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Oprah and the Nuns - What Was Missing?
Wed, Feb 10 2010 08:57
| Oprah Winfrey and Sisters
Did you have the opportunity to see yesterday's Oprah Winfrey Show? I received several phone calls, "Do you have your tv on? turn on Oprah...she has nuns on her program!" I was enroute in my car at the time so only managed to see the last few minutes of the show. That was enough to pique my interest so I stayed up past my bedtime to watch the second running of the show.
What are my thoughts and impressions of the show? In the big-picture-scheme-of-things I am glad that religious life had a venue in secular television land. I think the women interviewed from the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist were sincere in their enthusiasm and dedication in living out their call to religious life. Their reasons for the choices they made to enter, and why they continue to stay, were well articulated. It was very evident that they, no doubt, are good women - seeking God on a journey together.
All that said, I think that Oprah failed to present religious life in its total breadth and width and missed an opportunity to try to dispel the long-lasting stereotype of sisters. I kept waiting for something in the program to broaden the picture of "nuns" and present the other faces of religious life in today's world. Other than a few pictures flashed on the screen and a quick mention that there are other ways to live religious life, this never happened.
This may seem like a strange analogy, but I kept thinking about ice cream. Oprah only told us about vanilla ice cream. Vanilla ice cream is great. I like vanilla ice cream...but, think of all the other wonderful flavors of ice cream in this world. Why not talk about some of the other flavors? On several occasions, Oprah referred to what the sisters said and described it to the audience as "the way sisters live" or "a nun's life". Actually, she was describing the way the Dominican Sisters of Mary live out their charism and call on a daily basis. For those not familiar with religious life or who haven't had the experience of knowing many sisters, I fear that Oprah concretized the image of a sister into a singular one. Oprah's statements make a particular, unique reality seem as though it is exactly like that for all of us. The rest of us women religious have unique histories, traditions, lifestyles, and practices as well. Our daily lives look very different from one another's depending on the congregation from which we come.
I wish Oprah had done two things differently. The first, if only highlighting one community of sisters as she did, then provide a different framework for the audience, i.e., this is ONE way to live religious life... just like there are many ways to practice medicine, be a mom, be President of the United States, run a company or be a talk show host. Second, give her audience a chance to sample more flavors of ice cream - sisters/nuns come in all forms from cloistered to apostolic and everywhere in between and beyond. What a great educational opportunity this could have been. And, think of how much more the thousands of viewers could have learned.
Ice cream wasn't the only thing that came to mind as I reflected on what this program meant. On a much deeper level I immediately thought of the scripture (1 Corinthinians, 12: 4) "There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same spirit". Religious life - each congregation and order -is a gift of the Spirit to the Church and world. Each one IS different. That IS the gift. One is not better than another and all are needed.
Wouldn't our Church and world be a happier, more just and peaceful place if we would all, first, become aware of the different flavors of ice cream, then learn to appreciate, share and celebrate the beautiful colors, textures and combinations we could create!
I am glad Oprah gave us a taste of religious life in today's world - vanilla is good. I hope she calls other religious women and invites them to her show so that more than vanilla is served!
All that said, I think that Oprah failed to present religious life in its total breadth and width and missed an opportunity to try to dispel the long-lasting stereotype of sisters. I kept waiting for something in the program to broaden the picture of "nuns" and present the other faces of religious life in today's world. Other than a few pictures flashed on the screen and a quick mention that there are other ways to live religious life, this never happened.
This may seem like a strange analogy, but I kept thinking about ice cream. Oprah only told us about vanilla ice cream. Vanilla ice cream is great. I like vanilla ice cream...but, think of all the other wonderful flavors of ice cream in this world. Why not talk about some of the other flavors? On several occasions, Oprah referred to what the sisters said and described it to the audience as "the way sisters live" or "a nun's life". Actually, she was describing the way the Dominican Sisters of Mary live out their charism and call on a daily basis. For those not familiar with religious life or who haven't had the experience of knowing many sisters, I fear that Oprah concretized the image of a sister into a singular one. Oprah's statements make a particular, unique reality seem as though it is exactly like that for all of us. The rest of us women religious have unique histories, traditions, lifestyles, and practices as well. Our daily lives look very different from one another's depending on the congregation from which we come.
I wish Oprah had done two things differently. The first, if only highlighting one community of sisters as she did, then provide a different framework for the audience, i.e., this is ONE way to live religious life... just like there are many ways to practice medicine, be a mom, be President of the United States, run a company or be a talk show host. Second, give her audience a chance to sample more flavors of ice cream - sisters/nuns come in all forms from cloistered to apostolic and everywhere in between and beyond. What a great educational opportunity this could have been. And, think of how much more the thousands of viewers could have learned.
Ice cream wasn't the only thing that came to mind as I reflected on what this program meant. On a much deeper level I immediately thought of the scripture (1 Corinthinians, 12: 4) "There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same spirit". Religious life - each congregation and order -is a gift of the Spirit to the Church and world. Each one IS different. That IS the gift. One is not better than another and all are needed.
Wouldn't our Church and world be a happier, more just and peaceful place if we would all, first, become aware of the different flavors of ice cream, then learn to appreciate, share and celebrate the beautiful colors, textures and combinations we could create!
I am glad Oprah gave us a taste of religious life in today's world - vanilla is good. I hope she calls other religious women and invites them to her show so that more than vanilla is served!
Comments (13)
Faith and Prayer in New Orleans
Tue, Jan 19 2010 12:54
| New Orleans Service Trip Prayer
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When I asked the New Orleans volunteers what made the biggest impresssion on them during our service trip, I got a lot of similar answers. That people still have faith here is amazing... that people have a deeper, stronger faith than before the storm... it's just hard to understand.
Each morning and evening our days began and ended with prayer together. We gathered -sometimes using words, silence or music - to remember those with whom we would be working, those who had lost everthing, those who had been inspirations to us and those who were still waiting for a hand to reach down and pull them out of where they were now stalled and in despair. We prayed that, like Saints Vincent de Paul, Louise de Marillac and Elizabeth Ann Seton, we too, could be the bridge between those with resources and those without. We reflected on seeing Christ in the face of others and leaving God in our chapel to go meet God as we ventured out to do the work for that day. Together, we shared our epiphany moments and were united in a way ever-more meaningful than our actual physical work.
We weren't the only ones praying. The other sisters in the area were praying for us. Those assisting us at the work sites were praying. The homeowners were praying. How touching to know that the two women whose home we worked on and who fed us, made a visit to their church to pray in thanksgiving for what we had done and given to them. I wonder if they will ever realize how much they have given us by their example of prayer and faith.
Why Are You Still Going to New Orleans?
Fri, Jan 15 2010 12:59
| Charity Federation, New Orleans Service Trip
Several of the volunteers said that they were asked by their friends and family why they were going to New Orleans now. Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. It seems hard to believe that large parts of the city are still devastated. With a shaky infrastructure and many professionals leaving and not returning after the storm, the city is slow to recover. A group of us in the Sisters of Charity Federation take a group of young adult volunteers on a service trip each year to continue the recovery effort.
Driving around New Orleans is a bit like riding on an emotional roller coaster. Excitement over the growth and the building that's happening before our eyes; that pit-in-your-stomach feeling as we pass by the numerous homes and buildings still boarded up and untouched since the storm.
On one project during our trip, we worked with Mr. Earl. He was in charge of helping to repair Beverly's home. Beverly had been in Section 8 Housing until they re-read her application and realized she owned a home. She was forced to move back to this home but it wasn't ready for her. Like many others, the contractor that began work on her home started the job, got his money and left town before completing his work. She's been living there for a while now.
Beverly's yard still had debris from the hurricane. We spent the day clearing the yard, bagging the yard waste and miscellaneous items, removing trees and branches and lumber. Over the next few days, we also broke into smaller crews to take on some additional tasks. One crew, who dubbed themselves "the attic girls" put in Beverly's attic steps and floor. Now she will be able to store her belongings and make room for work to be done on the first floor of her home. Another crew worked with Mr. Earl to install a toilet and hook up the sewer line. Up until then, she had no facilities in her home. At the completion of this project, no words could describe the joy and gratitude she felt. A few, with steady hands, caulked around her windows and doors. The rest of the crew worked on painting the wrought iron on the front porch. A cosmetic job...a point of pride for the owner... as a child she remembered when her father had the wrought iron put in.
We enjoyed our work. We talked and laughed and sang. It was a privilege to be there. We got to know Beverly and heard her stories. She is a woman of great faith and hope. One volunteer said that talking with her helped to put perspective on his own problems and gave him an example of how to move ahead in spite of obstacles that seem overwhelming. Beverly gave all of us a new perspective. On our last day, some of the volunteers saw her coming out of her church. She had walked many blocks to get there as her car isn't working right now. When asked what she had been doing at church, she said praying in thanksgiving for the volunteers that had helped during the week. ....................Oh, by the way, her house is on Hope Street.
Comments (1)
More Than Just A House
Wed, Jan 13 2010 04:59
| Charity Federation, House of Charity, New Orleans Trip
We just returned from the Big Easy. Our service trip last week, to help Katrina Victims, was the first of five trips that we had our own place in which to stay. The House of Charity was only a dream and a hope until the first week of January 2010.Thirty of us piled in to the House of Chairity in New Orleans. We were excited to explore the house - the sisters attending the trip had email descriptions and conference call conversations about the house - only pictures in our imaginations painted by Sister Monica.
Sister Monica, aka "the army of one", has courageously lead the house hunt and forged the path to New Orleans. She and two other sisters from the Federation will be joining together soon to live in the House of Charity. It's a house that has been formed from the Sisters of Charity Federation - a place of hospitality, intentional community living and prayer, and to be a presence to the poor. It is a new beginning and new things will emerge as the "house is lived into".
Our volunteers, mostly young adults in college, helped us celebrate the opening of the house. Eleven sisters from the Federation were part of the service trip - were happy to arrive on the feast of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. Our prayer that evening remembered her courage and faithfulness. We prayed that our group be blessed with these during our week of service and that the House of Charity be blessed with the same.
One of the volunteers remarked that the House of Charity felt like home away from home. Indeed, it is more than just a house. I think Catherine Spalding, and all of our foundresses, would agree that the spirit of hospitality, so much a part of our charism, is alive and well in this new house. May it continue to be a home away from home to all who enter its doors.
