10 Things You Didn’t Know About The Life Of Nuns
Hey people, have you watched the movie, The Nun?
The sinister sister from The Conjuring 2 was so chilling, she’s back with her very own
spin-off prequel in the name of The Nun.
A medieval demon appears in the form of a nun, haunts an eerie Romanian monastery and
will decades later make a cameo appearance in the Conjuring 2.
Spooky, now that truly sends a shiver down our spine!
But doesn’t that spark an interest in the life of the nun?
It sure does so we thought of presenting to you the things you didn’t know about the
life of nuns!
Number 1.
It is not easy becoming a nun Do you really feel that transitioning into
a nun is an easy job?
You are thoroughly mistaken my friend!
The long process comes with 4 steps without which one cannot become a nun.
It begins with the Aspirancy stage, living at the convent for 3-4 weeks and taking classes
while deciding if you want to be a nun or not.
If your resolve manages to stick, you move to the Postulancy and Novitiate stages.
You live in the postulancy for a year, learning the day to day living of a nun.
By novitiate you finally get your habit and new name!
Number 2.
Nuns were the first feminists Shocked?
Well, back in 1800s when women were fighting for their right to be heard and treated as
equals by men, nuns were already living the future other women were dreaming!
While women all over the world were struggling to make their own decisions and be treated
fair in realms of business, politics, and finance, nuns were already leaders in their
own right.
Come on, the nuns were self-reliant and they could not only make decisions in trade and
construction but also in education.
In fact, there were hundreds of hospitals and schools founded and run by nuns by 1906.
You go, nun!
Number 3.
Smartphones for nuns Can you imagine your life without a smartphone
in your hand “capturing” every moment you live?
In case you are trying to get rid of smartphone addiction, maybe just spend time with a nun
because you see, they aren’t supposed to use them.
We know that is hard to believe but Pope Francis issued a papal decree to that effect in 2016.
In his view, mobile phone and tablet usage may be good for outreach, they are full of
social media, something which may tempt many people out of monasteries and away from the
religion itself.
Do you also agree with the Pope that social media takes away from reverence of God?
Number 4.
The most famous nun Known in the Roman Catholic Church as Saint
Teresa of Calcutta, Mother Teresa was an Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun and missionary.
There is not a single person on earth who hasn’t heard of her, such a noble soul!
She lived the most part of her life in India where she dedicated herself to the poor and
the sickest of the untouchables.
By the end of her life, she had opened 517 missions in more than 100 countries.
But all that praise came at a cost, she was a controversial figure because she opposed
abortion.
That doesn’t keep us from saying that she was the most famous nun of all time!
Number 5.
Dealing with urges Now you don’t expect nuns to magically wash
themselves off of any human urges, do you?
Come on, they are also humans and want to “get to know someone” in the biblical
sense but they have to mitigate these feelings.
Any idea how they manage to do so?
Every time their mind wanders off to the off-limit topics, they splash their face with cold water!
They may even discuss their state of mind with other nuns who have been through the
same and can empathize with them.
In fact, people understand that these urges make the nuns stronger and instead of looking
down upon them, they are seen as a path for a stronger union, wow!
Number 6.
Haircuts for nuns We know you never really see a nun’s hair
because she keeps them covered with a hood.
But have you ever wondered how they keep their long tresses tucked away like that?
Well, you needn’t worry about the effort they put into it because hey, nuns don’t
wear their hair long!
It might be shocking but depending upon the type of nun they are, they would either cut
their hair short or even shave their head off completely.
The reason this haircut is practiced is that nuns are not supposed to be different from
one another nor are they supposed to have anything to show off to men or other women.
Showing off distracts nuns from focusing on quiet contemplation with the Lord!
Number 7.
Story of Dolores Hart Would you believe us if we told you that the
woman who gave Elvis Presley his first onscreen kiss is now a nun?
One of the biggest movie stars of her time, Dolores Hart is one of the last people you
would think would be interested in becoming a nun!
But while she was doing Francis of Assisi in Rome, she met Pope John XXIII and the meeting
changed her life.
She told him "I am Dolores Hart, the actress playing Clare." to which he replied, “No,
you are Clare!" in Italian.
She was so moved by it that she finally became a Roman Catholic Benedictine nun!
Number 8.
Undercover nuns fight human trafficking A low-key network of more than 1,100 sisters
currently operates in 80 countries with a mission and no, it’s not to spread religious
teachings!
Any idea what these women are doing?
Well, they rescue victims of human trafficking by posing as prostitutes to infiltrate brothels
and buying children being sold into slavery.
The group, called Talitha Kum has saved the lives of thousands from the dark hole but
since the menace has increased globally, there’s a long way to go!
Number 9.
The talent for being a nun Did you think that one needed absolutely no
talent in order to become a nun?
Well, you are very wrong!
Christianity believes that everyone is given a vocation, or a range of different talents
and abilities which will help that person have a meaningful life.
For example, if you are a good orator maybe you should join politics or if you are good
with paints, you should be an artist.
But if they are given the vocation of service to God, then they are destined to work as
a nun.
So you gotta have the talent to be a nun!
Number 10.
No tasty food for them The type of food a nun is allowed to eat depends
on her order.
While they may eat a wide variety of food, there are more austere groups which will only
eat bread, rice and beans.
In case there is a garden in the monastery, nuns will eat fruits and vegetables that they
grow.
But meat is served only on special occasions because it is considered a “luxury” food.
Seems like you cannot become a nun without some sacrifice on the table!
Which of these facts about the nuns shocked you the most?
Tell us in the comment section below.
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