Comments on: What is an extern sister?

By: Alicemary

Alicemary — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:01:51 +0000

When I was young, I grew up down the street from a Dominican Monastery. They had 2-3 externs and what wonderful woman. One was a dear friend of mine over a 15 year span. She inspired me, encouraged me and was such an influence in my life. I never met a more lively woman, nor such an empathetic one. Visitors to the monastery just loved her and sought out her advice and prayers. She always prayed at 1500, for an hour, and when I watched her pray, I know that all would be well in the world. She died in 1976, and since then I can still feel her presence in my life. I am so lucky I met this extern, and am sad to see it that there are not many left.

By: Sr. Hildegard, OSsR

Sr. Hildegard, OSsR — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:25:21 +0000

In my recent comments I failed to say that the majority of monastic contemplative cloistered communities do not have extern sisters. In most contemplative communities all of the nuns share in one way or another in those activities which require contact with those coming into the monastery or which require leaving the enclosure on behalf of the community. In our house a sister is in charge of supervising the cook, planning menus and grocery shopping; we take turns going to the post-office to pick up mail; those who drive generously provide transportation for sisters who do not drive and need to visit the doctor or have a medical test; and the bursar shops for or orders any other supplies we need for the house. Always these sevices are considered in terms of the primacy of our prayer – communal and personal – as well as the needs of the work we do in the monastery to support ourselves financially (sewing capes for the Knights of the Holy Selpulchre and habits for Redemptorist priests and brothers). Incidently, we do all our own cleaning and employ only a cook for six days a week, one meal a day, and a very part-time handiman. I think we do pretty well considering that we have three sisters over eighty and three in their late seventies out of a community of ten.

By: Sister Julie

Sister Julie — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:32:50 +0000

Hi Deborah, Thank you for writing. Not all cloistered communities have extern sisters and rely solely on lay people like your cousin to help out.

By: Deborah

Deborah — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:12:18 +0000

My cousin is a member of the Carmelites in Jefferson City MO and my uncle comes into the convent to help them with repairs and run errands for them. I’ll have to ask if they have an extern sister. Thanks for blog Sister