Convent

Convent: (latin conventus).

Originally meant an assembly of Roman citizens in the provinces for administration and justice. In the story of a monk, the word has two distinct technical meanings: 

A religious community of either sex when spoken of in its corporate capacity. The word was first used in this sense when eremitical life began to be combined with coenobitical. The hermits in an easterly Laura, who live in separate cells grouped around their common superior, when we talk about in the community was called a conventus. In western monastic movement, the word came into general use from the start, and the technical terms Abbas ET conventus means that this day throughout society by a monastic establishment.

The buildings, which resides a community of both sexes. In this sense the word denotes more properly the home of a strict monastic order and is not properly used to designate the home of what is called a congregation. In addition to these technical meanings, the word is also a popular sense of the day it does not mean special housing of female religious, and convent shows that men, but in reality the two words are interchangeable. In the present article the word is taken primarily in its popular sense. Treatment is otherwise limited to those elements that are common to all or nearly all, monasteries, while the specific circumstances because of the special purpose, rule or occupation of each religious order are explained in the article.

Convent:

The life lived by the inmates of a convent naturally varies in detail according to specific purposes for which it was founded, or the particular circumstances of time and place, as Denmark is concerned. The monasteries are often roughly divided into two classes, strictly enclosed and unenclosed, but with respect to the monasteries, which exist today this division, but accurate as far as it goes, it's not a very satisfactory one, because both classes is capable of subdivision, and because of the different types of work that nuns, these subdivisions overlap. Out of the strictly enclosed communities, some are purely contemplative, other mainly active (ie engaged in training or rescue), while still others combine the two. Similarly for unenclosed orders, some purely active (ie undertaking educational, parochial, hospital or other work), and other compatible contemplative with the active life, without being strictly closed. As a general deduction it may be that the contemplative life, where women can be actuated by a desire to save their own souls and the souls of others of their lives in prayer, seclusion, and disappointment, was the idea of the old contracts, while the distinctive note of the more modern churches is that the active work amongst others and the relief of their bodily wants.

With regard to the educational work of the monasteries, it may be noted here that this includes training in both primary and secondary education and training of teachers to such schools and higher education. The hospital and nurses' work includes management of hospitals, bother general and for specific groups of patients, and care of both rich and poor in their own homes. Rescue work includes behavior prisons, orphanages and homes for the elderly poor. A few convents make special provision for the reception of guests, for retreats and other spiritual purposes, and a large proportion of them receive boarders at moderate charges. Some, most closed societies, has undertaken work of Perpetual Adoration, while others devote themselves to ecclesiastical embroidery and the making of church vestments. This particular type of work has always been characteristic of English nuns, whose embroidery, known as opus anglicanum, became famous in medieval times (Matthew Paris, Rolls, ed., IV, an. 1246). The ordinary routine of life in a monastery has always roughly corresponded with that of a monastery. Nun's days are divided between the choir, the workroom, the schoolroom, the refectory, the recreation room, cell, and with the active orders, jobless, in the journal rotation. Laziness or lack of occupation is never permitted. The earliest rules for nuns, as well as the most modern, all prescribe work in a kind of useful. The medieval nuns could always read and write latin, and they have also dealt with transfer and illuminating sacred books, and many of the fine arts, the cultivation of which they consecrated to God's service. Convents thus were always homes for the industry, and like its predecessors, has played an important role in the spread of civilization, so now they are almost indispensable handmaids to the cause of the Catholic Church.

FOUNDED calumnies:

It is not necessary here to refute the many base and vile contributions from time to time been brought against the conventual system has only a general reference to them is sufficient proof of charitable work and Grutten monasteries of nuns living in themselves ample refutation. Former "anti-monastic" and "convent-inspection" societies, as well as lectures on "escaped nuns" and literature in abundance of "Maria Monk" type and are likely to resurface periodically in the future. These can and will for a time, inhibition of nuns and cause a certain unease in some quarters but it is an important fact that whatever voltage they can raise the meantime, the turmoil always presented itself again, as suddenly as it arises and its adverse effects seem never to leave them with no lasting success, except perhaps an increased interest and respect for the monastic life that has been hanging out.

Legislation has been monasteries:

Canon law contains a large and important point in connection with the establishment and government of monasteries. Privileges, which are exempt from Episcopal jurisdiction, appointment of confessors for the nuns, and what tasks the same rules in the church on the cover, and registration and testing of candidates, the nature and obligations of promises as part of the broad powers and conditions for construction of new monasteries are among the many detailed questions legislated. One or two points may be mentioned here. The law of the Church requires that no new convent be established whether it is an exempted Episcopal jurisdiction or not, without permission from the bishop of what is technically called the canonical erection further formalities, including approbation from Rome, to be respected. All confessors for nuns shall be specially approved by the bishop, even in the monasteries, which are exempt from its ordinary jurisdiction, and the bishop has also imply that all the nuns may have access to two or three times this year to an "extraordinary" confessor, other than their usual one. Bishop is also committed to regularly visit and inspect all the convents in his diocese, except those at the time of visitors each nun should be free to see him privately, so any complaints or suggestions, as she wished. With respect to the admission of the applicant, contains the law all measures taken on the one hand, to prevent coercion and on the other hand, protect the community from being obliged to receive them, if it rings, there can be no doubt. Physical form a part of a candidate, most orders an indispensable condition, thought that there are some who give women the delicate health, but once they are admitted, and declared that the channel is reciprocal, and while a nun commits to keep its promises, the convent, in turn, are obliged to provide her with accommodation, food and clothing, and to keep her in sickness and health.

Dowry:

With regard to the dowry required of a nun, the customs and rules for the different orders vary widely with circumstances. Some monasteries, because of their poverty, are obliged to insist on it, and generally, most expect their members to bring some contribution to the general fund. A convent that is rich will often dispense with the dowry in case of a very promising candidate, but it must always depend on specific circumstances. The lowest value of the dowry is generally determined by the rule or constitutions, convent or order.

OFFICE:

In most of the older contemplative orders choir nuns are bound to the whole divine office in choir. Only in very few of the English monasteries, eg Cistercians, Dominicans, and Poor Clares nuns do increase in night for Matins and Laud, and in the others these Offices are generally said in the evening "by anticipation". In some there are other additional offices recited daily, which the Cistercians and the Poor Clares say, Office of Our Lady, and that the dead every day and Brigittines says the latter three times a week and an office in the Holy Spirit. Almost all the active orders, both enclosed and unenclosed, use Office of Our Lady, but some, as Sisters of Charity are not bound to the recitation of any Office at all.

LAY Sisters:

In most orders the nuns are divided into choir sisters and lay sisters. The latter are usually employed in household duties and other manual work. They make the usual promises and is as truly religious as the choir nuns, but they are not tied to the choir office, although they are often participates in the choir at the time of Office and recite certain prayers in the general population. There is always a distinction between their habit, and the choir nuns, sometimes very small, sometimes very markedly. In some orders where the choir sisters are surrounded by the lay sisters are not, but in others they are as strictly enclosed as the choir nuns. Several orders have their government, there were sisters, and among them was the Sisters of Notre Dame, Sisters of Charity, Sisters of Bon Secours, Little Sisters of the Poor, and the poor servants of the Mother of God.

Monastic BUILDINGS:

The internal agreement of a properly constituted convent is, for the most part, similar to a monastery for men, but from poverty and other obvious reasons, many monasteries were established in already existing ordinary housing, not not always lend themselves to ideal adaption.