Sister Adorers Of Royal Heart Of Jesus Christ Sovereign Priest

[Veritas]

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Just stumbled across this... There must be 70 pictures (?!). They cover everything from the Fathers and the Brides to the reception of the holy habit, Latin High Mass, pictures with the clergy, and the dinner after. I've never seen so many good pictures from such an event. So, I hope you enjoy, too!

[url="http://www.icrsp.org/Adoratrices/prise-habit-2007/prisehabit2007.htm"]http://www.icrsp.org/Adoratrices/prise-hab...sehabit2007.htm[/url]

Edited January 13, 2008 by Veritas

[the lords sheep]

What beautiful Names!!!

Sœur Marthe Marie du Cœur sacerdotal du Christ Roi.
Sister Martha Marie of the Priestly Heart of Christ the King

and

Sœur Sophie Marie du Cœur Immaculé
Sister Sophie Marie of the Immaculate Heart

Prayers for these beautiful new nuns!

[Stacey]

Prayers for the new novices they look very happy, but,,, i am very
uncomfortable with all of it really. When i am clothed on the 25th i won't be a Bride of Christ - matrimony is a wonderful sacrament, religious life is a wonderful thing - but it is not a sacrament - in both we offer ourselves to Christ but in different ways so i don't see why some try to make them the same. To me this is making Clothing a parody of a wedding - fathers giving them away, bridal gowns and a wedding breakfast? I could not have entered an order that did this - thankfully our Clothing is simple and private - the really big occasion comes at Profession - even then it's not a spousal relationship.
At the same time i wish them well and they do look beautiful, Adele. this is the first rant i have had on here - must be because i'm getting nervous.

[Starets]

They look quite happy indeed. I am glad they have persevered at least to this point. And you'll be fine, Adele

[st-annes]

It's a beautiful website.

[Jennifer]

Thank you for sharing these lovely pictures.

[jkaands]

[quote name='Stacey' post='1445219' date='Jan 13 2008, 03:25 AM']Prayers for the new novices they look very happy, but,,, i am very
uncomfortable with all of it really. When i am clothed on the 25th i won't be a Bride of Christ - matrimony is a wonderful sacrament, religious life is a wonderful thing - but it is not a sacrament - in both we offer ourselves to Christ but in different ways so i don't see why some try to make them the same. To me this is making Clothing a parody of a wedding - fathers giving them away, bridal gowns and a wedding breakfast? I could not have entered an order that did this - thankfully our Clothing is simple and private - the really big occasion comes at Profession - even then it's not a spousal relationship.
At the same time i wish them well and they do look beautiful, Adele. this is the first rant i have had on here - must be because i'm getting nervous.[/quote]

[jkaands]

Adele, you're supposed to be nervous.

Not to extend the metaphor of marriage, which I don't support either, if you're not nervous before your clothing, you don't realize how big a step it is, even tho' there will be more important steps.

Your 'nerves' are completely appropriate.

But please put descriptions of the event on the Colwich blog and put in some pictures, if you can!

To my knowledge, yours is the only contemplative Benedictine blog out there, and one of the few contemplative blogs--are there any others?

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

[quote name='jkaands' post='1445272' date='Jan 13 2008, 01:58 PM']Adele, you're supposed to be nervous.

Not to extend the metaphor of marriage, which I don't support either, if you're not nervous before your clothing, you don't realize how big a step it is, even tho' there will be more important steps.

Your 'nerves' are completely appropriate.

But please put descriptions of the event on the Colwich blog and put in some pictures, if you can!

To my knowledge, yours is the only contemplative Benedictine blog out there, and one of the few contemplative blogs--are there any others?[/quote]


The nuns at St. Walburga's have a blog. It's linked to their website: www.walburga.org

[Benedicite07]

[quote name='Stacey' post='1445219' date='Jan 13 2008, 02:25 AM']When i am clothed on the 25th i won't be a Bride of Christ - matrimony is a wonderful sacrament, religious life is a wonderful thing - but it is not a sacrament - in both we offer ourselves to Christ but in different ways so i don't see why some try to make them the same. To me this is making Clothing a parody of a wedding - fathers giving them away, bridal gowns and a wedding breakfast? I could not have entered an order that did this - thankfully our Clothing is simple and private - the really big occasion comes at Profession - even then it's not a spousal relationship.[/quote]

Dear Stacey,

I am intrigued by your statement that when you are clothed you won't be a Bride of Christ. If you don't consider yourself to be a Bride of Christ either when you are clothed or when you are professed, what do you believe you will be?

What do you make of St. Teresa of Avila, St. Therese and and other mystics who consistently refer to Jesus as their heavenly bridegroom? Therese going so far as to pen a wedding annoucement?

Blessings,

Julie

[Stacey]

Hi Julie, I think that marriage is a sacrament from God it is about uniting men and women on earth - physically, mentally and spiritually. Marriage is about procreation in loving union - obviously that doesn't apply to religious life. Here i give myself totally ,physically - by leaving my home and those i love, by trying to make everything i do sacred in the monastery and embracing the difficult bits and i remain a sexual woman but chose to channel my sexuality differently - on a spiritual rather than physical level. i try to connect with God and offer myself mentally and spiritually - and i say try because i do find it hard to pray at times. It's quite hard for me to explain here, but i do think that both are so wonderful in their own right there is no need to mix them up. Marriage and religious life are vocations - do you expect a married woman to act and dress as a nun - no, so why should i act and dress as a Bride. We lose something of the depth and beauty of both when we try to make them seem the same and link them in this way.
The thing i feel most stongly about is that this 'wedding' is a Clothing ceremony. It's a very early step on the way - outwardly it makes the biggest impact putting on the habit - now we look like nuns - we look like we are separate - but we have a long way to go; our Rule says don't try to be holy before you are holy.
I can accept the ring at Solemn Profession as it puts a seal on the fact that the vows are being taken, so a life committment is being made. Vows are taken at a wedding - they are far away at Clothing and as the novitiate is a testing time and most don't make it - why not keep it simple and let it point towards the goal. I wonder what they do at life profession if this is this communities Clothing?

I think others have written on this on this Phorum before and they expressed themselves better than i have. I am strongly drawn to the Saints you mention but their spirituality goes far beyond the 'bridal bits' - and they were both much younger than i when they entered a convent - with very different life experiences - i am 42 not 15, so maybe that changes things too. I don't know...........it's personal to each of us. I am happy for them,
Thanks for asking, now i must be off to prayers, Pax Adele.

[Starets]

One of the monks of Christ in the Desert has a blog called [url="http://www.talesfromthecenobite.net/"]Tales from the Cenobite[/url]. Also, the Prior of Holy Cross Monastery, a foundation of Christ in the Desert, also keeps a blog, called [url="http://chicagomonk.blogspot.com/"]Daily Bread[/url].

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

[quote name='Stacey' post='1445329' date='Jan 13 2008, 04:03 PM']Hi Julie, I think that marriage is a sacrament from God it is about uniting men and women on earth - physically, mentally and spiritually. Marriage is about procreation in loving union - obviously that doesn't apply to religious life. Here i give myself totally ,physically - by leaving my home and those i love, by trying to make everything i do sacred in the monastery and embracing the difficult bits and i remain a sexual woman but chose to channel my sexuality differently - on a spiritual rather than physical level. i try to connect with God and offer myself mentally and spiritually - and i say try because i do find it hard to pray at times. It's quite hard for me to explain here, but i do think that both are so wonderful in their own right there is no need to mix them up. Marriage and religious life are vocations - do you expect a married woman to act and dress as a nun - no, so why should i act and dress as a Bride. We lose something of the depth and beauty of both when we try to make them seem the same and link them in this way.
The thing i feel most stongly about is that this 'wedding' is a Clothing ceremony. It's a very early step on the way - outwardly it makes the biggest impact putting on the habit - now we look like nuns - we look like we are separate - but we have a long way to go; our Rule says don't try to be holy before you are holy.
I can accept the ring at Solemn Profession as it puts a seal on the fact that the vows are being taken, so a life committment is being made. Vows are taken at a wedding - they are far away at Clothing and as the novitiate is a testing time and most don't make it - why not keep it simple and let it point towards the goal. I wonder what they do at life profession if this is this communities Clothing?

I think others have written on this on this Phorum before and they expressed themselves better than i have. I am strongly drawn to the Saints you mention but their spirituality goes far beyond the 'bridal bits' - and they were both much younger than i when they entered a convent - with very different life experiences - i am 42 not 15, so maybe that changes things too. I don't know...........it's personal to each of us. I am happy for them,
Thanks for asking, now i must be off to prayers, Pax Adele.[/quote]

Adele, while I find meaning in the spousal imagery, I am with you in being uncomfortable about the clothing being a wedding. The wedding dress at clothing was part of many religious communities, including Benedictines for part of their history but it really came into prominence for many Orders after the French Revolution. We Dominicans had it for a short period but our profession is very similar to the Cistercians--simple, almost stark, but fraught with meaning. Clothing was done in the Chapter hall for most of our history.

The bridal aspect is NOT the primary meaning behind monastic life. A quick look into monastic history is that it is foremost a response of our baptismal committment and the response of those who could no longer witness to Christ through the shedding of the their blood.

As time went on, the order of virgins was sort of melded into monastic life and that is where you start to get the bridal imagery. It's not wrong, it is a part of our consecration but again, it's not primary.

Consecrated women no less give themselves to God physically, spiritually and emotionally so we can truly use the image of marriage and spousal union.

Part of the renewal of religious life was to put back a proper perspective on the various stages of formation. Novitiate should be simple and the documents encourage it to be a private ceremony.

This community is brand new and very much in a "restoration" mode. I have NO problem with communities who wish to have the Tridentine Mass but that doesn't mean that one needs to roll back the clock and pretend it is 1930. Give them time to grow and mature.

Adele, I'm praying for you! Don't be too nervous! :-)

Edited January 13, 2008 by Sr. Mary Catharine

[Veritas]

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I, too, think the bridal imagery may not be appropriate until final vows -but I find it very significant, symbolic and meaningful. Like all things, it can be taken the right way or the wrong way, and I am inclined to think the differences of opinion stated on this thread may be in large part due to semantics.

God Bless you Adele!

[jkaands]

[quote name='Staretz' post='1445330' date='Jan 13 2008, 02:05 PM']One of the monks of Christ in the Desert has a blog called [url="http://www.talesfromthecenobite.net/"]Tales from the Cenobite[/url]. Also, the Prior of Holy Cross Monastery, a foundation of Christ in the Desert, also keeps a blog, called [url="http://chicagomonk.blogspot.com/"]Daily Bread[/url].[/quote]


Thanks!