Women's Order outline

 Setting up a virtual women’s religious order is possible today because many spiritual communities meet and organize online. The key for us is to treat it like both a spiritual community and an organization. Here’s a step-by-step outline we can use to start with.

This is a living document which will change over time and growth so feel free to comment.

How to Set Up a Virtual Women’s Religious Order

1. Define the Purpose and Spiritual Path

Start with the foundation:

What spiritual tradition or values will guide the order?

Interfaith

Mystical / contemplative

Social justice focused

Decide your mission statement.

Example:

Mentoring and strengthening women for spiritual and personal growth

2. Create a Rule of Life without adding burdens; we can come to recognize how much women already do. 

Most religious orders have a Rule of Life (guidelines for members).

Include:

Daily or weekly spiritual practices (prayer, meditation, rituals)

Community commitments

Ethical principles

Service or outreach

Monthly, or twice a year meetings

optional gatherings

Study and formation

3. Define Membership (these are typical examples, this will be a group decision)

Decide how people join.

Possible structure:

Aspirant (exploring)

Novice (training period)

Professed member

Leadership roles (abbess / coordinator / spiritual guide)

Also decide:

Age requirements

If it is women-only or inclusive of gender minorities

4. Choose Online Platforms

You need a virtual monastery space.

This section I have already established for the early formation of this order. We of St Marguerite already have a google non profit account which includes google classroom which I can and have begun to create a virtual monastery. It is secure and safe. It has a google meet link that we can use and ways to have topic message boards platforms. The best part is it will not cost us anything.

Website explaining the order - I hope we can have each of our “church” websites put a small “ad” on about our order.

Create areas for:

Prayer or meditation sessions

Study groups

Announcements

Private spiritual direction

5. Establish Rituals and Gatherings

A religious order becomes real through shared practice.

Examples:

Weekly virtual prayer or meditation

Monthly ceremony

Online retreats

Seasonal observances

Study circles

Create a digital chapel space

Use shared readings or chants

6. Leadership Structure

Decide how the order is governed.

Common models:

Abbess / Prioress (leader)

Council of elders

Democratic leadership

Rotating leadership roles

And define:

How leaders are chosen

Term limits

Decision-making process

Many virtual orders start informally at first, but these are other future considerations

7. Legal and Organizational Considerations (Optional)

If you want it to grow:

You might:

Register a nonprofit

Create a charter or constitution

Set community guidelines

Protect member safety and privacy

8. Create Identity and Symbolism

This helps members feel connected.

Examples:

Name of the order

Symbol or seal

Digital habit or insignia (optional)

Motto

Spiritual themes (wisdom, compassion, sacred feminine)

Example Concept

A virtual order might look like:

Order of the Sacred Path

Women-led spiritual community

Daily meditation

Weekly online gathering

Mentorship and service projects

Members around the world

✅ The most important things are:

1. Clear spiritual purpose

2. A shared rule of life

3. Consistent gatherings

4. Safe, respectful community

New Women's Group

 Greetings my friends

I would like to share some of the feedback and questions I have received from other women with regards to a women’s order or sisterhood. One personal note, I benefitted from a group of women at the manufacturing plant I worked at when I was young. I feel that a sisterhood like that also includes spiritual growth, so both spiritual and personal growth would be our goals.

1. Why start a new order when there are orders out there already?

Answer: There are wonderful women’s orders out there and we in a way are looking at Sisters of Charity, begun by St Marguerite D’Youville. Yet those that I have had conversations with want to be sure that when other women look us up, they do not discount our order because of the limitations, (real and perceived), that those orders have. One important point is that we would fully accept LGBTQ+ 

2. Aren’t you being exclusive in a church that promotes inclusion?

Answer: Although men are going to be welcome, it must be understood that it will be prioritized that it is a woman designed sisterhood. We recognize that many other women’s religious orders and societies are designed and overseen by male leaders. 

Let me share a recent accidental experiment that happened. I was with a group of people (male and female with some who are gay) having a discussion about a women formed and led sisterhood. I shared how in my career I experienced different work environments made up of; equal numbers of men and women, or mostly women, or mostly men. I expressed how women act very differently in each environment (men do as well but for this I am only focused on women). The present day discussion went well. Then the men left (they had other commitments) and we women talked for another 20 minutes. Then one woman stopped us and was surprised that we had indeed begun to act differently. It was neither good nor bad, it was just different. Women have been suppressed from full expression that we hope men, even gay men, will be supportive.

3. How is the Order going to be different from the men’s?

Answer: The best way to explain it is that men line up and women go in a circle. Again I will use my own personal experience to help. 

Looking back on my childhood I noticed that most of the time female teachers like doing breakout sessions in circles while male teachers had us in rectangles (or 2 lines facing each other). 

Another Biblical example is the crossing at the Red Sea. In Exodus we “see” the line of people crossing but after they have crossed and the water returned, it is the women that dance and some translations say they danced in a circle.  It may be that ‘in a circle’ is removed because dancing in a circle becomes synonymous with pagan rituals. 

4. I don’t know that I am called to be a nun really, but a woman’s group sounds interesting.

Response: There are 2 responses for this;

Belonging and taking vows can be 2 different steps in your faith journey and each of us has our own journey. Those of us that have started talking about this Women’s Order feel that vows are personal. 

This is also the developing stage and we would like to gather more points of view, address more questions and hear from more women. Your level of commitment is up to you and can change as your life changes. Also we are still working on what we want for meetings, for outreaches, for gatherings and/or retreats and how much of it we can do online? These are only some of the possibilities we are working on.

5. What about those that identify outside the gender binary? 

Answer: If that person is comfortable to collaborate in a feminine tone with a bunch of women (at least during this development stage), they are welcome. As I indicated above, after this development period there would be open gatherings and events open to all people. One purpose is that it helps develop more communication between the feminine and masculine within the RCC, not separate into a splinter group.

6. I am interested so how do I get started and connect?

Email me at revlinda1221@gmail.com

or

Text me at 702-807-2615

Share your thoughts, questions and or ideas. 

Share this with other women

 The number to call our congresspeople is 202-224-3121. You then can ask for the office of  the congressperson and you will be transferred.

I found this link to email them

https://www.congress.gov/contact-us