At my Parish, we have a small community of sisters who worship with us; they dress in their habits. I do so enjoy seeing them walking into the church. They're dress is inspiring & teaches me humility. ♡
Sisters in habits, living out the love of Christ, is powerful on so many levels i miss seing that in churches and on the streets, and in everyday life.😞
The habit is a witness. A sister or nun in a traditional habit moving about in the streets, in the supermarkets, etc is a silent but loud witnessing to God's and our soul's eternal reality amidst the transitory reality we are usually immersed in. The congregations that wanted to be like the world by dressing and looking like everyone else muted their voices. What a shame it is to hide one's light under a bushel to the extent that no one knows it's there.
More than one recent Pope has declared in writing that religious should wear a “DISTINCTIVE” habit…..modern OK like several new Orders do, but distinctive, so that they are seen to be consecrated religious.
The habit distinguishes the nuns from the rest of society. People are not distracted by their lay clothes, so they can focus on the soul to soul contact.
I was not a Christian when I went to Spain on a High School trip in 1977. We got there on the morning of Good Friday, which meant nothing to me but I was amazed that there were only three people out on the streets of Madrid! Later that day, and every day of that trip, I couldn't believe the number of Priests and Nuns who were wearing their habits. They were so easily recognizable, and I always had great respect for people who dedicated their life to God, and serving others. I cannot tell you, Sister Kathryn and friends, how much that spoke to my heart. I was baptized about four years later, and have been a Catholic now most of my life. It is so sad that Nuns no longer wear their habits. A lot of them have better clothes than I do! Thank you for this very nice video.
Our sisters wore habits when I was young. They moved with grace and were given respect, even by Protestants, because the habit "spoke", even if the wearer was unknown. It visually connected the sisters to each other, to their work, our parish, their order, the Church, and to the saints who came before, based solely on what it symbolized and represented. After the Vatican Councils, the sisters modified their habits, but they were still "habits". Then they began to wear regular dresses with little veils and a cross pin, looking more like Edwardian nannies than nuns. (One sister even had her veil perched on top of a large bouffant hairdo, which seemed odd.) In time the veils were discarded because they "clashed with the dresses", and then pants were worn too. I remember one of the nuns, with no visible indication or outward sign that she was a nun, telling us, "People can tell I'm a nun, they sense it". Even then, to my teenage mind, that sounded like an excuse. As their numbers dwindled during that "question everything" period, the 3 remaining sisters in our parish moved out of the convent (which once housed 12 sisters in the 1940's) and into a rented apartment. Some of them took regular jobs and even wore makeup or smoked and drank, "so as to connect with the people", which is odd, because for centuries, their habits never worked against that. In time, they all went away, some leaving religious life, some going to other cities where they could be active, as nuns, with social issues.
Without the habit something is lost. They become ordinary, which they are not meant to be. They can be taken for granted and the Nuns themselves unconsciously behave in a secular and worldly manner. So I think the habit is a visible powerful witness.
...obviously you do not wear a traditional religious habit. Let me educate you, some of us do, some of us do not. The HABIT is an internal garment, not only external. Sometimes the habit is a problem, sometimes it is a blessing. Those of us who do and those of us who do not, hold the habit within our being, our action, our heart. So, let the habit not be a a garment of fashion, more a garment of the heart. Everyone knows I am a Franciscan with or without the habit. love and blessings, Father Francis Mary Cledwyn
as a Lay Dominican it is my wish to wear the habit of St. Dominic and be buried in that most beautiful garment which was a gift that was given to th e Order by Our blessed mother, Yet I have been unable to acquire one because there is a large number of lay Dominicans who are also trying to acquire one, Please! my brothers and sisters religous never ever abandon your habit God bless.
I'm neither Catholic nor Christian but feel the habit lends to the sacred status of the sisters and that any "costume" or "uniform" has purpose beyond just the obvious. Sisters who wear street clothes clearly don't carry the spiritual force and solemnity representative of their vows and spiritual status as those who do. The religious habit is a metaphysical, symbolic thing, to me, that's inexplicable and something women abandoned in the heat of the women's movement in the 70's that I see as a diminishment in the final analysis. These things are beyond full explanation or secular analysis. One doesn't see the men having thrown out their garbs in favor of appearing ordinary - because the religious life isn't ordinary is it.
In a busier world these days, Nun's Habits need to be practical. certainly in a Medical or sterile environment. I remember Nuns in the black habits and i would feel more at ease with a Nun in more casual and practical dress than one in a long habit. Bear in mind that there may be people who don't have happy memories around Nuns and this more relaxed approach may be easier to relate to. it was interesting about those in Holy Orders in war-torn and fragile countries where to identify as such would be dangerous for them if discovered . A really interesting film.
Why would a consecrated person reject the habit? It’s a privilege, it’s a grace from God, not everyone can wear it. I would love it and wear it with love too.
I'm sad to see the wearing of the habit dwindling. One thing for sure, the appearance of a Sister in her habit causes every one to suddenly be on best behavior, and for men to clean up their language.
Two of my aunts were Ursuline Sisters and back when I was young they both wore the full habit! We live in the Bible-belt of Missouri and people would ALWAYS be on their best behavior when they were out and about!
As a convert to the Catholic Church , I have absolute admiration for those sisters who choose the habit . With the habit it's an outward and inner reminder of who they are and that they're giving themselves totally to "CHRIST". They're choosing to give up they're identiy , to take on they're identity to and through "CHRIST" I experienced the Same thing as a nurse . My early career all nursing staff wore white from head to toe , and their cap . Yes my cap did get tangled up in i.v. s etc . but so do firemen face the same type of situation wearing their full uniforms . Now when you go to any medical facility , everyone is wearing 'scrubs' ! You can't tell nurses from housekeeping staff , NOT GOOD ! (for the patients, or anyone else for that matter) When the change over to scrubs was taking place I was still the rough who continued to wear the white uniform and my cap . I 'NEVER' got a negative response , quite the contrary ! I was greeted by individuals who said they were glad to see a nurse who still looks like one . After I converted to Catholicism , I always wore a veil , and still do ! I'm the only one in our Paris that does ! Scripture says that a woman's hair is her glory and when she prays she should cover her heads . Such a small request made by God its very easy to do for me ! If it pleases 'HIM' thats all I have to worry about ! . . 😔
Oh go away to films like The Sound of Music you fanatic...have you never heard Cucullus non fecit monachus.. I dont like singing and dancing nuns but people around Mother Angelica were as mad as hatters and talked like you do. If you want to remain in medieval Normandy then your spirit can stay there. No one knows the origin of the Rosary and Lady Godiva rode naked into Coventry. Habits are bad habits of people who live too much in the past and you cannot have it both ways. Read Karen Armstrong and you will find out what medieval dress code did to a womans mind and why bother with your reenactment...if your head is not in order no wimple or veil will improve the situation and I remember nuns wearing straps to whip children as much as rosaries on their belts. You did not mention that and you know they would hit you with rulers when the mood took. My hackles rise when anyone uses The Sound of Music as an exhibit in arguments like yours. If theyd followed the advice of the sisters in that film they would have gone back into Austria and the Germans would have killed them Edelweiss was Hitlers favourite flower and his troops wore it as motif. The nuns in that film are as authentic as Jaffa oranges in one shot. If your philosophy is as banal and barren as Climb Every Mountain youll.never reach Heaven or Switzerland. Give me spiritually awakened modern sisters anyday who wear blazers skirts and bras with feminine aplomb and as befits the consecrated conscience and this is the habit of perfection. Plain clothes do the tasks and special operations and theres nothing at all wrong with that.
Canon law 284 says that all religious are supposed to wear the habit they were never supposed to get rid of the habit this is why a lot of vocations I've dropped the ones that do wear the habit are getting more vocations I don't know what happened to the nuns I don't see them teach you no more working in hospitals no more
If a person takes on a commitment to be a religious, then the habit is a sign for the people. I notice in the Western world that numbers in religious orders have dwindled or these religious orders are no longer existent, after taking away the religious habit and choosing lay clothes.
Father Cekade RIP remembered the nuns in his school running around playing sports in their pre Vatican II habit. They had no problems turning their heads to see what was happening to their charges. I remember going to my mother's school where she also went previous to Vatican ll. The sisters all wore the old habits with no problems.
That's lovely to hear. The Church has not asked religious to change their habits if the design poses no problem to the apostolate or their health. They only asked to adapt their habit if it was necessary for their apostolate or their health. Here is what it says in Perfectae Caritatis: 17. The religious habit, an outward mark of consecration to God, should be simple and modest, poor and at the same becoming. In addition it must meet the requirements of health and be suited to the circumstances of time and place and to the needs of the ministry involved. The habits of both men and women religious which do not conform to these norms must be changed.
YES, I absolutely agree in the context of a Religious/Consecrated person. HABIT + ACTIONS = RELIGIOUS saying "I belong to God" But... ACTIONS only = more for the LAITY saying "I belong to God" For the Religious, it is not an either/or but BOTH.
I know that in my country at least that sisters who donot wear habits belong to religious orders which have become compromised by secular new age thought and beliefs. Whereas nuns who wear a habit (even a modernised one) belong to orders which are traditional in their values. Which makes sense. To me a veil is extremely important and can identify a woman wearing even a skirt and blouse as a sister. The Daughters Of St Paul are a good example. I can't understand why some sisters think abandoning their outward sign of consecration to Christ is a good idea...but it does explain why their orders are shrinking. ✝️
The Religious Habit must be worn at all times.This applies to Priests.Friars,Brothers and also to Sisters,Nuns,Etc.I was taught by Sisters.They always dressed in their Habits.There was a convent with Nuns opposite my parents house.They always wore their Habits.I am very sad this has changed
I used to live in quite a strict convent, and even they had times when they did not wear the habit, such as while gardening, repair works on the house, sick or in hospital. The church wants us to simply used our common sense.
I've always wondered if it was just a coincidence that nuns stopped wearing traditional habits around the same time as nurses began moving from traditional nurses uniforms and into scrubs.
That change in habit started after Vatican 11 1963 but the wheels feel off completely in 1969. I was a nurse out in uniform started in 1993 when men became nurses and when that happened nurses also received pensions. Men were appalled in the beginning to realize females never got pensions
@@eileencalabrese5618After the death of manufacturing in the early 1980s around Pittsburgh, the paradigm changed and many former steel workers entered the healthcare system.
Thank you Sister Kathryn. What a joy it is to see a nun in full habit at the airport or walking down the high street. How many orders which have abandoned their habit are thriving today?
i see Clergy going about in Suits with their Clerical Collars visible but it is rare to see them in Cassocks . i suppose it is more of a Catholic tradition than an Anglican one. I don't see very many Nuns at all where i live.
One should never place much importance on wearing a habit in religious life. Once it becomes a status symbol or a source of pride, then that is a sign of a misguided vocation. There is SO much more to being a monk or nun than the habit. As a vocation director in a religious order, it's always a big red flag to me when an applicant's first question is, "When do I get to wear the habit?"
Why assume, if an applicant's "first question" is, "When can I wear the habit", that that person has a shallow or superficial understanding of what it represents? Putting on the uniform for soldiers and police officers is synonymous for them with living up to what it represents. A religious habit is no different. Yes, there is so much more to being a priest, brother, monk or a nun than the habit, but much of that that comes to the new monk or nun over time as they actually live the life. Donning the habit tells the world - and reminds the person wearing it - that a life has become consecrated.
@@gunnarthorsen thank you for your comment. My comment comes from years of experience as a vocation director. It is not an assumption. I have seen a pattern develop that when an applicant is fixated on obtaining the habit, the outcomes are seldom positive. I also ask applicants how they would feel if we stopped wearing the habit. Their answer provides a lot of insight into their motives toward religious life
Yet, it is abundantly clear that communities which maintain a recognizable distinct religious habit as a sign of their consecration continue to grow and flourish, while those which do not are dying and will soon be “out of business.” That an applicant has questions about the habit is not necessarily a bad sign. Many young men who enter military life, particularly the Marines, want to wear the uniform and look forward to wearing it with honor as a sign of their commitment to the nation.
As a spiritual director myself, I can testify the same. Thank you for bringing this up. Our time is full of concern with image, self image and getting recognition. The habit can be used as a type of shield to gain the respect of others. For me, not wearing a habit is a huge act of poverty... God works very deeply in the souls, with, without or through the habit or the absence of it.
The religious orders and institutes of consecrated life, are part of Christs army on earth. The habit is a uniform that is an outward sign to the faithful and to non Catholics. It’s very rare to see religious in a habit. I was educated by the Marist Brothers and it’s very rare that you see them in a soutane except very exceptional occasions. They no longer wear black in winter with a rabat. I was also educated by the Sisters of Mercy, and they never wear a habit. When you see clergy & religious in a habit or religious garb, it engenders respect. The more the church erodes tradition in an effort to assimilate, the more the church looses its appeal.
Would that all religious communities would follow this. Wearing a mish mash copy of secular dress, I think goes against the vow of poverty, and can give rise to competition, a great danger in religious life, not to speak of disobedience to the Magisterium! +
I was educated by the Dominican nuns in the 1955to 1963. Believe me they wore the full habit and never had a problem seeing,turning and controlling the classroom. Remember the class size 60 students and we all graduated . We’re well taught. The Dominica’s need to wear their wimples again.
That’s a good point. One of the concerns is however, here in Australia some nuns were wearing the full wimple and were passing out from heat exhaustion. The church says in the second Vatican Council that religious need to have religious habits which are conducive to health.
Great video, very educational and instructive ... simply just awesome 👍 This might be a little bit of a strange question but, you seemed to know the answer to it... so here we go : Were there any nuns in the Middle Ages who wore gloves... Please say that there were ... 🙏 😁 And if so, which nuns and why did they wear gloves many many thanks for showing and please keep up the good work 👍
Yes, and there are still some now! The only nuns who wear gloves today are the abbesses of monasteries, who have the power, given by the Church, to bless others. This can be seen in the abbess in The Sound of Music. Back in the 1940s and 1950s, many religious sisters wore gloves when they were in public, simply because this was considered appropriate formal-wear for public appearances by the general public at the time. Lay women at this time also wore gloves when out in public as formal-wear. It was more of a cultural thing. Thanks for your question!
Perhaps someone could be kind enough to respond to this question: Does the color of the habit have some meaning? When I was a child the nuns that I saw always wore black habits with white trim. I am much older now and have traveled abroad. I have seen in addition to black habits, white, brown, gray, sky blue, dark blue. Does the color of the habit have some meaning?
Each order has its own habit and it's own colours. The colours chosen by a founder may or may not have a significant meaning. One example is the black of Dominicans signifying mortification and their white signifying purity.
@@dalecs47 There is even an order that wears pink habits. Maybe someone will make a listing of what order wears what color, so you can tell at first glance. I know that there is a listing of the various "headgear" and what order wears it.
The wimple is still practical in the classroom. The Daughters of Mary teach grade school while wearing the full traditional habit with wimple and veil. I do not believe in Sisters abandoning the traditional habit of their order.
Yes, but the cornet was not always practical while teaching because it could sometimes obscure teachers' vision. Part of the purpose of the cornet was to block out some peripheral vision so as to aid contemplation, similar to the hood of the monk or friar. I too, do not believe in sisters abandoning their traditional habit, but I do believe in adapting it if necessary, as the Church has asked us to do.
@@sisterkathryn6451 The Daughters of Charity, who wore the Coronet, were never a contemplative order. They were founded in France by St. Louise de Mirillac and St. Vincent de Paul to tend to the sick and the poor...especially the children. The coronet was practical in that they didn't wear a wimple and veil. Thus, they had freer movement. However, it was impractical when Sisters started driving cars. Thus, they modified it in the 1950's to allow for that. Sadly, they abandoned the habit altogether in the 60's. The Daughters of Mary are a traditional Catholic order who wears a fully traditional habit, with a wimple, long veil and scapular. They teach in two small Catholic schools of grades 1-12, and assist the dying. They also run a mail order book store from the mother house. The traditional habit serves them well. They taught my daughter in 4th and 5th grades. Somehow they manage to play soccer, volleyball, and chase after kids while wearing their habits. The Church did not insist that the habits had to change...especially if they were already able to see while driving.
@@megangreene3955 Dear Megan, thank you for that information about the Daughters of Charity. You're correct about the Church not insisting that the habits had to change. Here is what the Church said in Perfectae Caritatis: "17. The religious habit, an outward mark of consecration to God, should be simple and modest, poor and at the same becoming. In addition it must meet the requirements of health and be suited to the circumstances of time and place and to the needs of the ministry involved. The habits of both men and women religious which do not conform to these norms must be changed." Throughout my video, I have largely tried to rely on direct quotes of Church documents, except when I was trying to give examples which might demonstrate what the Church meant. I'm happy to continue this discussion with you for the sake of mutual sharing of knowledge and understanding :)
@@megangreene3955 I'm actually in Australia and am in strict lockdown due to Covid. Good night Megan. Anymore comments or questions are more than welcome.
Happily the congregations that have abandoned religious habit are dying out fast.Some examples are the SSND nuns,Sisters of Charity of NY,Maryknoll Nuns and many more.
You should see the habits of The Little Friars and Little Nuns of Jesus and Mary. They wear tan habits and loose fitting scarves because they’re on the road constantly.
I’m familiar with this order. The Church requires that they must bear witness to their consecration. So as long as they are recognisable as religious, it’s within the bounds of the laws of the Church.
However, "Out of sight, out of mind". Our citizens of today, our children, and many adults alike, have never seen a Sister or Nun in a proper full habit. This is partly why the church has few religious to carry on. Obama, having been born a Muslim, declared that, *America is no longer a Christian nation! (Further proof that he is still a Muslim. Especially after giving American tax dollars to the Muslim Brotherhood as well!) We need to see Sisters and Nuns all through the country if we hope to save the Christian faith in America!
Educational institutions need not personal livings believe " butt forward towards new informations essential than carring extra burdens whatever hereditary.
A uniform might be another, more accurate title than costume. But whatever it's called, you're right: a costume doesn't make a person religious. The habit is supposed to be an outward sign which signifies an inward reality of a consecrated life and a certain spiritual depth, but this inward reality is sometimes not really present, which is extremely sad. We mustn't judge all religious by those who are not living their consecrated life authentically, since there are also many who are very holy and live an authentic consecrated and spiritual life.
Religious men and women have failed in their public views as men and women religious. Wear your habit as a visual reminder of your religious beliefs and service to God. Both men and women religious must not be part of the laity or people of the world. Remember who you are and return to your promise of obedience and sacrifice and service to God and his people. 1965 Vadican II failed you and Gods people.
The habit does not create the consecrated woman. Those who dedicate themselves to the People of God, the Church, are wise enough to determine how to dress to carry out their vacations, ministry. I trust their judgment. So should we all. Remember that in many cases the habits of religious were the dress of the peasants. The habit of St. Francis, whose feast we celebrate today, was the dress of peasants, rough wool with a cowl. Today poor men do not wear such clothing. .
This is all very interesting and factual, but you disregard consecrated men. Brothers of canonical institutes are simply as much valid religious as the Sisters. No mention is ever made of them. Why? There is also great difference between accepted clerical attire, and the garments of charity worn by male religious of differing stripes. I give kudos to your efforts, but please be inclusive, and proffer a depth which suggests understanding.
Thank you for your comment :) Yes, you're right, male religious are religious too. I did mention them when I was speaking about the Franciscan friars in Egypt, and when I spoke about St Dominic who was a male religious, and I said that the male equivalent of the guimpe was the capuce. The reason why I focused more on female religious than male, was simply because I am a consecrated woman myself, and my training and experience has been almost entirely centred on female religious life. I apologise for focusing so much on the female side of religious life.
So disappointing to see you using pictures of apostolic sisters and calling into question their decision not to wear a traditional habit. Did you have the permission of those sisters to use their pictures? Religious Life is about so much more than what we wear.
My intention was not to be disrespectful towards them, but only to point out that they are deliberately choosing to go against church law, and against their own vocations. Members of religious orders have been told clearly and explicitly by Paula and others that they must wear the habit.
@@sisterkathryn6451 I don’t think this is a correct interpretation at all. I know scores of apostolic sisters in the UK who dress simply and are by their simplicity very identifiable as Religious. They are not going against any law. The Pope hasn’t mandated what Religious should wear. Let’s not forget that some habits have their origins in the dress of the poor. Habits aren’t always practical for certain types of work.
The new code of Canon law states: "Can. 669 §1. Religious are to wear the habit of the institute, made according to the norm of proper law, as a sign of their consecration and as a witness of poverty." Pope Paul VI said in Evangelica Testificatio: "the dress of religious men and women should be, as the Council wishes, a sign of their consecration(34) and that it should be in some way different from the forms that are clearly secular." And Pope John XXIII said in Perfectae Caritatis: "The religious habit, an outward mark of consecration to God, should be simple and modest, poor and at the same becoming." Pope John Paul II said in Vita Consecrata: "Since the habit is a sign of consecration, poverty and membership in a particular Religious family, I join the Fathers of the Synod in strongly recommending to men and women religious that they wear their proper habit, suitably adapted to the conditions of time and place." I hope these references are helpful to you :)
Sister tge religious habit was what the dress of the poor, if you wish wear a habit , dont attack women who choose not to wear one , you do a isservice to otger holy women , just stop.
The Tyburn nuns have 3 habits each. One black for winter, two white for summer. That is all they have. Each habit would last 10-15 years. Do you seriously think that lay-garbed sisters have only three changes of clothing that they bought 10-15 years ago? Buying clothes more frequently and keeping up with fashion is not a good way to express holy poverty.
@@sisterkathryn6451 unfortunately, it is not uncommon for clergyman to have molested children...I am not trying to be disrespectful, but realistic...I am not saying all priests are pedifiles, but a good number of priests have been exposed as pedifiles...
Every order needs to go back to their original habit. Otherwise us lay people can't tell when a nun is nearby and accidentally swear or say something filthy. I can usually tell nuns nowadays by the ugly clothes and shoes, no makeup and unplucked eyebrows. Of course that could also be your run of the mill lesbian
At my Parish, we have a small community of sisters who worship with us; they dress in their habits. I do so enjoy seeing them walking into the church. They're dress is inspiring & teaches me humility. ♡
Sisters in habits, living out the love of Christ, is powerful on so many levels i miss seing that in churches and on the streets, and in everyday life.😞
The habit is a witness.
A sister or nun in a traditional habit moving about in the streets, in the supermarkets, etc is a silent but loud witnessing to God's and our soul's eternal reality amidst the transitory reality we are usually immersed in.
The congregations that wanted to be like the world by dressing and looking like everyone else muted their voices.
What a shame it is to hide one's light under a bushel to the extent that no one knows it's there.
Vatican II only mandated that the habit be modified but not abandoned for secular clothes.
More than one recent Pope has declared in writing that religious should wear a “DISTINCTIVE” habit…..modern OK like several new Orders do, but distinctive, so that they are seen to be consecrated religious.
The habit distinguishes the nuns from the rest of society. People are not distracted by their lay clothes, so they can focus on the soul to soul contact.
I was not a Christian when I went to Spain on a High School trip in 1977. We got there on the morning of Good Friday, which meant nothing to me but I was amazed that there were only three people out on the streets of Madrid! Later that day, and every day of that trip, I couldn't believe the number of Priests and Nuns who were wearing their habits. They were so easily recognizable, and I always had great respect for people who dedicated their life to God, and serving others. I cannot tell you, Sister Kathryn and friends, how much that spoke to my heart. I was baptized about four years later, and have been a Catholic now most of my life. It is so sad that Nuns no longer wear their habits. A lot of them have better clothes than I do! Thank you for this very nice video.
Thank you for your beautiful comment :) may God bless you!
Our sisters wore habits when I was young. They moved with grace and were given respect, even by Protestants, because the habit "spoke", even if the wearer was unknown. It visually connected the sisters to each other, to their work, our parish, their order, the Church, and to the saints who came before, based solely on what it symbolized and represented.
After the Vatican Councils, the sisters modified their habits, but they were still "habits". Then they began to wear regular dresses with little veils and a cross pin, looking more like Edwardian nannies than nuns. (One sister even had her veil perched on top of a large bouffant hairdo, which seemed odd.) In time the veils were discarded because they "clashed with the dresses", and then pants were worn too. I remember one of the nuns, with no visible indication or outward sign that she was a nun, telling us, "People can tell I'm a nun, they sense it". Even then, to my teenage mind, that sounded like an excuse.
As their numbers dwindled during that "question everything" period, the 3 remaining sisters in our parish moved out of the convent (which once housed 12 sisters in the 1940's) and into a rented apartment. Some of them took regular jobs and even wore makeup or smoked and drank, "so as to connect with the people", which is odd, because for centuries, their habits never worked against that. In time, they all went away, some leaving religious life, some going to other cities where they could be active, as nuns, with social issues.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and may God bless you. The Lord will certainly bless your fidelity.
Without the habit something is lost. They become ordinary, which they are not meant to be. They can be taken for granted and the Nuns themselves unconsciously behave in a secular and worldly manner. So I think the habit is a visible powerful witness.
...obviously you do not wear a traditional religious habit. Let me educate you, some of us do, some of us do not. The HABIT is an internal garment, not only external. Sometimes the habit is a problem, sometimes it is a blessing. Those of us who do and those of us who do not, hold the habit within our being, our action, our heart. So, let the habit not be a a garment of fashion, more a garment of the heart. Everyone knows I am a Franciscan with or without the habit. love and blessings, Father Francis Mary Cledwyn
Nuns without habits are indistinguishable from the ladies who come to play bingo.
as a Lay Dominican it is my wish to wear the habit of St. Dominic and be buried in that most beautiful garment which was a gift that was given to th e Order by Our blessed mother, Yet I have been unable to acquire one because there is a large number of lay Dominicans who are also trying to acquire one, Please! my brothers and sisters religous never ever abandon your habit God bless.
I'm pretty sure that you can find what you need on Etsy.
Thank you Sister Kathryn! God Bless you and your order!!
Habits are sooooo beautiful!!!
Nuns with habits are also imitating the Blessed Virgin Mary in her modesty, purity, and chastity. Beautiful!
Love that❤
I'm neither Catholic nor Christian but feel the habit lends to the sacred status of the sisters and that any "costume" or "uniform" has purpose beyond just the obvious. Sisters who wear street clothes clearly don't carry the spiritual force and solemnity representative of their vows and spiritual status as those who do. The religious habit is a metaphysical, symbolic thing, to me, that's inexplicable and something women abandoned in the heat of the women's movement in the 70's that I see as a diminishment in the final analysis. These things are beyond full explanation or secular analysis. One doesn't see the men having thrown out their garbs in favor of appearing ordinary - because the religious life isn't ordinary is it.
In a busier world these days, Nun's Habits need to be practical. certainly in a Medical or sterile environment. I remember Nuns in the black habits and i would feel more at ease with a Nun in more casual and practical dress than one in a long habit. Bear in mind that there may be people who don't have happy memories around Nuns and this more relaxed approach may be easier to relate to. it was interesting about those in Holy Orders in war-torn and fragile countries where to identify as such would be dangerous for them if discovered . A really interesting film.
Why would a consecrated person reject the habit? It’s a privilege, it’s a grace from God, not everyone can wear it. I would love it and wear it with love too.
I'm sad to see the wearing of the habit dwindling. One thing for sure, the appearance of a Sister in her habit causes every one to suddenly be on best behavior, and for men to clean up their language.
Two of my aunts were Ursuline Sisters and back when I was young they both wore the full habit! We live in the Bible-belt of Missouri and people would ALWAYS be on their best behavior when they were out and about!
As a convert to the Catholic Church , I have absolute admiration for those sisters who choose the habit . With the habit it's an outward and inner reminder of who they are and that they're giving themselves totally to "CHRIST". They're choosing to give up they're identiy , to take on they're identity to and through "CHRIST" I experienced the Same thing as a nurse . My early career all nursing staff wore white from head to toe , and their cap . Yes my cap did get tangled up in i.v. s etc . but so do firemen face the same type of situation wearing their full uniforms . Now when you go to any medical facility , everyone is wearing 'scrubs' ! You can't tell nurses from housekeeping staff , NOT GOOD ! (for the patients, or anyone else for that matter) When the change over to scrubs was taking place I was still the rough who continued to wear the white uniform and my cap . I 'NEVER' got a negative response , quite the contrary ! I was greeted by individuals who said they were glad to see a nurse who still looks like one . After I converted to Catholicism , I always wore a veil , and still do ! I'm the only one in our Paris that does ! Scripture says that a woman's hair is her glory and when she prays she should cover her heads . Such a small request made by God its very easy to do for me ! If it pleases 'HIM' thats all I have to worry about ! . . 😔
Very well said thank you.
I never knew that about the veil! Thank you!
Oh go away to films like The Sound of Music you fanatic...have you never heard Cucullus non fecit monachus.. I dont like singing and dancing nuns but people around Mother Angelica were as mad as hatters and talked like you do. If you want to remain in medieval Normandy then your spirit can stay there. No one knows the origin of the Rosary and Lady Godiva rode naked into Coventry. Habits are bad habits of people who live too much in the past and you cannot have it both ways. Read Karen Armstrong and you will find out what medieval dress code did to a womans mind and why bother with your reenactment...if your head is not in order no wimple or veil will improve the situation and I remember nuns wearing straps to whip children as much as rosaries on their belts. You did not mention that and you know they would hit you with rulers when the mood took. My hackles rise when anyone uses The Sound of Music as an exhibit in arguments like yours. If theyd followed the advice of the sisters in that film they would have gone back into Austria and the Germans would have killed them Edelweiss was Hitlers favourite flower and his troops wore it as motif. The nuns in that film are as authentic as Jaffa oranges in one shot. If your philosophy is as banal and barren as Climb Every Mountain youll.never reach Heaven or Switzerland. Give me spiritually awakened modern sisters anyday who wear blazers skirts and bras with feminine aplomb and as befits the consecrated conscience and this is the habit of perfection. Plain clothes do the tasks and special operations and theres nothing at all wrong with that.
I do wear a veil at Mass in obedience to Gods will through Mother Mary.
Canon law 284 says that all religious are supposed to wear the habit they were never supposed to get rid of the habit this is why a lot of vocations I've dropped the ones that do wear the habit are getting more vocations I don't know what happened to the nuns I don't see them teach you no more working in hospitals no more
Yes. I couldn't have put it better myself. 🙂
@@sisterkathryn6451 so right Sister God bless you
Vivat Jesus
Thank you so much dearest sister for sharing. God bless you. Amen
SAINTS TERESA OF AVILLA AND ST TERESA OF LISEAUX PRAY FOR US FOR HEALING OF SOUL AND BODY!
Yes I can. Sister Alexandra, Sister Walberga, Sister Herman Mary-they could see behind them.
It's the right thing to do
Habits works
If a person takes on a commitment to be a religious, then the habit is a sign for the people. I notice in the Western world that numbers in religious orders have dwindled or these religious orders are no longer existent, after taking away the religious habit and choosing lay clothes.
Father Cekade RIP remembered the nuns in his school running around playing sports in their pre Vatican II habit. They had no problems turning their heads to see what was happening to their charges. I remember going to my mother's school where she also went previous to Vatican ll. The sisters all wore the old habits with no problems.
That's lovely to hear. The Church has not asked religious to change their habits if the design poses no problem to the apostolate or their health. They only asked to adapt their habit if it was necessary for their apostolate or their health.
Here is what it says in Perfectae Caritatis:
17. The religious habit, an outward mark of consecration to God, should be simple and modest, poor and at the same becoming. In addition it must meet the requirements of health and be suited to the circumstances of time and place and to the needs of the ministry involved. The habits of both men and women religious which do not conform to these norms must be changed.
The religious habit says to others, "I belong to God".
By our actions it is we who say, "I belong to God".
YES, I absolutely agree in the context of a Religious/Consecrated person.
HABIT + ACTIONS = RELIGIOUS saying "I belong to God"
But...
ACTIONS only = more for the LAITY saying "I belong to God"
For the Religious, it is not an either/or but BOTH.
Good job, when I see a women who claims to be a sister and is NOT WEARING A HABIT .....well I quietly and politely head the other way.
A real nun
🙏Thank you. Fruitful to know.
In 1965 I left the convent. The habit was out.
I know that in my country at least that sisters who donot wear habits belong to religious orders which have become compromised by secular new age thought and beliefs. Whereas nuns who wear a habit (even a modernised one) belong to orders which are traditional in their values. Which makes sense. To me a veil is extremely important and can identify a woman wearing even a skirt and blouse as a sister. The Daughters Of St Paul are a good example. I can't understand why some sisters think abandoning their outward sign of consecration to Christ is a good idea...but it does explain why their orders are shrinking. ✝️
The Religious Habit must be worn at all times.This applies to Priests.Friars,Brothers and also
to Sisters,Nuns,Etc.I was taught by Sisters.They always dressed in their Habits.There was
a convent with Nuns opposite my parents house.They always wore their Habits.I am very
sad this has changed
I used to live in quite a strict convent, and even they had times when they did not wear the habit, such as while gardening, repair works on the house, sick or in hospital. The church wants us to simply used our common sense.
Habits=Nuns. Becaue without habits, they are feminists. Habit and habit, not just a symbol but it is a greatest vocation. Thanks Sisters.
I've always wondered if it was just a coincidence that nuns stopped wearing traditional habits around the same time as nurses began moving from traditional nurses uniforms and into scrubs.
That change in habit started after Vatican 11 1963 but the wheels feel off completely in 1969. I was a nurse out in uniform started in 1993 when men became nurses and when that happened nurses also received pensions. Men were appalled in the beginning to realize females never got pensions
@@eileencalabrese5618After the death of manufacturing in the early 1980s around Pittsburgh, the paradigm changed and many former steel workers entered the healthcare system.
Thank you Sister Kathryn. What a joy it is to see a nun in full habit at the airport or walking down the high street.
How many orders which have abandoned their habit are thriving today?
i see Clergy going about in Suits with their Clerical Collars visible but it is rare to see them in Cassocks . i suppose it is more of a Catholic tradition than an Anglican one. I don't see very many Nuns at all where i live.
One should never place much importance on wearing a habit in religious life. Once it becomes a status symbol or a source of pride, then that is a sign of a misguided vocation. There is SO much more to being a monk or nun than the habit. As a vocation director in a religious order, it's always a big red flag to me when an applicant's first question is, "When do I get to wear the habit?"
Why assume, if an applicant's "first question" is, "When can I wear the habit", that that person has a shallow or superficial understanding of what it represents? Putting on the uniform for soldiers and police officers is synonymous for them with living up to what it represents. A religious habit is no different. Yes, there is so much more to being a priest, brother, monk or a nun than the habit, but much of that that comes to the new monk or nun over time as they actually live the life. Donning the habit tells the world - and reminds the person wearing it - that a life has become consecrated.
@@gunnarthorsen thank you for your comment. My comment comes from years of experience as a vocation director. It is not an assumption. I have seen a pattern develop that when an applicant is fixated on obtaining the habit, the outcomes are seldom positive. I also ask applicants how they would feel if we stopped wearing the habit. Their answer provides a lot of insight into their motives toward religious life
Yet, it is abundantly clear that communities which maintain a recognizable distinct religious habit as a sign of their consecration continue to grow and flourish, while those which do not are dying and will soon be “out of business.” That an applicant has questions about the habit is not necessarily a bad sign. Many young men who enter military life, particularly the Marines, want to wear the uniform and look forward to wearing it with honor as a sign of their commitment to the nation.
Indeed but that’s handled with discernment. The habit is an important symbol and witness
As a spiritual director myself, I can testify the same. Thank you for bringing this up. Our time is full of concern with image, self image and getting recognition. The habit can be used as a type of shield to gain the respect of others. For me, not wearing a habit is a huge act of poverty...
God works very deeply in the souls, with, without or through the habit or the absence of it.
Thank you for this informative and interesting documentary!
The Geneva Convention outlawed wooden pointers & metal rulers. St. Stans Omaha class of 67..
Look to Our Lady
Those Cornets remind me a bit of the Dutch ones that we see on paintings.
The religious orders and institutes of consecrated life, are part of Christs army on earth. The habit is a uniform that is an outward sign to the faithful and to non Catholics. It’s very rare to see religious in a habit. I was educated by the Marist Brothers and it’s very rare that you see them in a soutane except very exceptional occasions. They no longer wear black in winter with a rabat. I was also educated by the Sisters of Mercy, and they never wear a habit. When you see clergy & religious in a habit or religious garb, it engenders respect. The more the church erodes tradition in an effort to assimilate, the more the church looses its appeal.
Nice video👍. Will do a video about how to were religous habit especially the black viel with under white viel(viel crown)
this may be off the topic but me and my mom love calling nuns marshmellows. just a name that matches them lol.
🙏💖
Totally disagree with many religions orders that abandoned their habit! Adapt but not abandoned.
Nice voice Sister Kathryn love you teaching me at St.laurences!! It's Angus!
Would that all religious communities would follow this. Wearing a mish mash copy of secular dress, I think goes against the vow of poverty, and can give rise to competition, a great danger in religious life, not to speak of disobedience to the Magisterium! +
...the habit must be suited to the time and the place.
Yes that leaves no room for polyester slacks and perms.
All sisters should were ther habits
Yes the full habit.
💫🌺🌹🌻💫
Amen
I was educated by the Dominican nuns in the 1955to 1963. Believe me they wore the full habit and never had a problem seeing,turning and controlling the classroom. Remember the class size 60 students and we all graduated . We’re well taught. The Dominica’s need to wear their wimples again.
That’s a good point. One of the concerns is however, here in Australia some nuns were wearing the full wimple and were passing out from heat exhaustion. The church says in the second Vatican Council that religious need to have religious habits which are conducive to health.
Great video, very educational and instructive ... simply just awesome 👍
This might be a little bit of a strange question but, you seemed to know the answer to it... so here we go :
Were there any nuns in the Middle Ages who wore gloves...
Please say that there were ... 🙏 😁
And if so, which nuns and why did they wear gloves
many many thanks for showing and please keep up the good work 👍
Yes, and there are still some now! The only nuns who wear gloves today are the abbesses of monasteries, who have the power, given by the Church, to bless others. This can be seen in the abbess in The Sound of Music. Back in the 1940s and 1950s, many religious sisters wore gloves when they were in public, simply because this was considered appropriate formal-wear for public appearances by the general public at the time. Lay women at this time also wore gloves when out in public as formal-wear. It was more of a cultural thing. Thanks for your question!
@@sisterkathryn6451 Thank you so much for your answer 😁
Hi.I passed the exam of the manager, can you please pray for me to get the interview please? Thank you!
Perhaps someone could be kind enough to respond to this question: Does the color of the habit have some meaning? When I was a child the nuns that I saw always wore black habits with white trim. I am much older now and have traveled abroad. I have seen in addition to black habits, white, brown, gray, sky blue, dark blue. Does the color of the habit have some meaning?
Each order has its own habit and it's own colours. The colours chosen by a founder may or may not have a significant meaning. One example is the black of Dominicans signifying mortification and their white signifying purity.
@@sisterkathryn6451 Thank you very much.
@@dalecs47 There is even an order that wears pink habits. Maybe someone will make a listing of what order wears what color, so you can tell at first glance. I know that there is a listing of the various "headgear" and what order wears it.
@@spaceflight1019 Thank you, this is interesting to me. I am not a religious person but I do like to show courtesy and respect to those who are.
@@dalecs47 You're quite welcome. Happy to be of assistance.
Please Lord Jesus take away all my sins
Great
Hi.I passed the exam of the manager, can you please pray for me to get the interview please? Thank you
Yes I can add you to my list 🙂🙏
The wimple is still practical in the classroom. The Daughters of Mary teach grade school while wearing the full traditional habit with wimple and veil. I do not believe in Sisters abandoning the traditional habit of their order.
Yes, but the cornet was not always practical while teaching because it could sometimes obscure teachers' vision. Part of the purpose of the cornet was to block out some peripheral vision so as to aid contemplation, similar to the hood of the monk or friar. I too, do not believe in sisters abandoning their traditional habit, but I do believe in adapting it if necessary, as the Church has asked us to do.
@@sisterkathryn6451 The Daughters of Charity, who wore the Coronet, were never a contemplative order. They were founded in France by St. Louise de Mirillac and St. Vincent de Paul to tend to the sick and the poor...especially the children. The coronet was practical in that they didn't wear a wimple and veil. Thus, they had freer movement. However, it was impractical when Sisters started driving cars. Thus, they modified it in the 1950's to allow for that. Sadly, they abandoned the habit altogether in the 60's.
The Daughters of Mary are a traditional Catholic order who wears a fully traditional habit, with a wimple, long veil and scapular. They teach in two small Catholic schools of grades 1-12, and assist the dying. They also run a mail order book store from the mother house. The traditional habit serves them well. They taught my daughter in 4th and 5th grades. Somehow they manage to play soccer, volleyball, and chase after kids while wearing their habits. The Church did not insist that the habits had to change...especially if they were already able to see while driving.
@@megangreene3955 Dear Megan, thank you for that information about the Daughters of Charity. You're correct about the Church not insisting that the habits had to change. Here is what the Church said in Perfectae Caritatis: "17. The religious habit, an outward mark of consecration to God, should be simple and modest, poor and at the same becoming. In addition it must meet the requirements of health and be suited to the circumstances of time and place and to the needs of the ministry involved. The habits of both men and women religious which do not conform to these norms must be changed."
Throughout my video, I have largely tried to rely on direct quotes of Church documents, except when I was trying to give examples which might demonstrate what the Church meant. I'm happy to continue this discussion with you for the sake of mutual sharing of knowledge and understanding :)
@@sisterkathryn6451 Yes, that would be fine Sister. You must be in the UK because here it is 3AM and I need to go to bed. Good night.
@@megangreene3955 I'm actually in Australia and am in strict lockdown due to Covid. Good night Megan. Anymore comments or questions are more than welcome.
The heart is more important than the habit!❤
Yes 🙂❤️ and the habit is an outward sign of an inward reality.
Happily the congregations that have abandoned religious habit are dying out fast.Some examples are the SSND nuns,Sisters of Charity of NY,Maryknoll Nuns and many more.
"Happily"? That doesn't sound too Christian.
@@lizbueding2626 Ya know what isn’t Christian?Heretic nuns.😂😂😂😂
Why the music? It makes it harder to listen to your wise words.
You should see the habits of The Little Friars and Little Nuns of Jesus and Mary. They wear tan habits and loose fitting scarves because they’re on the road constantly.
I’m familiar with this order. The Church requires that they must bear witness to their consecration. So as long as they are recognisable as religious, it’s within the bounds of the laws of the Church.
However, "Out of sight, out of mind". Our citizens of today, our children, and many adults alike, have never seen a Sister or Nun in a proper full habit. This is partly why the church has few religious to carry on. Obama, having been born a Muslim, declared that, *America is no longer a Christian nation! (Further proof that he is still a Muslim. Especially after giving American tax dollars to the Muslim Brotherhood as well!) We need to see Sisters and Nuns all through the country if we hope to save the Christian faith in America!
America was never a "Christian nation". It is a secular nation - that is the founders' intention.
Get over yourself that's a load of bs
Not a single mention of the Benedictine order?
Well they're mentioned in my video on religious life.
Heating never creator's language !!
Here I am
Educational institutions need not personal livings believe " butt forward towards new informations essential than carring extra burdens whatever hereditary.
Actually, these habits are costumes...a costume doesn't make a person religious...
A uniform might be another, more accurate title than costume. But whatever it's called, you're right: a costume doesn't make a person religious. The habit is supposed to be an outward sign which signifies an inward reality of a consecrated life and a certain spiritual depth, but this inward reality is sometimes not really present, which is extremely sad. We mustn't judge all religious by those who are not living their consecrated life authentically, since there are also many who are very holy and live an authentic consecrated and spiritual life.
Religious men and women have failed in their public views as men and women religious.
Wear your habit as a visual reminder of your religious beliefs and service to God.
Both men and women religious must not be part of the laity or people of the world.
Remember who you are and return to your promise of obedience and sacrifice and service to God and his people.
1965 Vadican II failed you and Gods people.
The habit does not create the consecrated woman. Those who dedicate themselves to the People of God, the Church, are wise enough to determine how to dress to carry out their vacations, ministry. I trust their judgment. So should we all. Remember that in many cases the habits of religious were the dress of the peasants. The habit of St. Francis, whose feast we celebrate today, was the dress of peasants, rough wool with a cowl. Today poor men do not wear such clothing. .
I’ve heard that “peasant garb “ excuse too many times. The nuns were always distinguishable as Religious
A habit does not a Sister make.
This is all very interesting and factual, but you disregard consecrated men. Brothers of canonical institutes are simply as much valid religious as the Sisters. No mention is ever made of them. Why? There is also great difference between accepted clerical attire, and the garments of charity worn by male religious of differing stripes. I give kudos to your efforts, but please be inclusive, and proffer a depth which suggests understanding.
Thank you for your comment :) Yes, you're right, male religious are religious too. I did mention them when I was speaking about the Franciscan friars in Egypt, and when I spoke about St Dominic who was a male religious, and I said that the male equivalent of the guimpe was the capuce. The reason why I focused more on female religious than male, was simply because I am a consecrated woman myself, and my training and experience has been almost entirely centred on female religious life. I apologise for focusing so much on the female side of religious life.
So disappointing to see you using pictures of apostolic sisters and calling into question their decision not to wear a traditional habit. Did you have the permission of those sisters to use their pictures? Religious Life is about so much more than what we wear.
My intention was not to be disrespectful towards them, but only to point out that they are deliberately choosing to go against church law, and against their own vocations. Members of religious orders have been told clearly and explicitly by Paula and others that they must wear the habit.
@@sisterkathryn6451 I don’t think this is a correct interpretation at all. I know scores of apostolic sisters in the UK who dress simply and are by their simplicity very identifiable as Religious. They are not going against any law. The Pope hasn’t mandated what Religious should wear. Let’s not forget that some habits have their origins in the dress of the poor. Habits aren’t always practical for certain types of work.
The new code of Canon law states: "Can. 669 §1. Religious are to wear the habit of the institute, made according to the norm of proper law, as a sign of their consecration and as a witness of poverty." Pope Paul VI said in Evangelica Testificatio: "the dress of religious men and women should be, as the Council wishes, a sign of their consecration(34) and that it should be in some way different from the forms that are clearly secular." And Pope John XXIII said in Perfectae Caritatis: "The religious habit, an outward mark of consecration to God, should be simple and modest, poor and at the same becoming." Pope John Paul II said in Vita Consecrata: "Since the habit is a sign of consecration, poverty and membership in a particular Religious family, I join the Fathers of the Synod in strongly recommending to men and women religious that they wear their proper habit, suitably adapted to the conditions of time and place." I hope these references are helpful to you :)
Sister tge religious habit was what the dress of the poor, if you wish wear a habit , dont attack women who choose not to wear one , you do a isservice to otger holy women , just stop.
Nonsense!
The Tyburn nuns have 3 habits each. One black for winter, two white for summer. That is all they have. Each habit would last 10-15 years. Do you seriously think that lay-garbed sisters have only three changes of clothing that they bought 10-15 years ago? Buying clothes more frequently and keeping up with fashion is not a good way to express holy poverty.
I love the traditional habits. The nuns are supposed to change the world not change with it. Hence the nuns who don't even wear a vail.....🤢 yuk!
I shutter to think what the "male religious" are doing to these children behind closed doors...
You are more than welcome to express your own views on this channel, but please try to be respectful towards others.
@@sisterkathryn6451 unfortunately, it is not uncommon for clergyman to have molested children...I am not trying to be disrespectful, but realistic...I am not saying all priests are pedifiles, but a good number of priests have been exposed as pedifiles...
Every order needs to go back to their original habit. Otherwise us lay people can't tell when a nun is nearby and accidentally swear or say something filthy. I can usually tell nuns nowadays by the ugly clothes and shoes, no makeup and unplucked eyebrows. Of course that could also be your run of the mill lesbian
That's just rude. You can support the habit without the extremely crude misogyny.
That is a particularly unchristian remark.
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