from Oprah.com
In February 2010, The Oprah Show
got a rare glimpse inside a thriving
convent in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Nuns from the Dominican Sisters
of Mary spoke openly about their
vows of chastity, poverty and
obedience to God and their church.
The average age of the 113 sisters who live and serve at the
convent is just 28—an age where many other women are
marrying and having children. Now, the sisters are back
to shed light on the eight-year journey of faith to fully devote
themselves to Jesus, culminating in a service where sisters
take their final vows and marry Jesus.
When women first enter the convent, they are called
aspirants. The women come from all walks of life and range
in age, with some entering as teenagers. "We try to discern
God's will for a young woman, and that's what you're looking
for. God does the calling. We don't do the calling," convent
founder Mother Assumpta says. "We discern to see: Does
this young woman have a religious vocation? Is she mature
enough to live it?"
got a rare glimpse inside a thriving
convent in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Nuns from the Dominican Sisters
of Mary spoke openly about their
vows of chastity, poverty and
obedience to God and their church.
The average age of the 113 sisters who live and serve at the
convent is just 28—an age where many other women are
marrying and having children. Now, the sisters are back
to shed light on the eight-year journey of faith to fully devote
themselves to Jesus, culminating in a service where sisters
take their final vows and marry Jesus.
When women first enter the convent, they are called
aspirants. The women come from all walks of life and range
in age, with some entering as teenagers. "We try to discern
God's will for a young woman, and that's what you're looking
for. God does the calling. We don't do the calling," convent
founder Mother Assumpta says. "We discern to see: Does
this young woman have a religious vocation? Is she mature
enough to live it?"
Aspirants arrive with just
bedsheets and a few personal
items. No makeup, jewelry,
cell phones or computers
are allowed. They will never
have sex, own possessions
or have their own money.
The clothes they wear to the
convent will be sent home
with their families after they receive postulant outfits—
a vest, a skirt, a black belt and black shoes. "It's like when
you fall in love and you meet the person that you're
supposed to marry," aspirant Kirsten says. "I know it in
my heart that this is what I'm supposed to be doing."
The first year is focused on studying, praying and
training to become nuns, but it's not always easy
for new arrivals. Family communication is limited
to letters, three visits a year and no phone calls.
"In the first year, they really have to make those
breaks with so many of their friends and their
family," Sister Joseph Andrew says. "There has
to be that setting apart for Christ to become all to us.
And then we can really love them again in a more
complete manner."
At the end of that first day, families watch aspirants
perform their first procession and prayers with their
new sisters. For many parents, it's a bittersweet
goodbye. "For me as a father, when you give your
daughter to a husband you expect to see him again
or see her, see them," a father named Steve says.
"But we're not going to see her. It's a severance, like
cutting the umbilical cord. And that's hard."
bedsheets and a few personal
items. No makeup, jewelry,
cell phones or computers
are allowed. They will never
have sex, own possessions
or have their own money.
The clothes they wear to the
convent will be sent home
with their families after they receive postulant outfits—
a vest, a skirt, a black belt and black shoes. "It's like when
you fall in love and you meet the person that you're
supposed to marry," aspirant Kirsten says. "I know it in
my heart that this is what I'm supposed to be doing."
The first year is focused on studying, praying and
training to become nuns, but it's not always easy
for new arrivals. Family communication is limited
to letters, three visits a year and no phone calls.
"In the first year, they really have to make those
breaks with so many of their friends and their
family," Sister Joseph Andrew says. "There has
to be that setting apart for Christ to become all to us.
And then we can really love them again in a more
complete manner."
At the end of that first day, families watch aspirants
perform their first procession and prayers with their
new sisters. For many parents, it's a bittersweet
goodbye. "For me as a father, when you give your
daughter to a husband you expect to see him again
or see her, see them," a father named Steve says.
"But we're not going to see her. It's a severance, like
cutting the umbilical cord. And that's hard."
After the aspirant level, the
sisters become postulants
and go through a process
called formation. "[For] three
years, you take classes in
interpersonal skills, basically.
... You take courses in sacred
scripture, on doctrine, Catholic
doctrine.
sisters become postulants
and go through a process
called formation. "[For] three
years, you take classes in
interpersonal skills, basically.
... You take courses in sacred
scripture, on doctrine, Catholic
doctrine.
"So then you have just practical things of how to live the life,"
Sister Maria says. "You don't want to enter into this blind.
None of the sisters walk into this with their heads buried
in the sand. They know what they're getting into. So we want
them to be happy in the religious life or out of the religious life."
For the first year, sisters wear the postulant uniform—
a white blouse, blue vest, blue skirt, black belt and black
shoes. In years two and three, the sisters are called novices
and wear a white veil. After year three, the sisters take their
first vows in ceremony where they make their first vows to
Jesus Christ. They also receive a black veil. After another
five years wearing a black veil, the sisters will take their
final vows and become a professed bride of Christ.
Sister Maria says. "You don't want to enter into this blind.
None of the sisters walk into this with their heads buried
in the sand. They know what they're getting into. So we want
them to be happy in the religious life or out of the religious life."
For the first year, sisters wear the postulant uniform—
a white blouse, blue vest, blue skirt, black belt and black
shoes. In years two and three, the sisters are called novices
and wear a white veil. After year three, the sisters take their
first vows in ceremony where they make their first vows to
Jesus Christ. They also receive a black veil. After another
five years wearing a black veil, the sisters will take their
final vows and become a professed bride of Christ.
Sisters must take marriage
vows twice in the eight years
it can take to become a nun.
They are conducted in a
ceremony the sisters consider
their wedding day. Families
are invited, and priests preside
over the ceremony. The brides
walk down the aisle in a single
procession, their habits acting as wedding dresses. The
groom, Jesus, is present only in spirit.
After three years, sisters who wear white veils commit to
Jesus for the first time. They emerge from the ceremony
wearing black veils.
After a nun has worn a black veil for five years, she takes
her vows for the last time. These sisters lie facedown at
the altar, symbolizing the death of their old lives and
commitment to serving Jesus Christ as their husband.
"When you're down on the ground, that's the most
vulnerable position you can possibly be at," Sister
Maria says. "You're acknowledging the fact that what
you're doing is you're taking a great risk, but you're
taking a great risk because you love. And that is the
biggest risk—to love."
Sister Maria Catherine, who has just received her black
veil, says Jesus is the perfect husband. "His love is not
a utilitarian love. We're used to seeing love as something
that you get from someone. And his love is a self-
sacrificing love. His love for you is like no love that's on
this earth. And that's what makes it perfect."
vows twice in the eight years
it can take to become a nun.
They are conducted in a
ceremony the sisters consider
their wedding day. Families
are invited, and priests preside
over the ceremony. The brides
walk down the aisle in a single
procession, their habits acting as wedding dresses. The
groom, Jesus, is present only in spirit.
After three years, sisters who wear white veils commit to
Jesus for the first time. They emerge from the ceremony
wearing black veils.
After a nun has worn a black veil for five years, she takes
her vows for the last time. These sisters lie facedown at
the altar, symbolizing the death of their old lives and
commitment to serving Jesus Christ as their husband.
"When you're down on the ground, that's the most
vulnerable position you can possibly be at," Sister
Maria says. "You're acknowledging the fact that what
you're doing is you're taking a great risk, but you're
taking a great risk because you love. And that is the
biggest risk—to love."
Sister Maria Catherine, who has just received her black
veil, says Jesus is the perfect husband. "His love is not
a utilitarian love. We're used to seeing love as something
that you get from someone. And his love is a self-
sacrificing love. His love for you is like no love that's on
this earth. And that's what makes it perfect."
In recent years, the number of women wanting to become
brides of Christ have been strong. Since their last Oprah
Show appearance, Dominican Sisters of Mary has had
nearly double the amount of young women wanting to
become nuns, and Sister Mary Samuel says mother
houses across the United States are running out of room.
"The Holy Spirit is really moving the community," she says.
Sister Maria Catherine says she doesn't wonder about the
life she left behind. "I remember with my last job I had a
laptop and I had the cell phone and the PDA and the
whatever," she says. "It's so freeing to be without those
things and knowing that I can focus on what's more
important, which is the infinite, the eternal."
Above all, Sister Maria Catherine appreciates the mix of
the human and divine the convent provides. "We have
bad days and good days, just like the rest," she says.
"But what's so wonderful about our life is we're all
striving for the highest possible good for the other.
To love someone is to seek their greatest possible
good."
brides of Christ have been strong. Since their last Oprah
Show appearance, Dominican Sisters of Mary has had
nearly double the amount of young women wanting to
become nuns, and Sister Mary Samuel says mother
houses across the United States are running out of room.
"The Holy Spirit is really moving the community," she says.
Sister Maria Catherine says she doesn't wonder about the
life she left behind. "I remember with my last job I had a
laptop and I had the cell phone and the PDA and the
whatever," she says. "It's so freeing to be without those
things and knowing that I can focus on what's more
important, which is the infinite, the eternal."
Above all, Sister Maria Catherine appreciates the mix of
the human and divine the convent provides. "We have
bad days and good days, just like the rest," she says.
"But what's so wonderful about our life is we're all
striving for the highest possible good for the other.
To love someone is to seek their greatest possible
good."
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