Photos of Catholic sisters and nuns are difficult to come by here in the World Wide Web. The Internet collection of nun photos is abysmal. I’m tired of looking for images and coming up with caricatures of nuns and erotica. Neither speak the truth about the women who are Catholic sisters and nuns or about the vocation of religious life.
With your help, I want to change the face of nun imagery on the web.
This is what I propose: Send me your photos of real, Catholic sisters and nuns today. Approximately once a week (depending on the number of submissions I receive) I’ll dedicate a post to your nun image.
My goal is two-fold: provide a repository of images for all to see and use, and get a glimpse of what nuns are like today from YOUR perspective. Who are the nuns that you see and know?
So here’s what you need to do:
- Email me a nun photo (can be one nun, many nuns, whatever). If your nun image is already online, send me a link. In either case, in order for me to post the picture on my blog, I need your permission to distribute the photo and assurance that the persons in the photo are okay with having their image made public via the Internet.
- Write me a few details about the photo such as the date and location taken, a description of the photo, and the name and congregation of the nun(s).
- Tell me your story in relation to the image. (e.g., Sister Gabriel was my 7th grade teacher and taught me how to do a handstand.)
It will be helpful for many people to have good, authentic images of Catholic sisters and nuns. What do you get back? First and foremost the satisfaction of beginning to change the face of nun imagery on the web. You also get your nun photograph published on a widely-read blog for all to see!
While I may not be able to publish everything that is sent to me, I’ll do my best. I highly encourage all you religious communities to send me stuff too.
And for everyone who has a blog or website or who comments on blogs, forums, online articles, etc.: the more you link to these authentic nun photos, the more the photos will be ranked higher which has the effect of pushing the other unsavory nun images to the back.
Together we can give the Internet real visual images of Catholic sisters and nuns.
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{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
A clarification … I’m looking more for images of Catholic nuns and sisters today — which includes women in traditional habits, modified habits, and lay clothes. I want a mix to show the diversity of religious life. Showing nuns ministering, praying, etc. with whatever habit/clothing helps us recognize that there is no one way to be or look like a nun.
Great idea! One thing, too, is to get as many people as you can to link to it. That should raise the hit counter for it in a lot of search engines.
Absolutely, Jen. We’ve got to get authentic images to start ranking at the top in search engines.
I just sent you three pictures. What a fabulous idea!!!
Great idea. I wish I had some phtos for you. I have a couple of old ones from my travels, but it would be impossible to get the permissions you require for them.
I know that the permissions things is tough one but I’m not sure how else to do it in a way that is legit. Any idea?
Sounds good to me. You can find some photos of us at http://www.cdpkentucky.org. I hope you can use one or the other. Thanks for doing this.
Great deal, Sisters! Look forward to checking out the pics! Keep ‘em coming.
Sr. Fidelis,
I clicked on your site was was delighed to see a picture of Leslie who I met thru CCMA and “vow camp”. Thanks!
Sister Julie, I hope this works well! Good idea.
Ha! What a cool idea! I don’t think I have any nun photos, but this will be fun to watch!
You’re just doing real nuns, right? Not those portrayed in movie or tv shows?
I put most of the photos of sisters from my community on my Flickr site, and they all know that they can be used in various public ways. The Sisters set has about 46 photos right now. This is my busy season – start of the school year – so I don’t have time to write names or stories for all of them. If there’s anything that you’d like to use, I’d be happy to write up that one. The photos from our Jubilee celebrations should be added in the next few weeks. One of our sisters is age 100 and celebrated her Golden Jubilee. Two of them celebrated Jubilees of 80 years of monastic life.
Yes! Real nuns! This will be an ongoing invitation so anyone can help the cause by getting out there and snapping pictures of nuns in action or even inert ones at rest!
I’ll put a link someplace on my sidebar.
Oh, yeah, we need to show the true face of REAL nuns pronto! I just canme from the card shopp and guess what I found? Prune-faced sourpusses tied up in bedsheets, making comments like, “So many sins, so little time,” or “I ended up looking like this because I have to pray for people like you.”
Ugh.
Hey, Sister Julie! With your connections and the beginning of this project started, do you think we can turn this nun picture idea into a campaign? I can see it being picked up by WGN, then CNN, then Newseek, etc. The project could either mention that this is in response to the priest that wanted to do the nun pageant–or not.
Then we could do tasteful nun greeting cards (and call them something like “Greetings like Nun Other”) and give Hallmark,American Greetings, etc. a run for their money!
Okay, sugar + caffeine + lack of sleep = wacky ideas…..
Actually, I am serious about that first idea of taking it to mainstream media. Thoughts?
I like the photos from Sr. Edith. Very artsy. Plus she is a nun with LONG HAIR. That is somewhat out of the ordinary.
dee
Feel free to include the photos on our blog or website.
monday is nunday! i love that. what a fabulous idea!
i would love to see the nun photos; where/when will you post some of them? thank you. =). heather
Here’s a link to a story about one of my favorite nuns – Mary Ellen Brennan. She is the pastoral associate at my church, St. Joseph in Dexter MI. Together we chair the Social Ministry Commission at St. Joe’s.
Here’s her story and picture on the Sisters of Mercy website:
http://www.sistersofmercy.org/index.php?option=com_stories&Itemid=64&task=view&id=34
I love this idea. Now, I’m thinking to visit my nun friends I knew few months ago to take some photos with. I wish they’ll allow me. Smile always.. Godspeed! c”,)
-nica
This is absolutely wonderful! I may have to send some pics of our dear sisters!!!
For a “fresh” look at today’s Sisters, check out the December EBONY magazine (on newsstands now). There you will see sisters in traditional as well as modified habits. Enjoy!
Oh that’s RIGHT! I forgot you were going to be it! I’m headed out soon and will be sure to pick up a copy. Is that where you’re awesome picture came from?
Hey pics are a great idea
Soon I will send some of our internovieate group we are very diverse some with habbits and some without
Awesome, Sister Jenny. Look forward to the pics.
As you were, I was very irritated by the collection of nun’s pictures on the Web. Indeed, a majority is pornographic, or mockery!
I’m really admiration, you’re doing very well to help nun’s image.
God bless you!
it was in 2004, a very turbulent & difficult time in my life, i was at the edge & couldn;t get out of the hell i have made my life in. i was in a far away island in Catanduanes, Philippines i felt all alone with my year old son. i was thinkingof suicide bt still went to morning mass. At first , I didnt notice this nun who was on a mission there . One day I had been so distressed I asked for counselling & she happened to be there. She actually gave me my freedom from that island;gave me sound advices & helped me to my conversion back to our Catholic faith. If it were’nt for her , i don’t know what could have happened to me. she actually saved my life. her name is Sr. Eliza Cervantes D.C. , daughters of charity
There are many pictures of our nuns on our webpage. The sisters all come from various backgrounds, teachers, dental assistant, x-ray technician, journalist, banker, ceo at Kodak and a lawyer will be entering in Spring. (God willing) The sisters also come from varied states, Hudson, NY, Utica,NY, New Jersey, Staten Island, NY, St. Joe’s MO, Cleveland, OH, Maryland, PA, Philippines. And the amazing part is we all gel together. The miracle of Grace.
Hello dear sister Julie, I’ll sendo you some pictures of the sisters I know, they are very casual, but they may do perfectly for your purpouse.
I really like your blog, I’ll send you an e-mail later to tell you about my story and ask you about some things.
Kisses!
Amparo, from Argentina
Your idea is great! I am including a link to several sites which feature our sisters in ‘real life’ situations. I hope you find them helpful. Thanks for your initiative.
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1418565565?bctid=20868535001
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1418565565?bctid=20874813001
http://www.preciousbloodsistersdayton.org/
Excellent, as always, Julie! It strikes me how interesting and instructive it could be to sort of parallel a few – the more traditional women in ministry and play and prayer, with the more “modern” on identical themes (tho’ different forms). slightly. The reassurance we are all doing the mission as God’s consecrated women might mean a lot to some of those who roundly criticize renewal in religious life. THERE’S a cool lead for a mag photo article. What some folks have so much trouble “getting” is the core consecration and complete givenness to God’s work in the world by those who have moved with the vatican call to be in relation/dialogue with the world God so loved.
Many thanks! Connie IHM
Connie – I think this is hands-down one of the best ideas I have heard, in all these months of discomfort and discord in the Catholic community over who is a “good” sister and who is a “bad” sister, a good Catholic woman and a bad Catholic woman.
And how very, very cool to see sisters of different stripes getting together to create this visual equation for people who need help in seeing that Jesus is working both sides of the equation.
Jean