A Glossary of Terms Commonly Used by Women Religious

Some terms and words commonly used within religious communities are often unfamiliar to the general public. Following is a list of “sisterspeak” terms and their definition in “everyday speak.”

 A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   U   V   W   X   Y   Z 

Profession

A public ceremony in which members of a congregation make vows.

Province

A geographic division of some religious congregations.

Prioress

The prioress is the spiritual and business head of women's Benedictine communities (the abbot is the head of men's communities).

 

Used with permission of NCNWR