Mother Superior introduces Deloris to the other Sisters at dinner this way.
Is a black nun unheard of, or very uncommon?
I've spent some time around Catholic schools and many churches, and have never seen a black nun.
Why is this? You'd think that someone would protest, say it was discrimination?
"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."
Her stating that Delores comes from a progressive convent has absolutely nothing to do with race. It's an explanation for why she seems unfamiliar with their lifestyle, why she may act differently or not know prayers or rules.
There are black nuns, there are nuns of every race.
Ah! Gotcha!
Thanks for the reply. I do wonder why I've never seen a black nun though. Come to think of it, I've never seen anything BUT a Caucasian!
That's a little disturbing.
"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."
Why is it disturbing? The Catholic Church doesn't choose who becomes a nun, it is the individual's choice. As to why a black nun is more rare, it most likely is due to the fact that most African Americans are Baptist not Catholic. According to statistics from 2008, 45% of African Americans consider themselves Baptist, and only 6% considered themselves Catholic.
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I've seen nuns of various races. Some were even from other countries. There's plenty of nun diversity. :)
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there are loads of black nuns in my town. its not so rare
shareBlack nuns have always faced discrimination. The Catholic church, with its role in slavery, didn't allow black nuns at all, then it was only allowed if the nuns passed for white, cut off from their families to avoid having black people around the church, and they were segregated from white nuns, served more subservient roles, and were targeted by white people in general and the terrorist group KKK in particular. Racial tensions continued well into the 20th century.
http://thegrio.com/2016/11/11/teen-gets-perfect-act-score/
https://cruxnow.com/cns/2016/08/18/racism-faced-black-nuns-america-called-dangerous-memory/
http://www.theroot.com/articles/news/2016/03/order_of_black_nuns_in_harlem_celebrates_100_years/
"Baba Booey! Baba Booey!"
And on the converse here are some stories of older black nuns in history:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathilda_Beasley
There was a black nun in the Elvis Presley film Change of Habit.
shareIt was nothing having to do with her race. She said that so that no one would think it was odd that Delores wasn't familiar with that churches customs. She also figured Delores might say something or act in a way that was not typically acceptable in their order so the cover story was that she came from an order that was more "progressive" or in other words accepting of such behavior.
share