Customs!

[kavalamyself]

The Monastery I was in had some very lovely customs. My favorite was that for any feast day (or special day - as in an anniversary of vows) the Sisters would make cards for the Nun and the novices (or junior Sisters) would decorate the "special" Sister's cell door. When I entered, my cell door was decorated very beautifully. We had a lovely art room with many supplies including holy cards. Also, Sister Librarian had access to the Internet and would print out pictures from Google (images) if we needed a saint or an image that we didn't have. Also, we did that ritual of picking things as mentioned above. We said a prayer to the Holy Spirit and did it on the Feast of Pentecost. On Epiphany, we had the three bean cake, and the Sisters who got the beans got to have Adoration alone at her own choosing, plus an extra retreat day. There's more but that's all I can remember right now.

The vocation Mistress I am in communication with right now told me it might be hard to join a new order because I have such great memories of certain things (like the customs above). An open mind is what I need, says she. She is right. It is interesting to learn about the different customs, but remember each Monastery/Religious House is different. God works in mysterious ways.

It's not the customs (though fun and wonderful) that make a community, it's the people.

[zunshynn]

[quote name='kavalamyself' post='1913945' date='Jul 7 2009, 07:19 PM']Also, we did that ritual of picking things as mentioned above. We said a prayer to the Holy Spirit and did it on the Feast of Pentecost. On Epiphany, we had the three bean cake, and the Sisters who got the beans got to have Adoration alone at her own choosing, plus an extra retreat day. There's more but that's all I can remember right now.[/quote]

How cool. Extra retreat days are wonderful. And especially adoration alone.

At OLAM for big feast days the refectory is always beautifully decorated. I got to help a few times while I was Refectorian, including for Christmas. And we had a custom where a sister would type up quotes somehow related to the day, and then place them on each plate. One time I did the quotes for a Sister's investiture. It was the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and she loves St. Maximilian Kolbe's consecration to the Immaculata, so I did quotes of St. Maximilian about Our Lady. Then on the back I put a picture of the Miraculous Medal and the miraculous medal prayer in Spanish. I still have many of my quotes from many feast days... Some of them were so beautiful.

We also drew saints for All Saints' Day and All Saints of the Seraphic Order. I'd gotten St. Joan of Arc and St. Alphonsus Liguori and St. Margaret of Cortona and Br. Juniper this year. And then on Pentecost everyone draws a fruit and gift of the Holy Spirit.

Feasts are celebrated so beautifully in the monastery. I know for myself one of the hardest things about leaving is feeling so detached from the Church's liturgical life. Life feels kind of meaningless without it. For me, especially when it comes to my favorite Franciscan feasts, like Our Lady of the Angels and Holy Father Francis. But I know the Lord is using that for something.

[DameAgnes]

[quote name='zunshynn' post='1914275' date='Jul 8 2009, 09:34 AM']Life feels kind of meaningless without it. For me, especially when it comes to my favorite Franciscan feasts, like Our Lady of the Angels and Holy Father Francis. But I know the Lord is using that for something.[/quote]

I have been keeping you in my prayers, and I know that God is still working powerfully in your life; he's not "done" with you, or any of us.

May I ask about the beautiful statue in your avatar, is it from the shrine?

[Maggyie]

:delete:

Edited July 9, 2009 by Maggie

[Lilllabettt]

[quote name='zunshynn' post='1914275' date='Jul 8 2009, 11:34 AM']I know for myself one of the hardest things about leaving is feeling so detached from the Church's liturgical life.[/quote]

This.

It'll get easier

[zunshynn]

[quote]This.

It'll get easier [/quote]

[quote name='DameAgnes' post='1914702' date='Jul 8 2009, 04:52 PM']I have been keeping you in my prayers, and I know that God is still working powerfully in your life; he's not "done" with you, or any of us.

May I ask about the beautiful statue in your avatar, is it from the shrine?[/quote]

Thank you.

The statue is of Our Lady of the Divine Indwelling...

You can go [url="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=50589&l=c6a470b4ae&id=1780907421"]here for a fuller picture[/url]... I couldn't upload a picture of the very bottom, but the base says, "Our Lady of the Divine Indwelling" and at the very bottom, "All the Glory of the King's Daughter is Within"

She's absolutely beautiful... stunning. She used to be in one of the parlors at the Shrine, but I think somehow the Knights snagged her for their chapel. Lucky guys.

I don't know a whole lot of the background about devotion to Our Lady under this title, but Our Lady appeared in this way to a religious sister (I can't remember when or what her name was) to whom she had also appeared as Our Lady of America. Like I said, I don't know a whole lot about these private revelations, but they do seem beautiful, from what I do know... the emphasis is largely about purity. And the statue is beautiful. We had a nice one of Our Lady of America too, but I didn't love it quite as much as this one.

Edited July 9, 2009 by zunshynn

[DameAgnes]

[quote name='zunshynn' post='1915144' date='Jul 8 2009, 11:36 PM']Thank you.

The statue is of Our Lady of the Divine Indwelling...

You can go [url="http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=50589&l=c6a470b4ae&id=1780907421"]here for a fuller picture[/url]... I couldn't upload a picture of the very bottom, but the base says, "Our Lady of the Divine Indwelling" and at the very bottom, "All the Glory of the King's Daughter is Within"[/quote]

Very beautiful. I have never heard before of this "Lady of the Divine Indwelling," but it strikes me that a religious name with that title would be very lovely - you know, as a "Sr. Mariana Simone of the Divine Indwelling"

I'm partial to that name, Mariana Simone. (Mary + Anna and Simeon in the Temple for the Presentation, w/ Simone being an anagram of Simeon) but since I'll never use it, maybe someone else can!

[Maria_Faustina]

[quote name='the lords sheep' post='1908001' date='Jul 2 2009, 06:27 AM']Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma. One of the things that I love about them is that they're practical. They also do not where a rosary on their habit because (as many of them work in medical professions) they found that the rosary was constantly getting caught in the hospital beds and breaking or causing other problems.

Another Mercy custom is that Sisters do not choose their own name. Mother chooses the name for you, and when she "names" you, she gives you a mystery and a feast day to go with that name. For example, there is Sister a named for St. Mary Magdalene, and the mystery of name (if I remember correctly) is that just as Mary Magdalene was the first to see the risen Christ and proclaim the resurrection to the world, so Sister too will proclaim the hope of the resurrection in her religious life.[/quote]

Many Poor Clares also do not chose their own name. At first I was a little disappointed, because, you know, you have all these well-thought out combinations in mind, with your favorite saints and such....but then, I really liked it, because now I don't have to worry about picking the wrong one--I know the Lord will guide Reverend Mother to pick whatever name He desires, and therefore it will be His Will, when I could've easily messed up and/or been selfish about it.

A tradition of the Poor Clares in St. Louis (that Mother Mary Leo just started this year...she was very excited when she told me ) is that, on Easter Friday, the day the Gospel is from[url="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2021&version=31"]John 21[/url], the Abbess prepares the meals that day for her sisters--just as Jesus did for His Apostles! She never gets the duty of cooking the meals, and she says she really missed it--so she made a new tradition! Managed to make it beautiful, though, and not selfish, of course.

Another customs of (some...most? all?) Poor Clares is the Cross Prayer. The community in St. Louis says it after Night Prayer. They kneel, and with their arms outstretched cruciform, say five Our Fathers, Hail Marys, and Glory Bes. Then they staying kneeling in front of the abbess as she gives them their blessing for the night. It's very beautiful--even to just hear through the grille!

The crown of thorns they recieve at profession is also a tradition...so beautiful on the black veil. After that day it hangs around their crucifix in their cell, except for their annual day of renewing their vows, when they wear it again. "Spouse of the Crucified".... Like [url="http://www.poorclaresroswell.com/CloisteredNuns.htm"]here[/url]. (Scroll all the way to the bottom).