ever since i was called to the religious life i started seeing nuns around nyc. i see them on the subway, on the bus, at the symphony, riding bikes in the park, at the airport, random nun sightings. if i lived in ireland or rome this might be considered normal. in nyc there simply aren't that many nuns. they all seem to condense within my line of vision. at first i used to think it was god pressuring me to keep my vocation in mind or hurry up and become a nun. that is so not god's way. that would be my way if i were god so it's a good thing i'm not. thank god for god.
i often hear god speak to me through other people and i was telling a woman about how i see nuns everywhere and how at one point i was seeing three different nuns a week for several weeks. i mean, the average new yorker could go their whole lives these days without running into a nun. this woman said to me, how comforting of god to send you a reminder of your vocation. suddenly the nun sightings seemed less like a pressure stunt from god and more like, "i've got you covered. just so you remember what's important. keep your eye on the prize."
i decided i'd start documenting my nun sightings on this blog.
i saw a nun walking down 72nd street as i was passing by on the 2nd ave. bus last week. this pretty much doesn't count because i know that there is a convent on 72nd street between 2nd and 3rd avenues. that's too easy.
i saw two nuns in those mother theresa white with blue trim habits (can't remember the name of her order as i'm not catholic) just missing the r train as the doors closed at the lexingon avenue subway station on friday.
i never say anything to the nuns i see. but i think in my head, oh, you're my nun of the week, my reminder of what is important. thank you, sister.
10 comments:
Great photo of the Nuns - I shared it w/ a Catholic friend. Read your profile - your comment about yr. favorite movie made me laugh out loud. And I'm at work! Happy Easter.
I've been thinking about this entry a lot in the past few weeks - I keep seeing nuns everywhere. (Okay, not so unusual, I do live in Italy.) However, I saw a monk the other day, a Franciscan with his brown robe and white cincture, and just about yelled out loud "Oh, my God! A monk!!"
Blessed Easter!
Charlotte
right, charlotte - i used to live in northern ireland where you can't swing a cat without hitting a nun.
I try and draw the insights & values of Religious Life beyond the walls.
You & your readers may like my attempts: "Liturgy" www.liturgy.co.nz
Let me know if you link.
The coolest nun I know is a seminary classmate. She's from the Order of St. Helena. She will be a "sister-priest" when all is said and done.
Stephanie
when i was in school at st. hilda's and st. hugh's there was a novice who became ordained. we didn't know what to call her! we could call her novice, but that felt odd. we couldn't call her mother, b/c the rev. mo. ruth was the head of the order so she held that title.
At a workshop at the Omega institute recently with James van Praagh he and several other workshop participants also saw a nun in a medium turquoise robe with a pretty old and big wooden cross on her chest in the park, JVP said first he thought she must be pretty backward the way her clothes looked, then he concluded that she must be a spirit. Several others including myself also saw the nun even at the workshop, although she wasn' registered (LOL).
I wonder what kind of nun orders exist in the US and what colors their robes are? The robe this nun wore looked franciscan or 'immaculate conception', because the robe was medium turquoise blue and white.
I'm fasinated by this process and would love to talk to you. I'm doing a documentary about nuns this summer.
Kayhallny@yahoo.com
Since few weeks I too have been seeing nuns wherever I go... And this has never happened before...does this mean anything..
Since few weeks I too have been seeing nuns wherever I go... And this has never happened before...does this mean anything..
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