"God is the Bigger Elvis"

[Hane]

Last night, I watched "God is the Bigger Elvis", the Oscar-nominated short documentary about Dolores Hart, a young actress who broke her engagement and left Hollywood to become a cloistered Benedictine nun.

During a period of stress in her life, Dolores was urged by a friend to visit the Benedictine abbey Regina Laudis in Bethlehem, Connecticut, which is devoted to contemplation and hospitality. During the time she was there, Dolores told the Mother Prioress that she was worried about whether being an actress was immoral, in conjunction with the sexual feelings that might arise when working with people like Elvis. The Prioress's response: "What's wrong with that? You're a girl!" and went on to explain that chastity wasn't about having no feelings, but about using one's sexuality wisely--and this was a good 50 years ago!

When Dolores wondered whether she was called to be a nun, the Prioress told her to go back to her movies. Dolores tried, but found she was inexorably drawn to the religious life, and eventually became Mother Prioress herself.

I couldn't help contrasting this story with those of the poor, inexperienced SAHDs we discuss here. Dolores is a devout Catholic, but out of choice--she wasn't a cradle Catholic, but converted on her own after being educated at a parochial school (cf. Wikipedia). She lived a fully secular life, attending college and acting in plays and movies--but her decision to become a cloistered nun was fully her own.

It makes me sad that so many Sarah Maxwells out there are being denied the same kinds of choices, as if their version of fundamentalist Christianity is so flimsy that it can't possibly withstand the slightest examination or challenge.

[gilora]

Plus, fifty years later, in "evangelical" circles that Prioress would be thrown out on her ass.