H ERE ARE SOME tidbits about my experiences with the sisters called nuns:
1. I used to want to be one.
2. My mother wouldn’t let me and T watch Sister Act for so long because there is a gun in it. So I had to listen to all my elementary-school friends talk about it for like four years before I watched it. When I finally saw it, I was in awe of Whoopi.
3. I also thought that an all-girls Catholic school run by nuns was the epitome of cool, especially after seeing The Trouble with Angels (deemed more P-G than Sister Act).
4. Nuns always remind me of Owen Meany (from John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany), who called them “penguins” and threw rocks at their statue of Mary Magdalene.
5. I once sat next to two nuns on an eight-hour train ride from Montelimar, France, to Barcelona. One of them gave me a mint.
In any case, a sisterhood of nuns fascinates me, especially in the habit. So I’ve gathered some of my favorite nun photos below for your viewing pleasure. Are there nuns that you’re particularly fond of? Please do share…
Additional photo credits from Flickr users:
• “Aunt Rose’s AC Invacar” from Lawrence Peregrine-Trousers.
• “Sisters at Home” and “Group Photo” are from Redbricktudor.
• The image of two nuns bike riding is courtesy of Yanda.
• “Smoking Nun” from Mark Berry (he’s here, as well)
• “Kolkata” from Boris Earth
• “Scout Truck” from Wisconsin Historical Society
• Baseball photos are from The Minnesota Historical Society (via Hunter on Flickr)
Thanks to all!
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{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
I always get a kick out of seeing nuns in habits get on the metro at Catholic U.
The Sound of Music nuns are the ones who made me sort of want to become a nun. Looking back I can see that even at twelve, I realized I wasn’t the sort that could live with all those rules.
Welcome Becky, good point! I nearly forgot about ‘The Sound of Music.’ Julie Andrews did look rather natural in a habit, for some reason.
Sister Bertrille, the Flying Nun!! So much sexual tension with that hottie Latino daddy, Carlos!
Our images of nuns are framed by our cultures; coming from a background where there was no such concept as monasticism, I was well into my teaching career before I had as a student a fully professed sister of the order of St. Joseph of Carondolet, who wanted me to advise her thesis on, gulp, chastity, which quickly became a project published by what was then called Harper & Row. My favorite nun did come from a Christian background, but not a monastic group. By the time she got her BA, Ms. Peggy Schuster had become political and drawn to an off-shoot of modern Hinduism. Now the head pastor of the Vedanta Society of Dallas, TX, her monastic name is Pravrajika Brahmaprana, which more or less translates out from Sanskrit as A mendicant nun who lives in the breath of the formless aspect of God prevading all being.
She is a youngish late 40s, great sense of humor, gifted writer.
You wanted favorite nun, you got well outside the American sandbox.
it’s not toooo late yet 4/U/2/B/1 with the nunnery …
Welcome Shelly, thank you for sharing your nun tales! I guess I forgot to qualify my experiences above as being with exclusively catholic (while not all American) nuns. It’s great to get outside the ‘American sandbox,’ as you say–and to understand our frame of references a little better while we’re at it.
I’m pretty sure my favorite nun- or Sister of Charity- is going to be my liberation theology teacher here in El Salvador. Like Shelly’s favorite, my teacher is named Peggy, and is a youngish 70.
In my youth, when there were nuns a-plenty living/teaching at my church, I’d see them out and about always traveling in pairs. (Anyone flashing back to a Woody Allen movie right now?) And they always drove a station wagon.
My favorite nun and ex-nun is fictional, played by Audrey Hepburn in The Nun’s Story. Great flick.
My aunt Ann is a nun. She inspires me with her dedication, warmth and great wit. Sister Valeria at my son’s school inspires me as well. Both intelligent woman with simple needs, who find their calling in helping others and serving the Lord. I think there is great beauty in a person who has found her calling in life, whatever it is, and weathers the good times and hard times knowing that they would make the same choice if they could do it again.
Welcome Winetipper and Nancy! Thanks for the great stories.
The photo in the gallery of the two nuns getting into the 3-wheeled car was actually posted by the nephew of the sister in the driver’s seat. An auntie-nun seems like a great addition to any child’s life. It’s a great lesson in living simply, you’re right.
I’m a fan of this performance (especially after the break down – see 1:12): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHASQg8fR0s
Kate! I forgot how much you love that one!
my mom wanted to be a nun when she was little too. i think you would have made a good nun. i expect a full entry dedicated to sister act and sister act 2!
Today my nun teacher explained to us that Catholic nuns (sisters in habits) were more free to wear whatever they wanted -at least to shed the habit- after Vatican II in 1963-65.
What are your thoughts about how this affects their level of sisterhood? Many would say that identity is created internally but also how others perceive us, and their sisterhood is definitely perceived of differently when nuns aren’t unified in their garb.
Once, in second grade, in a fit of anger, Sister Lucita swooshed her white-trimmed black veil behind her back… and a tendril of hair popped out. At recess, we girls huddled together on our asphalt parking lot/playground and whispered, “They DO have hair.” It would be years before we figured out they also got to keep their breasts. We thought they were chopped off so those large white collars of their habits could lay flat against their chests.
On a more serious side, we lived in a Catholic neighborhood where the nuns were very much a part of our lives. They came over and visited us and we visited them at the convent. When my mother would make me a new dress, she’d tell me to go show the nuns. They’d gush and I’d bask in the glory of their praise. That’s how it was with them. It was all about the love.
Oh, I am sooo glad to hear all of these positive stories/recollections after many years of hearing only negative nun-bashing! Yes, the Irish nuns (young and fresh off the boat) at my Catholic grammar school did rap boys’ knuckles occasionally and yes, they did send miscreants to the “cloak room” to stand in the corner, but they also taught the virtues of humility, perseverance, honesty and courage. Think of the many CEO’s (the good ones), non-profit leaders, teachers and others who were informed and grew with the nuns’ dedication to their spiritual formation. I started a non-profit (no nuns, just wonderful women volunteers…and secular) to help at-risk girls make it through their teen years and I am absolutely grateful for the role that Sr. Mary Francis, Agatha, Angela and Margarita played in my own formation. Three cheers for them all!
Welcome Judy, thanks you for sharing such wonderful stories. It seems like such a blessing to grow up among so many sisters. I love hearing that they were part of your community. And I’m sure @Mary would agree!
So welcome, Mary. Yes, three cheers for nuns!
As a sister and a Sister, I find it refreshing to read such positive stories and memories. I never had nuns in my life as a child because we “left” the Catholic church when I was little. But after coming back in the college years, I eventually found my calling as a Dominican Sister.
I’m also the 5th of 6 children – and have two sisters (both older). I’m very close to them and we continue to share sister stories and sister love!
Want to know more about today’s sisters/nuns? Check out , a blog and web ministry by Sr. Julie Viera, IHM.
Hi there Sister Christer! It’s nice to have a bonified Sister join our conversation–welcome!
For those of you who can’t click on Sister Christer’s hyperlink, try this: http://anunslife.org/
I am middle-named for my great-aunt, a Benedictine nun, Sister Augusta. Her given name was Philomena — I was never sure if I was better off as Christine Augusta — a name I never liked as a child — or Christine Philomena. I was young when she died, but we have the sweet cards and notes she would send to us (6 brothers and sisters and me) on our birthdays. My one sister tried the convent for a time in her teens as a “postulant” but it didn’t take.
Hi Christine, welcome! hmm Christine Augusta has a nice flow to it, but “Philomena” is just too cool. I’ve always loved old fashioned names like that. I don’t think I’ve ever known any Philomenas, but I get the feeling you’d need a pretty zany personality to pull such a name off!
It’s nice to have another “Auntie Nun” story in the mix. The photo of the nuns by the 3-wheeled car was submitted by the driver’s nephew.
I lived on a country road a couple of years ago and behind my house, up a dirt road a group of Nun’s from NYC stayed at a camp ground. Well one morning about 6am I was walking my dogs and down hill came 6 or so Nun’s on bike in full Habit, it reminded me of The Flying Show. They all said good morning and off they went. This was a daily experience, that if I did not see my self in this day and age I would not believe.
Love your photo gallery.
Hi,
I grew up in the 60′s and 70′s being taught by nuns all the way through. A very dynamic time for those girls. I remember being shocked to see some of our teachers playing softball in their yard after school. Sorry, don’t know when or where this picture came from, but I’ve hung on to it, it’s a classic. http://www.flickr.com/photos/65416805@N00/?saved=1
Oh, sigh! I grew up a Missouri Synod Lutheran girl (went to Lutheran grammar school – and even on to Lutheran University and College later before chucking all that and journeying around for what “fit”) – and being blood-sisterless and kinda sisterless in general (a little girl trying to be invisible), I thought the nuns and the girls who went to Catholic School just had THE life…they looked so connected, so close…These stories and comments are wonderful! I’m so glad I found this post…
The picture that is on the TSP home-page – the opener for this post – on quick glance looked to me like a nun jumping backward into a dumpster (i didn’t see the swing!)…LOL…THAT sure got me wondering what the post would be about…
I liked Whoopie’s photo of her in that habit as reminds me of the nuns I grew up with. Nuns were always a bit mysterious to me as a kid. I attended Catholic schools grades 1-8 so they had a big impact on me. Some were very strict and others were very loving and awesome teachers. I admit I was always so in awe of their deep devotion to God and surrendering their life to service. That’s stayed with me as an adult. I do laugh because kids can have weird ideas about nuns too — they just seemed to ‘float’ down the halls in those long habits without feet, and it was cool when one nun played the guitar for us because was so ‘normal’. When my girlfriends and I visited the nun’s convent one time, we were shocked to find out nuns had hair under their habits and ironed clothes like real people. Too funny! One nun was always getting her long rosary stuck on her desk chair in the classroom, and I imagine she probably said a few choice words under her breath occasionally. We’d all laugh in class. Nevertheless, I remember them encouraging my talents and giving me an excellent eduction so I could go out into the world and do well…. I admire them. Ahh, the ‘normal life’ — They gave it all up to serve the One they love…
Always wanted to be a nun, but married instead. Did become a Third Order Franciscan. Wish MORE nuns would get back into the religious habit. I had more respect for them when they were.
Always wanted to be a nun, but married instead. Did become a Third Order Franciscan. Wish MORE nuns would get back into the religious habit. I had more respect for them when they were. Anyway, my favorite sisters were the Congregation of Notre Dame. They were the first sisters that I had hair showing. Mother St. Mary Joseph, and Mother St. Marie Alice were my favorite sisters.
Hi.. Great site.. That’s my pic of my auntie Rose, in her new AC Invacar (these were disabled cars on government loan in the ’60s -’80s) with mother superior beside.
Just commenting to say she’d have been pleased that people are enjoying the picture. (she died in 1982, so would be amazed at the internet!) She always had a great sense of humour.
Cheers, Boo (Lawrence PT on Flickr)
PS – here’s one more for your gallery. Taken by her mother (my grandmother) on holiday in Italy. http://www.flickr.com/photos/boo66/5418256387/