Laudem Gloriae Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Here's some info on the Norbertine nuns of Tehachapi, CA when I wrote to them. I inquired of Fr. Heath (see below) about these Norbertine nuns and received an email from Mother Mary Augustine. She wrote: "Dear Mary, Father Chris let me know that you were interested in our community, and one of your questions was to know the age limit. We do not have properly said an age limit, however we do not encourage the women more than 45/50. Our experience was that 5 women around 50 entered and they all left... Please let me know your age and also some information about yourself. Our Priory is located in Tehachapi in the mountains at 5500 feet alt. We had snow about two weeks ago and the accumulation of snow was probably close to a foot and half. We have our last newsletter at the address: www.antelecom.net/techsrv. Let us pray that you might follow the path that God is leading you, and may you be blessed with a Holy Lenten Season, In Christ, and His Blessed Mother, Mother Mary Augustine" So there is a 2 pg and 12 pg PDF file in the link Mother Mary Augustine mentions in her email. Very informative and wonderful sisters. When I clicked on that link this - [url="http://fp1.antelecom.net/techsrv/"]http://fp1.antelecom.net/techsrv/[/url] - appeared in the top bar - but both worked for me. Some other links - probably posted before?, but in case not are: Link of the nuns in slide show pictures and sound with them chanting Evening Prayer: [url="http://www.bakersfield.net/Photography/slideshows/nuns/index.asp"]http://www.bakersfield.net/Photography/sli.../nuns/index.asp[/url] More info on them: [url="http://www.premontre.org/subpages/loci/zzzlocalsites/lstehachepi/ddtehach2.htm"]http://www.premontre.org/subpages/loci/zzz...i/ddtehach2.htm[/url] Fr. Chris Heath's Catholic Blog called "Catholic In Orange" posted on the sisters on his blog at this link: [url="http://catholic-orangemen.blogspot.com/2007/08/norbertine-sisters-in-tehachapi.html"]http://catholic-orangemen.blogspot.com/200...-tehachapi.html[/url]. Fr. Heath has a great site. I actually contacted him for info on the sisters and he emailed me back saying he forwarded my questions to the Mother of the Norbertines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DameAgnes Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Thanks for these links - I've been following the progress of this community - they seem great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DameAgnes Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 [quote name='DameAgnes' post='1465161' date='Feb 18 2008, 02:21 PM']Thanks for these links - I've been following the progress of this community - they seem great.[/quote] In the second pdf, they mention a young woman coming in as a postulant, and another coming in as a "donata postulant"...does anyone know what that is? She seems to be wearing a different veil. Is a "donata" postulant one coming in from a different order? ANyone know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 [quote name='DameAgnes' post='1465187' date='Feb 18 2008, 03:36 PM']In the second pdf, they mention a young woman coming in as a postulant, and another coming in as a "donata postulant"...does anyone know what that is? She seems to be wearing a different veil. Is a "donata" postulant one coming in from a different order? ANyone know?[/quote] "Donate" sisters--may be an extern. I know the Carthusians have "donate" brothers. They're the brothers who do the cooking, cleaning, some craft work for the support of the community. HTH. Blessings, Gemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavenlyCalling Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 So a bit like the lay sisters used to be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carolyn Posted February 19, 2008 Share Posted February 19, 2008 Thanks, Laudem! I have been trying to find new and updated information on these sisters for a while now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Therese Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 I think these sisters are really neat. I'd like to learn more about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laudem Gloriae Posted February 21, 2008 Author Share Posted February 21, 2008 Here's an answer from Mother Mary Augustine herself about the donata topic. Here's the email I got today after an inquiry: "Thank you for your e-mail and answer. According what you say, there is no impediment concerning your situation familial, or health. At least, that is a good thing. But as you know we cannot decide anything as long that first of all you discern if our life is what God is calling you for, and to understand why you would choose to be a Norbertine. For this, you need of course to experience it. Norbertine life is not exactly what other Orders do. But all this can be truly understood only here. Also, because of your age we will need to explain to you that the best option, if both sides were to agree for entrance, would be to enter as a Donata. Basically her status is different, although she lives inside the convent with a formation (living the life and spiritual development) similar but outside of the Novitiate. The Donata from the entrance depends directly from the Prioress, Novices from the Novice Mistress. Would you be able to come for a period of time of (the longer the better) 15 days minimum, one month will be better. I know that is not always possible when one is working. So, please let me know what are your possibility. Thank you very much, May your Lenten Season be blessed, In Christ, Mother Mary Augustine" It's too bad, but I am not called to be an extern or donata, I know that for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Therese Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 How would you know if you had an extern or "donata" vocation as opposed to a choir or cloistered vocation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laudem Gloriae Posted February 21, 2008 Author Share Posted February 21, 2008 I think the person usually knows or at least has a feeling if she's got a cloister or extern vocation. I definitely know I DO NOT have an extern vocation. Often many orders are hung up on the age deal and not wanting to be more and open minded. Even if some older vocations don't persevere, the next 1, 2, or 3 just might! I have spoken to a few Mother Abbesses, Prioresses who say in their time just as many young women have left after a while as older women, but often when an older woman leaves these sisters can first think of the "age" factor but not think much of a younger woman leaving other than "oh well she is meant for where ever" and though it may be the same with an older, that they are made for another order, some times I think they jump to conclusions. I have discerned with many orders over seas - Carmels, PCCs - and the majority have no upper age limit and they have a great success with older vocations - and a lot come from the US so it's not just women from their countries persevering. It's a shame that women have to leave the country to enter a cloister. As a Mother Prioress of a Carmel said, she almost prefers older women because they are usually more equipped in many ways and even if a woman enters in her late 40's, 50s or even 60s (this Carmel accepted a woman who was 64 and wanted her to stay but the woman decided she was called to another order), she can still contribute up to 40, more or less, years to the community, God willing (as no one knows who will get sick or infirm when). Ok, The End! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sr Mary Catharine OP Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 [quote name='Laudem Gloriae' post='1466533' date='Feb 21 2008, 12:21 AM']Here's an answer from Mother Mary Augustine herself about the donata topic. Here's the email I got today after an inquiry: "Thank you for your e-mail and answer. According what you say, there is no impediment concerning your situation familial, or health. At least, that is a good thing. But as you know we cannot decide anything as long that first of all you discern if our life is what God is calling you for, and to understand why you would choose to be a Norbertine. For this, you need of course to experience it. Norbertine life is not exactly what other Orders do. But all this can be truly understood only here. Also, because of your age we will need to explain to you that the best option, if both sides were to agree for entrance, would be to enter as a Donata. Basically her status is different, although she lives inside the convent with a formation (living the life and spiritual development) similar but outside of the Novitiate. The Donata from the entrance depends directly from the Prioress, Novices from the Novice Mistress. Would you be able to come for a period of time of (the longer the better) 15 days minimum, one month will be better. I know that is not always possible when one is working. So, please let me know what are your possibility. Thank you very much, May your Lenten Season be blessed, In Christ, Mother Mary Augustine" It's too bad, but I am not called to be an extern or donata, I know that for sure.[/quote] Laudem Gloria, I think you need to read this more carefully. The way I understand it Donata are not externs but well, Donata. It's a whole different category of sister inside the cloister. I believe that Donata is something new for the Norbertines because orginally M. Augustine was accepting women of all ages and had several "older" vocations but I don't think they persevered. Right now, the community is living in extremely cramped quarters with sisters sharing a cell. The "age" issue has been talked about to death on the this forum so I won't say anymore here but I will say that I think the sucess of an "older" vocations depends greatly on the charism of the community as well as the general population of the monastic community itself. Norbertines and Dominicans have an intense fraternal life which is often a difficult adjustment for older women. Whereas Carmelites are more eremetical and even Benedictines, while cenobitic place less stress on the communitarian aspect of the life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DameAgnes Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Very interesting...but the Norbertine Mother Superior did not really answer the question as to just what a donata is. Is she sort of "second class" - is she a claustral sister? Does she not participate in Chapter? I mean, so what exactly is this distinction? What does it boil down to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomist-in-Training Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 The community looks really delightful. I liked the chance to see a snapshot of the Dominican community at Buffalo, too Apparently they hosted the Norbertine sisters for a year. Is there a Norbertine Rite? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomist-in-Training Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 (edited) This book [url="http://books.google.com/books?id=B2dCAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA124&lpg=PA124&dq=norbertine+donatae&source=web&ots=E0PzIET2_r&sig=AVYV0p8KuE3nI_kMlWTyjXhqmv8"]Norbertine History, p. 124[/url] states: [quote]Further there were the Oblates, Sorores Donatae, as they are still called. These were free to communicate with the outside world, and their vows were only temporary.[/quote] The book was written in 1916, though; most religious orders changed how different classes within the communities related to each other after Vatican II, I believe. *edit: spelling Edited February 21, 2008 by Thomist-in-Training Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
praying4carmel Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 God Bless those Sisters! Handling BEES! Since I am scared to death of Bees, I probably won't head that way..But WOW I am impressed! They look lovely, what a beautiful place. Thank you for sharing this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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