SisterAli Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 I just happened to come across this religious community's site while trying to find some Gregorian Chant CD's Has anyone ever heard of them???? [url="http://www.abbeyofreginalaudis.com"]The Abbey of Regina Laudis[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavenlyCalling Posted November 22, 2006 Share Posted November 22, 2006 I have looked at their site a few times, they seem pretty cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 This is a lovely Community. The Priooess is Mother Dolores who was Dolers Hart the film star whostarred with Elvis Pressley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totus Tuus Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Use caution if discerning with this Community. I know several people who visited there personally and they said it was a very strange experience. In essence, Dolores Hart told one woman I know who discerned with them that they only kept their habit after Vatican II to be different, since everyone else was taking theirs off. She noted some other very unorthodox things about the Community. She said that from the outside, to a discerner, they look very good. But much of it is a facade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SisterAli Posted November 23, 2006 Author Share Posted November 23, 2006 [quote name='Totus Tuus' post='1126499' date='Nov 22 2006, 10:24 PM'] Use caution if discerning with this Community. I know several people who visited there personally and they said it was a very strange experience. In essence, Dolores Hart told one woman I know who discerned with them that they only kept their habit after Vatican II to be different, since everyone else was taking theirs off. She noted some other very unorthodox things about the Community. She said that from the outside, to a discerner, they look very good. But much of it is a facade. [/quote] Thank you for letting me know this, although I am not discerning with this community. I just happened to come across it while looking for music!!! I am discerning heartily with the SSCK's right now :-) God Bless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChild Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 I wrote to them many months ago, while discerning last year. When they wrote back to me, they said they'd have to get to know me over many months and then I would have to come visit so 'we could discern if you have the right talents for us'. I felt like I was being interviewed for a job, rather than discerning a vocation. I'd written more than once, asking a few details about the community, requirements etc. . . and I got the feeling they weren't answering on purpose. However, I just chalked it up to simply not being called there. They have a lovely CD though. I have it on my iPod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puellapaschalis Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 I don't know this community at all, but the Rule of Benedict makes it pretty clear that the community should be almost rude to anyone applying to join. Love and prayers, PP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sr Mary Catharine OP Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 [quote name='HisChild' post='1126574' date='Nov 23 2006, 01:10 AM'] I wrote to them many months ago, while discerning last year. When they wrote back to me, they said they'd have to get to know me over many months and then I would have to come visit so 'we could discern if you have the right talents for us'. I felt like I was being interviewed for a job, rather than discerning a vocation. I'd written more than once, asking a few details about the community, requirements etc. . . and I got the feeling they weren't answering on purpose. However, I just chalked it up to simply not being called there. They have a lovely CD though. I have it on my iPod. [/quote] This is usual for them. They really don't want to have a correspondence and want a person to come in person for an interview. They are really into everyone having a "profession" which I find strange for a monastic community. They have kept a lot of the traditional aspects of Benedictine monastic life but they are not really "traditional" in the way most would use that term. They are different. Even other Benedictines will say this about RL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChild Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 [quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1126622' date='Nov 23 2006, 01:27 AM'] I don't know this community at all, but the Rule of Benedict makes it pretty clear that the community should be almost rude to anyone applying to join. Love and prayers, PP [/quote] I'm not sure what you mean. [quote name='Sr. Mary Catharine' post='1126648' date='Nov 23 2006, 03:39 AM'] This is usual for them. They really don't want to have a correspondence and want a person to come in person for an interview. They are really into everyone having a "profession" which I find strange for a monastic community. They have kept a lot of the traditional aspects of Benedictine monastic life but they are not really "traditional" in the way most would use that term. They are different. Even other Benedictines will say this about RL. [/quote] That really is too bad. On the surface, or at least, by reading their web pages, they seemed like a wonderful community. Perhaps they just wanted to remain self sufficient. Interestingly enough, while the letters did put me off a bit, what really clinched it for me was the fact that they continued to put on plays. . .and they seemed a little secular in nature to me. So, not feeling 'right' after prayer and consideration, I moved on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sr Mary Catharine OP Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 [quote name='HisChild' post='1126673' date='Nov 23 2006, 10:37 AM'] I'm not sure what you mean. That really is too bad. On the surface, or at least, by reading their web pages, they seemed like a wonderful community. Perhaps they just wanted to remain self sufficient. Interestingly enough, while the letters did put me off a bit, what really clinched it for me was the fact that they continued to put on plays. . .and they seemed a little secular in nature to me. So, not feeling 'right' after prayer and consideration, I moved on. [/quote] What she means is that the RB says that anyone who comes asking to join should be left out at the door for 3 days begging for the grace to join. However, I think that some things in the RB need not be taken literally. Also, writing for info and asking to join are 2 different things. Also, I think that following the RB in this today is a bit misguided. In so far as the RB is saying that a person's desire should be tested, I agree and get a little nervous when I hear about a community that seems to accept just about everyone. That was a mindset way back. If someone walked and talked and showed up at the door some Abbots/Abbess/Priors/Prioresses would accept the person and give them a trial...or the person would TRY them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChild Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Since I am not familiar with the Rule of Benedict. . .could you educate me on the why? Why would he require a person to be left outside the door for 3 days begging to join? To test their vocation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puellapaschalis Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Yes, pretty much. My copy of RB says:[quote]Do not grant newcomers to the monastic life an easy entry, but, as the Apostle says, [i]Test the spirits to see if they are from God[/i] (1 John 4:1). Therefore, if someone comes and keeps knocking at the door, and if at the end of four or five days he has shown himself patient in bearing in his request, then he should be allowed to enter and stay in the geust quarters for a few days. After theat, he should live in the novitiate, where the novices study, eat and sleep. (Ch. 58)[/quote] I haven't gone around knocking on doors, but in my experience this does still happen. I've spoken to and had great chats with members of communities, and when the topic of me entering there came up, the mood changed a little. When I asked about this, the whole process was explained to me. The last place I wrote to regularly takes their sweet time in replying to letters. It certainly hurts a little, but it taught me to be more self-sufficient, or rather, to rely on God more in my vocation, rather than on the House itself. And certainly Benedict's approach isn't for everyone. Love and prayers, PP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HisChild Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Well, that makes a bit of sense. To . . .see if there's persistence to be sure. . .but I certainly would never commend being rude or even being obtuse, as I can imagine that'll do nothing but put someone off. It's a little funny. The communities that I ever wrote to. . the ones who delayed the most in responding, etc. were the Carmelites. I wonder if that's in their rule as well. Pax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puellapaschalis Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 Well, yea, it doesn't say they should be rude. Perhaps what I meant was that for someone who doesn't know the Rule (as many people enquiring at a Benedictine House for the first time probably don't), it can come across as stand-offish at best, and rude at worst. And in these days when everything's by email or letter, you can't see people smiling - you miss the really personal contact that a sixth-century applicant would have had with the House. Of course, a delay in replying can also mean that they're simply crazy busy. However, of course (trying to not go too far off-topic), I don't know Regina Laudis at all, so these comments of mine are to be taken in the most general sense possible. Love and prayers, PP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathoholic_anonymous Posted November 23, 2006 Share Posted November 23, 2006 [quote]The communities that I ever wrote to. . the ones who delayed the most in responding, etc. were the Carmelites. I wonder if that's in their rule as well.[/quote] I don't think so. The Carmelites I visited practically brought out a fatted calf! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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