Occasionally I am asked if a person has to be Catholic in order to become a nun. There are a number of ways to approach this question.
First, the word nun is used across religious traditions to refer to a woman who takes vows “committing her to a religious life.” Wikipedia further notes that “the term ‘nun’ is applicable to Roman Catholics, Eastern Christians, Anglicans, Lutherans, Jains, Buddhists, and Taoists, for example.”
Here in the United States, the word nun most often refers to the Catholic variety of nuns because that’s probably what most people are familiar with, even outside of Catholic circles. And for many the distinction between nun and sister is rarely if ever noticed by those outside of religious life (a term that refers to a way of life characterized by the vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience).
Still there are a number of people who have a kind of generic image of nuns as women who dedicate themselves to God, pray a lot, and do good for others. Sometimes this image is also associated with a rejection of not only the world but with ordinary living and being human … that that nuns somehow live a blissfully peaceful, utopia-esque life that is totally unencumbered by the ordinary stuff of life — relationships, heartache, struggle, joy, fun, suffering, busy-ness, etc. While it is true that we live a different kind of lifestyle and seek peace by the grace of God, we are still human and are affected by the world we live in and our own humanity whether we are cloistered nuns or nuns living in the mainstream world. All that is to say that for people who have the generic image of nuns, they may have no idea that being a nun means that your vows and your way of life is located within a particular religious tradition, not just free floating.
The Roman Catholic Christian tradition, of which I am a member, is not the only religious tradition, nor is it even the only Christian tradition that has nuns. I recently read an article about Episcopal nuns who belong to The Order of Saint Helena in Augusta, Georgia. There’s even some who blog — check out Sister Claire Joy who is also a member of Sister Bloggers, “Catholic Sisters, Episcopal Sisters, women in formation, those discerning a religious vocation and others who want to join the conversation.” There are also ecumenical communities of nuns such as the Benedictine Women of Madison whom I’ve had the joy of meeting.
So the answer to the question really is, No, you don’t have to be Catholic to be a nun, but you do have to belong to a particular religious tradition. If you want to be a Catholic nun, then yes, you have to be Catholic!
{ 18 comments… read them below or add one }
Shannon S. 09.17.08 at 6:40 am
Thanks for this explanation….it’s something I’ve been wondering about lately. I’ve been reading “The Cloister Walk” by Kathleen Norris, and I didn’t understand how a non-Catholic could become a Benedictine oblate. It completely makes sense if they work from an ecumenical framework. I didn’t even know that there are nuns in Protestant faiths!
Ray 09.17.08 at 12:29 pm
I used to wonder about this well and how it also applies to monks, since we have them in other traditions. One order I always found interesting is the Order of Julian of Norwich, a small Order of both Episcopalian nuns and monks (http://www.orderofjulian.org/home.html) mainly because Julian of Norwich is also a mystic figure the Catholic Church honors as well.
Another Sister Julie, CSSF 09.17.08 at 2:09 pm
I once inquired into a religious order I heard on the Christian radio station during my days of discernment. Imagine my surprise when I learned that the Evangelical Sisterhood of Mary was Lutheran! Their brochures also showed Lutheran Franciscan Friars! (They had a cool habit–brown tunic and cowl with cincture over brown slacks!
Jen 09.17.08 at 8:05 pm
Shannon: you don’t have to be Catholic to become a Benedictine Oblate of some communities. An Oblate is a lay person who lives according to the Rule of St. Benedict as far as their station in life will allow in association with some community. Each oblate program is slightly different, so different communities will have different obligations for their Oblates. In other words, your mileage may vary, consult local monastery for details, offer not valid in all 50 states, do not taunt happy fun ball.
James 09.18.08 at 12:01 am
Hi, I found your blog on this new directory of WordPress Blogs at blackhatbootcamp.com/listofwordpressblogs. I dont know how your blog came up, must have been a typo, i duno. Anyways, I just clicked it and here I am. Your blog looks good. Have a nice day. James.
Sister Lynne 09.18.08 at 8:08 am
Greetings from a Presbyterian nun! As a young girl I wanted to be a nun, but I wasn’t Catholic. Eventually, I became a Presbyterian minister. Twelve years ago I discovered it was possible for me to live a vowed life as a Benedictine sister with Benedictine Women of Madison and still remain Presbyterian. Our community welcomes women of any Christian denomination to become full members. Life here, with the ecumenical community at Holy Wisdom Monastery, continues to nurture and energize me as we live and grow together. We also have oblates from many different Christian churches.
Sister Julie 09.18.08 at 11:15 am
Hi Sister Lynne! I think we met once. My IHM Sister is the niece of Sister Joanne. We were at the monastery for an event a year or so ago. I hope you, Sister Joanne, and Sister Mary David are well. Thanks for visiting. You are always welcome.
Macrina 09.19.08 at 7:09 am
There are also the Protestant sisters of Grandchamp in Switzerland. The are a sort of sister community to the brothers of Taizé in France, but have developed in slightly different ways.
http://www.grandchamp.org/
Macrina 09.19.08 at 11:10 am
And I forgot to mention the monastic community of Bose in Italy. They are an ecumenical community of brothers and sisters. The majority are Catholics, but there are also Protestants. (And I’ve heard that an Orthodox bishop lives with them as well, although I’m not sure that he’s really a member). They have opted for noncanonical status in the Catholic Church (I think the are juridically an association of the faithful, or something like that) as the Holy See will not allow canonical communities to be ecumenical. But they are very well-received in the monastic world in Europe and the founder and prior is a sought-after speaker.
http://www.monasterodibose.it/index.php/
Sr. Lyngine Dominique-Marie, AIHM 11.28.08 at 2:54 pm
Hello Sr. Julie,
I wanted to also add a third option for religious life, which are ecumenical, non-residential religious communities. I am a Sister in the Augustinians of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, an ecumenical order following the Rule of St. Augustine (http://www.aihmfriars.org). We’re open to lay, ordained, married/celibate/single Christian men and women. Because we’re non-residential, our members live out their vocation where God has already placed them. It’s a slightly different way of doing religious life, but it opens up the possibility to those who may be called to deepen their baptismal promises but are not be able to pursue religious life in more traditional ways.
Michael 12.20.08 at 12:05 pm
I found your blog by searching for the Sisters of St Joseph. I attended St Peters school in Westernport MD in the 1950’s. Sister Saint Monica was my first grade teacher and the finest person that I have ever known. The world could use more people like her. Thank you, Sisters of Saint Joseph.
Sister Julie 12.21.08 at 4:31 am
Welcome, Michael!
Robyn TSSF 02.04.09 at 12:33 am
The Anglican (Episcopal, in the USA) church also has religious orders. I am a member of the Third Order, Society of St Francis, which has ordained, lay, male, female, married and single members in vowed religious life. I am female, married, a mum of one, and a Sister – a pretty good combo in my humble opinion! We are inspired by the Franciscan charism as expressed in Francis and Clare of Assisi.
We are a “community in dispersion” – we meet regularly for prayer, Eucharist, study and ministry, and live our vowed lives “in the world but not of it”. We make the three vows of simplicity, chastity, and obedience to our Order and the church (chastity is interpreted as living in such a way as not to possess people, with no sexual relations outside of marriage).
TSSF is a bit like the AIHM community Sister Lyngine talked about above. We still have a very strong community life, but it’s not in a monastery – although there are some groups of TSSF members who choose to live together in community.
I’m happy to answer any questions about TSSF if anyone wants to know more.
Pax
Robyn TSSF
Elena 02.08.09 at 7:09 pm
I live in Toronto, Canada I’m Christian Orthodok. I have been living in Canada for many years now I have been thinking of becoming a nun and live in monastery. I don’t know how and where.
Sister Julie 02.09.09 at 4:58 am
Dear Elena, Thank you for writing. I am not as familiar with Christian Orthodox nuns, but I have a couple suggestions. First would be to talk with someone at your parish — it might be the pastor or another parish leader. They will be able to help you with learning about becoming an Orthodox nun. Another option would be to contact someone at the regional level. In the Roman Catholic Church it would be the diocese office. I did a quick search and found, for example, the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Toronto. A regional organization such as this should have a vocations office, or someone who is familiar with the various Church vocations. I also encourage you to check out Saint Kosmas Aitolos Greek Orthodox Monastery in Bolton, Ontario. They welcome visitors to the monastery and are available via email.
Even if you are not Greek Orthodox, I think you’ll find some good guidance from both of these places. You might also check this list of Christian Orthodox monasteries for other locations and other Orthodox Church traditions.
For more general help in terms of discerning a vocation to become a nun, do check out my page How to Become a Catholic Nun … a lot of it also applies to discerning other vocations.
Blessings on your discernment, Elena. Please let me know if I can be of any help to you.
Reed 04.17.09 at 9:46 am
Do Catholic and Episcopalian Nuns get along ? Do they ever meet each other?
Sister Julie 04.17.09 at 10:14 am
Yes, we all get along. I don’t personally know an Episcopalian nun, but I’m sure Catholic and Episcopalian nuns have met and worked together.
Patt B. 06.24.09 at 7:26 pm
Hi Reed,
In answer to your question, when I was a postulant in an Anglican (Episcopal) sisterhood, the local Roman Catholic sisters acted as our Spiritual Directors, and we had our monthly, individual retreats at their convent, as our place was very small. We had a great relationship with them.
Also, often Roman Catholic sisters will conduct the yearly retreat for Anglican comunities, in preparation for their Chapter meetings.
Patti