Silly Question For Discerning Girls

[Thomist-in-Training]

Is anyone romantic like me and growing out her hair in order to cut it off at investment (God willing)?

I've been growing it out for three years now (at first just for fun) but sometimes I am lazy and wash it a day later than I should have, because it takes a while to wash and dry; sometimes I do manage to make it look nice, and start to get vain. Then I wonder whether I'm being silly and shouldn't chop it off. Of course, I often avoid these extremes as well.

A lovely girl I know who recently entered a convent decided, when she had decided to enter, to have her sister cut off her hair--it was about shoulder blade length and she had it cut to about chin length--so it will grow to her shoulders or so for investment, and she can cut it then too. This seems like it could be one good approach.

Does anyone else go through this, or is it just me? (If it helps, my hair is also a little past shoulder blade length--not Rapunzelish, but certainly the longest it's been since I was little.)

[sunnysideup]

Well, I'm just lazy... I only get my hair cut once a year, usually around Christmas. I would think that if you've been growing it for that long before you enter it would be a LOT of hair to have under a postulant veil, I would cut it before you enter (but not really short) and then again at investment. One of my friend spent an hour (if I'm remebering right) braiding her hair and then putting it up so that it would lay flat under her postulant veil.

Edited January 5, 2008 by sunnysideup

[Maria_Faustina]

Since I have a while (all through college) to grow out my hair, I haven't really thought about it yet. I do wANt to get my hair cut off at investment though (okay, yes, I'm definitely a bit romantic too). You could do the cutting it for the last time several months before so thing (say, shoulder-length or below) and still have enough to cut off then too, and that might still give you the romanticisim bit there. And just a suggestion for what to do with your long hair now, since you've grown it all out--donate it to Locks of Love or Pantene's Beautiful Lengths campaign. Then it will have been worth all the washing/drying/dealing with it trouble! And think, after investment you can keep growing out your hair to donate for cancer patients, multiple times for a long time of your life! (If you are permitted to, of course). I just thought that was cool... even though you won't "use" your hair as a nun, you'll still have it growing on your head, and you might as well give it to someone who needs it! What an inconspicuous way to help others.
And I'm sorry, half that paragraph wasn't even related to your original question...

[the lords sheep]

Some orders ask that you cut your hair to above shoulder length before you enter. My cousin had to have her hair at about chin length when she entered.

My advice: If you like the length of your hair, keep it. If it's annoying you, cut it. Unless you are entering really soon, you don't really have to worry about it.

if you can't tell, i tend toward the practical side. No matter how long your hair is, it will still be a sacrifice when you cut it off. and The Lord excepts all sacrifices, great or small!

[Chiquitunga]

If I were going to be a Poor Clare, I think I would definitely want to do that, to be like St. Clare. In Carmel though, the hair cutting is actually not part of the clothing ceremony, but done later in the day -- at least at the few Carmels I know of.

But yes, it's such a beautiful thing to have all your hair cut on your clothing day. For me though, I think I'd rather go in there with really short hair, so I wouldn't have to bother with it as much for however long I'd be a postulant, and then it'll grow out a bit at least for the clothing.

Does the clothing ceremony for Dominican Nuns include cutting the new novice's hair? I think that's a beautiful custom. I love seeing the pictures of the hair cutting at OLAM.

Edited January 5, 2008 by Margaret Clare

[Thomist-in-Training]

[quote name='Margaret Clare' post='1442289' date='Jan 5 2008, 01:38 AM']Does the clothing ceremony for Dominican Nuns include cutting the new novice's hair? I think that's a beautiful custom. I love seeing the pictures of the hair cutting at OLAM. [/quote]

You know, I couldn't say. Lockport includes it in their video so I think it likely. Good point It might not make a difference at all. I suppose Sr. Mary Catherine can tell us...

edit: To everyone, I'm not THAT worried or serious about this, I think I picked the wrong little icon I just wondered if anyone else thought about random things like this. I'm not really inclined to cut it off, though I will get trims now and then. We'll see how it goes.

Edited January 5, 2008 by Thomist-in-Training

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

[quote name='Margaret Clare' post='1442289' date='Jan 5 2008, 02:38 AM']If I were going to be a Poor Clare, I think I would definitely want to do that, to be like St. Clare. In Carmel though, the hair cutting is actually not part of the clothing ceremony, but done later in the day -- at least at the few Carmels I know of.

But yes, it's such a beautiful thing to have all your hair cut on your clothing day. For me though, I think I'd rather go in there with really short hair, so I wouldn't have to bother with it as much for however long I'd be a postulant, and then it'll grow out a bit at least for the clothing.

Does the clothing ceremony for Dominican Nuns include cutting the new novice's hair? I think that's a beautiful custom. I love seeing the pictures of the hair cutting at OLAM. [/quote]


Dominican clothings are similiar to Cistercian--stark and simple and yet in this it is very beautiful! The emphasis is on CONVERSIO not on the clothing itself. Yes, the habit is important and the symbolism of it as our wedding dress is important but that is NOT the primary sign. In the older monastic tradition taking on the habit is a sign of conversion to a new way of life. To a life of obedience. So, the habit has primarily a baptismal significance.

The hair cutting is not a part of the ceremony. I think for a short while after the French Revolution it was as was the wedding dress but it didn't last long. I think we had one sister here in the early days do that but that was it.

Sometimes are postulants chop it all off before the ceremony and others do it after. It's easier before because it makes it easier to know what size caps you need.

My suggestion is that you keep your hair at a length and style that is easy to care for. You won't have time to deal with it! Since our postulants wear a veil the all ask to have it cut shortly after as it gets in the way.

Clothing day is important but it's not the most important day. Your Profession Day is.

[Stacey]

Hi Sr Mary Catherine, what you say about your Clothings is very much the way here at Colwich too, Profession is the most important time not Clothing so it is very simple and private. It's up to us what we do with our hair, as we don't wear postulant veils it needs to look tidy and clean but under the veil any lenght that is comfortable and doesn't show is fine. I am going to keep mine just past shoulder length and tied back just so that i have no fluffy bit poking out of the sides. Of course that may change when i have worn it for a while. Adele.

[franciscanheart]

[quote name='sunnysideup' post='1442273' date='Jan 5 2008, 12:12 AM']Well, I'm just lazy... I only get my hair cut once a year, usually around Christmas. I would think that if you've been growing it for that long before you enter it would be a LOT of hair to have under a postulant veil, I would cut it before you enter (but not really short) and then again at investment. One of my friend spent an hour (if I'm remebering right) braiding her hair and then putting it up so that it would lay flat under her postulant veil.[/quote]
This is of course assuming that the order the girl enters utilizes postulant veils. I know of several orders (the first to come to mind of course was the CFRs) that do not have postulant veils (and I like that).

[quote name='the lords sheep' post='1442287' date='Jan 5 2008, 01:26 AM']if you can't tell, i tend toward the practical side. No matter how long your hair is, it will still be a sacrifice when you cut it off. and The Lord excepts all sacrifices, great or small![/quote]
I'm with you. (That being said, I'm a bit of a romantic too. I have had the same or similar thoughts at times. I tend not to give much notice to them, however, because I believe they, at times, can get me in trouble.)

[elizabeth_jane]

Not having to mess with my hair is one of the things I would love!! (That is, of course, assuming I would get accepted...) I'm lazy when it comes to hair so I can see it getting really long, but I'd probably cut it fairly short before I entered.

[Gemma]

I had grown my hair in anticipation of cutting it at investiture like St. Clare, but whatever monastery you enter will probably advise you on what to do.

While you're out in the world, why not become a "hair farm" for Locks of Love?

Blessings,
Gemma

[elizabeth_jane]

[quote name='Gemma' post='1442330' date='Jan 5 2008, 10:59 AM']I had grown my hair in anticipation of cutting it at investiture like St. Clare, but whatever monastery you enter will probably advise you on what to do.

While you're out in the world, why not become a "hair farm" for Locks of Love?

Blessings,
Gemma[/quote]

That is a great idea. I've done that once and while my hair was quite short, I got a free hair cut out of it and I didn't have to get it cut again for a year!

[Totus Tuus]

I grew out my hair for the investment I never made it to. It was a pain to keep it all under the little postulant veil. There are pros and cons to consider if you want to grow it out. I am a total romantic when it comes to stuff like this so for me, struggling to tame it while I was a postulant was worth the romance of having a bunch of beautiful hair to cut on investment day. But more practical souls kept theirs short before entrance and just grew it out during postulancy year. Mine was shoulder-blade length when I entered and waste-length when I left (close to what would have been my investment). I keep it a few inches above waste-length now. I'm still discerning so I still have that romantic side that's saving my hair for a possible investiture... I guess I've got less of the practical side in me :-p

[cathoholic_anonymous]

I keep my hair at shoulder-length. When I enter I won't grow it out for investiture. Living in a sweltering hot country, predominantly desert, killed any romantic desires for beautiful long flowing tresses - hair can be such a nuisance to look after. When I did my live-in at the Carmel I found that I was rushing to get to choir for Lauds as it was, and if I had to twist and pin up a mass of long hair I probably wouldn't have been out of my cell for the next three and a half hours.

Then again, I'm disabled, and personal care is harder for me than it would be for others. If you are able to keep your hair clean and neat and tidy without lots of extra effort, by all means grow it out.

Edited January 7, 2008 by Cathoholic Anonymous

[Thomist-in-Training]

Ah! Totus Tuus is on my side! At last my question is answered. (PS: I'd love to see a picture if there is one online somewhere! PM me if you have one But don't worry, if you are shy on the internet it's perfectly sensible too.)