]

I'm sorry too, hughey!

Now, back to the regularly scheduled program....

Mary-Kathryn

[magnificat]

[quote name='AlterDominicus' post='964382' date='Apr 28 2006, 02:53 PM']
Now I may have asthma and maybe allergic to all in the category of peanut butter, but I assure you...Mother Angelica is 83 and look at all she has including asthma. Mine was REAL serious, but it was because I was eatin PB everyday, and I MEAN everyday. But now its slim I get one.
[/quote]

Well I think that's a little different because it's something you can easily manage...i.e. stay away from peanuts!!

[SeekingHisPlan]

This is a topic which is of a lot of interest to me. I have a lot of smaller health problems, some of which are probably treatable and some of which are chronic. (I have mild cerebral palsy and experience complications from that....muscles spasms, joint pain, etc. It's not horrible, but I am habitually in some pain, and this will get worse as I age.)

I am also limited by poor eyesight, and may not be able to drive because of it. This has already presented itself as an impediment to one community.

I know that I need to trust that if I am supposed to be somewhere, God will lead me to that place, but it is hard worrying and wondering sometimes.

[Veritas]

+

Thanks for the link to the Benedictines of Jesus Christ Crucified. It is beautiful that all women are not rejected from religious life because they are unable to perform a certain level of physical labour. How beautiful that the value of the "work" of prayer and "little things" is valued in this community! -these "little things" done with "great love" in the consecrated relgious life, we have reason to believe, are VERY pleasing to God! How glorious that these women sharing in the physical sufferings of Christ are allowed to unite spousally to him and that they are not viewed as a "burden" by their community but as those to love and serve as sisters, and family, in Christ!


:applause:

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

One of the Poor Clare Colettines in Rockford sought enterence into to the Poor Clares in Ohio (Not sure where...) but was declined because of a health condition, but she entered the Poor Clare Colettines in Rockford, and her medical condition went away! God directs us to where He wants us.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='Gemma' post='964181' date='Apr 28 2006, 12:57 PM']
That can be summed up in one word: virginity.

Those who have not been "touched" do not "crave" the physical, and therefore are less tempted to sins of the flesh.

Ironic. Most of those who take this attitude follow the Rule of St. Augustine. He's one of the greatest penitents of all time.
[/quote]

Sounds good in theory, but for for many women, an emotional attachment is much more important than any physical relationship, and much harder to deal with if lost.
So these orders would automatically refuse widows as well?

[Gemma]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='964849' date='Apr 29 2006, 05:53 AM']
Sounds good in theory, but for for many women, an emotional attachment is much more important than any physical relationship, and much harder to deal with if lost.
So these orders would automatically refuse widows as well?
[/quote]

The nuns have told me that they will take a penitent IF SHE IS MENTALLY STABLE. This also alludes to what I read while working with annulments--a nymphomaniac cannot be a wife because of how her brain works. She would also be disqualified from the religious life (more than likely).

I am aware that for a woman, the emotional attachment is more important--and for the man, it's the physical. I keep wanting to tell hedonists that they're being so totally foolish--the man thinks the girl's in love because she "performs." The woman thinks she's got the man hooked for the same reason. He gets bored with her "performance" and looks elsewhere. She's crushed emotionally. Yada, yada, yada. It's hard to witness to them, too.

One discerner--an annulee--I worked with was having to deal with her emotions--and the physical as well.

The Passionists of Whitesville used to have a brochure which asked a lot of questions. One of those was "How well can you deal with your sexual desires?" The Sacramentines even said in a public newspaper that they discussed such things--as it was part of acknowledging what God had given them, and their freedom to give it up for the sake of the Kingdom.

I think it all boils down to this: particular orders considering individual cases. Every case is dealt with individually. This leaves the discerner with a very long row to hoe--having to go knocking on lots of doors. This is why Nun Runs are so important. Sometimes you can tell if you're supposed to be there just by walking in the front door. At other times you know you're NOT supposed to be there the same way.

Widows are usually welcome in most orders, except for those who place such a high importance on the "v" word. (Like the Nashville Dominicans). I know of one annulee who tried their way of life, and her name was given her as a punishment for her previous life. She left before her final profession, and is extremely bitter about the experience. I know other women have applied there, also, but they won't take annulees, penitents, or widows. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me.

Please don't get me wrong. The Nashville Dominicans and I have enjoyed a good relationship. I'm just stating what I've observed in the last 16 years of knowing them.

I'll stop here.

Blessings,
Gemma

[cmotherofpirl]

If an order will take a widow, there seems no reason for them not to take someone whose marriage was annulled.

[Gemma]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='965175' date='Apr 29 2006, 11:54 AM']
If an order will take a widow, there seems no reason for them not to take someone whose marriage was annulled.
[/quote]

You'd think so, but some orders are kinda strange on the subject. Usually archaic ideas re: annulments.

Which is one reason why, in our SOLC Foundations, we're sort of like Mother Seton, who took everyone else's rejects. (That reminds me, I need to watch "A Time For Miracles" again). I'm a very accepting person just in real life in general, and I take the attitude that a vocation is between God and the soul. If someone is drawn to our communities, I start discerning with them. Amazingly, I've not had to tell anyone to leave, they've left on their own.

Some vocation directors are "green" for lack of a better term. The aforementioned annulee-discerner had worked with one VD for about a year, and then the latter got reassigned. The one who took over for her was as green as they could get. I wouldnt've said some of the stuff she said. The discerner wrote a heart-broken note to the former VD, who wrote back saying she'd have to pray over the response, which, when it came, said in very gentle words that the present VD was "green."

I've given the orders the advice of putting their most charismatic young sister on the "front line" of vocations work, with an older, more seasoned sister as her partner. Have they taken my advice? Dunno.

Blessings,
Gemma

[sanctafamilia]

Note about Benedictines of Jesus Crucified: THEY DO NOT EVEN WANT TO LOOK AT PEOPLE WITH CEREBRAL PALSY. Pray for their enlightenment. They assume we are all the same and have psychological issues, etc. It's really sad. Sisters of the Lamb of God take sisters with physical disabilities, but there is no guarentee of being allowed to wear a veil.

Also, any one read [i]Introduction to a Devout Life?[/i] I have, but I don't understand how serious to take the idea of performing all of the excercizes (morning, evening, annual, etc.) HELP!

[alicemary]

I am really surprised those Benedictines will not accept those with CP. Seems strange that they would not. A disability is a disability. Wow, it is so difficult sometimes, but I guess that is the cross we must bear. Never give up your search.
what do you mean by you might not get to wear a veil as a sister of the Lamb of God?

[cathoholic_anonymous]

Sanctafamilia, write a courteous letter to the Benedictines of Jesus Crucified explaining how CP differs from person to person. I spend a lot of my time correcting misconceptions about my own disabilities (many people think of 'Rainman' as soon as they hear the word autism) and I think this work is vitally important.

I'm a little nervous about disclosing my dyspraxia to the Carmelites. I think dyspraxia will cause more problems than the autistic spectrum disorder, at least in a cloistered environment. I have special tools to help me cope and I know how to live with this, but I'm frightened that the sisters may not listen. I've decided to speak to them about it only when I'm in the monastery for my live-in. That way they will have to let me stay for my allotted two weeks and they will be able to see that I can manage, given the things I need.

[-I---Love]

this is all really enlightening...keep talking!!!

[TeresaAvila]

I agree, very enligtening, and to note, I understand some disorders/disabilities probably could not be accepted in religious life or certain communities (like cloistered or some missions) but there are also degrees to disabilities as others have talked about Cerebral Palsy, My sister has CP (although she's not considering religious life) but she went through alot of extensive surgeries in her childhood and at one time she had alot of difficult and could hardly walk, but now thanks be to god for all the good doctors, she has just a slight limp and only thing is she can't run as fast as others, but other than that she can do just about anything and her mind is haha often times sharper than mine, so I think orders should look at the individual case, as for annulments again I think that should be an individual thing, perhaps those that have been married and know the pleasures of the flesh vs. those of us who are virgins, make an even great sacrifice by giving their struggles to our lord, of course if one truly has a mental illness that causes problems with sexuality, then that needs to certainly be considered, but as My sisters often say "You don't know the inside, only god knows for sure, so we give them a try" and they often will give a person a serious time of discernment and/or try the observer program and if ti's not a true call god will reveal it in some way.

God Bless You!

[quote name='-I---Love' post='1173885' date='Jan 23 2007, 08:16 AM']
this is all really enlightening...keep talking!!!
[/quote]