secular Institute for the laity under religious vows

response
sorry you feel that way

Why would you be sorry about any way l might feel? Why would you assume there might be anything to be sorry about? I mean, other than those "We are to love one another as ourselves" and "All one within the body of Christ" things. Lets don't do abstracts for the moment - how, apart from the electrons and pixels representing the connection between our 2 computers, does anything relating to me in any way affect you?

Wow timber, your comment on the last page wasn't my take on it at all.

If anything, nancyann is like a breath of fresh air here.
I don't see her as trying to convince herself, or anyone else of anything.
In whatever one chooses to do with their lives, there are going to be challenges.


Also, personally, I don't get the impression that nancyann was using the word 'sorry' in the way you took it. But, I could be wrong.

The reason I asked about how she dealt with the issue of marriage, because for me, that is a major calling in my life, and was trying to imagine how I would deal with not having that.

This heathen is finding what she's saying quite interesting.

joy of the life
Sometimes when I try to explain about the life to others on a computer I may sound a bit excited or overbearing, I do not mean to be, I just love what I am doing and wanted to share parts of the life and the faith with others if they were interested. That is all! Thanks for explaning!

Nancyann

all is well
All is well and thanks! I will always keep on witing! You are not a heathen. We are all on a road and a journey toward God to know where He wants us. I struggled for years and at times still do when my brother does his drugs and I don't understand why. But I turn to God and beg Him to show me the way. He always does in the simple and the little things in life through the people of my days! None of us has it easy but through this little forun we can all keep positive with one another and reassure oneanother when we need each other.

Nancyann

Don't get the idea I'm jumping on you, nancyann - first and foremost, I don't do personal attack, don't like it, don't like the ramblings of those who think it the handiest tool in their kit. Opinions, assertions, allegations, statements, positions, propositions, arguments, and/or the manner, style, or substance of the presentation of same are alltogether a different matter, from time to time dealt with by me somewhat less genteely. I acknowledge I play hard, once in a while very hard, but I do endeavor to observe the rules. I may - very likely will - hammer on what you say or how you say it, but I won't hammer on you the person.

Now, that outta the way, the ebullience your writing conveys imparts to your presentation a certain quality - sorta like "trying too hard", along with a youthful innocence bordering on disingenuousness (I get a mental picture resembling Sister Mary Patrick, Kathy Najimi's character in the Sister Act movies) - nothing really untoward with any of that per se, just a personal, and entirely subjective, observation, coupled with a bit of conjecture and projection. Given the media-focussed overall philosophy and practice of the Paulines - the Vatican's ad agency, so to speak, I found the style you employed unexpected to say the least, given the context from within which you presented it

No reason in the world I couldn't be wrong - I mean, after all, I gotta figure that's bound to happen sooner or later :wink: .... Why, just the other day, I momentarily believed I'd made an error, only to discover on further reflection that hadn't heen the case <insert rimshot here>

OK - levity aside, we'll stipulate your sincere enthusiasm, and I'll apologize for any pejoration you may have inferred therefrom and/or for any other discomfort brought you by my (characteristic of me) indellicately bluntly phrased opinion . Might as well stipulate my sincere sceptisism too, while we're at it, just for the sake of full upfront disclosure. Neither is relevant to where I'm going here.

Actually, I have a strong admiration for those of the Pauline Community and in particular admire the Order's immersion into and interaction with the secular wolrld. I find your professed station intriguing ... as you mentioned earlier, living the religious life in one's own home as opposed to within a monastic setting imposes challenges all of its own. Good for you for rising to the occasion, and please accept my sincerest wish you may continue to do so in all happiness and fulfilment.

I have little direct knowledge of women within the Pauline Order, nor of their role. I have even less familiarity with the extra-monastic religious life you have undertaken. A question arises - In your intoductory post, you pretty well covered how you deal with Canons 662 - 666, as pertain to the Obligations and Rights of Institutes and of their Members. I'm curious, however - and just that, curious, nothing more - as to in what manner you in your own house have seen to compliance with Canon 667 §1, that there be set aside " ... an enclosure appropriate to the character and mission of the institute" ... "always to be reserved to the members alone" . If not an invasion of your privacy, I wonder if you could tell me whether you have in your own home a "public", or "common" area, set off from which is a specific, doored room reserved per the requirements of 667 §1, or if you have something more along the lines of a shrine or other iconic display, visible to and at least ostensibly publically accessible from the general dwelling area, and perhaps tell me also something of the nature of that shrine or enclosure.

response
Generally members of the Institute live in there own apartments or homes. No I do not have a shrine of sorts but I do have an area of my apartment where I consider my prayer corner where I have an open bible and candles and my prayer books.

The religious congregations of Sisters and priests have the blessed sacrament reserved in their chapels--not us!

But we can have what we wish for books as I just stated. We go out to churches daily for mass but do not have the blessed sacrament reserved in our homes.

We we enter the novitiate we are given a "STATUTE" book of the way of the life of the member's life to live and the requirements. It is a process of learning in the whole formation process from aspirancy to perpetual vows to learn and to live them. But the vows are lived for the day of entrance onward.

As for canon law, canon law is lived and understood in our way of life. As to specific laws they are incorporated into each statute in our book.

The most inportant thing is to live the life daily in a very Pauline way giving Jesus Master to all those whom one meets in the kindest possible way as He gives us life each day!

Nancyann

Nancyann; have you read any of the other threads in the S&R forum? We would be interested in your opinions.

Thanks for the answer. I'd say that seems to me to meet the qualities of an iconic shrine, though that's semantics, I suppose; its yours, you can call it whatever you wish.

Another curiosity question - am I correct in assuming your participation on this web forum reflects an expression of the Pauline mandate to develop and exploit media resources in the interest of furthering the Catholic cause?

SHARING THE FAITH
I am as I said doing this solely on my own as a personal sharing of the faith I have to share in the Institute to which I belong with no alterior motive but to share what I know and have and love. That is simple and all I have!

Nancyann

I'm beginning to understand you (both) more fully.

Edited to add word.

Glad you're keeping up Neo :wink:


Nancyann - I wouldn't ascribe the attribute of "Ulterior" to any motive or purpose you might have relating to web forum participation; to me, using the web is a perfectly legitimate, and logical, expression of the Pauline mandate - nothing ulterior or sinister there at all. I can accept that you're here on your own initiative, no problem. Nothing in that would be inconsistent with the outreach mandate, so far as I can see.

My curiosity arises in that I've not before come across an example such as your appearance here presents - at least not from the Pauline perspective. And again, I'm not knocking or criticizing either it or you in that light, just noting the approach is a new one to me.

Now, if you don't mind, another curiosity question. How did you come across A2K, and what made you decide to join and participate?

Another Group Sings tomorrow
Our Founder began 10 groups. I belong to one group as you know, The Institute of Our Lady of the Annunciation. Another group is called The Daughters of the Daughteers of St Paul. A group of us, IOLA's are going to see the Daughter of St. Paul, religious Sisters sing at a concert for Christmas. And after we are going to bring out one of the Sisters to walk around and look at the lights and walk in the snow and then out to eat for dinner at 7 p.m. as a "thank you" for all she has done for our group of three this past year. You see three of us live in the same state and get together at the Daughter's of St. Paul once a month for our even of recollection.

Our evening starts at 5 pm. by a conference of this Sister. Some of the hour themes of power point presentations were on "Jesus, Master" "Poverty" "Giving of ourselves in life" "Mary, Queen of the Apostles" (One of our devotions) and last month on "The Meaning of Success by Blessed James Alberione, our Founder" After that we had evening prayers with the Sisters in their chapel where the Eucharist is all of the time and the make records and CD's. Their voices are so beautiful. After that we had dinner with them,

After that we had what we call in the Pauline Family our HOUR VISIT to the Blessed sacrament. For an hour the Blessed Eucharist was exposed and we prayed the holy rosary, we had Sister translate directly from our founder's writings in Italian and she translated them to us in English about how to live in kindness, love and peace with one another."

Before I entered I bought all of the books of Blessed James Alberione because I loved his writings, they are so powerful. I entered this Pauline Congregation because of my love for him. Not because I knew someone. It was that simple I just love what he had to say. I wanted to follow that spirit!

His work just touched me at a time in my life when I was searching for a home for my vocation!

After the holy hour we then go our way home. But we do this once a month. In our get togethers. I really look forward to them.

So we are surprising Sister with a gift: we got her candy and passes to the movies for many movies with friends! She'll be so happy!

That is tomorrow after Mass!

Also, daily I pray for my brother in Iraq. He lives there. Helping to rebuild Iraq! One day last month, there was enemy fire and a shot got into his window where he was working with other men, the gun shot missed him and the men but lodged in the wall. He was lucky this time! Please remember him in your prayers, please! As I remember you all daily at MASS!

Nancyann

I was looking up
I was looking up vows and Secular Institute but didn't find much, so thought I would do something!

Simple. A friend of mine goes on the site every morning bobsmythhawk and keys in some radio station and talks to it and loves the station and introduces me to a2k

Nancyann

Cool - and again thanks for the answer. I often wonder what draws some folks to A2K - gad you found us, and glad you decided to participate.

BTW - as mentioned earlier, this is a large and diverse forum; you might be interested to wander around the various different boards here ... stuff out there for just about all interests.

Not easy; but I'm trying.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing as timber...

there's other forums in there you may want to check out.

I think you have a lot to bring to the table.

look around
I shall look around at other things also!

Thanks

Nancyann

Today's entry to all!
As I picked up my prayer bookChristian Prayer:Liturgy of the Hours,I decided to share parts of it with you since it was so nice:

"(It is Advent:It is a time when we prepare our hearts for the coming of the Lord in our lives) so many of he prayers are about that!

"The Lord is coming without delay. He will reveal things kept hidden and show himself to all mankind, alleluia! Mountains and Hills shall be level, crooked paths straight, rough ways smooth. Come Lord, and do not delay in my life...It is now the hour for you to wake from sleep, for our salvation is closer than when we first accepted the faith. The night is far spent; the day drws near. Let us cast off deeds of darkness and put on the armour of light. Let us live honorably as in daylight, not in carousing and in drunkenness, not in sexual excess and lust, not in quarreling and jealousing. Rather put on the Lord Jesus and make no provision for the desires of the flesh...

Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ever faithful to your promises, and ever close to your church: the earth rejoices in hope of the Savior's coming and looks foward with longing to his return at the end of time. Prepare our hearts and remove the sadness that hinders us from the feeling of the joy which his presence will bestow, for he is Lord for ever and ever ...Amen! This was part of Morning Prayer.

Today the pink candle is lit, the third Sunday of Advent! It is the theme of JOY in the Catholic Church! We anticipate the birth of Jesus birth!

This is a special time in so many faiths as they celebrate this month so joyfully! Whatever one's faith, may you have a wonderful journey as you prepare yourself for a deeper relationship with God!

Nancyann

nancyann - just a quick tip: there's a brief "how to" for using BBCode to format things in your posts available HERE.

Also, if you click the "Post Reply" button - - instead of using the Quick Reply box on the thread page, you'll find convenient buttons for common formatting chores located above the text entry box - just click the appropriate button for IMG or URL and fill in the dialogue boxes appropriately to post links or images (whole bunch more on how to post images at Tutorial - How to post an image), or highlight the text you wish to format as bold, color, italic, underlined, or quote, and click the pertinent button - its done for you. Also, using "Preview" can save a bit of inconvenience and embarrassment - not that I follow that rule religiously :wink:

Anyhow, the reason underlining didn't work in your earlier post up there is that the closing command tag was improperly entered; the character(s) comprising the text of the closing command tag must be be prefixed by a forward slash within the command tag brackets. You typed:
you should have typed: (note the forward slash - "/" - prefixing the "U" character inside the closing command tag brackets) which would have given you this:


Note: if you are going to hot-type BBCode Command Tags, upper case or lower case makes no difference, AS LONG AS THE ENTIRE SET OF COMMAND CHARACTERS, opening and closing commands, is typed in the same case - all upper or all lower just so long as case is consistent throughout any individual given tag set.