In recent discussions surrounding women’s roles in society, a new book titled “Convent Wisdom: How Sixteenth-Century Nuns Could Save Your Twenty-First Century Life” highlights the significance of nuns in both historical and contemporary contexts. The book takes a deep look at the lives and philosophy of these incredible nuns. Most importantly, it showcases their singular visions that resonate powerfully with the issues women are facing right now.
Among the highlighted characters is María de San José, an Augustinian nun. She left behind a twelve-volume guide to her travails with the pen. As San José so famously put it, “la mayor asquerencia por el trabajo,” the greatest repugnance for work. Her reflections offer a window into the lived emotional lives of nuns, showing just how complicated and colorful these figures are beyond cliché.
María de Jesús de Agréda makes headlines primarily for her remarkable talent for bilocation. This phenomenal talent allowed her to be in two different places simultaneously. This miraculous gift has fascinated scholars and added to the allure of nuns over time.
Attempts to understand nuns in contemporary literature and media Very recent portrayals of nuns come especially through the lens of pop culture. Isabella Rossellini’s character, Sister Agnes, has been receiving the most attention for “stealing the show” in the film “Conclave.” Nuns have reigned supreme on screen lately, from “The Phoenician Scheme” and “And Just Like That” to “Nine Perfect Strangers.” This trend reflects a growing interest in their lives, leadership and roles.
A trio of nuns from Austria recently made headlines with a spectacular getaway. They had, against all odds, escaped a care home to return to their much-loved convent. This adventurous spirit is illustrative of a recent trend among younger women pursuing cloistered vocations, women’s conscious efforts to find reprieve from their social worlds.
The emergence of nun memes into popular culture is a fitting reflection of women’s anger at what’s going on today. These memes frequently identify real concerns such as pudding pops and workplace harassment. They are astonishingly prescient in identifying the causes of frustrations that so many women feel today. In a moment when nuns are more than ever viewed as having that energetic “main character energy,” they represent survival and power.
As interest in the lives of nuns increases, so does the discourse about their relevance in today’s society. Our book Convent Wisdom is a true testimony to those heroic figures. It challenges today’s women to draw strength from the lessons learned by those who came before us.