While I applaud Sister Marla Marie Lucas and her efforts, I do have a nagging question - one that has been bothering me for quite a while. It may be petty, but for me constitutes a stumbling block.

It is about the habits, not specifically of her order, but of orders in general. Is there no provision made for real hot days? Dog days?

I am sweating now in my lightweight t-shirt, and I am grateful that the fabric allows the evaporation of perspiration, thus cooling me, and avoiding the odor that comes from the decomposition of perspiration that is allowed to remain in contact with the skin.

I am very concerned that modesty teachings do not take this into account, that they take any disrobing as an occasion to sin, rather than an attempt to avoid filthiness - that they brand a woman a sinner if she does not want to feel unclean.

While the religious life has some attraction to me, I know that I would never tolerate wearing a closed habit in a hot day - that I would take it off and renounce my vows if I was not allowed to cool off in a sensible way.
Adriana | 07.17.08 - 11:28 am | #

Adriana --

As someone who's been in a medieval reenactment group, I'd like to assure you that wearing full-length clothing can actually be cooler. Bedouin men and women in the desert wear layers, and so do their tents! Why? Because it keeps the cool air in, and the hot air out.

Similarly, when I was wearing full-length gowns all day in the hot sun, in the middle of August in Pennsylvania, I often felt cooler (and of course got less sunburnt) than when wearing shorts and a T-shirt outside for an hour or two. Materials help, of course; cotton, linen, and other natural fabrics do breathe better than most synthetics. Also, it helps to have the outer layer in a light color.
A white linen veil on the head is really, really super-cooling. (Especially if you cheat and dunk it in water. Linen takes a very long time to dry. Of course, this will wrinkle your linen veil like you wouldn't believe, but too bad.)
Maureen | 07.19.08 - 8:16 am | #

Forgot to mention --

A lot of orders do have different habit colors, or different habit materials, for summer and winter or for temperate and tropical climates. Just like the military.... :)
Maureen | 07.19.08 - 8:19 am | #