puellapaschalis Posted March 4, 2009 Author Share Posted March 4, 2009 [quote name='nunsense' post='1796957' date='Mar 4 2009, 06:15 AM']Oh, I do so understand where you are coming from!! lol I think the trick here is not to give into the temptation towards self-pity that can come when we are having a hard time. I, too used to look off into the distance at Edmonton, and I could see a couple of houses out there. I would start to think about what the people in them were doing, and that would make me feel trapped and sorry for myself. I think it is a bit like men looking at pretty women (although not being a man, I don't really know). The trick is to stop ourselves from giving into the temptation of fantasizing about things that really aren't for our own good! Jesus said that when a man looks on a woman with lust then he has already committed aldutery in his heart. I don't see why this wouldn't apply to those of us who are looking with "lust" on things that provide satisfaction to our senses. What we need to do is to use the temptation to give thanks to God for his kindness in letting us offer Him something - especially if it is an occasion of self-denial for us. Anyway, I know that enclosure is for our own good, but sometimes that isn't always easy to remember! So, even though the cloistered nuns are praying for us in the world, they also need our prayers for them to be faithful to their vocations! [/quote] My big mistake was to start feeling sorry for myself because I wasn't being swept away by the train to New And Exciting Places - as someone who's travelled a lot in her life it was an obvious thing that would become an "obstacle" but I wasn't smart enough to anticipate it. So I guess this actually had nothing to do with the physical size of the enclosure at all, huh. Go PP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlesister Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 As a member of an active/contemplative Congregation, the convent/enclosure/part of the house reserved to the community is, simply, "home." It is a place of peace and silence, a place to be with Christ in our own little chapel, a place to share life with my sisters, a place to close the door at the end of the day and sleep in peace (unless, of course, it's my turn for night call! In that case, one can't always be sure how long the peace will last, but it does come back quickly.) If anyone has a question, don't hesitate to post it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InHisLove726 Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 [quote name='littlesister' post='1799564' date='Mar 7 2009, 12:44 AM']As a member of an active/contemplative Congregation, the convent/enclosure/part of the house reserved to the community is, simply, "home." It is a place of peace and silence, a place to be with Christ in our own little chapel, a place to share life with my sisters, a place to close the door at the end of the day and sleep in peace (unless, of course, it's my turn for night call! In that case, one can't always be sure how long the peace will last, but it does come back quickly.) If anyone has a question, don't hesitate to post it.[/quote] Are you with the Little Sisters of the Poor? I was discerning taking a job with them, but the Vocation Director accidentally got me mixed up as someone who wanted to join. So we decided that it would be best for me if I just focused on the community I wanted to join (the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus). I think it's so wonderful that their foundress, Bl. Jeanne Jugan, is being canonized a saint later this year!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlesister Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 You guessed it. The "night call" part was probably a complete give-away. We think the Canonization is wonderful, too! More information on any LSP website. Some of the other ones have a few details twisted together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TotusTuusMaria Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I've loved reading what all of you have wrote. What an excellent topic... and you all have such beautiful and realistic thoughts on the enclosure. I agree with all of you. I think the concept of "the enclosure" is so big ... each of you have touched on a beautiful aspect of it: it's home, it's the heart of the Church, it's the intimate place to be with Christ, it's the rough desert... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puellapaschalis Posted March 9, 2009 Author Share Posted March 9, 2009 [quote name='TotusTuusMaria' post='1801231' date='Mar 9 2009, 10:34 AM']I've loved reading what all of you have wrote. What an excellent topic... and you all have such beautiful and realistic thoughts on the enclosure. I agree with all of you. I think the concept of "the enclosure" is so big ... each of you have touched on a beautiful aspect of it: it's home, it's the heart of the Church, it's the intimate place to be with Christ, it's the rough desert...[/quote] One of the great things, I think, about enclosure - whether it's a total one for contemplatives or partial for actives - it's a concept which is indeed so very broad and rich in meaning, with many different facets. Yet all this theorizing (for most of us) can only go so deep - perhaps living a (to some extent) cloistered life is the gateway to understanding it even better. Isn't it great that this very abstract matter becomes a very concrete source of grace for those blessed enough with such a vocation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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