In our 875+ year history, we Norbertines have had a consistent charter: to be living examples of the "community of God" spreading the Good News of God's love for humanity. We do this by expressing his love through living a simple, communal life as close to Christian perfection as possible while remaining very involved in the life of the Body of Christ.
Our mission of "Community," or charism, is to use Christian Love, or Caritas, as a tool to promote faith in Christ, and unity of purpose and action. In short, we attempt to be living examples of the lives lived by the earliest Christians as seen in the Acts of the Apostles.
From the beginning, Norbertine Sisters (in olden days, Canonesses) have been part of this calling. They continue to be a major element in our journey as Religious toward the divine. But the "so-called" modern world today sees Sisters in a different and much more critical way than in virtually all ages past.
They
ask - why be a Norbertine Sister today? We
can only respond by saying - why not be a Norbertine Sister today!
Many of the works in which good people the world over are involved in do
not require a Norbertine Sister. Any
number of people could work in the areas of teaching, nursing, care of the poor,
pastoral care, catering, sewing, farming, or even in the missions. However, the
choice to become a Sister is one that is motivated by much more than what a
religious merely does in her ministry.
In a world that puts emphasis on what people do instead of the person they are,
a Norbertine Sister is someone whose whole way of life be a living model of
commitment. In speaking about being a sister no one is trying to undermine
the vocations of marriage or the single life. Rather, we are simply
witnessing to our chosen place within the Body of Christ - his Church. Too
often I have heard people play down the role of Sister for fear of people who
may misinterpret this way of life as saying "The role of Sister is
superior." Our role is not
superior, but it is as important as marriage or the single life. It is an option
in life that is not spoken of these days as a fulfilling way to live. That is
unfortunate, because for those in it, the Norbertine Sisterhood is immensely
fulfilling both for themselves, and for those they serve.
Religious
life in the Norbertine Community, when lived to its full potential is a life
that brings many challenges, takes you where you sometimes would rather not go,
gives you times of insight, life-giving moments, and at times, triumphant
accomplishment. All of these
qualities can be experienced in any vocation. As a Norbertine Sister the
fulfillment comes in making your commitment to God every day. Asking the Lord to
be with you as you start each day, to be with you in all that you do and say.
And in the evening to sit down in community, sometimes tired and say, I met
Jesus today in some of the places and in some of the people I never expected.
Religious life is meant to be one of service to others, fuelled by prayer,
commitment and most importantly a relationship with Jesus. This choice of life
is lived out in the community where prayer, the breaking open of the Scriptures
and a shared vision is part of the day. The fundamental basis of religious life
is our relationship with God, how we live that out in community and how we then
take it into our work each and every day.
As religious in the Norbertine Community, we are not super-human but real
people; struggling like everyone else, enjoying moments and living in
relationship just like everyone else. We choose the Religious life because it
gives us life and enables us to bring hope and encourage life and love in
others.
Of course, as members of the Norbertine Order, we still endeavor to live a simple communal life according to the Rule of St. Augustine, rich in tradition, liturgy, and featuring the sung Divine Office. Over the past eight-plus centuries, we have achieved a consistent balance between the communal and contemplative religious community, and intense, caring involvement with our fellow Christians in the Body of Christ.
Each convent of Sisters is an autonomous entity, and the vocation process differs from house to house. Each national tradition, and each abbey tradition is respected. This is why we cannot give you a single, simple description of how new members of our community are received, and formed.
Click here to read about the lives of our Sisters in their own words!
Remember, whether you choose to fulfill your vocation in our religious Order or not, in pursuing a vocational quest, you are seeking to make use of a treasured gift, a life in the service of Christ through service to 'his lambs'. We honor you for this quest and hope that you will consider the Norbertines.
If you feel that you have a vocation to be a Norbertine Sister, the first step is to write a traditional, paper-based letter to the Vocation Director at the Norbertine community of Sisters closest to you. We also have an online map showing these locations. Once you have established communication with your Vocation Director, you will receive literature to review. But more importantly, you should receive an invitation to actually visit the house and participate in our community as an honored guest.
Brochures, conversations and descriptions can do a lot to help explain what our Order is like. But there is nothing that comes close to an actual visit - whether it be for a day, a weekend, or a week. It is during these visits that you will experience what words cannot describe - the actual lifestyle of the community. When you do, you will see and feel for yourself the joy and fulfillment which comes from a community "Of One Heart and One Mind".
Thank You and May God Bless You!
