What's The Difference Between A Nun And A Sister? (if Any?)

[DominicanPhilosophy]

I personally think it is an important matter of evangelization to differentiate between the terms "sister" and "nun," especially since there are so many negative connotations associated with female religious - even just with Catholics in general - today. Obviously, one must be polite when correcting misuse of the terms. When speaking with people who aren't maybe aware of what the religious life is, using the term "nun" or making sure you put the word "religious" in front of the word "sister" is understandable and often necessary. But for the most part, I think there's a certain beauty and reverence with both words that is lost when the titles are thrown about interchangeably, as well as a disservice to the consecrated vocation.

[i]Deus Meus et Omnia![/i]

[Sister_Laurel]

[quote name='DominicanPhilosophy' post='1703032' date='Nov 16 2008, 07:43 PM']I personally think it is an important matter of evangelization to differentiate between the terms "sister" and "nun," especially since there are so many negative connotations associated with female religious - even just with Catholics in general - today. Obviously, one must be polite when correcting misuse of the terms. When speaking with people who aren't maybe aware of what the religious life is, using the term "nun" or making sure you put the word "religious" in front of the word "sister" is understandable and often necessary. But for the most part, I think there's a certain beauty and reverence with both words that is lost when the titles are thrown about interchangeably, as well as a disservice to the consecrated vocation.

[i]Deus Meus et Omnia![/i][/quote]


Again, then be prepared to tell sisters, nuns, monks, hermits, priests, Bishops, Vicars for Religious, canonists, vocations directors (religious and priests) etc, that they are doing a disservice to the consecrated vocation. I know all of these and I have heard every one of them use the terms interchangeably in ordinary speech. (The last time I was at the chancery, my Bishop and one of the Vicars did this; it is hardly the case that they fail to esteem consecrated life adequately or understand what religious life is about!)

Sincerely,
Sister Laurel M O'Neal, erem dio
Stillsong Hermitage
[url="http://notesfromstillsong.blogspot.com"]http://notesfromstillsong.blogspot.com[/url]

[osapientia]

[quote name='SRLAUREL' post='1703302' date='Nov 17 2008, 02:00 PM']Again, then be prepared to tell sisters, nuns, monks, hermits, priests, Bishops, Vicars for Religious, canonists, vocations directors (religious and priests) etc, that they are doing a disservice to the consecrated vocation. I know all of these and I have heard every one of them use the terms interchangeably in ordinary speech. (The last time I was at the chancery, my Bishop and one of the Vicars did this; it is hardly the case that they fail to esteem consecrated life adequately or understand what religious life is about!)

Sincerely,
Sister Laurel M O'Neal, erem dio
Stillsong Hermitage
[url="http://notesfromstillsong.blogspot.com"]http://notesfromstillsong.blogspot.com[/url][/quote]

I have to agree with Sr. Laurel here. It's one thing to be educated and know about/understand the techinical difference according to the applicable Canons/traditins, it's wholly another to be correcting something that is just a matter of colloquial use and insinuating that someone is doing a disservice based on a colloquialism. Education is one thing and when someone asks what the difference is or if there is a difference, I think it's fine to explain - provided one really know the difference. I think that to go around correcting others who are not asking for information could be rather pedantic and a bit impolite.....similar to correcting someone's grammar.

Pax.

Edited November 17, 2008 by osapientia

[DominicanPhilosophy]

Again, as I said, corrections should [u]always be made in a polite way[/u], but I really do feel - as a young person - that people who may already be "out in the cold" and clueless about consecrated life should be given the opportunity to be drawn into the beauty of the similar but different lifestyles. I'm sure it may be different with religious since all obviously understand the intrinsic differences in the vocations. As a lay-person in the midst of a bunch of confused fellow Catholics, I think it's of aid to the Church to dispel ignorance. [refer back to the underlined part of the first sentence] I know that I would have appreciated to have been told the difference before I knew.

Edited November 18, 2008 by DominicanPhilosophy

[RosaMystica]

I also agree with Sr. Laurel. I know the difference between being a nun and being a sister but I still use these words interchangeably, especially when explaining/talking about my vocation to others. If I know a person will understand what a nun is but is not exactly sure what a sister is then I'll tell them I'm becoming a nun. And if I know they will understand the term nunnery much better than convent or monastery then I'll use that. I think it would sound kind of smart aleky if someone is trying to understand what you're saying and you keep correcting them no matter how kindly you do it. Plus it saves time and you don't have to go into this long conversation trying to explain things to them that they may not really care to know in the first place.

[DominicanPhilosophy]

I think that in conversation, one always makes use of prudence as well as the ability to discriminate rudeness from politeness; perhaps I was not stating my point as I should have, as it seems I've come off quite rude when in fact, I was just trying to say that..well, nevermind. I don't think a third post will redeem me any further. ;-)

[RosaMystica]

I don't think you were being rude! I was just giving my two cents I guess we can say that the bottom line is be prudent.

[VeniteAdoremus]

I'm a horrible person. Not only do I tell people I'll be a sister, [i]not[/i] a nun, usually I go straight into the difference between Third Order Conventual and Third Order Tertiary.

Or I say "Think Rose of Lima, without the glass and pottery shards, or Catherina de Siena, without the getting the Pope out of Avignon." At that time whoever I'm talking to usually starts begging me to explain my physics thesis again.

I really should get the "popular science"-version of What I'm Going To Do straight.

[Thomist-in-Training]

[quote name='VeniteAdoremus' post='1707756' date='Nov 22 2008, 05:38 AM']I'm a horrible person. Not only do I tell people I'll be a sister, [i]not[/i] a nun, usually I go straight into the difference between Third Order Conventual and Third Order Tertiary.

Or I say "Think Rose of Lima, without the glass and pottery shards, or Catherina de Siena, without the getting the Pope out of Avignon."[/quote]



VA, your sense of humor is so appreciated.

[Michele]

sorry this is not the difference, but here's more info from the catechism as a result to searching for the term "nun":
CCC 924 "As with other forms of consecrated life," the order of virgins establishes the woman living in the world (or the nun) in prayer, penance, service of her brethren, and apostolic activity, according to the state of life and spiritual gifts given to her.466 Consecrated virgins can form themselves into associations to observe their commitment more faithfully.467
[url="http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p4.htm#924"]http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p4.htm#924[/url]

so another question forms: can a non-virgin still consecrate her life, as long as she promises to attempt chastity in the form of non-marriage? not saying i'm a non-virgin, but this question pops up. and can't some consecrations allow for marriage anyway? such as a Marian consecration - this should be done to make any state of life holier

Edited April 8, 2009 by Michele

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='Michele' post='1828634' date='Apr 8 2009, 02:20 AM']sorry this is not the difference, but here's more info from the catechism as a result to searching for the term "nun":
CCC 924 "As with other forms of consecrated life," the order of virgins establishes the woman living in the world (or the nun) in prayer, penance, service of her brethren, and apostolic activity, according to the state of life and spiritual gifts given to her.466 Consecrated virgins can form themselves into associations to observe their commitment more faithfully.467
[url="http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p4.htm#924"]http://www.scborromeo.org/ccc/p123a9p4.htm#924[/url]

so another question forms: can a non-virgin still consecrate her life, as long as she promises to attempt chastity in the form of non-marriage? not saying i'm a non-virgin, but this question pops up. and can't some consecrations allow for marriage anyway? such as a Marian consecration - this should be done to make any state of life holier[/quote]

This is a very good question and one that I have asked for some time (I had a non-valid marriage so was enquiring about single consecration as opposed to consecrated virgin).

I was told by a canonist that the canons allow for consecrated virgins and widows, but not women whose marriages have been annuled or invalid. Perhaps this is because in the past, such things as annulments were rare.

And yet, here on phatmass, I heard about one woman who calls herself a "consecrated single" because she does not want to focus on her sexuality but on her consecration. I suppose that one's Bishop can accept public vows from anyone he chooses, but I don't know for sure. Of course, anyone can take private vows (married or single), so I am mainly talking about public vows of consecration here.

[Sister Rose Therese]

This depends on how you use the term "consecrated".
Nuns and Sisters are consecrated, living the consecrated life, but are not necessarily "Consecrated Virgins" or "Consecrated Widows".
Consecrated Life includes many different vocations.
[quote]Consecrated persons—monks and nuns, contemplatives, religious dedicated to the works of the apostolate, members of Secular Institutes and Societies of Apostolic life, hermits and consecrated virgins—truly deserve the gratitude of the ecclesial community.[/quote]
from [url="http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/rc_con_ccscrlife_doc_20020614_ripartire-da-cristo_en.html"]Starting Afresh from Christ[/url]

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='Sister Rose Therese' post='1829984' date='Apr 9 2009, 01:17 PM']This depends on how you use the term "consecrated".
Nuns and Sisters are consecrated, living the consecrated life, but are not necessarily "Consecrated Virgins" or "Consecrated Widows".
Consecrated Life includes many different vocations.

from [url="http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/rc_con_ccscrlife_doc_20020614_ripartire-da-cristo_en.html"]Starting Afresh from Christ[/url][/quote]


Thank you for that link - I enjoyed reading the report.

[friendofJPII]

Nuns are cloistered while sisters are active. All nuns are sisters but not all sisters are nuns.

[Michele]

one time a church lady gave me an encyclical called "Vita Consecrata" (consecrated life). I think I read most of it, but I'm pretty sure I returned it (I no longer have it to quote from). but if someone wants to learn more, that's a great thing to read