Nuns In High Regard...

I love this discussion. A friend of mine who is a nun, with her mother, lived next door to me until her mother passed away. They are both very special people. I have so many memories of having next door and all the fun we have had over the years. The building I live in is own by the Catholic hospital. Thus, I see quite a few nuns in the area. Also, I used to work for the hospital. Not all nuns are the same. Working for the hospital, I remember one nun really losing her temper. So in some ways they are like other people, and in other ways, they aren't. Some of the people at the hospital who had management postions, did not hold the nuns in high esteem. Yet, I know of one woman who lived in this complex owned by the hospital who really, really thought the world of them. I also have a friend who has a sister, and she is a nun. What do I think of nuns? I think they sacrifice a lot! They should be respected for what they do. And I supposed that is one reason people look at them in awe, but remember, that is a changin'. As time changes so does the respect for religious figures. Do I think they are closer to God than everyday people. It depends on the nun. Remember, they all have jobs. Some are teachers, some are in accounting, administration,etc. They put in more than a 9 to 5. They get tired, too. And they do not usually go out to dinner as much as the average person. They don't have a big time social life. Most appreciate the little things. Some I think are very close to God, and others not. They are human like everyone else. They fight temptation more than more people.

My cousin is a nun and she is also my closest friend. I also work part time in the convent where she resides and I have gotten to know the rest of the religious community. I can tell you, the nuns are no different than we are except that they might spend a little more time praying. They have their ups and downs in the community and any one of them will tell you that they are only human like ourselves. Yes, I think I could become a nun. These days, they have much more freedom except for the enclosed orders and I wouldn't consider joining one of those.

I remember years ago when I saw the movie "A Nun's Story" with Audrey Hepburn I though about becoming a nun. Then I realized I didnot want the structure and the cloistered life. I do admire them for all the good work they do.

[i]Hi twoey, I admire their vocation also since I know and I can imagine how hard the training since I have an office mate before who joined the congregation last year and she told us it was very hard and she prayed so hard to handle all the tough situation since it was really her dream to become a nun! I don't think all of them is close to GOD, I had a friend who used to work with nuns and she said that they have group also and when they are fighting, they will be shouting really and some will throw some plates to each other, I was shocked when I learned this but again, I have to remember they are human also and bound to commit mistakes! ABout closeness to God, they pray a lot and do good things to people, so, I guess they are close to GOD but our GOD is fair so, everyone gets the chance to be close to HIM![/i]

Hi twoey68, I was brought a Catholic and I hsd to go to Saturday at the church where were two nuns who taught us, I was only little and when I got thins wron I used to get my knucles rapped with the ruler, even since then I don't think much of the and I would never ever dream of becoming like them. Tamara

I wanted to be a nun once when I was younger. I always feel differently around them (until now, I don't know why). But my cousin took me aside and asked me to give it some more thought. She told me she knew I would be regretting living a solitary life and if I decide to take that vow, there's no turning back. I still wonder what could have been if I did but I'm happy with where I'm at right now.

Hello Twoey, I owe so very much to the many Sisters that I have known over the years! Nuns can be: strong, funny, intelligent, concerned citizens, terrific neighbors, outstanding educators, thought-provoking debaters, community leaders, spiritual mentors, talented musicians, superb basketball, chess, or field hockey players etc... Like any other sub-sect of the population, they can have their 'bad apples' as well. All in all, I'd say that I am a much better Human Being for having been granted access to so many terrific Sisters, from several different Orders. In fact, though I am resistant to the idea of having too many personal heroes, two of mine were Catholic Nuns! To each I owe my hunger for knowledge and understanding, my fierce sense of fairness, my respect for the meek, and my empathy for the weak. Thank you Sr. Maureen and Sr. Connie! Are they closer to God? Ya' know, there were times when I thought that Sr. Maureen must have had a 'bat phone' directly to Heaven, 'cause she knew things that no one could have reasonably known -- like when we were hanging out in the restroom, instead of clacking away in Sr. Francis' typing class. Humor aside, I do believe that their commitment to spirituality does envelope them in a blanket of grace that few, if any, secularists will ever know. Could I ever be a Nun? There is little question that no Mother Superior has enough patience to have me in her Convent, and not pull all of her hair out. Even if she had the patience of Job, it wouldn't be enough. The answer is no. I have always been resistant to dogma. Spirituality, yes. Faith, yes. Dogma, definitely not! Of course, that only makes me respect the Sisters that much more. It takes so much more strength to quietly stand one's ground in dissent than it does to makes lots of noise.

I wish I had met some of the nuns that ya'll have met! All of the ones I have known have been mean & nasty and rude. I went to Catholic grade school. high school, and college! The nuns I met with were drunks and mean as the dickens. You must have met some really phoney ones - they are people and just like anyone else! Or maybe I just happened to meet the only awful ones in the world, ya think?

Being a nun removes a person away from a lot of temptations. I admire the fact that they give up things we would not want to, but I also know that we have a harder fight daily because we are confronted by things they are not. However, to stick with the life of a nun one has to be quite a woman. Staying away from so much of the world would certainly give a person the opportunity to get closer to God.

I don't think I could be a nun now or earlier on in my life. They seem to not have a care in the world. As for them being closer to God....maybe since that is their life, living in and for the church. I have seem nun's really often in the grocery store and it is weird how you seem to want to talk softly to them and around them.

I admire nuns, they're very devoted and centered. But there is something very unnatural about men and women denying themselves families. I think the Catholic church is very wrong to demand that men and women cut themselves off from the world.

They've always held an air of mystery to me too, I couldn't ever understand how they are able to live the way they do. I know I couldn't do it either, I'm used to living the way I do. I suppose people look up to them because they seem so spiritual, and we may think that they are the closest people to God, than anybody else we know. They are solely dedicated to God, thats why they are able to live the way they do.

The only Nuns i have ever seen have been in the movies and on t.v. so i really have no frame of refereance in actual reality. But i do have to say that i admire anyone that can live up to their convictions and do it in a happy state of mind.

I was raised catholic, went to catholic school, in high school i was in a catholic youth group and in my early twenties I worked for YOU! Magazine which is an international catholic teen magazine that was published in 6 different languages i believe. Anyways there are so many different orders of nuns. One of my former roommate was in Mother Angelicas order i think its the Poor Claires of Assisi? She was a cloistered nun & she was in prayer most the time. Personally i could not be a nun im a little too wild i think lol. I have so much respect for nuns. The only nuns we had at my catholic school was the principle. I have an aunt who is a nun and she is 80 shes so cute lol.

I myself am a Christian,but I am not a Catholic,however I was very fortunate to attend a school that was run by Irish nuns.This was a primary day school called Saint Anthony's school for Indian and coloured children.These two nuns, Sister Regis and Sister Beatrice were our Principal and Vice Principal respectively.They were wonderful Ladies who had our best interests at heart.I believe that we have received the finest education from this school because of these fine ladies of God.

Nuns do have thier place in the world and I would like to think that they uphold in their belefs. But when they find they cant I think it is good that they now can get out of it.

I was raised catholic and went to catholic schools I always saw them around just like ordinary people, some of them are self righteous and some are just angelic I used to want to be a nun when I was young I felt like I could be one of those angels I did have a crush on some boys in highschool but one mistake would make them look like fools and a waste of time I thought I'd rather spend my life serving the Creator, the one and only, a perfection but then I met my husband, and it became clear to me that not all boys stay boys at least one grows up become the man I need :) so yeah I know I can be a nun in fact I was going to join a congregation not long before I met hubby :)

People choose who they want to be. i never liked nuns because they were always looking to correct you or to tell you to be quiet. They are very good in making money though. Cheers!!

When I was young my life was not the best and I found solace with a nun of whom I spoke to about all my problems etc, after a long while of thinking about it I actually decided I wanted to be a novice..unfortunatley that didn't happen...now I have come to a stage in my life that although I admire nuns very much and their solitary, meagre existence I don't think I could commit myself to that way of living..but I still admire nuns and their beleifs and commitment in the way they live..hhugs littleowl

no, i could not ne a nun. i admire them for wanting to be but it wouldn't be for me.