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Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Sister Rosalind Moss

This weekend at the Deep In History Conference, Rosalind Moss of Catholic Answers fame spoke on Saturday evening.

Marcus Grodi introduced her by saying, "This is Rosalind Moss as you've never seen her before..." and there she mounted the steps to the stage, approaching the podium to thunderous applause and a standing ovation, for she was wearing the Postulant Habit of her new Community, Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel's Hope.

It was a moment in history; the foundress of a new Congregation, a convert from Judaism and Evangelical Christianity completing a journey and a fairy-tale love story. And we were there to see it.

She stood up there in a simple black dress, belt, and white veil. And proceeded to give a wonderful talk, at the end of which she had no problem addressing the scandal of the Cross, the call to martyrdom we are all facing, and calling all priests to conversion, for the liturgy is not theirs...but the Church's.

A friend of Sr. Rosalind was in my group and had introduced me to her earlier in the day, after they had embraced in greeting, old friends that they were. Although I've seen photos of her and have heard her on the radio, I've never seen her in person so didn't even recognize her in her habit. She has a diminuitive stature and a gracious persona, and might I say....she is like a mother, (even upon an initial greeting)?

Sr. Rosalind explained that she and the three others who were helping her to begin had ordered the black dresses from an Amish (or Mennonite? ) catalogue, and initially had some hand-made white veils. But upon visiting the Nashville Dominicans, they told her, "You look Amish! We need to make you Catholic!" And so the dear Dominican Sisters made them white veils which pass just below the shoulder, over a band that covers the hair, and gave them black belts.

For now, the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel's Hope are in limbo; they are awaiting a new Archbishop and can't move forward without him. Please pray for this fledgling community, that a new (Good, Holy) Shepherd will come to them so that they may proceed with their mission.

Sr. Rosalind revealed that she has had over 300 inquiries about her community, for indeed, she hopes to flood the streets of America with women in habits, spreading the Gospel. She hopes to "restore the hem to the floor and the habit to the world."

I pray that this mission succeeds, and believe that she is exactly the woman to do it.

God bless her, the future Mother Miriam, Foundress of the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Israel's Hope.

Please keep them and all those discerning their Vocations in your most heartfelt prayers.

6 comments:

X said...

I heard her speak last week on EWTN. She is incredible!

Anonymous said...

Rosalind Moss is always very inspiring. I used to listen to her on Catholic Answers all the time when I drove to school. You are very lucky to have met her.

Disciple said...

I'm watching Sr Rosalind right now (well, she wasn't Sister Rosalind when this was filmed) on EWTN's series, Reasons for Our Hope, her wonderful Bible study on Luke. During my conversion several years ago, I listened to some of her tapes. She and Scott Hahn meant a lot to me then...and now! How blessed we are that the Holy Spirit has given us such inspiring teachers.

Jason in England said...

Can I ask you people what ever you find inspiring in this Rosalind Moss ? Every time I hear her she is a heap of confusion, she cites books that no-one has heard of , she confounds the Old and New Testament and her ideas about the religious life seem locked in the past, if not phony. She and her whole EWTN entourage have been one of the reasons that I left off ever going to Mass again...Latin or vernacular. People are hypnotised by this piety...it's surely fake. She doesn't know what she is talking about and I already know that it is supposedly unchristian to say so !

Adoro said...

Jason in England:

Your comment doesn't deserve to be published or dignified with an answer. But if you're going to open up a can of snark-ass, then be prepared to defend it. So, here's my response:

1. Who exactly do you define as "you people"? Catholics? Anyone who is faithful to the authentic teachings of the Church? Anyone who has a differing opinion from yours on any given thing? Please, pray tell, tell "us" who "you people" are.

2. What are you confused about? What books "no one" has heard of? What does she "confound" about the Old and New Testament?

3. "She and her whole EWTN entourage": who does THAT entail, exactly? I don't recall that Rosaline Moss founded EWTN. I have barely even SEEN her on that channel!

4. What, exactly, about her ideas of religious life are "locked in the past"? From what I can see and from what I know and have experienced personally, she's right with the current trends of wearing habits, praying the Liturgy of the Hours, carrying forward the New Evangelization...all completely as Vatican II described.

5. If you left off going to Mass, don't use EWTN or Rosalind Moss for your excuse. Just be honest about why you left and stop looking for scapegoats. Isn't Jesus Christ enough for you, receiving Him Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity? Can't THAT help you overcome what you see as false piety? Guess you're one to talk.

6. I'm very interested in your personal brand of piety which you have so sweetly portrayed here. Thank you.

I look forward to your response.

Adoro said...

As a reminder, I don't allow anonymous comments (see sidebar).

It's perfectly fine if you don't want to sign your real name, but if you have something sincere to contribute, you also have some kind of moniker to give you dignity as a human being.

Please use it: initials, alias, whatever.

Thank you and I apologize for any inconvenience.