Vatican II

Back to the movie, "Novitiate."  Why did so many women leave the nunnery life after the changes?  The movie gives a reason in something that the Mother Superior says near the end.  She tells the young nun protagonist, that when she came to the monastery, she had nothing.  The monastery gave her three things: an identity, a work, a community or place of belonging.  The trappings of rule and habit (clothing) was all part of this identity.  She saw in Vatican II changes, the loss of all this.  No longer would nuns have to wear the habit.  The strict rules of suffering were abrogated. The nuns were to be reduced to the level of more "ordinary" laity.  They lost their identity as they saw it.  We each have to ask ourselves, what gives us our sense of identity, sense of self, who we are and who we are not?  What can be taken away and what is essential?  Selfishness can blur all this, as can power trips.  Honesty helps.  I think I need a spiritual path to get it right.  Then gratitude follows.  Why?  Because the essential seems to show up as gift.