SPONSA RECIS - A SPIRITUAL REVIEW FOR SISTERS - Volume 25 - No. 8 - April 1964

Sep 28, 2026

Sponsa Regis (April 1964) presents a spiritual review for sisters, organized around articles, poetry, and book reviews. The issue includes discussion of Cardinal Suenens and American sisters, focusing on how communities respond to proposals for a direct apostolate. It outlines the editorial framing and the central premise that sisters (excluding strictly contemplative) owe a personal, missionary apostolate through doctrinal teaching, one-to-one conversation, and active outreach in schools and daily life. Additional contents list authors, approvals, and publication details.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages44

Reading Time1 h 51 min

AccessFree to download

Cardinal Suenens and American Sisters

The Cardinal's Basic Premise

A Permanent School of Fraternal Charity

The Call to Supernatural Life

Poem

# SPONSA RECIS If the branch remainsfirmly attached to the vine, SPONSA RECIS # A SPIRITUAL REVIEW FOR SISTERS VOLUME 25 NUMBER 8 APRIL 1964 Cardinal Suenens and American Sisters 213 F.SYLVESTER MacNUTT,O.P. # A Permanent School of Fraternal Charity 222GERARD HUYGHE The Call to Supernatural Life 233ROBERT GUELLUY Poem 240SISTER MARY ROBERTA,D.D.R. Book Reviews 241 NIHIL OBSTAT:Reinold Theisen,O.S.B.,Censor deput.IMPRIMATUR:Peter W.Bartholome,D.D.,Episc.Sancti Clodoaldi. Published monthly by monks of Saint John's Abbey,Collegeville,Minnesota.Rev.Ronald Roloff,O.S.B.,Editor;Rev.Myron Kasprick,O.S.B.,ManagingEditor;Rev.Raymond Roseliep,Poetry Editor.Advisory Board:Rev.KilianMcDonnell,O.S.B.,Sister Ritamary Bradley,C.H.M.,Sister M.Rose Emman-uella Brennan,S.N.J.M.,Sister M.Emmanuel Collins,O.S.F.,Mother MaryRobert Falls,O.S.U.,Sister M.Jean Frances Fiffe,O.P.,Sister M.JeremyHall,O.S.B.,Sister M.Jerome Keeler,O.S.B.,Sister M.Teresa Francis McDade, B.V.M.,Sister Mary Virginia Micka,C.S.J.,Sister M.Charles BorromeoMuckerhirn,C.S.C.,Sister Mary Emil Penet,IH.M.,Sister Mary JamesWalsh,S.N.D.,Sister Annette Walters,C.S.J.,Mother Mary Florence Wolff,S.L.,Sister M.Francine Zeller,O.S.F. Address all correspondence except poetry to Sponsa Regis,Saint John's Abbey,Collegeville,Minnesota 56321 (Checks payable to Sponsa Regis.)Poetryshould be sent to Rev.Raymond Roseliep,Loras College,Dubuque,Iowa 52003.1 year $2.50;2 years $4.00;single copy 25 cents.Sterling area (exceptAustralia):1 year 18s;2 years 29s;single copy 1s 11d.Australia:1 year 23s;2 years 37s;single copy 2s 3d.Agent for India:Asian Trading Corporation,Post Box No.1505,Bombay-1.Indexed in the Catholic Periodical Index.Printed by Sentinel Publishing Company,413 East Saint Germain Street,Saint Cloud,Minnesota.Second class postage paid at Saint Cloud,Minnesota.(Do not send mail to this address.) # Cardinal Suenens and American Sisters F.SYLVESTER MacNUTT,O.P. Almost as soon as The Nun in the World¹appeared in the bookstores,it disappeared—sold out.At the NCEA convention in St.Louis,the Newman Press booth was caught short by a surprisingdemand for copies.Soon after,the whole printing was exhausted,and for several weeks Sisters thought themselves lucky to borrowa battered copy that had passed from hand to hand.Everywhere,Sisters were discussing Cardinal Suenens and his proposals. In some communities unrest was built up when Sisters sud-denly experienced a desire for apostolic action,but felt they werenot living up to the Cardinal's ideal.Implementation of his ideascould only be carried out by authority and under obedience(ashe himself clearly pointed out);yet the younger members of somecommunities were restless for action. Some superiors who agreed with the Cardinal's apostolic sug-gestions made whatever adaptations they could.Others waited towatch and weigh the reactions of the majority of U.S.communitiesbefore making their own decisions. Amidst the burst of favorable reviews there also appeared afew unfavorable notices,while the privately expressed opinions ofSister-superiors seemed to vary as widely as the reviews. In general,the critics of The Nun in the World made twoobjections: a)Cardinal Suenens’ideas are not practical; b)He is speaking about European Sisters,not about Americans. Now that surprise at his proposals has had time to dissipate,superiors are calmly considering whether the Suenens challengeapplies to American Sisters.Still more concretely,they must wiselydecide how the Cardinal's suggestions bear upon their own par-ticular communities. This article will try to point out the main questions raised byThe Nun in the World for American Sisters——the questions that 1Newman Press:Westminster,1962. American communities will have to ask themselves and answerin the immediate future. # THE CARDINAL'S BASIC PREMISE Before considering practical questions,we must first be clearabout Cardinal Suenens’starting point,for once this

FAQs

What central obligation does the article assign to most sisters?

It states that all sisters (excluding strictly contemplative) must exercise the direct apostolate, not only an indirect apostolate of good example.

What does “direct apostolate” include according to the text?

It includes a spoken, doctrinal apostolate; person-to-person apostolate through private conversation; and active seeking of contact with women and girls instead of waiting within the convent.

How is the apostolate described for sisters working in schools?

The text says sisters should take a non-academic, personal interest in students so they can become committed, apostolic women whose lives are Christianized by the school.

Sep 28, 2026

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