Nun Myths Debunked: Singing Ability Required
Myth #7 — You Have to Be Able to Sing to Enter the Monastery
“Sisters, you sounded like angels at Mass today. Do you need a music degree to enter here??”
“I don’t think I could be a nun… I can’t carry a tune in a bucket!”
“Is there a vocal audition as part of the application process?”
Believe it or not, this is one of the most frequent nun-myths that we encounter! As a monastic community, we seek to cultivate beauty and reverence through choral liturgy, and we have been gifted with a rich heritage of liturgical music. We strive to sing “with one voice” as an audible sign of the communion we share as Sisters and as members of the one Body of Christ. Guests often tell us how they are moved by our singing of the Divine Office and Holy Mass, and aware of our own imperfections, we often respond that our voices are filtered through the “wall of angels” that stands between the cloistered and guest sides of chapel!
Whatever the explanation of a beautifully-sung liturgy, it can sometimes cause a less-musically-inclined discerner to become discouraged at the thought that she doesn’t “measure up.” Perhaps someone has told her that she can’t sing, or perhaps she has never given singing a serious try, or maybe she truly is tone-deaf — but fear not! Musical talent is NOT one of our criteria for accepting candidates! Prayerfulness and good will are far better indicators of a monastic vocation than are vocal talents.
While we do not expect new members to be virtuosic singers, we do expect each one to make an effort to learn how to sing in the monastic choir — and you would be surprised at what a difference regular practice makes! Often it is just a matter of overcoming shyness or learning a bit of technique. And even less-talented singers can still do their part in the Church’s work of praise and prayer. It will always be the case that some community members are better vocalists than others, but every voice contributes to the chorus that rises to God, day and night, from the monastery chapel.