Introduction to Sr. Edwina Etiquette

Sr. Edwina Etiquette is a fun tool to use when catechizing our Catholic people, young and old alike. With a gentle hand, yet a stern and sometimes stubborn opinion, Sr. Edwina Etiquette reminds us of the holiness of our Catholic Mass. Many of us have become relaxed in the way we dress, in the way we conduct ourselves and in the way we treat others. While a certain amount of that can be welcoming and hospitable, we all need to remember; when we come to Mass, we are in the very presence of Christ and our conduct, our actions and our clothing should reflect that truth
The individual topics the fictitious Sister addresses can be tweaked to fit your individual parish needs. Whether her words become a weekly bulletin insert, a fun skit, or a flyer used to catechize, she can offer a fun element to our teaching resources. How many of us have offered catechetical advice to our children or teens only to have them wonder if we really have any authority? However, if a Priest or Religious Sister says things should be done a certain way…their word is seldom questioned. Even though Sr. Edwina Etiquette is not a real Religious Sister, she often seeks advice from the very real and personable, Sr. Celeste Albers.
I have also found parents who didn’t quite know Catholic protocol themselves, will read the weekly column to their children, thus allowing the good Sister to become a stepping stone to their own lost catechesis.
We have had a lot of fun with Sr. Edwina Etiquette in our programs. Often times when we are having a specific problem or issue within our parish, Sr. will address it in her weekly bulletin column. She offers advice weekly in our bulletin, she outlines the rules of conduct on our retreats and she will be “revealing herself” at our annual Parish Appreciation Dinner.
I have found that as a DRE, the fictitious Sister. is able to address concerns I would just as soon not become tangled with. At least for me, she has become the scapegoat for some touchy subjects I needed to address. Plus, I get to be as bossy and headstrong as I feel the situation requires, yet no one really knows who to blame. I’ve always keep a low profile regarding her advice and few people know who actually writes the column. Even when Sr. Edwina Etiquette is revealed at our Appreciation Dinner, she will be played by a member of our parish who is also heavily involved in our community theaters. Between the official, religious habit she will be wearing and the comical way she will addresses us, it will be a guess for others to discover who is playing the part. Oh… the beauty of fiction!
That being said, there has been a time or two when parishioners have put two and two together and I’ve been busted. I always admit my involvement and ask them to “keep our little secret”.
I pray that Sr. Edwina Etiquette also finds a way to grace your parish with her ageless wisdom and gentle advice.
p.s. If you’d like to use a graphic there is one of a cute little nun in a habit, and best of all, it's free from Resources for Catholic Educators