Novice life, with no AC

Vintage image of Benedictine sisters is from
the Instagram page of St. Leo University.
The post contains this and other photos
of the sisters. See it at:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DGvdNp7uNfV/

Misunderstandings abound in popular culture about Catholic religious sisters and their history. It's also true about the hidden lives of women in the novitiate, the period of time when an entrant lives in community as a hopeful but not yet fully professed member of a religious order.

This post shares some truths about the lives of Benedictine novices in the wilds of Florida a century ago. Despite the Florida boom that saw a burst of development in the early years of the 20th century, much of the land outside cities remained wilderness at that time.

The Benedictines established an academy and a convent, the Holy Name Monastery, in 1889 in the small town of San Antonio (Florida). That began their long association with what today is St. Leo University in the nearby town of St. Leo.

Insights shared here are from Chapter 2 of The Benedictine Sisters of Florida - The First Hundred Years. It covers their first 100 years at Holy Name in San Antonio/St. Leo. The undated, typewritten document likely dates to 1989 or the early 1990s. Chapter 2 is titled "Tales From the Novitiate." The introduction is worth quoting:

Novitiate memories often revolve around peals of laughter; buckets of tears; sinks full of dirty dishes; dreams realized; uninvited and inappropriate giggling; serious, even solemn, efforts at prayer; and, as a background for it all, the tension of beginning a search for God with all the professed, or as they once were called, the "big sisters", observing carefully from heights of proper religious decorum and holiness.

In other words, a lot like secular life in that it had ups and downs as all lives do. Along with moments of fun. A novice named Sister Therese illustrated that when the sisters had to physically have their convent house moved in 1911. During recreation period, she'd run the length of the building and physically jump out the front door and off the edge of the propped-up, mid-move building. Just for fun. 

The activity both entertained her seniors and earned her a reputation. 

She was also known for her singing voice. One song outlasted her novice days and became required during parties and talent shows into the 1960s. Accompanied by outlandish costumes, particularly hats, even in the days of full habits. 

The song was "I'm A Lonely Little Petunia in an Onion Patch." No, I've never heard of it either. Sister Therese was a novice in the early 1900s, so we're going back quite a while.

Sister Therese went on to serve as a school principal, registrar, novice mistress and in several other roles. Sometimes all at the same time.

The less rambunctious Sister Caroline remembered her 1920s novitiate and initiation into community living as "gentle, thoughtful, progressing week by week with the addition of more duties and supported by gradual instruction."

Squeezed in among her prayer, work, instructional and leisure time, Sister Caroline took a correspondence course in Geometry. She and the other novices were called candidates during the earliest stages of the novitiate. During her candidacy, Sister Caroline also taught Latin to primary school pupils.

Sister Rosaria recalled how all the sisters of the community came out to greet her and other postulants when they arrived in 1930. She also remembered how their instructional work about religion and religious life included an emphasis on the fine arts, particularly music. 

Echoes of today linger in Sister deChantal's memories. She was the lone postulant to enter in 1940, as are many women who enter religious life today. Sister deChantal used to take walks with an almost crippled older sister who would bend and pick up pecans Sister deChantal shook lose after climbing a tree.

To be sure, the abbess, prioress, novice mistress and longtime sisters could be strict and exacting in their instruction. Letters home were censored and returned for rewrite if they contained private community information. 

But there was also an abundance of care and understanding, love, fellowship, community and fun. That remained constant during the 100 years the document spanned. As did certain patterns of novitiate life: classes in scripture, the Rule of St. Benedict and Benedictine vows; daily prayer; domestic chores; spiritual formation; ministry work; choir practice and more. 

Interestingly, none of the novices mentioned the Florida heat and bugs. The women were focused on other things. Every day the novices came closer to their goal of divine service and consecration to God. Just as novices do today.

The Benedictine Sisters remain a presence in Florida today. Learn more at https://benedictinesistersoffl.org