As narrativas sobre a vida em clausura no mosteiro de Santa Clara (Campina Grande): vocação pela vida em clausura, trabalho religioso e inquietações quanto ao mundo secular.

Abstract

This thesis is the result of the research conducted on the motivations young women have by opting for the religious enclosure in the XXI century still. Thus, we seek to comprehend the motives by which these women pursue enclosure as a lifestyle during an epoch in which women’s struggles and achievements point out to a life with even less privations. To do such, starting from a qualitative analysis, we chose as locus for this research the Order of Poor Claires’ Monastery of Campina Grande-PB. With observations on the everyday life and experiences at the interior of the Monastery, interlocutions were established throughout the research with sister, friars, priests, discerned women and practitioners. Facing these interlocutors, which encompass the world of the enclosed and go through the history of Christian and Catholic life as an institution in Brazil, we managed to present to the reader with knowledge on what consists the practice of enclosure and to highlight the life trajectories of the sisters, as well as the local presence of the Catholic Church and specially the Order of Poor Claires’ sisters, including the actions and influences of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal movement. Beyond these topics, this research also enabled us to present and discuss worries these sisters have about aspects of the contemporary world and on the idea of vocation as research elements that enabled us to understand the choice for a religious life in the cloister, specifically in the analyzed monastery.