There were quite a few nice ones. One in particular I’ll always remember. She was a fantastic teacher and just all around a wonderful person.
Others I have nice memories of. Some I have no memory of at all. Hey, I’m 59 now.
When I said, in the thread mentioned in the OP, that the nuns were “dictatorial,” I meant that they (and therefore we) were absolutely conscious that they were teaching the TRUTH. Which, when it comes to teaching religion to children in a Catholic school, is the way it should be.
Thank you for the above link, illuminating this point. Even I – from an atheist-once-Church of England (roughly = Episcopalian) background – was aware that there are contemplative, and active, religious orders – but not, till reading this link, that there was such a precise terminological distinction: i.e. if you’re the former, you’re a nun; if the latter, you’re a Sister.
Find myself wondering now – does similarly precise terminology apply, along the same lines, to male “non-priest” religious? “Monk” (or friar?) if contemplative; otherwise, Brother?
As I said above, the order that ran and staffed the primary school I attended was named the “Grey Nuns of the Sacred Heart.” They absolutely were not cloistered, contemplative nuns. And yet they called themselves nuns.
As to monks, I’m not sure that the word “monk” is ever used in the vocative. Nobody is addressed as “Monk Francis.” Francis, who lives in the cell next to you down at the monastery, is addressed as “Brother Francis.” This is true whether the monks in question are cloistered contemplatives or are more out in the world.
That’s not the first time I’ve heard about the distinction between “sister” and “nun” , and I’ve even read about convents that contain both “nun” (who live a contemplative life and "sister (who basically bring in money to support the teaching , nursing, and so on) Maybe the Grey Nuns were one of those- or maybe the name isn’t 100% accurate - looking them up on Wiki it seems the related orders are officially called “Sisters ____”
Our school was staffed by the Religious Sister of Mercy, so I guess they weren’t nuns. When I started out in 1960, they wore floor-length black habits with veils, and all you could see were their hands and faces. About 6 or 7 years later, they were wearing navy blue dresses that came just below the knee, black hose, smaller veils so you could see their hair, and no wimples. As I understand, now they wear a pin of some sort, but they look just like civilians. But I’ve long since lapsed, so I can’t swear to it.
Not sure why I put “Monk” in inverted commas – wasn’t thinking in terms of the vocative case – for sure, folk in all these outfits address their fellow-members as “Brother” or “Sister”, sometimes plus first name. Was just wondering whether, in general, it was as per the article (assuming that article is the accurate goods) with the guys, as with the gals.
Catholic School, K through 8th Grade, 1956-1964. San Diego.
Normal civilian human female teachers for K, 3rd (kindly grandmother types), and 5th grades (younger woman), All three of whom obviously loved teaching and children. Happy times for us kids.
School Sisters Of Notre Dame (Penguins) for the other grades.
Grade 1: Middle-aged Monster, who terrified us. A few years after my time with her, she broke a six year old female student’s nose. Several weeks later she did it again to the same girl. I am not making this up.
Grade 2: Middle aged Monster, who struck kids on the top of their heads, using door keys as brass knuckles, or hard objects that “gave” in such a way as to inflict serious pain without leaving marks.
Grade 4: Younger, who I remember as being good natured and kindly.
Grade 6: Elderly, who seemed to enjoy teaching but once sucker-slapped me HARD on the face for the crime of having spoken to another kid while she’d been out of the room.
Grade 7: Middle Aged Monster who should never have been left alone with children. The psychological abuse she inflicted on us was horrific, and VERY long lasting.
Grade 8: Different woman but same as Grade 7.
Approaching 70 and it still upsets me to write this.
Treacherous Cretin, this is appalling. Godwinizing the thread; but as regards several of the Notre Dame brigade mentioned here, it would seem that they were mistaken as to their vocations. More appropriate such would be – one feels – being guards at Ravensbrueck.
Friars are mendicant monks, it’s a type of monk. The Franciscans are the most common Mendicant Order: “mendicant” means that they beg for their income.
Nuns don’t have to be cloistered or contemplative: that’s a specific type of Orders. Mendicant Orders and Working Orders would have serious problems doing their jobs while staying cloistered. Any of those types of Orders can be masculine (monks) or feminine (nuns).
Yes they were. Most Orders don’t include the words “Nuns” or “Monks” in the name of the Order.
Dominicans is an Order, the convent probably had some other name but the names of specific convents are often used only within the Order, and may be the name of their location. The general public tends to use the name of the Order to identify the convent, because otherwise and as soon as you have two convents in town things would get really confusing (which “convent of Potatoville”? Dominicans, Franciscans, Benedictines, Clares?).
Some years ago at work the subject of teaching nuns came up over lunch. On hearing that, our Vietnamese immigrant said, “Oooh!” and rubbed the back of his hand… I said, “Oh! Were teaching nuns like that in Viet Nam, too?”
As a result of this thread, I’ve done a lot of looking. And the consensus seems to be that "nun ’ refers to those who take solemn vows and live a contemplative life in a cloistered community while “sisters” take simple vows and live an “apostolic” or “active” life. It doesn’t necessarily go by order- as this order includes both active and contemplative communities.
But I have to point out that 1) It’s somewhat technical distinction - most people refer to them all as “nuns” and 2) even that technical distinction may not be made in languages other than English.
I don’t know if I’ve ever experienced a nun that was out-and-out mean.
I knew some that could hold a grudge better than white carpet can hold a red wine stain though…
My Catholic understanding is that there are different orders with different charisms and also the largest orders (Dominicans, Benedictines, etc.) have different branches with different charisms within them. By far the most populous are those with mandates to teach, nurse, provide hospitality, etc. The cloistered orders are few these days. They are said to be “contemplative” orders – they spent their days in prayer both solitary and in concert, and do not engage with the public.
They are all nuns, all sisters, the words are interchangeable.