There I was, in front of 2000 women, all but squeeing about nuns as I introduced them. I stepped away, smiling and thoroughly enjoying myself, eager to hear what they had to say about living the virtues through the lens of Mary.

NOT nuns

Except, as I found out when I sat down to hear them speak and as a kind backstage volunteer informed me, they were not nuns.

Of course, I did correct things for the crowd when I thanked them for their rockin-awesome talk.

I’m too much of a catechist and teacher at heart to leave it go. Before they sang the Divine Mercy Chaplet to close the conference, I asked one of them, just to make sure.

“Are you a nun?”

She smiled. And shook her head.

“Whaaaaa?!?!?!” Yes, I was dramatic. And it would have been loud if not for the fact that there were 2000 women and a lot else going on.

“Explain it to me.”

“I didn’t understand it myself until I professed,” she admitted.

“But NO ONE UNDERSTANDS THIS! I MUST INFORM THE WORLD!”

“Nuns live in a cloister.”

“That IT?!? You’re a nun if you live in a cloister? And…”

“And sisters don’t.”

So there you have it, world. Now you know.

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