A Nun's Life » ask sister

AS101 Ask Sister – how nuns elect their leaders, Anglicans jumping the Tiber, hopeful husband-to-be wonders if convent trumps marriage, visiting the convent, can you be a speech pathologist and nun too

Sister Maxine — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:01:14 +0000

Join us today for the Ask Sister podcast, a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about faith, nuns, prayer, religious life, and pretty much everything in between!

What: Ask Sister LIVE Podcast
When: TODAY at 6 p.m. Central Time (your timezone)
Where: www.aNunsLife.org/LIVE

Here are some of the questions we’ll address in this Ask Sister podcast:

The IHM sisters recently elected a new leadership team. How is this done? Do sisters run against each other? Are there term limits? Is the process similar for most orders?
What do Catholics think about Anglicans who are coming in en masse and their reasons for jumping the Tiber?
I have known a dear friend for over two years. One day I wish to be her husband. However she is seeking a life as a nun. Should I keep my feelings to myself in fear I may be in her way to a life as a sister, or should I confess my feelings?
I have seen a few convents that have weekend retreats where women can go to experience what it is like. Is there any website where I can get a list of all convents that have these events?
Can you be a speech language pathologist and a nun too?

Do you have a question for us? Contact us http://anunslife.org/contact/and, using your computer, record your question on voice mail. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS100 Ask Sister – Highlights of fav shows in honor of 100th Ask Sister episode, World Day for Consecrated Life, GPS rosary for finding religious life, vow of obedience vs. doormat

Sister Maxine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:10:14 +0000

AS100 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 2, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Highlights in honor of 100th episode, World Day for Consecrated Life, GPS rosary for religious life, vow of obedience vs. doormat, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

In honor of the 100th episode of Ask Sister, audio clips of some of our favorite shows: tin-can podcast #1, Chloe the Convent Cat, putting the “man” in “mantilla,” and the sisters’ best jokes.
World Day for Consecrated Life–an opportunity to celebrate God’s calling in our lives.
The Rosary as a GPS for finding one’s way to religious life.
The Rosary as a Marian devotion, and the role of Mary in our lives and in the tradition of religious life.
Fond memories of the glow-in-the-dark Rosary.
How does one live out the vow of obedience, without falling into the unhealthy habit of being a doormat? The ups and downs of obedience not just for sisters but for all Christians!

AS099 Ask Sister – Mass fracas over word changes in liturgy, unruly use of church rules, where to find a spiritual mentor, does God have plans for the world

Sister Maxine — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:08:55 +0000

AS099 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 19, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Mass fracas over word changes in liturgy, unruly use of church rules, finding a spiritual mentor, does God have plans for the world, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Why are some people vehemently upset about the changes to the Mass? Jesus is still Jesus in the Eucharist — isn’t that why we go to Mass anyway?
Can I be a sister if I am not a conservative Catholic (or in other words, have a problem with strict applying of rules in the church)?
Where to find a spiritual mentor when it seems there’s not one anywhere nearby.
What are God’s plans for today’s world?

AS098 Ask Sister – the difference between penance and sacrifice, speechless God, is grief a rejection of faith

The Nuns — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:44:24 +0000

AS098 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 12, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: the difference between penance and sacrifice, speechless God, is grief a rejection of faith, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What is the difference between penance and sacrifice?
Austerities and asceticism
I don’t feel like God is telling me much. Am I going to hear a voice one day before graduation telling me to go to a convent? Or is saying “I want to go to college and study anthropology” sufficient?
Measuring up to the holiness of friends and other people.
My mother died recently and I’m very sad. But some of my bible study friends say, “She’s in heaven with God now and you should be happy about that.” Is my sadness somehow a rejection of my faith?

AS097 Ask Sister – Travel troubles for road nun, Christian feminists-do they really exist, building the kingdom of God locally

The Nuns — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:06:40 +0000

AS097 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 5, 2012. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: travel troubles for road nun, Christian feminists – do they really exist?, building the kingdom of God locally and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What happens when a nun is traveling and runs into really bad weather? Is prayer her only option?
What does it mean to be a Christian feminist?
What does it mean to build the kingdom of God? How can we do that locally?

AS096 Ask Sister – run-ins with the Blessed Virgin Mary, hanging on to pre-Vatican II stuff, adopt-a-nun, and more

The Nuns — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 15:31:46 +0000

S096 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on December 29, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: run-ins with the Blessed Virgin Mary, hanging on to pre-Vatican II stuff, adopt-a-nun, how to know and respond when God is calling, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

I’m not Catholic but have had a few run-ins with the Blessed Virgin Mary. What could this possibly mean?
Is it wrong to hang onto pre-Vatican II understandings and expressions of the faith? Of religious life?
I’d love to spiritually adopt a nun. How to I go about doing so?
How do you know if God is calling you to something, and what can you do about it?

Do you have a question for us? Contact us http://anunslife.org/contact/and, using your computer, record your question on voice mail. Be sure to give us your first name and city from which you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS095 Ask Sister – the nature of grace, renouncing things one never had, nunly vows, my church NO my church!

The Nuns — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:37:45 +0000

AS095 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on December 8, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: nature and theology of grace, renouncing things one never had, nun vows, the Trinity as two men and a hen?, my church NO my church!, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What exactly is grace? Is it like The Force or getting a shot of Red Bull?
How does grace lead to freedom?
Two men and a hen — A new image for the Trinity?
Can a person renounce something if they’ve never had it? e.g., can I give up sex if I’ve never even had a romantic relationship?
Aren’t the vows about renouncing things?
Whose church is it, anyway? Is the Church my church, your church, God’s church, or our church?
A Sister is interviewed on CBS News regarding the Apostolic Visitation and sisters’ responses

Do you have a question for us? Contact us http://anunslife.org/contact/ and, using your computer, record your question on voice mail. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS094 Ask Sister – nun hairstyles, a question of morals, debunking nun myths for your friends, nuns for 4-year-old, weird detours

The Nuns — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 15:18:40 +0000

AS094 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 30, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: nun hairstyles, a question of morals, debunking nun myths for your friends, explaining nuns to a 4-year-old child, weird detours, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

A novelist wants to know what’s under the veil for sisters circa 1960: hair or no hair?
A listener asks if there are moral qualifications to be a nun. We’ll expand the convo to talk about moral qualifications for vocations of all types.
What to tell friends about nuns and virginity, nuns and trust funds, and nuns who are parents.
Can sisters and nuns keep assets and inheritances when they enter religious life?
Do nuns get an allowance or stipend?
A mom wonders how to explain what nuns are to her four-year-old.
Are weird detours part of God’s plan?

AS093 Ask Sister – Special Edition on Saints, holiness, and joy with guests Sister Sandra Schneiders and Father James Martin

The Nuns — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 07:00:55 +0000

AS093 Ask Sister podcast published on November 24, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. This is a Special Edition on Saints, holiness, and joy. The nuns are joined by Catholic superstars Sister Sandra Schneiders, IHM, and Father James Martin, SJ.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.
Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Sister Sandra Schneiders

What is the Scriptural basis for the saints?
In iconography and in various visual renderings, the saints are often pictured with some kind of symbol that speaks to something about their life — Teresa of Avila is pictured with a dove and quill, Saint Joseph with carpentry tools. Centuries from now, what symbol would you hope would be associated with you?
What does holiness mean in general as well as in the ups and downs of our daily life?
What was it like first getting to know the author of the Fourth Gospel?
Check out Sister Sandra’s new book Prophets in Their Own Country: Women Religious Bearing Witness to the Gospel in a Troubled Church

Father James Martin

What role do saints play in our prayers?
Is it considered a miracle that some saints do not decompose after dying?
Isn’t holiness a pretty serious thing? What role do joy, humor, and laughter play in the spiritual life?
What’s the deal with relics?
What advice would you give to people who want to live a saintly life?
Check out Father Jim’s new book Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life

AS092 Ask Sister – call and dread in discernment, novelist seeks info on real-life nuns, a sister’s ministry to kids with AIDS, cookin’ and cleanin’ nuns

The Nuns — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:46:02 +0000

AS092 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 17, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: call and dread in discernment, a novelist seeks info on real-life nuns, ministry to and with children, cooking and cleaning nuns, and more!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

The work of discernment: call and dread. Really?
Novelist asks about nuns in childcare ministries, and Sister Camille Brouillard responds by describing what it was like to minister to children with AIDS.
I found a description of sisters and nuns on a diocesan website that describes their lives in terms of cooking and housekeeping and wanting to be loved and, oh yeah, some prayer too. What’s up with that?

AS091 Ask Sister – novelist needs info for nunfiction, hanging up on a call from God, how nuns pray, submissiveness, unholy spirits, gay saints

The Nuns — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 17:35:06 +0000

AS091 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 9, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: novelist needs info for nunfiction, hanging up on a call from God, how nuns pray, submissiveness, unholy spirits, gay saints

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

A novelist is looking for info for a new work of nunfiction
Hanging up on a call from God? What happens when a nun leaves religious life?
A rosary a day? How nuns pray.
What is submissiveness?
Unholy spirits and what to do about them
Are there any gay saints?

Do you have a question for us? Using your computer, record your question on voice mail. It’s easy to do! Just click this Record link to get started! Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS090 Ask Sister – Special Saintly Edition, with saints in a cave, saintly symbols-coffee and ice cream, decommissioned saints, saintliness in scripture

The Nuns — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 15:12:52 +0000

AS090 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 3, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Special Saintly Edition. Topics include: saints in a cave, saintly symbols-coffee and ice cream, decommissioned saints, saintliness in scripture

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

How St. Syncletica ditched her entourage and headed for a cave
Coffee, bicycles, trees, open vessels, ice cream and other symbols of sainthood
When saints go marching off the General Roman Calendar–where do they go?
Sister Sandra Schneiders on holiness from the perspectives of St. Paul and the Fourth Gospel

AS089 Ask Sister – do family duties trump religious life, schnauzer in the convent, Mrs. Sister, so many choices–how to decide which religious order to enter

The Nuns — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:37:39 +0000

Ask Sister podcast recorded live on October 27, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: do family duties trump religious life, schnauzer in the convent, Mrs. Sister, so many choices–how to decide which religious order to enter

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Family duties vs. the call to religious life — which takes priority?
Can pets come too when a person enters religious life? Dilemma of the mini-schnauzer.
Have you heard of any movement that advocates sisters being allowed to marry?
I would like to become a sister. Now the problem is, which congregation? The more I search, the more I get confused.

AS088 Ask Sister – Sister Godmother, faithful – or not – to the magisterium, tithing, embracing a vocation

Sister Maxine — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:50:30 +0000

AS088 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on October 13, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Sister Godmother, faithful-or not-to the magisterium, tithing when the collection plate passes you by, what it means to embrace a vocation.

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can a nun be a godmother, and vice versa?
I’ve heard the phrase “faithful to the magisterium.” What does it mean to be faithful–or not–to the magisterium? If not, is that a fast-track to excommunication?
Is it okay to give my weekly church donation to other charitable organizations? Is it still considered tithing to the church?
How does a person embrace a vocation?

AS087 Ask Sister – the meaning of the word virgin, the prequel to a nun’s life, what’s up with Martha and Mary (Lk 10), finding God, speed-dialing for the Divine

Sister Maxine — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:13:53 +0000

AS087 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on October 6, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: the meaning of the word virgin, the prequel to a nun’s life, what’s up with Martha and Mary (Luke 10), finding God, speed-dialing for the Divine

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What does the word “virgin” mean in religious life?
Are nuns supposed to act like nothing in their “non-nun” life existed? Are you allowed to talk about funny stories from your childhood?
Scripture Soundings: What’s the scoop on Martha and Mary? Jesus serves up some surprising words. (Luke 10: 38-42)
Developing a relationship with God
Speed-dialing for God

AS086 Ask Sister – nun and reverend? balancing Facebook and life, battling demons and giants, prayers for discernment

The Nuns — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:40:04 +0000

AS086 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on September 29, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Sister and Reverend Lynne Smith talks about her vocation, balancing Facebook and life, battling demons and giants, prayers for discernment

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

A NUN AND AN ORDAINED MINISTER AT THE SAME TIME: The Sisters chat with Sister Lynne about her vocation.
SEEKING BALANCE: I often feel like technology takes over my life. I don’t know what a good balance is to use Facebook and stay in touch with old friends and also maybe become a witness to them but at the same time. So if you can help me figure out a balance as to how long to keep facebook – should you keep it up to the point that you’re going to leave for your community? Or should you cut yourself off completely right before? I’m not sure. Your help would be appreciated!
TANGLE WITH OR RUN FROM DEMONS?: Is it helpful for us to make a “one-time”, “fix-all” decision (e.g., never to open a refrigerator door again because we are afraid we’ll indulge too much) because it then saves us from having to repeatedly battle the same giant? Or do we do ourselves a disservice by not tangling with the giant head-to-head (e.g., like learning to be better disciplined or finding different strategies for coping)?
PRAYER FOR DISCERNMENT: I am still discerning to become a hermit or sister. Do you know a prayer to enlighten me regarding my vocation?

Do you have a question for us? Visit http://anunslife.org/contact/and leave a message for us. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS085 Ask Sister – telling college buddies you might join the nuns, cosmetology in the convent, saints for extreme sports, bible snakes, can you be a nun if…

The Nuns — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 14:28:23 +0000

AS085 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on September 22, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: telling college buddies you might join the nuns, cosmetology in the convent, saints for extreme sports, bible snakes, can you be a nun if…

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

How to tell your college buddies that you’re thinking of joining the nuns
Does God call professional hair stylists to religious life?
I’m into extreme sports. Do you know of any saints that could relate to being in high risk situations for something they love?
Scripture Soundings: Moses and the bronze serpent (oh, we got snakes)
Can you be a nun if….? Questions about what it takes to be a nun.

Do you have a question for us? Visit our new portress Sister Mary Evoca http://anunslife.org/contact/and leave a message for us. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS084 Ask Sister – The Nun’s Story movie vs. real nuns stories, can you become a nun if you have health issues, can techies be nuns too, and more

The Nuns — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:31:51 +0000

AS084 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on September 14, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: The Nun’s Story movie versus real life nun stories, can you become a nun if you have health issues, can techies be nuns too, and more!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

How accurate is “The Nun’s Story” movie with Audrey Hepburn when compared to actual nun life? Sr. Helena Burns, movie critic, joins the nuns to weigh in on the question.
Can you become a nun if you’ve got a few medical issues?
What if you’re a techie, not a teacher or nurse or writer — can you still become a nun?

AS083 Ask Sister – God a tempter?!, seeking God, The Mighty Macs movie, name-calling nuns, and more

The Nuns — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:17:22 +0000

AS083 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on September 8, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: God a tempter?!, seeking God, The Mighty Macs movie, name-calling nuns, and more!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Isaiah writes, “Seek God, while God may be found. Call to God, while God is near” (55:6). Does that mean that sometimes God can’t be found or isn’t present to us?
Would God really lead us into temptation as Jesus’ prayer seems to suggest: “Lead us not into temptation”?
Nuns and basketball, really?? The Sisters talk about the new movie The Mighty Macs coming to theaters in October (the movie features our IHM cousins the Immaculata IHM Sisters)
What do sisters call each other when they’re not in public? (No need to turn down the volume if young children are in the room…)

AS082 Ask Sister – is it true that “many are called but few are chosen,” what’s a “charism,” young adults reflect on vocations, tweeting for vocations, and more!

The Nuns — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 14:23:09 +0000

AS082 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on September 1, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: unpacking scripture on called v. chosen, understanding charism, young adults on vocation, vocation seminar learnings and surprises, and more!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What’s with the passage “many are called, but few are chosen”? Would God call you, then not choose you?
Religious congregations talk a lot about their “charism.” What does that mean?
Reflections on “calling” and “vocation” from young adults at World Youth Day, Madrid, Spain.
Tweeting for vocations?! The nuns talk about the J.S. Paluch Vocations Seminar they attended earlier this week in Chicago, on the topic of social media.

AS081 Ask Sister – online ordination, life of prayer, ups and downs of entering religious life, married and called to religious life,The Sound of Music

The Nuns — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:12:26 +0000

AS081 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on August 25,2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: online ordination, life of prayer, ups and downs of entering religious life, married and called to religious life,and The Sound of Music.

Here are some of the topics we address in this Ask Sister podcast:

Are online ordination certificates legit in the eyes of the Catholic Church?
I’ve heard it said that “our lives are a prayer” — what does this mean and is it different from “a life of prayer”?
What happens when an individual and a religious community part ways before final profession of vows? Is it a mutual agreement, or a unilateral decision?
Happily married but feeling called to religious life — how can that be and what to do about it?
A listener asks the nuns to give their take on the classic nun movie, The Sound of Music.

Ask Sister ENCORE: requirements for nunhood, telling the nuns that you’d like to join, nuns put to the test, fasting, married–and called to be a sister

The Nuns — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:07:34 +0000

AS000 Ask Sister podcast, encore edition for August 11, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: requirements for nunhood, telling the nuns that you’d like to join, nuns put to the test, fasting, married–and called to be a sister.

We hope you enjoy this encore edition of Ask Sister! We’re at World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain, this week and will be broadcasting live from the event. Stay tuned to our program schedule for details in the next day or two!

Does one have to be a virgin to become a nun?
Stories of joy, fear, and wonderment — what it’s like to tell nuns that you’re interested in religious life
Do you have to take written tests before you can be a nun?
Fasting – historical perspectives and its place in faith and church life today
Are Catholics allowed to practice yoga?
What happens when you’re married and have children but feel called to religious life?

Do you have a question for us? Visit our new portress Sister Mary Evoca http://anunslife.org/contact/ and leave a message for us. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS080 Ask Sister – Internet Mass, veil or no veil for church women, oblates and associates and how they’re different, the kindom of God

The Nuns — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:51:01 +0000

AS080 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on August 4, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Internet Mass, veil or no veil for church women, the difference between oblates and associates, the kindom of God, and more!

Does watching the Mass on the Internet meet my obligation as a Catholic of attending Mass every week?
What you think of the veil/no veil issue for women in church?
What is the difference between an oblate and an associate?
Do you hope for the perfection of the Kindom of God, whereby we will receive celestial bodies without defect and the removal of sin, disease and famine for God’s children?

Do you have a question for us? Visit our new portress Sister Mary Evoca http://anunslife.org/contact/ and leave a message for us. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS063 Ask Sister – Live from the Motherhouse! The nuns talk about the daily Examen prayer, God and free will, different notions of vocation, feeling unconnected to God and more!

The Nuns — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 12:50:13 +0000

Welcome to a special ENCORE PRESENTATION of Ask Sister podcast. The nuns are in nunly meetings all week but wanted to be sure you still had an opportunity to listen to an Ask Sister podcast. This is one of our favorite ones with special guest Sister Kathie Budesky, IHM, the director of Visitation North Spirituality Center.

As you listen to this podcast, jot down your questions and insights and then head on over to the A Nun’s Life Community Forum and start a conversation! Go for it!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

In this podcast episode, we chatted about the “Examen Prayer”, God and free will, the difference between vowed religious vocations and ‘non-vowed religious vocations’, and what to do when you don’t feel connected with God.

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

AS079 Ask Sister – bible books aplenty, dropping “sisters” from liturgical language, control freaks and God

The Nuns — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 16:32:35 +0000

AS079 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on July 21, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: bible books aplenty, dropping “sisters” from liturgical language, control freaks and God, and more!

I came across an older bible recently. It has more books than one I recently bought, e.g. the book of Enoch. Why are these bibles different?
Do you find yourself allowing God to direct your ministry and life or do you need complete control over such matters?
Why do some churches omit “and sisters” from parts of the Mass such as the penitential rite which says, “and you, my brothers and sisters”?

AS078 Ask Sister – engineering nuns, total consecration, when the saints go marching off the General Roman Calendar, and more!

The Nuns — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 14:13:06 +0000

AS078 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on July 14, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: engineering nuns, total consecration, when the saints go marching off the General Roman Calendar, and more!

Here are some of the topics we address in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can I use my engineering skills as a sister? What kinds of ministries could I be involved in?
What does “total consecration” mean theologically and how does it fit into a person’s daily faith life?
Who in the Catholic Church decides if a saint like Christopher or a “place” like limbo no longer exists? How do they decide?

AS077 Ask Sister-Special Edition. The sisters’ fav Catholic jokes; discerning religious life; origins of A Nun’s Life Ministry; why stay Catholic; and more!

The Nuns — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 09:17:26 +0000

AS077 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on July 1, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: The sisters fav Catholic jokes; discerning religious life; origins of A Nuns Life Ministry; why stay Catholic; and more!

Here are some of the topics we address in this Ask Sister podcast:

Guest host Regina Heater interviews the sisters about their experience of discernment
The sisters’ favorite Catholic jokes
What was the sisters’ “pre-nun” life like?
How did A Nun’s Life Ministry begin, and what’s ahead
Adventures of A Nun’s Life
Why Catholic, why now?

Do you have a question for us? Visit our new portress Sister Mary Evoca http://anunslife.org/contact/and leave a message for us. Be sure to give us your first name and city from which you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS076 Ask Sister – going on retreat, detachment from (YIKES) gadgets, nun-fiction writer seeks authentic religious life, and more!

The Nuns — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:39:47 +0000

AS076 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on June 23, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: going on retreat, detachment from (YIKES) gadgets, nun-fiction writer seeks authentic religious life, and more!

Here are some of the topics we address in this Ask Sister podcast:

I want to go on retreat. Where would I go and what should I expect?
Could you talk about what detachment from material things means? I’m thinking about religious life, and I’m scared about giving up my things especially my gadgets!
Another novelist contacts the nuns! The author wants to authentically portray a modern-day nun for her sitcom-esque story. Help the nuns in their advice for the story.

AS075 Ask Sister – college grad talks about volunteering for a year; recognizing God at work in daily life; called to be a nun or doctor (or both?) and more!

The Nuns — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:41:05 +0000

AS075 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on June 16, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: college grad talks about volunteering for a year, recognizing God at work in daily life, called to be a nun or doctor (or both?), and more!

Here are some of the topics we address in this Ask Sister podcast:

How to recognize God at work our daily lives — putting on our God goggles
Should I become a doctor or a nun or can I do both?
SPECIAL ON-AIR GUEST: Eilis talks about volunteering for a year and living the three pillars of service, community, and spirituality. We talk with her about the Franciscan Community Volunteers, helping refugees resettle in the U.S., how it has affected her faith, and more!

AS074 Ask Sister – testing God, praying for safety in risky situations, religious medallions, psalm selections, does prayer really work

Sister Julie — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:13:33 +0000

AS074 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on June 9, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: testing God, praying for safety in risky situations, religious medallions, psalm selections, does prayer really work.

Does participating in something inherently risky, like bike racing, equate to “testing” God?
A lot of bike racers have religious medallions. My Mom also puts guardian angel pins in my car. Do medallions actually do anything?
Does prayer really work? How can you tell?
How does the church pick which verses of a psalm to use?
What does it mean to test your “readiness” for a vocation?

AS073 Ask Sister –God and suffering, does the bible prohibit women from teaching the faith, romance-mystery novelist returns, lessons from the rapture

The Nuns — Thu, 26 May 2011 10:12:43 +0000

AS073 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on May 26, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: does the bible prohibit women from teaching the faith, God and suffering, romance-mystery novelist returns, lessons from the rapture.

What is your take on why God allows suffering?
Our romance-mystery-suspense novelist returns with more questions about her nun character (and assures us that the nun won’t get bumped off … yet)
Does the bible say that women shouldn’t teach the faith? Which verses do that, and how should we interpret them?
Rapture update: what have we learned?

AS072 Ask Sister – surfing Madonna, purgatory discovery, why Jesus was baptized, dealing with mockers and naysayers, and more!

The Nuns — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:04:02 +0000

AS072 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on May 19, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: the surfing Madonna, purgatory discovery, why Jesus was baptized, dealing with mockers and naysayers, and more!

How to deal with people who mock your life and the choices you’ve made
Is it a myth or legend or truth that Saint Patrick discovered Purgatory?
Why Jesus was baptized
An apparition of Mary that’s causing waves in one California town
Up for discussion: “The more someone is present on the internet, the less they are present in real life.”

AS071 Ask Sister – Lady Gaga and Judas, blessed and cursed, dieting and Eucharist, and more!

The Nuns — Wed, 11 May 2011 16:13:39 +0000

AS071 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on May 11, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Lady Gaga and Judas, blessed and cursed, dieting and Eucharist, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What’s your take on Lady Gaga’s music video “Judas”?
Biblical imagery in Lady Gaga’s “Judas”
If we are blessed by God when things go well, does that mean we’re cursed by God if things aren’t going well?
Rohald Rolheiser’s and “blessed consciousness”
Update on Lenten fasting by a province of Felician sisters
Dieting and the Eucharist

AS070 Ask Sister – feeling okay about filioque, Anglican Ninja Nuns, living community, following in a religious brother’s footsteps

Sister Maxine — Wed, 04 May 2011 14:39:13 +0000

AS070 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on May 4, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: feeling okay about the filioque, Ninja Nuns, living community, following in a religious brother’s footsteps. A surprise guest joins the nuns!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What’s up with the two Anglican Nuns at the Royal Wedding? Is the taller one really a ninja?
Please explain the filioque and how the trinitarian relationship has implications for our daily life.
How do ideas about the filioque relate to generosity and kindness?
What has been your biggest struggle and/or benefit from living in community?
Living in community, and living community
Is God really calling me to be a religious sister or could it just be because my brother is a religious brother and I want to follow in his footsteps?

AS069 Ask Sister – what good are nuns? Dial 666 for Devil, younger nuns v. older nuns, a romance-suspense novelists consults the nuns, the Great Schism of the East and West

The Nuns — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:23:30 +0000

AS069 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on April 28, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: what are nuns good for? Dial 666 for Devil, nun generations, romance-thriller novelist consults the nuns, Great Schism of East and West and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Is there a generation gap in orders of women religious? Do the older nuns ‘think’ different from the younger ones? or does ‘community’ transcend that type of thing?”
We wanted to know what religions nuns are for. [Nun Note: So many ways to take this question but we'll do our best tackling it from all sides!]
What’s the deal with 666? Is it really a sign of the devil? Should we be concerned when it pops up? [For more on hell-related items, descend to the depths of our blog and read Free Trip to Hell]
Could you talk about what the Great Schism of the East and West is?
A romance-thriller-suspense novelist asks for help with the character development of a young woman who may be thinking about joining a religious community.

AS068 Ask Sister – making your own scapular, opposing human trafficking, becoming a nun, the Stations of the Cross

Sister Maxine — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:34:24 +0000

AS068 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on April 15, 2011, at the Motherhouse of the Racine Dominicans. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org Ministry. Topics include: making your own scapular, opposing human trafficking, becoming a nun, the Stations of the Cross.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can you make your own scapular?
How can scapulars be blessed, and what does the blessing do?
Do the Racine Dominican sisters have associates, and if so, what is associate life like?
The call to social justice–how the Racine Dominicans and other sisters are working against human trafficking?
Ways to pray the Stations of the Cross, including an app for your smart phone!

AS067 Ask Sister – leveraging nunly shareholder power, obedience and authority, associate commitments, marriage, and more!

The Nuns — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 07:18:23 +0000

AS067 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on April 8, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org Ministry. Topics include: leveraging nunly shareholder powers for good, obedience and authority, associate commitments, marriage, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can spouses release one another from marriage vows in order to enter religious life?
What does it mean to make a commitment or covenant as an Associate of a religious community? What would such a commitment look like?
The vow of obedience as it relates to authority and how the vow affects a Catholic sister or nun in daily life (for context, see our last episode AS066 Ask Sister)
Plus the Sisters talk about nuns in the boardroom and how congregations are leveraging their shareholder powers for good

AS066 Ask Sister – trash-talkin nuns, felonies, divorce and annulment, obedience, and bathtub Marys

The Nuns — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:46:15 +0000

AS066 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on April 1, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org Ministry. Topics include: trash-talkin nuns, questions about becoming a religious after having been in prison or divorced, the vow of obedience, bathtub Marys, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What is the converse of the vow of obedience? Is that a struggle for you in everyday life?
Is a divorced person whose ex-husband dies free to become a nun?
The sisters consider a new podcast series … Trash-Talkin’ Nuns
Is it possible to enter a religious community after been a felon?
What’s the deal with bathtub Marys?

AS065 Ask Sister – psychics and nuns, meditating on Scripture, sisters in the parish, “Celibacy in the City” tv show (not…), meet Sister Mary Evoca

Sister Maxine — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 17:31:45 +0000

AS065 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 25, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org Ministry. Topics include: psychics and nuns, meditating on Scripture, sisters in the parish, Celibacy in the City TV show?, meet Sister Mary Evoca, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

I visited a psychic who told me to go to nuns for direction. Help!
What does it mean to meditate over (or on) scripture?
What is the role of Catholic sisters and nuns in parish life?
What’s up with that new recording gizmo on aNunsLife.org/contact (aka our new portress Sr. Mary Evoca)
Celibacy is CRAZY! Can anyone really live that way?

AS064 Ask Sister – confession and reconciliation, chapel veils, Lent, a real nun on the set of Sister Act II, and more!

Sister Maxine — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 07:42:25 +0000

AS064 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 18, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Guest: Sister Julianna Vagnozzi, CSSF. Topics include: confession and reconciliation, chapel veils, Lent, a real nun on the set of Sister Act II, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

New Protestant religious order seeks advice on habits.
What’s up with chapel veils and mantillas in church — too old-school, sign of respect, gender stereotyping?
Confession and reconcilation
Do habits “cause” vocations?
Lenten solidarity with people who are poor
A real sister gets into the act in the movie Sister Act II

Do you have a question for us? Visit “Sister Mary Evoca” at http://anunslife.org/contact and record your question or comments for us and the A Nun’s Life Community. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS063 Ask Sister – Live from the Motherhouse! The nuns talk about the daily Examen prayer, God and free will, different notions of vocation, feeling unconnected to God and more!

The Nuns — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 08:31:36 +0000

AS063 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 11, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Guest: Sister Kathie Budesky. Topics include: the daily Examen prayer, God and free will, different notions of vocation, feeling unconnected to God, and more!

This episode was broadcast live from the IHM Motherhouse in Monroe, Michigan, with an in-house audience! Sister Kathie Budesky, IHM, the director of Visitation North Spirituality Center, joined Sister Maxine and Sister Julie on air.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can you talk more about the “Examen Prayer”? What is it? How do you use it/apply it?
How do we make sense of God and free will?
What is the difference between vowed religious vocations and ‘non-vowed religious vocations’?
What do you do when you don’t feel connected with God as usual?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS062 Ask Sister – live from the University of Notre Dame, with questions about common v. personal prayer, spiritual poverty, preparing for Lent, ways to pray, and prayer and healing

The Nuns — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 07:36:41 +0000

AS062 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 4, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: common v. personal prayer, spiritual poverty, preparing for Lent, ways to pray, and prayer and healing.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Is there a dynamic in community prayer that you cannot get from praying on your own?
What is spiritual poverty? Should I run from it or embrace it?
With Lent approaching, how do you plan to honor the season?
The nuns’ favorite ways to pray
Does prayer promote healing?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS061 Ask Sister – cathedral v. basilica, dealing with depression, the basics on Catholic prayers and practices, encountering less-than-nice vocation/formation personnel

The Nuns — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 17:34:07 +0000

AS061 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 25, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: cathedral v. basilica, dealing with depression, the basics on Catholic prayers, encountering less-than-nice vocation/formation personnel.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What is the difference between a cathedral and a basilica?
Do nuns and sisters get depressed? Can prayer help?
Unpleasant encounters with vocation/formation personnel — should this be a determining factor in whether or not to enter religious life?
How to listen to Ask Sister in Spain…and other places around the world!
Is there a comprehensive resource for basic Catholic prayers and practices?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS060 Ask Sister – nuns in India, praying to Mary, missing God’s call, Saint Scholastica, and more!

The Nuns — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 09:49:20 +0000

AS060 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 11, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: praying to Mary, missing God’s call, nuns in India, Saint Scholastica, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Do Catholics pray to Mary? What is the Church’s teaching, especially in
light of 1 Timothy 2:5?
Finding Catholic sisters in India — be sure to check out our interview with Sister Sabitha
Can you become a nun if you have a child? (see also episode AS059 where Sister Hildegard talks about being a contemplative nun with grandchildren!)
Is it possible to miss God’s call? What do I do if I did?
Thoughts on Thursday’s feast of Saint Scholastica

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS059 Ask Sister – following God’s call to parenthood or nunhood or acting, asking “why me?” and being worthy of God’s call, choosing apostolic life or contemplative life

The Nuns — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 13:03:28 +0000

AS059 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 4, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Guest: Sister Hildegard Pleva. Topics include: becoming a parent, nun, or actress, am I worthy of God’s calling?, apostolic or contemplative life, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

How did you decide between being an apostolic sister or a contemplative nun?
I’m 23 and feel like something is missing, the sense of fulfillment and happiness. I feel God is calling me, but I wonder, “Why me? Am I worthy enough of God’s call?”
I am attracted to both being a religious and being a parent. This tug-of-war makes it difficult to listen to God’s voice, and I wonder if you have any advice for me.
My dream is to be an actress – acting makes me happy. But when I’m at church I feel at peace and hear a call to be a nun. Help!

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS058 Ask Sister – pooh-poohing a vocation, a matter of conscience, original sin and sex, sudden conversion, female Doctors of the Church

The Nuns — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 01:10:53 +0000

AS058 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 28, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: pooh-poohing a vocation, a matter of conscience, original sin and sex, sudden conversion, female Doctors of the Church, and more!

Special Guest: Sister Sarah Foster, RSM

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

How do you talk to people who do not understand your calling (e.g., to religious life) or who react in negative ways?
Conscience. What is it? Is it formed by nature or nurture?
Is original sin all about sex? Is sex really sinful?
Why are there so few female Doctors of the Church?
Is it possible to have a sudden conversion and have it “stick”?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS057 Ask Sister – legit baptisms, stuff and the vow of poverty, novitiate reception ceremonies, online faith – is it enough?

The Nuns — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 15:09:32 +0000

AS057 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 21, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: legit baptisms, stuff and the vow of poverty, novitiate reception ceremonies, looking for faith on the Internet, commitment to God, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Is baptism in other Christian traditions recognized by the Roman Catholic church?
When a person enters the religious life, what becomes of the person’s stuff?
What was your novitiate reception ceremony like? How did you plan it?
What are you thoughts on Christian websites with lots of inspirational articles, podcasts, etc. Is this a trend for future generations? Should people also incorporate an outreach such as attending a church service?
How do I as a layperson consistently dedicate my life to God?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling, and an email address in case we need to contact you. We’ll play your message and respond on the next Ask Sister podcast — your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS056 Ask Sister – worldly Benedictine monastics, godly anger, dilemma for a Catholic-Protestant couple, not feeling called

Sister Julie — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 12:57:37 +0000

AS056 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 14, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Benedictine monastics outside the monastery, godly anger, church-going dilemma for a Catholic-Protestant couple, not feeling called, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the topics we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

I feel I have a vocation but recently I’ve felt “not called” anymore. Should I be worried?
How can Benedictines be considered monastics when so many of them work in the world? … Sister Christine Ereiser, OSB, responds
What would cause God to be angry with us? (from a discussion about Meribah)
Is it okay to be angry with God?
What are some healthy ways for a couple to attend church when one is Catholic and one is Protestant?
Plus, an update from the “nun-ordering-pizza” debate!

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS055 Ask Sister – nun eating habits, ordering pizza, cultivating mindfulness, making and breaking vows, four-week psalter

The Nuns — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 12:44:08 +0000

AS055 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 7, 2011. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include:nun eating habits, ordering pizza, cultivating mindfulness in daily life, making and breaking religious vows, the four-week psalter, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What vows do a nun take? What would happen to a nun if she broke one of her vows?
How can we live mindfulness, especially when we are always multitasking?
What are samples of your typical meals? are you allowed coffee?
Do nuns order pizza?
Why the variety in styles of dress across religious congregations?
What’s up with the four-week psalter and how do I know what week we’re in?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS054 Ask Sister – New Years Eve 2010 Edition

The Nuns — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 14:51:49 +0000

AS054 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on December 31, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: angels, nuns exchanging gifts, finding meaning in life, letting go of expectations and control, centering prayer ideas and tips, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

During this special edition broadcast, we discussed 3 of our favorite segments of 2010:

the spouse of Christ and other images to view our relationship with God (episode AS039)
Chloe the Convent Cat responds to a question about Mickey Mouse (episode AS032)
angels and choirs thereof (episode AS053)

We also addressed some of the questions in the book Nuns Having Fun such as:

What do you wear to bed?
Do you get to choose where you live?
What do you carry in your pockets?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS053 Ask Sister – angels, exchanging gifts, finding meaning in life, letting go of expectations and control, centering prayer

Sister Julie — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 12:27:51 +0000

AS053 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on December 17, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: angels, nuns exchanging gifts, finding meaning in life, letting go of expectations and control, centering prayer ideas and tips, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What are some of the Catholic views on angels and their role in God’s service?
I feel like there’s a distant meaning in life, but I don’t know if it’s religious or not. Could you shed some light?
Do nuns exchange gifts for family and friends at Christmas?
How can I let go of expectations and control when I am on the precipice of change?
Could you talk more about centering prayer, what it is different ways to do centering prayer, and any tips?
… and much, much more!

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS052 Ask Sister – military sister, what’s a convent?, knotted cords, down and unmotivated, why be Catholic?

The Nuns — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 17:07:37 +0000

AS052 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on December 10, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Guest: Sister Donna Hart, IHM. Topics include: military sisters, convents defined, Franciscan knotted cord, down and unmotivated, why be Catholic?, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can Catholic sisters be in the military or national guard?
What makes a particular abode a “convent”?
How does one find the knotted cord that Franciscans wear?
I’m feeling down and have no motivation unless I become a nun. What do I do?
Why be Catholic if there other ways to get to heaven?
Do you find your lives particularly stressful? When you are stressed, what do you do? How do you cope with the unknown?

Today we’ll be joined by special guest Sister Donna Hart, IHM. We’ll ask Sister Donna about her life as a Catholic sister, and in particular what it was like to experience life as a sister before the Second Vatican Council, during the Council and now 40+ years later.

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS051 Ask Sister – awesome cool stuff v. vow of poverty, Roman Missal, tattoos, converts, prayer, transfer nuns

Sister Julie — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 16:32:50 +0000

AS051 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on December 3, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: cool stuff v. vow of poverty, understanding changes to Roman Missal, tattoos, converting and becoming a nun, prayer, transfer nuns, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What makes a particular abode a convent?
Can you bring your awesome cool stuff to the convent when you enter? What about the vow of poverty?
Why are there changes to the Roman Missal?
How long do you have to wait after you’ve converted to Catholicism to enter a religious community?
How do each of you pray?
Can nuns have tattoos?
Can sisters transfer from one order to another?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS050 Ask Sister – Special Edition: Thanksgiving

The Nuns — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 10:20:58 +0000

AS050 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 26, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Special Thanksgiving Edition. Topics include: festive meals, turkey sound effects, recipes, prayers, our favorite Thanksgiving stories, gratitude, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

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Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the recipes and stories mentioned in this special edition Ask Sister podcast:

Pumpkin Cheesecake from Suze

9″ or 10″ spring-form pan

Crust:
1 1/4 cups gingersnap cookie crumbs (about 27 or so cookies crushed fine)
5-6 tablespoons melted butter

Filling:
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup cool water
1 cup heavy cream
2 – 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1 – 16 oz can pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

For crust combine the gingersnap cookie crumbs with melted butter and press into the bottom of the spring-form pan. Refrigerate for 15 or so minutes to set the crust.

For filling, in a one cup glass measuring cup, combine the unflavored gelatin with the cool water, let sit for 5 minutes to soften. Place the measuring cup into a small saucepan with an inch of boiling water, cook over medium heat until gelatin is dissolved (about a minute or so, don’t overcook). Remove the cup from pan and let cool.

Beat the heavy cream until stiff peaks form. In another bowl beat the softened cream cheese and the sugar for about 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree and spices to the cream cheese, beating just until combined (I use a wooden spoon for this step). With the wooden spoon, stir in the softened gelatin until combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream just until incorporated, mixture will look a bit streaky that is ok. Refrigerate at least 4-6 hours or overnight. Sometimes I make pie crust shapes (cut outs of numbers for birthdays, leaves in the fall, a turkey at Thanksgiving and a snowman for Christmas, etc) to decorate the top. If you do this, bake the crust pieces then put onto the cheesecake just before serving.

Sweet Potato Pie from Suze

Single layer pie crust, uncooked. Cover the edges with foil for the first 20 minutes of baking so edges don’t get too brown then remove foil for remainder of baking time

1 cup boiled sweet potatoes, smashed with a potato masher to smoothness or riced if you are a purist (like my mom was)
1 cup sugar (I use only 1/2 cup)
2 beaten eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon flour
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or you can use 1/2 teaspoon, I like lots of cinnamon)
1/2 cup brown sugar (the dark brown sugar gives a nice color to the finished pie)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup broken pecan pieces

Mix the smashed sweet potatoes, sugar and eggs together. Add milk, flour and spices and blend all together. In a separate bowl, mix the brown sugar, melted butter and pecan pieces together and set aside. Pour sweet potato mixture into unbaked the pie shell. Bake at 325 about 20-25 minutes (TOTAL baking time is 45 minutes or so, until the custard is set). When you remove the foil from the crust edge, sprinkle the top of the pie with the brown sugar, butter and pecan mixture then continue baking.

Let cool completely before cutting into the pie as this recipe is based on a chess pie so the pie will be a bit puffy when first out of the oven but settles into a simply delicious consistency.

Colcannon from Julia

Here’s a recipe that I like, called Colcannon (don’t ask me how to pronounce it). It’s an old Celtic way to make mashed potatoes, traditionally made by the Irish on All Saints day to predict the future of the children. For the divination: after the dish is ready, stir in a thimble (spinster), a ring (marriage), a button (bachelor), coin (wealth), and a cross (priest or nun). I’ve never done that game, but if you do, I recommend you sterilize the game pieces, and warn everyone to eat carefully.

4 cups mashed potato’s
2 1/2 cups cabbage, cooked and chopped fine
1/2 cup butter (avoid corn oil margarine as they will not add the needed body and flavor)
1/2 cup cream or evaporated milk
3/4 cup onion, chopped very fine and sauteed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Saute onions (traditionalist’s saute in lard or grease, but butter is acceptable). Boil the potato’s and mash them (don’t use artificial potato flakes). Boil (or steam) the chopped cabbage

In a large pan place all the ingredients, except the cabbage, and cook over low heat while blending them together.

Turn the heat to medium and add the cabbage. The mixture will take on a pale green cast. Heat and serve.
(Serves eight.)

AS049 Ask Sister – no desire for a vocation, saints and symbols, two Saint Theresas, exercise habits, putting the holy in holiday

The Nuns — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 12:43:03 +0000

AS049 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 19, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: no desire for a vocation, saints and symbols, Therese of Lisieux and Teresa of Avila, exercise habits, putting the holy in holiday, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can you be called by God to a vocation that you don’t really want? NOTE: The article mentioned in the conversation is 4 Steps for Discernment and Decision-Making
In art and on holy cards, why are saints pictured with symbols?
Two Saint Theresa’s? How are they different?
Can nuns go swimming with their habit on? Horseback riding?
How do you put the “holy” in “holiday”?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS048 Ask Sister – images of God, dreaming about Jesus, discerning priesthood and/or romance, Blessed Mary v. Mary Magdalen, serving God in blue jeans

The Nuns — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 07:46:40 +0000

AS048 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 12, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: images of God, dreaming about Jesus, priesthood and/or romance, Blessed Mary v. Mary Magdalen, becoming Catholic, serving God in blue jeans!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

This is a special Ask Sister IHM Edition which was broadcast from the IHM Motherhouse in Monroe, Michigan, before a live studio audience of IHM Sisters. In addition hosts Sisters Maxine and Julie were joined by their IHM Sisters Theresa Koernke and Angela Hibbard, both trained in theology and in liturgy.

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Is it okay to be more of a “Mary Magdalen” than a “Blessed Mary,” that is, to be not quite so perfect, to serve God and still wear our blue jeans?
What is your image of God? Can we have more than one image of God? Do our images of God ever change?
Can you discern a calling to become a priest and have a romantic relationship simultaneously?
What does it mean if you have dreams about Jesus? And what do nuns dream about?
I’m on the fence about becoming Catholic. What should I do? What questions would be helpful for me to ask to help me figure out what to do?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS047 Ask Sister – Trent and the Second Vatican Council, growing in understanding God, a devil for loving?, joining a religious community in another country

Sister Julie — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 12:16:35 +0000

AS047 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on November 5, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Trent and Second Vatican Council, growing in understanding God, a devil for loving, joining a religious community in another country and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

I’m a guy in love and want to go out with girl who wants to be a nun, does that mean like I’m the devil or something?
Is it possible for someone discerning to be a nun to join a religious community in another country? How would this work?
Could you describe the Council of Trent in a nutshell and how it affected the church?
What do you think was the greatest positive impact that the Second Vatican Council had on the church?
What do you know now about God that you wish you’d known in the beginning?
What are somethings to consider before making a big life decision?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS046 Ask Sister – mother superiors, nun rings, sin and voting, solitude v. loneliness, being called to be a sister, having a Mass said for someone, prayer

Sister Julie — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:08:12 +0000

AS046 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on October 29, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: mother superiors, nun rings, sin and voting, solitude v. loneliness, called to be a nun, prayer and having a Mass said for someone, and more.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Who determines who will be the leader (sometimes called the President or Mother Superior) of a religious congregation?
Did Saint Francis of Assisi wear a wedding ring?
Can religious leaders attempt to influence voters by suggesting that voting for or against someone is “sinful”?
From a spiritual point of view, what is the difference between solitude and loneliness?
How do I know if I’m called to be a nun?
Did religious life change in the past 30 years?
Does your prayer change as you progress in religious life?
Can a person from one country join a religious community from another country?
What does it mean when a person asks you to say a Mass or have a Mass said for someone who is living or has died?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS045 Ask Sister – gifts for nuns, thoughts and God, the “right” religious community

The Nuns — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:57:12 +0000

AS045 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on October 22, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: philosophy and theology, gifts for nuns, God active in our thoughts, choosing a religious community, responding to the call of God, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can all these thoughts I’m having really be an invitation from God?
Which religious community is for me?
Why did you want to become a nun? Why did you choose IHM as you community?
What is an appropriate gift to a nun celebrating her diamond jubilee?
Why do some Catholics not like the philosophers Kant and Descartes?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS044 Ask Sister – recycled nun rings, spiritual detachment, rosaries, growing in prayer, and more!

Sister Julie — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 13:59:01 +0000

AS044 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on October 15, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Guest: Sister Joyce Durosko, IHM. Topics include: recycled nun rings, spiritual detachment, how prayer changes and stays the same, rosaries, nuns, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Can you say more about the tradition of newly professed sisters receiving a “recycled” ring from a sister who has since pass away?
Other thoughts on nun jewelry?
What does detachment mean in a spiritual sense? Does it mean being detached from people or from things?
How has your prayer life stayed the same and changed over time?
Did you wear a wedding dress when you became a sister?
Plus Sister Joyce offers insight into her life as an IHM Sister and on discernment

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS043 Ask Sister – inclusive language, Catholic stance on gambling and bingo, nun titles, a right to life

Sister Julie — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 09:00:02 +0000

AS043 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on October 1, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: inclusive language and using male pronouns exclusively for God, Catholic stance on gambling and bingo, nun titles, a right to life, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Where does the Church stand with gambling such as betting on matches, playing poker, etc.? What about bingo?
What is “inclusive language” all about? What’s wrong with using all-male language in prayer?
What are the different titles that Catholic sisters and nuns use to refer to themselves and to their sisters in leadership positions?
The nuns talk about what it means to have a right to life. Backdrop: young people, bullying, outing of others, controlling others, taking care of ourselves–and others–in the midst of our relationships in school, family, online communities, etc.

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS042 Ask Sister – getting rid of loans, athletic asceticism, sport and God, nun uniform, high school nun project

Sister Julie — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 08:15:27 +0000

AS042 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on September 17, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Guest: Sister Connie Supan, IHM. Topics include: getting rid of loans, athletic asceticism, sport and God, nun uniforms, high school nun project, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Is there help for paying off a loan even if one isn’t discerning with a specific community? (see also Ask Sister 041)
What is “athletic asceticism”? Is there a relationship between sport and pursing God?
What are the different levels of importance in the hierarchy of nuns?
Do you have traditional foods that you eat that non-nuns eat?
Do you always have to wear your “nun uniform”?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS041 Ask Sister – debt and entering a religious order, dealing with the Dark Night, understanding the “idea” of a sister, what’s up with Satan?

The Nuns — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 13:47:59 +0000

AS041 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on September 10, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: debt and entering a religious order, dealing with the Dark Night, understanding the idea of a sister, what’s up with Satan?, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What advice do you have for wanting to enter a religious order but having debt?
What can you do when God is distant and you have a “dark night of the soul” moment?
What happened to talk about Satan or the Devil in religious education, preaching, or other teachings of the church? It’s still one of our biggest temptations.
Do I have the “idea” of a sister right?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS040 Ask Sister – spiritual direction, being an only child, lost vocations, is God really calling me?

Sister Julie — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 11:42:07 +0000

AS040 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on September 3, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: spiritual direction, being an only child, lost vocations, is God really calling me?, a good age to consider religious life, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Who can be a spiritual director? How do you find one?
How do I address a vocation director’s concern that I am an only child?
How do you know that God is really calling you? I feel like I have a void in my life.
What happens when we are called but say no? What happens if we feel we are being called again? Is there such thing as a lost vocation?
What’s a good age to start thinking about religious life?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS039 Ask Sister – vocations to religious life, pink bunnies, temporal punishment, and more!

The Nuns — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 12:26:09 +0000

AS039 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on August 27, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: vocations to religious life, images of God, respect for other religions, pink bunnies, temporal punishment and forgiveness, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!
Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What is temporal punishment and does it mean I’ll still be punished even though I’ve gone to confession and been forgiven?
What is the best way for a Christian to address the controversial issue of plans for building a mosque near the World Trade Center memorial in New York City?
What are some ways or images that you use to view your vocation? (e.g., marriage with Jesus, covenant relationship with God, etc.)
Can God be imaged in different ways? What does this mean in terms of our own relationship with God and spiritual growth?
Why are bunnies pink? (a deeply philosophical issue!)

We welcome your insights and conversation on these topics and more by interacting with us via the chat room during the live broadcast.

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS038 Ask Sister – file cabinets in the image of God, vows human made or God made, religious brothers, nun terminology

Sister Julie — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:58:17 +0000

AS038 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on August 20, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: file cabinets in the image of God (do animals or rocks have souls?), vows human or God made, religious brothers, nun terms, obedience and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

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Are the vows that Catholic sisters and nuns take made by God or by humans?
Do file cabinets have souls?
Is the vow of obedience always understood strictly?
What are some of the distinctions between the terms nun, sister, consecrated virgin, and lay sister?
Are brothers the male equivalents of sisters and nuns?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS037 Ask Sister – lies and sins, women Doctors of the Church, having a religious life without being a nun, weekend with the IHM Sisters

Sister Julie — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 09:10:27 +0000

AS037 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on August 13, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: lies, sins, and truth; women Doctors of the Church; having a religious life without being a nun; hanging out with the IHM Sisters, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

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If a nun or a sister goes along with what she knows to be a lie, what is her sin?
How does a person become a Doctor of the Church and why are there so few women recognized as Doctors of the Church?
If it’s not possible for me to become a nun, what kind of religious life can I have other than being part of my church choir and handbell chorus and attending Mass regularly?
Can you tell us about your weekend at the IHM Motherhouse for Jubilee and Final Profession?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS036 Ask Sister – SPECIAL EDITION – IHM Sisters talk about their vocation, prayer and ministry plus respond to your questions

Sister Julie — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:37:05 +0000

AS036 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on July 30, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Special IHM Sisters Edition. Topics include: vocation stories, prayer and relating with God, ministry, and responses to questions from listeners.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

This is a SPECIAL EDITION episode as we broadcasted live from the IHM Motherhouse in Monroe, Michigan. We were joined on air by two of our sisters — Sister Mary Ann Hinsdale, IHM, Associate Professor of Theology at Boston College, and Sister Katherine Collard, IHM, Director of Liturgy & Adult Faith Formation at Saint Andrew Catholic Church in Roanoke, Virginia. Plus you’ll hear the live studio audience of IHM Sisters and Associates and some folks from A Nun’s Life community who were visiting.

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Could you each tell us a little about your ministry?
When did you first think you might want to be a nun?
What do you find helpful in your prayer life? What might you recommend to others?
Why does God feel so distant sometimes?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS035 Ask Sister – forgiveness and moving on, nuns as missionaries, religious names of sisters, habit pockets and more!

Sister Julie — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 09:48:19 +0000

AS035 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on July 23, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: forgiving someone who has hurt us and not getting stuck, nuns as missionaries, religious names of sisters, habit pockets, home altars, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

How is it possible to forgive someone who’s hurt you, and to move on?
What is the historical reason sisters received a religious name? What is the practice today?
Do you have a home altar? What do you think about them? (see Sister Sarah’s blog post on this topic)
What’s the difference between a regular nun and a missionary nun?
Was it ever the custom that nuns were required to hide their hands in their habits all the time? What was the rationale?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS034 Ask Sister – Wikipedia entry on nuns, waiting to become a sister, is God angry with me?, having a college degree prior to entering, prayer, discernment advice

Sister Julie — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:37:23 +0000

AS034 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on July 16, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: Wikipedia entry on nuns, waiting to become a sister, is God angry with me?, having a college degree before entering, prayer, discernment advice.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What do you think of the Wikipedia entry for Nun?
What can I do as I wait to begin the process to become a Catholic sister?
Do I have to have a college degree before I enter religious life? What about people who can’t afford to go to college?
Do you think God is mad at me because I should have become a nun?
Is it required to go to daily Mass when you are discerning or to go to confession more often?
What things are not recommended for a person who is discerning?
Is there any point in praying for specific things if all we need to say is “thy will be done”?

PLUS: An update from the novelist mentioned in last week’s Ask Sister podcast.

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS033 Ask Sister – choosing from the many religious orders, nuns and orphanages, vows essential to religious life?, a novelist’s nun character

Sister Julie — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 12:22:28 +0000

AS033 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on July 9, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: choosing from many religious orders, nuns and orphanages, vows essential to religious life?, a novelist’s nun character, age to enter, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

With so many religious orders to choose from, how do I begin to make sense of them?
Is it possible to become a nun and to own an orphanage?
Is it true that not all religious orders profess the vows of poverty, celibacy and obedience? Aren’t these evangelical counsels required for religious life?
Is the nun in my soon-to-be published novel a plausible character?
What is too young or too old to become a sister?
Do I need a visa to enter a religious community in a country in which I do not have citizenship?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS032 Ask Sister – a young person thinking about religious life, parental caution, nuns in other Christian traditions, bringing a dowry, a vocation story

Sister Julie — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:37:24 +0000

AS032 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on July 2, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Guests: Immaculata IHM Sisters. Topics include: considering religious life, telling parents, other kinds of nuns, having a dowry, vocation story of Sister Julie.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

During this podcast Sister Maxine and Sister Julie were joined by cohosts Sister Rose Bernadette and Sister Danielle, both IHM Sisters from Immaculata, Pennsylvania. Our gratitude for the wonderful hospitality of all the sisters at Villa Maria House of Studies.

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What advice do you have for a 15-year-old feeling called to religious life? Also, my mom wants me to become a mother not a nun. What should I do?
Are there nuns in Christian traditions other than Catholicism? What are they like and how would I find one?
In “The Nun’s Story,” Audrey Hepburn’s character was required to bring a dowry when she entered the convent. Is that common today?
What is Sister Julie’s vocation story? How did she discern her calling to become an IHM sister?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS031 Ask Sister – Mary a mere saint? being a nun a waste of time? spiritual v. religious? am I called or not? a vocation story

Sister Julie — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:08:34 +0000

AS031 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on June 25, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: is Mary a mere saint? is being a nun a waste of time? spiritual v. religious? am I called or not? the vocation story of Sister Maxine, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Does the Catholic Church consider Mary a mere saint?
Have you ever felt that being a sister you wasted your time? Have you ever thought that you cheated yourself?
Is it okay to be spiritual but not religious?
How do you know if you are called and that it is not just an idea of yours?
What is Sister Maxine’s vocation story? How did she discern her calling to become an IHM sister?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS030 Ask Sister – cultivating patience, personal opinion v. official church stance, right- and left-brain discernment, entering novitiate

Sister Julie — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 09:00:01 +0000

AS030 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on June 18, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: cultivating patience, personal opinion v. official church stance, right- and left-brain discernment, entering novitiate, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

How do I become a better “patience person”?
What does a believer do when personal opinion on a “hot topic” issue (like women priests, abortion, gay and lesbian issues, immigration) differs from the official church stance? Can a believer have a different view and still be Roman Catholic?
Can we turn our backs on people who are gay or lesbian?
Is discernment a right-brained or left-brained activity?
What might my first year of novitiate look like?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS029 Ask Sister – prioritizing religious communities to visit, a worried mom, steps in becoming a nun, semi-supportive parent

Sister Julie — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:25:52 +0000

AS029 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on June 11, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: prioritizing religious communities to visit, a worried mom, steps in becoming a nun, dealing with a semi-supportive parent, and more.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

When you were discerning how did you prioritize what orders to go visit?
Do you have any advice for dealing with a mom who doesn’t seem to realize how important my calling is?
What are the steps in becoming a nun? (see our article How to Become a Catholic Nun)
How do I relate with my daughter when my husband and I are worried about her enthusiasm about becoming a nun?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS028 Ask Sister – distant from God, loved ones who don’t get the nun thing, attracted but can’t see myself as a nun

Sister Julie — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 09:11:39 +0000

AS028 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on June 4, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: feeling distant from God, relating to loved ones who don’t get the nun thing, being attracted to religious life but unable to see self as a nun.*

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

* NOTE: This podcast was recorded on the road and without our usual equipment.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Do you ever feel distant from God?
I want to become a nun but people I love disagree with me. What do I do?
Can you take A Nun’s Life live shows on the road?
I have a boyfriend, a past, and health issues, yet I keep being drawn to become a nun even though I can’t see myself as one. What advice do you have?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS027 Ask Sister – fasting, the First Official nun meeting, virgin-ness, imaging oneself as a nun, vocational calling, and more

Sister Julie — Fri, 28 May 2010 14:40:54 +0000

AS027 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on May 28, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: fasting, the First Official nun meeting, virgin-ness, vocational calling, bride of Christ and other ways to image oneself as a Catholic sister.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What other ways can one image oneself as a Catholic nun other than “bride of Christ”? How is this connected to one’s image of God?
Does a person have to be a virgin in order to become a Catholic sister or nun?
What was your first official meeting like with a nun?
What is fasting and what place might it have for us today?
What do I do if I’m married but feel called to religious life?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS026 Ask Sister – adoration, spiritual direction, daily nun life, associates, holy days, genuflecting, and more!

Sister Julie — Fri, 21 May 2010 10:25:55 +0000

AS026 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on May 21, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: adoration, prayer, spiritual direction, daily nun life, associates, holy days, genuflecting, cleaning and cooking in the convent, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What is adoration?
What is a holy day?
What is a day in the life of a nun like?
What’s the difference between bowing and genuflecting?
What is an associate and how does one become an associate of the IHM congregation?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS025 Ask Sister – hope in religious life, Catholic websites, humility, IHM sisters

Sister Julie — Fri, 14 May 2010 10:00:07 +0000

AS025 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on May 14, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. With IHM Sisters Joyce Durosko, Remi Pauwels, Terry Milne. Topics include: vocation stories, hope in religious life, navigating Catholic websites, living humility.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What is your vocation story? How did you become an IHM Sister?
For what reasons do you think a discerner should consider religious life with hope? How is religious life a life-giving option?
How do I make sense of Catholic websites that “defend the faith” but don’t sound all that Christian?
What is the best way to obtain humility?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS024 Ask Sister – what happens at a “come and see”, scapulars, pyschological testing, student debt, and more

Sister Julie — Fri, 07 May 2010 19:00:07 +0000

AS024 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on May 7, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: what happens at a Come and See, scapulars, student debt, sisters and retirement, psychological testing prior to entrance, facing darkness and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

For what reasons do you think a discerner should consider religious life with hope? How is religious life a life-giving option?
What exactly is a “Come and See”?
What is the church’s take on wearing a scapular?
Do I need a bachelor’s degree in order to become a Catholic sister or nun?
Can I become a nun if I have graduate school debt? (see Financial Help for Vocations to Religious Life or the Priesthood)
Why do sisters/nuns have to do psychological tests prior to entry and what does it involve?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Look forward to seeing you tonight!

AS023 Ask Sister – monastery live-ins, women deacons, modesty, poverty, nuns teaching, and more!

Sister Julie — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 10:12:09 +0000

AS023 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on April 30, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: monastery live-ins, women deacons, becoming a nun, teaching in universities, modesty in dress, sisterhood, poverty, discernment, and more!
Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Is it possible to live for a little while at a convent or monastery?
How can I learn more about becoming a nun? I’m not the most religious person but am curious about becoming a nun.
Are there options for women to be deacons in the Catholic church or can they only remain celibate as a nun or sister?
How do I know what God is calling me to? How can I tell if I am called to be a nun?
Do sisters teach at the university level?
Do sisters connect with each other across different communities?
How do sisters and nuns live the vow of poverty?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS022 Ask Sister – romantic desires, spouse of Christ image, nun ranks, peace in the madness of life, telling family

Sister Julie — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:55:09 +0000

AS022 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on April 23, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: having romantic desires, spouse of Christ image, nun ranking system, formation, finding peace in the madness of life, telling parents, and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Now that I’m discerning religious life, how do I direct my desire for romance?
What does it mean to be a Spouse of Christ?
How does the ranking system work within a monastery? Are there different levels and, if so, how do sisters move up in rank?
How do I seek peace in the madness of life?
How do you help parents and friends become okay with the idea of entering religious life?
Does it really take 7 years to become a nun or sister?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

See you tonight!

AS021 Ask Sister – telling family and friends, age limits, traveling nuns

Sister Julie — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 09:33:02 +0000

AS021 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on April 16, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: telling family and friends, age limit, traveling nuns, yoga for Catholics, the Beatitudes, hunger for community, praying for strangers and more!

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

When is the right time to let family and friends know I truly feel called to become a Catholic sister?
Are you ever too old to become a nun or sister?
How old do you have to be to become a nun? Do you have to finish college first before becoming a nun?
Can sisters and nuns travel?
Why are the beatitudes important?
Can a divorced woman become a nun?
What do you pray when you are asked to pray for someone you don’t know and don’t know why they need prayer?
What is the Catholic Church’s stance on yoga? Are practicing Catholics, including religious sisters, allowed to practice yoga?
I’m a people person and really want a strong spiritual community. Any practical hints on how to deal with this hunger?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS020 Ask Sister – vocational terror, regret, shaved heads, nun finances, animal ministry, the habit, and more!

Sister Julie — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 11:55:00 +0000

AS020 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on April 9, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: wearing the habit, nun finances, vocational terror, animal ministry, feeling regret after becoming a sister, shaved heads, bubble baths and more.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Are there any Catholic sisters or nuns that work with animals?
What was the hardest part in the beginning when you entered the convent?
Do you ever regret your choice to became a nun?
Are nuns required to shave their heads?
Is it normal to feel both terrified and excited about a possible calling to become a sister?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS019 Ask Sister – discerning God’s will, choosing a religious name, celibacy, family responsibilities, convent decor

Sister Julie — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 12:45:22 +0000

AS019 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 26, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: celibacy, discerning the will of God, choosing a religious name, convent decor, family responsibilities, and more.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

How can I know if wanting to become a nun is God’s will or my own will?
What is the historical reasons sisters received a religious name? What is the practice today?
How do I deal with family responsibilities if I become a sister?
Are nuns allowed to do fun things or to chose a profession?
What is the difference between chastity and celibacy? How does one prepare for a vow of celibacy?
What do convents look like on the inside?

Do you have a question for us? Call our toll-free Voicemail Hotline at 888-703-4732 and leave a voicemail for us with your question. Be sure to give us your first name and city from where you are calling. We’ll play your message and respond on the Ask Sister podcast. You can also send us an email or comment below. In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

AS018 Ask Sister – a discerner’s IHM experience, Nuns support health reform, misconceptions about religious life

Sister Julie — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:32:56 +0000

AS018 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 19, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: a discerner’s IHM experience, why Catholic sisters support health care reform, Bible translations, common misperceptions about nuns, and more.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What was Sue’s experience visiting the IHM Motherhouse? What was it like to pray and working with the sisters?
What Bible version do you use for your prayer podcasts?
What are some common misconceptions that you encounter about nuns and sisters?
Why are U.S. Catholic sisters supporting the Senate bill on health care?

AS017 Ask Sister – prefixes and suffixes, vocation confusion, discernment help, nun gifts

Sister Julie — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:50:27 +0000

AS017 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 12, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: discernment, vocation confusion, the Sr. prefix, how we felt when we first realized we were called to be sisters, gifts for nuns, and more.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What does the prefix “Sr.” stand for and the initials after a nun’s name?
I’ve always thought about getting married and having kids, but I’m kind of drawn to becoming a nun. Help! I’m really confused!
Who helped you as you thought about becoming a sister?
May I give a gift to a nun for her diamond jubilee?
How long before you felt at home in the convent?
How long did it take you between your initial ‘discernment’ and your actual first vows?
Do you have advice for a young woman who is discerning a vocation to be a Sister?

AS016 Ask Sister – preparing for religious life, nunly traits and skills, and more

Sister Julie — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:33:29 +0000

AS016 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on March 5, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: novenas, scapulars, nunly traits and characteristics, waiting to enter religious life, discerning a call from God, and more.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to A Nun’s Life Podcasts:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

What is a novena? What is a scapular?
How do I know what God wants me to do?
What can I do to prepare as I wait to enter religious life?
What traits or skills do you need to possess to be a sister or nun?

AS015 Ask Sister – VocationMatch.com advice

Sister Julie — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 01:18:35 +0000

During Ask Sister 015 we played a clip from Patrice Tuohy of VocationMatch.com. She offered good advice on what to do if you get an overwhelming number of results using VocationMatch.com, a website matching discerning persons with religious communities.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Patrice’s response is to part of a question from Kristina who had asked: “There are so many orders out there and each one is very unique. I have been researching different orders for a couple of years now. There are so many different orders, some well known like Franciscans, Benedictines, Jesuits, Carmelites and Dominicans, but others that I just recently discovered like the Daughters of Saint Paul and the Salesian sisters. The many choices are overwhelming. Do you have any advice for me in sorting through all of these groups? I have used VISION vocation website, which sorts the orders by my interests, but there are still so many out there. I would welcome any resources you might have to guide me. Thanks!”

Listen to the entire AS015 Ask Sister podcast which was broadcast live on February 19, 2010.

AS015 Ask Sister – choosing a community, adjustments to nun life, wearing nail polish

Sister Julie — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:25:56 +0000

AS015 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 19, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include: possible to disappoint God?, having so many religious communities to choose from, how long discerning, retreat and vacation and more.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

During the podcast we played a clip from Patrice Touhy of VISION Vocation Magazine and VocationMatch.com. She gave good advice on what to do if you get an overwhelming number of results using VocationMatch.com which matches persons with religious communities. The segment is included in the podcast above and also as a stand-alone audio clip below.

If you have questions about VISION Vocation Magazine or VocationMatch.com, please feel free to contact Patrice.

Subscribe to the A Nun’s Life Podcast:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

Will I disappoint God if I do not join religious life? And if I join, are there any series of change that will occur?
How do I chose a religious community when there are so many choices?
How long did you discern to become a nun?
Is it easy for fully professed religious to change congregations? Do they start over?
Do sisters and nuns go on vacation?
Can sisters and nuns wear nail polish?

AS014 Ask Sister – calling, immigration, liturgy of the hours

Sister Julie — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:30:39 +0000

AS014 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 12, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include finding one’s calling, the liturgy of the hours, jury duty, age limits for becoming a Catholic Sister, immigration, and more.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to the A Nun’s Life Podcast:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

how do I know what my real calling in life is?
do congregations have problems taking young people because of fear of an age gap?
what do Catholics think about the issue of illegal immigration?
can you explain more about the Divine Office — The Liturgy of the Hours?
do nuns have to go to jury duty?
what’s going on with the Roman Missal?

If you have a question, please email us at or leave a message at our voicemail feedback line: 1-888-703-4732. Messages may be played on the air!

AS013 Ask Sister – daily life, non-Catholic nuns, math

Sister Julie — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:29:14 +0000

AS013 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on February 5, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include daily life of sisters and nuns, the existence of non-Catholic nuns, spiritual direction, and the diverse ministries of sisters and nuns.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to the A Nun’s Life Podcast:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

what do sisters and nuns do all day?
are there non-Catholic nuns?
can I continue my love affair with mathematics as a Catholic sister?
what is spiritual direction

If you have a question, please email us at or leave a message at our voicemail feedback line: 1-888-703-4732. Messages may be played on the air!

AS012 Ask Sister – sweetheart nun, relating to God, what to say

Sister Julie — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:41:42 +0000

AS012 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 29, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include how to tell someone you have a vocation, calling a nun sweetheart, how to trust God, and more! Special guest Sister Camille Brouillard, IHM.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to the A Nun’s Life Podcast:

Ask Sister podcast is a live podcast where you have the opportunity to engage with us and ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between!

You can learn more about Sister Camille Brouillard on our IHM website.

Here are some of the questions we addressed in this Ask Sister podcast:

what to say: I’m thinking about becoming a religious sister, but I don’t have anyone to talk to. I have already approached my pastor about it, but honestly, I didn’t know what to say.
what not to say: Is it disrespectful to say “Hello sweetheart” to a nun?
relating with God: How do I trust and love God? How do I know that I’m doing it correctly?

If you have a question, please email us at .

AS011 Ask Sister – converts, icons, vocation reactions, past relationships

Sister Julie — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 18:09:51 +0000

Listen to AS011 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 22, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry with guest iconographer Sister Nancy Lee Smith, IHM. Topics include non-Catholics becoming nuns, realizing you may have a calling, and relationships.

Sister Nancy Lee Smith, IHM, is an iconographer and spoke with us about her ministry as well as her own calling to religious life. You can find out more about Sister Nancy and her ministry at Saint Joseph Studio.

Questions from listeners included:

How important is having past relationships to discerning a call to religious life?
How did you feel when you first started to have thoughts about becoming a nun? How did you react?
What if you long to find love still, but still think that religious life an option?
Is it possible to become a nun if I haven’t been Catholic my whole life?
Are there specific rules for writing icons? What is it like to be an iconographer’s apprentice?

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

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AS010 Ask Sister – family, becoming a nun, and the v-word

Sister Julie — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:38:04 +0000

Listen to AS010 Ask Sister podcast recorded live on January 15, 2010. Sponsored by aNunsLife.org ministry. Topics include family expectations when a person tells them they want to be a Catholic sister; who to talk to when you think you are called to become a nun; and whether or not a person has to be a virgin in order to become a sister or nun.

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

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AS009 Ask Sister – decision, deportment, distance

Sister Julie — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 01:06:27 +0000

Ask Sister Podcast is a production of A Nun’s Life Ministry. Episode 009 was aired January 8, 2010. During the show we responded to questions about deciding to become a nun, being physically disabled, visiting friends and relatives as a nun, relocation, and religious department.

Sister Margaret Chapman, IHM, joined Sisters Julie and Maxine for the podcast. Sister Margaret is the president of Compassionate Companions, a ministry in which sisters and other advocates serve as guardians for adults whose physical or mental condition affects their ability to speak or act independently.

Is being a nun the hardest part decision you ever made in your entire life? What’s the different between a nun and a normal girl? What’s the benefit of being a nun?
Do you know any physically handicapped sisters or nuns? Do religious communities allow physically disabled women as sisters?
Does living as a sister prevent me from seeing my friends, relatives, or parents? Are catholic nuns or sisters required relocate to different parts of the country if the order asks them to?
what is religious deportment? how essential is it for religious to conform to it?

Click PLAY below to listen to Ask Sister 009 or right-click here to download the MP3.

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AS008 Ask Sister Podcast

Sister Julie — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 14:13:40 +0000

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to the A Nun’s Life Podcast:

Today is our weekly live Ask Sister podcast. This podcast is for you and is an opportunity to ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between! During the live podcast we’ll respond to your questions and comments.

Questions already in the queue for today:

How do you know if God is calling you to be a nun?
When did nuns stop wearing the habit? After Vatican II?
I am baptized a Baptist but I feel a strong pull toward becoming Catholic. Any advice?

Visit ANunsLife.org/live
Today
6 p.m. Central Time (your timezone)

We welcome your questions.You can send them in any number of ways:

comment below
email us any time before the podcast
comment in the chat room during a live show
calling in during a live show

In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential. So what’s on your mind?

Listen to other Ask Sister podcasts.

AS007 Ask Sister Podcast

Sister Julie — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:47:56 +0000

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to the A Nun’s Life Podcast:

Join us today for the Ask Sister podcast, a place where you have an opportunity to ask questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, or pretty much anything in between! During the live podcast we’ll respond to your questions.

You can offer your questions in any number of ways:

comment below
email us any time before the podcast
comment in the chat room during a live show
calling in during a live show

In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Questions already in the queue for today:

What are the big differences between nuns and sisters?
Can nuns wear a light fragrance?
How do I tell my parents that I want to be a nun?

Visit ANunsLife.org/live
Today
6 p.m. Central Time (your timezone)

So what’s on your mind?

Listen to other Ask Sister podcasts.

AS006 Ask Sister Podcast

Sister Julie — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 13:43:07 +0000

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to the A Nun’s Life Podcast:

You can offer your questions in any number of ways:

comment below
email us any time before the podcast
comment in the chat room during a live show
calling in during a live show

In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Visit ANunsLife.org/live
Today
6 p.m. Central Time (your timezone)

So what’s on your mind?

Listen to other Ask Sister podcasts.

AS005 Ask Sister Podcast

Sister Julie — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:13:02 +0000

Click PLAY below or right-click here to download the MP3.

Subscribe to the A Nun’s Life Podcast:

It is the end of the week which means it is time for the Ask Sister podcast. We’ve gathered up some questions about nuns, prayer, religious life, etc. from this past week via email and the chat room. During the live podcast we’ll respond to these questions and to any of your questions.

You can do so in any number of ways:

comment below on the day of the Ask Sister podcast
email us at “sister AT anunslife DOT org” any time before an Ask Sister podcast
comment in the chat room during a live show
calling in during a live show

In whatever way you contact us, please know that your last name, email address, and any other private information will be kept confidential.

Visit ANunsLife.org/live
Today
6 p.m. Central Time (your timezone)

So what’s on your mind?

Listen to other Ask Sister podcasts.