Pp Update

[stlmom]

PP,
I've lagged in forming a response to this thread, in part because I had to give some thought to your news. You and VA have held this forum to a higher standard of thought (most of the time) and for this I thank you.
You know I am attached to the way the Benedictines live out their Christian lives and I am grateful for your intelligent and cheerful promotion of all things Benedictine. I get my shorts in a bunch as well whenever people dwell on the peripheral stuff of religious life as if it were all that there was about it, but then again, I am a married laywoman of a certain age of the pew warming variety, what do I know?
I am guilty as charged of posting about ceremonies but I've always believed they were meant to be shared with the pham for the purposes of encouraging people to take a look at communities that are receiving new vocations, especially if the community was solid.
So,dear PP, will you stay and continue to post here? I hope so.

[juchu]

Dear pp,

although I am rather one of the lurkers here, I have accompanied your story. And since I came back today from a two week silence retreat with protestant benedictines. (Yes, its me, the protestant person !!) And all I talked during these two weeks were the psalms some songs, and the glory be to the father..., I got convinced that Benedictines have a great treasure of spirituality and just had to write some lines here. Although I am not planning to discern my vocation with them, that was "just" some great God-and-I-time!! A really good friend of mine is discerning with catholic benedictines and now I at least understand some of her enthusiasm

My spiritual director (a catholic sister) once told me that she felt only free and determined to enter her active community, after having done a live-in in a monastic enclosed benedictine community where everything was just right and great. That it was the type of how she thought the "perfect" contemplative community would be. But that she was just not made for this "perfect".
---- That reminded me a little of your story, since you are talking so positively about St. C. !
Maybe God gave you that grace to get to know that "great place", in order to know that your place is out in the world. And also as wife and mother you can have a great wide open heard for our Beloved! I will pray for you.

[FiereMargriet]

Prayers for you. As you may have seen, at one point I was very attracted to marriage and wanted to discern that first. Then I realized why it's important, if one feels a call to the religious life, to first visit communities and pray and fully discern that life until one knows for sure if one is or isn't called to it. And that is what I am going to do and it is good to see you and so many others on this phorum going where God wants and doing what He wants. I think you have taken a very wise path in discerning so comprehensively and God will reward you for it.

[she_who_is_not]

PP,

I'd like to post more but my key board is malfunctioning.

I was wondering if you could tell us about the Abbey's labora?

[Thomist-in-Training]

Dear Puella,

After VA's defence of you I'm sorry not to have posted a particular response earlier. I DID read your thread thoughtfully and was interested to hear how things were going. I didn't have anything to say. Your later post did seem catty [i]in tone[/i] albeit true in content. Phrases like "omni-irritating Dominicans and Carmelites" are catty according to what I understand the term to mean.

Anyways, I just wanted to say that I did read your post, with silent interest which is now changed to avowed interest. I hope things continue to go well for you.

Incidentally, I do have an admiration for the Benedictine life, which I have an idea of (true or false) as rhythmic and determined by the liturgy and traditional manual labor. [Civilizing Europe was good, too, but that is a one-liner, which is anti-my point.]

Thomist.

[zunshynn]

Ok, first of all, my apologies for making a joke on your thread. It was probably in bad taste considering the content of it. Although I do think that if you're going to include comments like "well all the really good monasteries are OSB, we know this - it's just that the OPs and OCDs and what not are in denial dry.gif" and "I kept this top sekret from all but two or three people, but really, folks here could have figured it out had they not been distracted by the omni-irritating Dominicans and Carmelites P.gif" then you should expect people to take them lightly.

However, I did read your whole post seriously and thoughtfully. Just because I did not comment on the more serious points in your post does not mean that I did not care or overlooked them. I expect the decision to stop actively discerning religious life to be a sensitive area for other people, and didn't feel comfortable responding to that, or that I had any particularly edifying response to make even if I did. I didn't really gather that you were looking for that anyway. But my silence was not a lack of support, in favor of smiling pictures of entrances and investitures. But there is a place for supporting those aspects of people's discernment too... and those are easier, and I think more appropriately responded to with comments.

And when I said it sounded like a beautiful monastery, I was being sincere. I think the Benedictine spirituality is beautiful, when lived in the way that it was intended to be, and St. Cecilia's sounds like it really is doing so.

Anyway, again, I'm sorry for any way I may have offended anyone.

[the lords sheep]

[quote name='puellapaschalis' date='15 August 2009 - 09:41 PM' timestamp='1250365309' post='1949709']
Hi everyone <img src="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/upsidedown.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="upsidedown.gif" />

Just thought I'd update you all as to where I am, if I can distract you all for about half a second from cooing over VA's upcoming entrance <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> (btw, I reckon she and I could write a book about being two sisters discerning at more or less the same time, and what this does to the family dynamic. Sure-fire bestseller!)

Earlier in the Summer I did a three-week live-in at <a href="http://www.stceciliasabbey.org.uk/" target="_blank">St. Cecilia's Abbey</a> on the Isle of Wight in the UK. I kept this top sekret from all but two or three people, but really, folks here could have figured it out had they not been distracted by the omni-irritating Dominicans and Carmelites <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/P.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="P.gif" />

Since leaving the Abbey I have decided to stop actively discerning a vocation to the religious life.

This has nothing to do with St. Cecilia's, which is quite frankly the most fantabulous (OSB) monastery (well all the really good monasteries are OSB, we know this - it's just that the OPs and OCDs and what not are in denial <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="dry.gif" /> ) around. I love each and every one of the 30-odd sisters there with a fierce passion only surpassed - maybe - by my devotion to the Congregation of Solesmes <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> and the cause of the Servant of God, Dom Prosper Guéranger <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/caption_yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="caption_yes.gif" />

If anyone's looking for good, solid, really cloistered Benedictine life, then run, do not walk, to their website, and send off an email to the Novice Mistress. She (an American) is an <i>excellent</i> formator. The current novitiate is a caring, hilarious, nutty hoot of ladies, who know how to really love their life. Community is filled with a range of ladies who, no matter the differences in personality or whatever, take a great deal of (properly detached) interest in the nov and visitors. The life is tough, sacrificial, grace-filled and beautiful.

The Office, though more complicated than the Liturgy of the Hours, is mind-blowing (and I'm not just talking about the surreality of feast day Vigils here either!). DO NOT let the fact that it's all in Latin put you off: you get one-on-one tuition with one of the Community, once a week the nov has a Latin class together, and the assistant Novice Mistress (the Zelatrix if you're up on the terminology) makes sure to give everyone enough attention and preparation, and the sister sitting next to you in choir is always ready with a helpful finger should you get lost (I consider myself more au fait than most with the Office, and more than once I made mistakes and needed my neighbour to help me out!).

St. C's is doing well with vocations! That should be an encouragement to anyone looking for this kind of life. There are a range of ages, skills, nationalities (American, French, Indian, Irish, the list goes on!) and characters. The devotion to Mother Abbess is wonderful to see (she is Christ in the monastery, as per the Rule). It's a place where, for me at least, the Rule of St. Benedict sprang off the pages of the books and became truly alive. There are people who entered in their teens, those who came in their 40s, and everyone inbetween.

So even though I wanted it, but have discerned it's not what God wants of me, I'm determined to up their profile here on Phatmass <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> I could talk for a <i>week</i> (at least) about St. C's <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/D.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="D.gif" /> and am very happy to answer any questions folks might have, so long as it's prudent to do so.

And now, back to the studio with more fawning over those entering next month <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="blink.gif" /> <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="cool.gif" />
[/quote]

PP,
I pray that you are filled with peace in your decision, especially as I realize it comes from a willingness to more fully love and serve Christ. May God bless you as you continue your discernment, wherever it may lead you!

In Christ,
Lauren

[puellapaschalis]

[quote name='stlmom' date='17 August 2009 - 02:48 PM' timestamp='1250513294' post='1951048']
PP,
[/quote]

Thanks, stlmom, for chiming in. At the moment health concerns prevent me from being online too much. Whilst I waited a few weeks to share this on Phatmass, in the "grand scheme of things" there are still things to be sorted out. Perhaps in time I will have something constructive to share on VS again.

[quote name='juchu' date='17 August 2009 - 04:12 PM' timestamp='1250518348' post='1951067']
Dear pp,

Maybe God gave you that grace to get to know that "great place", in order to know that your place is out in the world. And also as wife and mother you can have a great wide open heard for our Beloved! I will pray for you.
[/quote]

Juchu, thanks for your prayers! I do need them.

[quote name='FiereMargriet' date='17 August 2009 - 04:30 PM' timestamp='1250519423' post='1951077']
Prayers for you. As you may have seen, at one point I was very attracted to marriage and wanted to discern that first. Then I realized why it's important, if one feels a call to the religious life, to first visit communities and pray and fully discern that life until one knows for sure if one is or isn't called to it. And that is what I am going to do and it is good to see you and so many others on this phorum going where God wants and doing what He wants. I think you have taken a very wise path in discerning so comprehensively and God will reward you for it.
[/quote]

Lieve Margriet, hartelijk dank voor je woorden. Wat je hier zegt is idd waar, en ik ben blij dat ook jij die "volgorde" hebt kunnen ontdekken. Soms lijkt het (ook gezien m'n leeftijd) alsof ik hier te lang over heb gedaan, maar ik heb vertrouwen dat God alles zal gebruiken om in Zijn Wijsheid alles goed te maken.

[quote name='she_who_is_not' date='17 August 2009 - 05:21 PM' timestamp='1250522493' post='1951119']
PP,

I'd like to post more but my key board is malfunctioning.

I was wondering if you could tell us about the Abbey's labora?
[/quote]

The Abbey's financial income comes (as I understand it) primarily from the ABD - the Altar Bread Department. It's a hefty undertaking and many of the community help out. Secondarily, the Abbey has a small illuminations business ([url=http://www.abbeyscribes.org.uk/]Abbey Scribes - link[/url]), although I learnt that business has picked up since they were featured in a magazine at the end of last year. Everyone learns illumination in the nov, whether they go on to work in that area or not. The community also make small things (e.g. candles) which are sold at the parlours.

The rest of labora is mainly the tasks associated with keeping the place going (the buildings are extensive): cleaning, washing, ironing (I was entrusted with ironing altar cloths!) cooking, gardening (veggies and fruit - plenty of both), bee-keeping, mending, administrative work, caring for sisters in the Infirmary and so on. Then there's also intellectual work: a few CTS booklets have been written by sisters, introductions to books, translations.

Once, hurrying from the ABD on an errand, I went through the community's room and passed a nun sweeping the floor. In a bit of a rush I murmured my greeting (the Rule says that younger members should ask for a blessing when meeting a senior) and swhooshed on. When I returned, the sister looked up at me and grinned. It was only then that I realised I'd scuttled past [i]the Abbess[/i] without even asking for her blessing properly! So even the Abbess pulls on her apron and sweeps.

[DameAgnes]

PP - discernment process is all about figuring out what is right for you. I pray the lord continues to illuminate your path.

[osapientia]

Hey Puella,

Just saw this thread now. I've was away in Massachusetts till tis morning - got up at 4AM to make the 6 hour trek (by car) back home....I'm a little tired and need some sleep at this moment but I will respond to your thread, if not here, then privately.

I hope that you are well and finding peace.

PAX,
osap

[HisChild]

[quote name='puellapaschalis' date='15 August 2009 - 12:41 PM' timestamp='1250365309' post='1949709']
Hi everyone <img src="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/upsidedown.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="upsidedown.gif" />

Just thought I'd update you all as to where I am, if I can distract you all for about half a second from cooing over VA's upcoming entrance <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> (btw, I reckon she and I could write a book about being two sisters discerning at more or less the same time, and what this does to the family dynamic. Sure-fire bestseller!)

Earlier in the Summer I did a three-week live-in at <a href="http://www.stceciliasabbey.org.uk/" target="_blank">St. Cecilia's Abbey</a> on the Isle of Wight in the UK. I kept this top sekret from all but two or three people, but really, folks here could have figured it out had they not been distracted by the omni-irritating Dominicans and Carmelites <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/P.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="P.gif" />

Since leaving the Abbey I have decided to stop actively discerning a vocation to the religious life.

This has nothing to do with St. Cecilia's, which is quite frankly the most fantabulous (OSB) monastery (well all the really good monasteries are OSB, we know this - it's just that the OPs and OCDs and what not are in denial <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="dry.gif" /> ) around. I love each and every one of the 30-odd sisters there with a fierce passion only surpassed - maybe - by my devotion to the Congregation of Solesmes <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> and the cause of the Servant of God, Dom Prosper Guéranger <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/caption_yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="caption_yes.gif" />

If anyone's looking for good, solid, really cloistered Benedictine life, then run, do not walk, to their website, and send off an email to the Novice Mistress. She (an American) is an <i>excellent</i> formator. The current novitiate is a caring, hilarious, nutty hoot of ladies, who know how to really love their life. Community is filled with a range of ladies who, no matter the differences in personality or whatever, take a great deal of (properly detached) interest in the nov and visitors. The life is tough, sacrificial, grace-filled and beautiful.

The Office, though more complicated than the Liturgy of the Hours, is mind-blowing (and I'm not just talking about the surreality of feast day Vigils here either!). DO NOT let the fact that it's all in Latin put you off: you get one-on-one tuition with one of the Community, once a week the nov has a Latin class together, and the assistant Novice Mistress (the Zelatrix if you're up on the terminology) makes sure to give everyone enough attention and preparation, and the sister sitting next to you in choir is always ready with a helpful finger should you get lost (I consider myself more au fait than most with the Office, and more than once I made mistakes and needed my neighbour to help me out!).

St. C's is doing well with vocations! That should be an encouragement to anyone looking for this kind of life. There are a range of ages, skills, nationalities (American, French, Indian, Irish, the list goes on!) and characters. The devotion to Mother Abbess is wonderful to see (she is Christ in the monastery, as per the Rule). It's a place where, for me at least, the Rule of St. Benedict sprang off the pages of the books and became truly alive. There are people who entered in their teens, those who came in their 40s, and everyone inbetween.

So even though I wanted it, but have discerned it's not what God wants of me, I'm determined to up their profile here on Phatmass <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> I could talk for a <i>week</i> (at least) about St. C's <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/D.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="D.gif" /> and am very happy to answer any questions folks might have, so long as it's prudent to do so.

And now, back to the studio with more fawning over those entering next month <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="blink.gif" /> <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cool.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="cool.gif" />
[/quote]


PUELLA! HUGS! It is so great to see you're still on here. St. C's looks fabulous, for an OSB community. ~snicker~ They look lovely, truly. I will keep them in my vocational prayers. I'm glad to see you again. I missed chatting online here with you.

So what have you discerned our Lord wants of you?