What is the difference between Mother and Sister nuns?

Eva’s Mom: What is the difference between Mother and Sister nuns?
Why are some nuns called Mother and some called Sister? Is it an age thing or a level of grace thing?

Answers and Views:

Answer by balletkween
The Mother is the head nun. The Sisters are regular nuns.

Answer by Fireball
Mother superior runs the others.

Answer by Old Cath
It’s a responsibility thing.

Those known as “Mother” (in a religious order) are or have been an abbess.

Answer by Silly Salamander
Nuns are different than sisters. Nuns have taken solemn vows and generally live in a convent or cloister and say prayers together with their community. The nuns’ organization is called a “religious order.”

Sisters have taken simple vows. They belong to organizations called “institutes” or “congregations.”

All nuns are religious sisters, but not all religious sisters are nuns. Both nuns and sisters are addressed as “Sister.”

A nun is called “Reverend Mother” if she is a Mother Superior. The Mother Superior is the leader of the convent and is also referred to as an abbess if she leads an abbey or a prioress if she leads a priory.

Answer by lupo
You are right insofar as it’s the level of Grace. Age doesn’t really have so much to do it, though.

The Mother and the Mother Superior are higher up the ladder than the Sister.

Of course, the Father and Brother etc, are the Male Counterparts.

Have a great evening.

Answer by Old Timer Too
Sister is a form of address…

The difference between a “nun” and a “mother” is one of position (authority) within Catholicism.