DAY 32: Catholic nuns

                                                     8 more posts; 10 days till Easter!


          Becoming a nun was one of the only ways women could be involved in the Church during the middle ages. Now women can do many things.... from serving the Eucharist to reading the Bible for the congregation. Women can be sisters or nuns or lectors; the world is changing. For example, not all nuns wear habits- the dress and head covering worn my nuns and popularized by movies like Julie Andrews in " The Sound of Music" or "Sister Act" with Whoopi Goldberg. (http://www.catholicnunstoday.org/who-we-are.asp) My parent's generation had nun's for teachers and so did some of my friends. Nun's still teach but there are fewer and they are not the hitting -kid's- knuckles- with- rulers kind.
     There are different orders (groups) of nuns. There are the Dominicans, Franscican, Carmelites, Benedictites.... Each has a seperate "job" they do. Dominicans teach. Franscicans spread God's Gospel. Carmelites nurse. Benedictines pray...  And each wear different habits:
   
Franscican                                                     Benedictine                                       CArmelite

                                              
                                                        Dominican

     There is a differnce between nuns and sisters. According to http://mb-soft.com/believe/txh/nun.htm, nuns live in cloisters and are dedicated to their specific job and sisters are able to move about, don't necessarily wear habits and are mostly missionaries. In the Carmelite orders, it takes about 5 years to get your black veil and become  "a bride of Christ forever!" (http://www.sistersofcarmel.org/) The Sisters of Carmel must meet these qualifications:

18 to 30 years of age Good health and sound judgment Good character and high moral principles Spirit of optimism and cheerfulness Love of prayer and desire for divine union Desire to commit oneself to Our Lord and His Church for the salvation of souls Confident belief in Christ’s promise to sanctify and unite Himself intimately with all those who give themselves generously to Him

The steps for become a full-fledged nun in the Carmelite orders are postulancy, noviatite, temporary professsion, and perpetual profession.


Well, I'm going to bounce out of here. Ta-ta for now!