You never Know
By Jo Ann
@akalinus (44366)
United States
July 25, 2019 10:50am CST
You think you know your friends, but do you really? I discovered that I don't.
Last night, I saw on Facebook that a longtime dear friend has passed on. My son found her obituary and messaged it to me.
I always knew she was a devout Catholic and was a nurse for many years. I was absolutely blown away to discover that she was a Poor Clare Nun for a few years before marrying, starting a family and serving people throughout her life. I never even heard of such a thing.
You can google it. It is a Catholic order under the auspices of St. Francis of Assissi. Its main purpose is to intercede for the poor, sick, and oppressed. These nuns are in it for life. It is very hard to leave. I wonder what happened in her case.
All, of the years I knew her, she never said anything about ever being a nun or even breathing a hint about it. You think you know people but you don't.
Have you ever been surprised by what you learned about someone?
10 people like this
9 responses
@LadyDuck (502187)
• Italy
27 Jul 19
@akalinus I have checked, nuns who have taken simple vows can renounce, not nuns who have taken the "Solemn Vows" of poverty, chastity and obedience. Of course you can always go and do not care as some Priests did. For the Catholic Church you live in sin.
2 people like this
@akalinus (44366)
• United States
27 Jul 19
@LadyDuck I hope that is not the case. I know there are special circumstances and you can go with blessings after enough forms are filled out and enough signatures collected.
I don't know what happened in my friend's case. I know one other person who left a convent but she was a novice and had not taken final vows.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
26 Jul 19
Nothing comes to mind but I'm sure I must have,
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
27 Jul 19
@akalinus She did her best to be a good person and she loved her family and friends.
1 person likes this
@akalinus (44366)
• United States
27 Jul 19
@BelleStarr What could be better than that? Good answer!
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
26 Jul 19
so saddened to read 'f yer loss, hon. my deepest condolences to all. sometimes folks jest don't wish to discuss the past 'n i can't say i blame 'er fer not disclosin' such.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
26 Jul 19
@akalinus we 'nly know what folks tell's, so's don't dwell'n such too much. she'd her reasonin' fer keepin' that tucked'n her heart.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
26 Jul 19
@akalinus yes ma'am, jest a babe 'erself 't the time.
1 person likes this
@akalinus (44366)
• United States
26 Jul 19
@crazyhorseladycx Yes, bless her. Otherwise, she would have told me. She must have been very young when she was there because she was a nurse for over 50 years.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238275)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jul 19
That's a good question. I have some friends that I've known since childhood. I feel we all know each other pretty well. But my more recent friends...I'm not sure. One surprised me by kind of "using" me...that led to The Moth Song, which you've probably heard. I'm sure some of my more recent "softball buddies" and "music friends" have plenty of secrets I don't know about.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238275)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Jul 19
By the way, I'm sorry to hear of your loss. St. Francis is my favorite saint. He is known for casting away his riches (his father was a successful merchant) and devoting his life to helping the poor. Your friend sounds like a very special person, and what my late friend Mark would call a "true Christian."
@Shivram59 (50135)
• India
26 Jul 19
@akalinus Yes,it happened once with me.One of my friends, who is my neighbour too , bluntly turned down my request.I was sure that he would help me get a job for my younger brother in a company owned by a man who is his friend.He flatly refused to help me.I was shocked.I don't claim to know my friends.
@Shivram59 (50135)
• India
27 Jul 19
@akalinus If he had a reason,he could have told me.I can't say why he flatly refused to help me.I was not surprised,I was shocked.
@akalinus (44366)
• United States
29 Jul 19
@Shivram59 He could have told you something but I would be shocked too.
1 person likes this
