“The change in our habits is most noticeable because it is striking and external,” said Sister Damian, H.M., “but it is not the most important change in our order.”

The three nuns of the Holy Humility of Mary (Blue Nuns) emphasized the more important “internal” revisions that marked the recent meeting of the Chapter. “There is a recognition on our part,” said Sister Damian, “that there are works that need full-time attention.”

The Blue Nuns have an opportunity to choose any of three styles of contemporary suits. Chapter decisions included: changes in community relationship with each other; revisions in spiritual life; formation and renewal programs; rules affecting the internal government of the congregation.

“There has always existed in our community a respect for the individual—we were trained in the spirit of the rules, not the letter,”’ said Sister Mary Rita. “Perhaps this made adaptation to change easier for us.’

The nuns are living in St. Thomas Apostle parish, Smyrna. “Father Morrow has no assistant, and although we cannot take the place of a priest, we can help to extend the work of the pastor in our parish.”

“In the spirit of Vatican II,” said Sister Damina, “we are open and looking for new works. “The Blue Nuns, traditionally a teaching and nursing order, are reaching out to contemporary society. For the first time, a nun is teaching at Youngstown U., others are working in government programs (reading programs in public schools), public health nursing, and Headstart.

In the two weeks since the Blue Nuns arrived at St. Thomas Apostle, they have established their main goals in the community. One of these will be teaching in the school of religion. Sister Damian said, “We aren’t sure—this is an experiment—but there is a feeling on the part of many sisters that the traditional habit is perhaps a barrier. We are now wearing the contemporary habit; perhaps it will remove the barrier.”

At the same time, the nuns hope to draw closer to the people, they want people to know they are sisters. Since the experimental habit is new, “there exists a gap,” Sister Damian said. “We may not be recognized as sisters, but people will say to us, ‘You must belong to a special group—after all, you never see three women wearing the same thing at the same time.’”

Home visitations are part of their parish work. “We want to make ourselves available and be of assistance to parishioners with any problems they might have,” Sister Damian said. “An it gives us an opportunity to find out what their interests are so that we can determine their needs in coordinating an adult education program to suit them.”

On a visit to a young family in the parish, Sister Elizabeth was met by a young mother who said, “If I had seen you coming up the sidewalk in that long garb, I would have frozen in the doorway.” The nun said, “the initial reaction to our visits is smoothed over so we can talk more easily.”

Sister Damian added, “We must determine the answer to the question, “Does it serve a better purpose to the Church and contemporary society to wear a contemporary habit?’ If the answer is ‘yes,’ we will keep it. If the answer is to the contrary, we will return to the traditional habit—it is on an experimental basis for a year.”

“This is a period of openness, of change,” said Sister Mary Rita. “We must be in a state of alertness,’ added Sister Damian. “Ready for whatever the need is going to be in the Church. Just as it is hard to predict the future of the Church it is hard to predict the future of the religious.”

“To tie yourself specifically to one kind of work would be shortsighted,” the nun said. “If we don’t remain alert to contemporary trends, we will become obsolete. We don’t need to become obsolete.”

Following their recent interview, the sisters, who have been referred to as “the Plainclothes Nuns” drove off to visit patients at Kennestone Hospital.