Posted on 07/01/2011 6:55:12 AM PDT by marshmallow
She Entered the Convent the Day Benedict XVI Was Born
GUADALAJARA, Spain, JUNE 30, 2011 (Zenit.org) - She entered the Cistercian Buenafuente del Sistal Convent the day that Joseph Ratzinger (now Benedict XVI) was born, and today Sister Teresa is 103 years old and the world's record holder for having lived the longest as a cloistered nun.
After 84 years as a cloistered nun, Sister Teresa says that the greatest gift she has received has been prayer: "Without it, one cannot sustain oneself. I never cease repeating: 'Thank you, forgive. Thank you, forgive.'"
The nun is one of 10 cloistered nuns profiled in the Spanish-language book "¿Qué hace una chica como tú en un sitio como éste?" (What's a Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This?). In the book, author Jesús Garcia brings to light the secluded world of cloistered nuns by getting to know what life is like behind the grail, and what inspired them to join.
Sister Teresa's story began as young girl living in Alava, Spain. She was known then as Valeria, and she was happy with her life on the family farm. "We were in the field from morning 'til night, working, but we were happy," she said.
The eldest of seven children, her father saw how hard Valeria and her younger sister worked and he wanted a different life for them. "Thinking nuns didn’t work, [my father] would say to my sister and me: 'Wouldn’t you like to be nuns?'" she recalls.
"I didn’t like nuns," she continued, "given how comfortable I was at home, [but] to please my father, [I] prayed to the patroness of Vitoria and asked her to give me a vocation. And did she give me one!"
Upon entering the Cistercian convent in Guadalajara, Spain, Valeria took the name Teresa. "I was afraid to enter, but the Lord helped me," she said. The sister said that she prayed to both God and St. Teresa for the courage to be committed to her new vocation.
Though Sister Teresa says that there was a time when she wondered about her contribution to society from behind the convent walls, her worries were soon put to rest: "Once, I was tempted to imagine how my life would be outside [the convent] because I felt I wasn’t contributing anything by being here."
She adds that it is a concern of many cloistered nuns. After consulting a priest about her feelings, Sister Teresa says "He told me I had a very beautiful vocation; that it’s worthwhile."
Sister Teresa says that she is very happy and does not desire anything from the outside world. "It’s a grace from God," she says. "I know that many won’t understand my way of living, but I don’t understand any other."
I’m not convinced it’s a choice once they are fully indoctrinated. Hard thing for an individual to go against the Priests and the wishes of Rome when taught this is an acceptable lifestyle, and to leave would be to fail what they perceive to be a calling. Many stay because of fear of the fallout for leaving.
I remember when she left though, my dad said grandpa read the letter, burned it and drove all night to get her.
To this day no one else knows what was in that letter.
Oh, for heaven’s sake. People voluntarily make these choices. It’s not easy to buck any system, like for instance marriage (much harder to leave in adversity) or a job one hates, or one church group for another, or selling one house where you’ve lived thirty years and raised all your children.
Exactly...and no different for a nun wanting to leave but unable to do so. Woman have remained in abusive environments for years...but for some the day comes and they act. So I’m not speaking of simply a change of ones environment but an “escape”.
Say a woman is married 10 years with children, and falls in love with someone else. In order to leave the marriage, she would have to sunder all kinds of relationships and face all kinds of disapproval. It would be very expensive, the fallout from longtime friends and family members-in-law would be huge. I can see her staying because of the fear of the fallout for leaving. Would you call that marriage a prison? Would you call marriage a "cult"?
There are still Knights in Shinning White Armor! God sends them as soon is the call is heard. Thank God for you're grandpa....and there are more stories as this than some might imagine possible. Sad though are those who have no-one to come for them. Heartwretching.....
Are you saying that being a cloistered nun is the same as living in an abusive marriage?
I just want to be clear as to what you are saying.
That's because you are seeing this nun as married. She would be commiting adultry by leaving in her mind because she is taught she is married to Christ. But that is nto true. We all give our life to Him for salvation... Her vows to God as His will not change regardless of her environment...once they give their life to him...it's His. They are not unfaithful to Him by leaving a cloisture. Their relationship to God will remain...and actually grow and develope once they do leave.
Again, read some of the testimonies of nuns who have left cloistures where indeed it was abusive...more often than not it’s there but hidden from the outside world.
Even in Vatican 11 the Pope wanted to see these cloitures opened and this hermit lifestyle draw down.
No thanks. Non-Catholics, particularly those who are prejudiced against Catholics, have no idea that there is any other way of life than the one they live. Their fantasies about the sort of life a nun or sister lives is truly laughable, sometimes pornographic, and certainly a far distance from reality.
The very fact that their life is hidden, makes it a subject of intense curiosity among the non-Catholics, and the fact that they live as holy women makes the curiosity, sadly, distorted. This just buys into the present liberal fixation that all sexuality must be “open” and known by everyone.
I would venture to guess that most non-Catholics have a fairly unrealistic view of nuns, colored by sensational literature or misunderstood episodes.
Yes it truly is sad and cowardly to devote your life to God? What a truly ridiculous and callous thing for that poster to say!
If nothing in this world is more important than God, than how is it a bad thing to completely devote yourself to him? I just don’t get people sometimes?
Looks like the American Taliban has nothing better to do than troll the RF looking for Catholics to bash. Instead of rejoicing in the life of service to Christ by a fellow Christian, they mock, degrade, & criticize. Typical.
They can call themselves whatever they want, but their unchristian-like behavior & lack of charity for others speaks volumes. It’s almost the 3 o’clock hour. I will pray during the Holy Hour for their conversions.
Yes Judith, we have heard this many times over. ..anyone who isn’t committed to Rome and the Catholic Church is distinctly incapabale of arriving at conclusions based on critical thinking along with extensive research. Simply isn’t possible.
Few actually care less about the cloistured nuns, there is no curiosity element about them at all, unless perhaps it’s catholics themselves who want to know. That is until one of the nuns escapes and let’s the world know what really is going on within the walls of their prison. Then of course we have concerns of what takes place. But of what they do from a religious aspect...no not interested.
I don’t know where the heck you got the idea anything sexual was being stated about the cloisture nuns...i
I suree didn’t mention anything. You must have read something about that...as have I in my research..for it is ‘more than suspected’ the Priests do induldge their sexual appetities within those cloistures.
But what I did mention was abuse...though I wasn’t specific about what that was. It’s enough the nuns have stated some of the abuse, again not mentioning sexual, of which they have endured within these cloistures. Terrible happenings...and these from the mouths of those nuns who by the Grace of God escaped those prison walls.
It would be interesting if you came up with some kind of source, instead of vague accusations that Catholics are incapable of “arriving at conclusions based on critical thinking along with extensive research.”
Frankly, haven’t heard either from the non-Catholics. There is, however, a fraud exposed on another thread,
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2456334/posts
Really? You figured this all out by yourself with this great research you do?
You talked to nuns you personally knew in life? If to be fair you would have to talk to all or most just to be fair to your great critical extensive research?
How long have you been in the field?
Have you been objective like the good researcher you are suppose to be? Did you check both sides of the story?
It seems your research only presumes the ones who left? At least the ones you read. I personally know a former nun who left the convent yet owns a Catholic bookstore because this is her calling. Funny thing still in the Church. I guess she did not get a proper cleaning from the brainwashing. Poor thing.
Because I have met some beautiful happy people in Christ who are nuns. Your lack of knowledge is bliss it feeds on itself only. The invisible walls of your thinking need to be torn down to see the other side too.
Just amazing!!
By the way thanks for this article! Very inspiring from this very humble servant of God.
I met her not me on this read. I just reread in case of mistake.
Not surprising in the least to see your post, and others, who immediately make many assumptions and determine anyone who isn't catholic, or isn't approved with your ideal of what constitutes research and or assessment, would be excluded from a fair analysis. Same o' responses....
All can "name that tune in one note."
Now. You tell me did you ever meet a bad nun or a nun with a bad experience? Or for that matter a good nun in Christ? Or any at all to make the previous statements.
You are correct...I am not answering your questions and have no intentions of doing so. You are entitled to your opinion as am I. As well to post it.
There is ample evidence of what I have stated for anyone to research themselves. You can rebutt all you want but it has no bearing on my opinion. I am not here to present two ‘stories’ or any particular ‘story’. I leave that to those in the catholic church....and we know there are always mountains of them.
I am stating that there is and has been abuse within the cloistures...that between Nuns, Priests, and those in their care as nuns. Anyone can discover this without effort. As well, those who investigated and brought these to the attention of the authorities, as well to the catholic leadership.
And so...you are correct I will not feed your questions. They are immaterial to me one way or another.
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