Media-watching Religious---why?

[Totus Tuus]

[quote name='sr_betsy' post='1299423' date='Jun 21 2007, 09:59 AM']Not to change the subject - but Totus Tuus, when you say Mother Vicar, who was that? Mother Angelica? Forgive my lack of knowledge.[/quote]


Mother Vicar is under Mother Abbess (which is Mother Angelica). Mother Vicar is Sr. Mary Catherine, who is acting superior since Mother Angelica is not well.

[gabrielp]

Hm,

All this reminds me of a priest telling me it was good to have a bible in one hand, and a newspaper in the other. But I'm not sure if he was referring to contemplative nuns as well, though he was himself a discalced carmelite. Just a tiny little thought.

God bless,

Gabriel

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='Cathoholic Anonymous' post='1299411' date='Jun 21 2007, 07:32 AM']I know of some convents where newspapers are left in the community room and it is up to the discretion of the individual sister as to how much she reads or doesn't read. I think that is a good system, as some people may not be able to read very much without getting distracted or agitated, while others may find the newspaper very conducive to their prayer.[/quote]
While I do like the idea of leaving it up to the Reverend Mother's discretion for the whole community, that's not a bad system either.

I guess one of my major concerns then would be that they get a good source of news. We get both the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times, because we have a close friend that writes for the Sun-Times. But wow, it can be [i]terrible[/i], and the pictures that are often on the front page .. It's seriously becoming more and more like a tabloid. And the Tribune is not always so great either. This woman who writes for the Sun-Times & her husband have both been in the news industry all their lives, and so often they comment on just how messed up it's becoming - the bad morals that are accepted as normal by our society these days, especially on TV news.

So that would be one of the major reasons why I feel strongly about keeping this kind of stuff out of religious life/leaving it up to the Reverend Mother's discretion. Just because something's in the news, doesn't mean everyone then has to be subjected to it, if you understand what I mean.

I do understand though about reading the news and seeing pictures of the people everything and feeling even more motivated to pray - and that is soo important, because so many people and issues do need our prayers [i]urgently[/i], and it definitely helps us focus on others rather than ourselves.

Then also of course there are the Catholic sources of news about world events and the Church. I find especially [url="http://www.ignatius.com/Magazines/CWR/"]The Catholic World Report[/url] magazine outstanding for giving a good perspective on what are the major international events and issues that the Church is facing, like reports of martyrs, the Church in this or that country, efforts to unite the Churches of the East & West and the Traditionalist factions, etc.

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='happynun' post='1298149' date='Jun 18 2007, 06:59 PM']We have to understand that for some communities the watching of the news or going to the movies can be a significant part of their vocation (Daughters of Saint Paul are an excellent example and they have a media apostolate). The CFRs have a very ascetical kind of life. The Carmelites are communal hermits.[/quote]
But yes, guys I was going to say, the use/reading/watching of media is definitely of great importance to many forms of religious life, but actually reading through the posts I see this has already been said very well!

I don't mean at all to say when I posted about cloistered nuns, and their main mission of praying for souls, that somehow the mission of other religious are not as important - no way!

I'm reminded of Fr. Corapi talking about how he is unafraid of speaking the truth because it is a matter of LIFE or DEATH (of the soul!) And the use of media and keeping up with the latest news and responding to that, is an integral part of the mission of the Church, entrusted to orders like the Daughters of St. Paul & the Salesians, in their work with the youth, and many more - and it extremely important!

Fr. Corapi, in his Catechism series, spoke well on this, in that the internet/media/TV is not bad in itself - it's just that evil has been able to make use of it much faster than good has. But we have to use this medium then to our advantage.

(And obviously the internet is extremely resourceful for finding incredible information in a short amount of time that you might not find elsewhere & for searching for orders, etc - that goes without saying I think!! )

His own site: [url="http://www.fathercorapi.com"]http://www.fathercorapi.com[/url] It's great, and if you scroll all the way down, there's a link where you can receive a blessing from Father! I asked a priest once about this and he believed that yes, a priestly blessing can be given in this way, and also through the TV or radio. I've heard that when the Pope gives an Apostolic Blessing through the media, those listening/watching can also recieve it! Cool!

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='gabrielp' post='1299699' date='Jun 21 2007, 10:08 PM']All this reminds me of a priest telling me it was good to have a bible in one hand, and a newspaper in the other. But I'm not sure if he was referring to contemplative nuns as well, though he was himself a discalced carmelite. Just a tiny little thought.[/quote]
But actually the life of a cloistered OCD nun is definitely different than an OCD friar. They have different missions in the Church, though they're in the same order. Again, [url="http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/rc_con_ccscrlife_doc_13051999_verbi-sponsa_en.html"]Verbi Sponsa: Instruction on the Contemplative Life and on the Enclosure of Nuns[/url] - particulary articles 5 & 20

[Totus Tuus]

[quote name='Margaret Clare' post='1299765' date='Jun 22 2007, 07:43 AM']But actually the life of a cloistered OCD nun is definitely different than an OCD friar. They have different missions in the Church, though they're in the same order. Again, [url="http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/rc_con_ccscrlife_doc_13051999_verbi-sponsa_en.html"]Verbi Sponsa: Instruction on the Contemplative Life and on the Enclosure of Nuns[/url] - particulary articles 5 & 20[/quote]

I believe it may be similar to the difference between a contemplative Dominican Nun and a Dominican Friar. Is that a bad comparison? Are there contemplative mens' communities within the Carmelite Order?


[quote]While I do like the idea of leaving it up to the Reverend Mother's discretion for the whole community, that's not a bad system either.[/quote]

By this, do you mean that you think that Reverend Mother will choose what each individual sister sees? Because in either case, she probably has to approve it (i.e., the norm is probably for the superior to approve the newspapers that are put in the community room in a contemplative community).

[Veritas]

[quote name='Margaret Clare' post='1299762' date='Jun 22 2007, 07:27 AM']His own site: [url="http://www.fathercorapi.com"]http://www.fathercorapi.com[/url] It's great, and if you scroll all the way down, there's a link where you can receive a blessing from Father! I asked a priest once about this and he believed that yes, a priestly blessing can be given in this way, and also through the TV or radio. I've heard that when the Pope gives an Apostolic Blessing through the media, those listening/watching can also recieve it! Cool![/quote]

+

This surprises me. I have always been taught that the blessing must be live. For example, a live telecast the blessing is received, but a videotaped and delayed telecast, not so. Hmm....

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='Totus Tuus' post='1299796' date='Jun 22 2007, 07:59 AM']I believe it may be similar to the difference between a contemplative Dominican Nun and a Dominican Friar. Is that a bad comparison? Are there contemplative mens' communities within the Carmelite Order?[/quote]
Yes, I'd say that's a good comparison. Well, for the Discalced Carmelite Order there are not wholly contemplative communities for men. The friars are active contemplatives. But there are several Carmelite communities of men that are wholly contemplative like the OCD nuns. The first one to come to mind is the [url="http://www.carmelitemonks.org/"]Carmelite Monks in Wyoming[/url], who follow the OCD charism. (notice they're monks, not friars) Then there are the [url="http://www.decorcarmeli.com/Hermits.htm"]Hermits of the BVM of Mt. Carmel[/url] in Lake Elmo (within walking distance from the OCD nuns in Lake Elmo - they're their chaplains) then the [url="http://www.carmelitehermits.org/"]Carmelite Hermits in Christoval, TX[/url]. (the last 2 in the O.Carm Order) Then I'm sure there are others I'm unaware of (probably EJames would know).

[quote name='Totus Tuus' post='1299796' date='Jun 22 2007, 07:59 AM']By this, do you mean that you think that Reverend Mother will choose what each individual sister sees? Because in either case, she probably has to approve it (i.e., the norm is probably for the superior to approve the newspapers that are put in the community room in a contemplative community).[/quote]
Ah, ok, I get what you're saying - the Mother Superior would decide which newspapers would be in the community room - that's good. What I mean is that the way it was explained to me, particularly at the Carmels I visited, was that the Mother would read some of the paper/receive important news from those that help out at the monastery, and then tell the sisters important things they need to pray for, but not that the individual nuns would read the actual articles themselves, although I'm guessing they would probably have some individual articles cut out that the sisters could read.

[philosophette]

[quote name='Margaret Clare' post='1299762' date='Jun 22 2007, 07:27 AM']I'm reminded of Fr. Corapi talking about how he is unafraid of speaking the truth because it is a matter of LIFE or DEATH (of the soul!) And the use of media and keeping up with the latest news and responding to that, is an integral part of the mission of the Church, entrusted to orders like the Daughters of St. Paul & the Salesians, in their work with the youth, and many more - and it extremely important!

Fr. Corapi, in his Catechism series, spoke well on this, in that the internet/media/TV is not bad in itself - it's just that evil has been able to make use of it much faster than good has. But we have to use this medium then to our advantage.[/quote]

[EJames]

[quote name='Margaret Clare' post='1299844' date='Jun 22 2007, 09:48 AM']Yes, I'd say that's a good comparison. Well, for the Discalced Carmelite Order there are not wholly contemplative communities for men. The friars are active contemplatives.......
...Then I'm sure there are others I'm unaware of (probably EJames would know).[/quote]
[url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=68072&st=60&p=1299925&#entry1299925"]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?s...p;#entry1299925[/url]
post #74 and #75
pax

[Chiquitunga]

[quote name='EJames' post='1300022' date='Jun 22 2007, 07:43 PM'][url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?showtopic=68072&st=60&p=1299925&#entry1299925"]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?s...p;#entry1299925[/url]
post #74 and #75
pax[/quote]
Hey thanks! So there are monasteries of OCD Friars that are more contemplative like these. And that's so cool how the one is in a former Carthusian monastery!

[quote name='Veritas' post='1299830' date='Jun 22 2007, 09:12 AM']+

This surprises me. I have always been taught that the blessing must be live. For example, a live telecast the blessing is received, but a videotaped and delayed telecast, not so. Hmm....[/quote]
Hey, Veritas! You're probably right actually. I'm not sure myself. It's neat they have it recorded on his site though!

[quote name='philosobrat' post='1299902' date='Jun 22 2007, 01:41 PM'] [/quote]
[size=3] [/size] But yeah, I mean really, it's extremely important that the Church respond to what is happening in today's world! God bless!

[catholic3in1]

you have very good questions....lol

I think the reason some religious communities watch TV is because....they still want live in the world....just not of it.....They don't want to be stupid...and not know what is going on in the world...how can they help people if they don't know what the people need.....and what to pray for.....

[Laudem Gloriae]

Watching of TV in monasteries isn't necessary when the same news that is on TV is in the newspapers. Many orders have someone assigned - externs or prioress or abbess, etc. - who scan and clip newspaper articles and post them on their bulletin boards along with prayer requests that are sent to the monastery. These same orders ONLY watch TV for the death of a pope and the re-election of a pope, as it should be.

Many good prioresses and abbesses have told me that there are many ways of "breaking enclosure" that just don't include walking out the front door! A very good cloistered Dominican nuns and PCCs have told me that their sisters and them aren't aloud on the internet at all and don't want to be as it is another way of breaking enclosure and keeping "one foot in the world and not giving everything up for God in total self-abandonment and self-sacrifice". The novice mistress, prioress or vocation mistress of these orders only use their internet (if they have it) for emailing vocation inquiries and that is it! No web surfing to forums and other sites.

The orders who scan papers or are told news by benefactors and such are just as informed as the orders who watch TV when they really don't have to.

Plus some things you DON'T need to know they are so sinful or gross anyway! It's enough for an order to know that some murders took place WITHOUT seeing bodies bloodied and under sheets in the street or whatever on TV! They can pray just as well. Besides just hearing the REAL news, you also get croutons like the latest Hollywood's nonsense or Britney Spear's or Paris Hilton foolishness. An order can just pray in general for such people prone to sin, custody of the eyes is a good thing a lot of the time!

(The above is not just my opinion, but the opinions and beliefs of excellent, traditional orders. Besides I rarely if ever watch the news and I am informed and know what is going on.)

Edited August 2, 2008 by Laudem Gloriae

[Rising_Suns]

[quote name='catholic3in1' post='1616020' date='Aug 2 2008, 06:50 PM']how can they help people if they don't know what the people need.....and what to pray for.....[/quote]

Dear Catholic3in1,
Please forgive me if I seem like I am singling you out. I know other people in this thread have made similar comments in this same vain. I just wanted to address this misconception; that a cloistered nun somehow needs to be "plugged in" to the world (through media, news, etc.) in order to know what to pray for. This is an untruth that seems to come up sometimes in these discussions.

One only need observe the lives of the Saints--our models for religious life--to know that this is false reasoning. According to the Saints, when a soul reaches the high degree of holiness to which it is called in the religious life (that is, intimate union Our Lord), this is sufficient to merit the greatest graces possible in this world, which God may distribute according to His Holy will. A soul that seeks divine union need not be concerned with worldly affairs to know what to pray for (as if God is incapable of speaking to the soul directly of His desires), since Our Lord Himself will reveal things to the soul without the need for external sources. Such was the case with Padre Pio, for example, who knew what to pray for and who to pray for through his intimate union with the Lord. The same is true with Saint Faustina -- a cloistered nun in total isolation from the world -- who could boldly proclaim;

[indent]"By prayer and mortification, we will make our way to the most uncivilized countries, paving the way for the missionaries. We will bear in mind that a soldier on the front line cannot hold out long without support from the rear forces that do not actually take part in the fighting but provide for all his needs; and that such is the role of prayer, and that therefore each one of us is to be distinguished by an apostolic spirit."
- dirary, November 1935, ¶.539

"I know that I live, not for myself, but for a great number of souls. I know that graces granted me are not for me alone, but for souls. O Jesus. the abyss of Your mercy has been poured into my soul, which is an abyss of misery itself. Thank You, Jesus, for the graces and the pieces of the Cross which You give me at each moment of my life." - ibid., ¶.382 [/indent]

Ultimately, Our Lord will know what to do with the graces merited on our behalf more than we will. The best form of prayer is sacrifice, love, and obedience to His will through our superiors.

Blessings.

Edited August 3, 2008 by Rising_Suns

[Saint Therese]

I agree that surfing the internet or watching tv could be or should be violation of enclosure. I think orders that rigorously observe enclosure are more prayerful than ones that have a more relaxed idea of what that is. But thats just my opinion!