Can I Join a Third Order?

[Friend_Of_Rome]

I’m currently a Sophomore in a Jesuit High School. Im’ going to be entering Seminary within 5-6 years, but people are telling me that by entering a Third Order group, I could enhance my Church-life before ordination. Am I able to do so?

Do nto regard me as an over-zealous kid who doesn’t know anything about the Church and its ways. See me as I am, a devout catholic who wishes to be more in touch with the spiritual side of life. I deeply appreciate it.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I’m currently a Sophomore in a Jesuit High School. Im’ going to be entering Seminary within 5-6 years, but people are telling me that by entering a Third Order group, I could enhance my Church-life before ordination. Am I able to do so?

Do nto regard me as an over-zealous kid who doesn’t know anything about the Church and its ways. See me as I am, a devout catholic who wishes to be more in touch with the spiritual side of life. I deeply appreciate it.

Some Third Orders have a youth organization. To enter into Formation for a Third Order you must be a practicing Catholic and at least 18 usually.

 

[puzzleannie]

our Benedictine Oblate group started a youth deanery, since so many kids asked to come with their parents or grandparents. They have their own dean and activities, and will be ready to make their oblation as soon as they turn 18, if they wish.

all of my relatives who attended Jesuit high schools had various youth sodalities or groups attached to the order they could join, since your formation currently is in the Jesuit mileu that is the first place to consider.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

You’re on the path toward the priesthood, I wouldn’t bother with 3rd orders right now.

Generally, 3rd orders are for people who want to follow the spirituality of a particular order, while remaining in their state in life. Generally that’s the secular life.

However, in the Discalced Carmelites, we have 1st orders, which are the Friars. 2nd orders are the nuns and brothers.
3rd orders are priest who do not belong to the order but wish to follow the spirituality. The Secular Order is for non-religious.

From what I’ve been told, Pope John Paul II was 3rd order Discalced Carmelite.

Jim

 

[littleone]

Generally, 3rd orders are for people who want to follow the spirituality of a particular order, while remaining in their state in life. Generally that’s the secular life.

However, in the Discalced Carmelites, we have 1st orders, which are the Friars. 2nd orders are the nuns and brothers.
3rd orders are priest who do not belong to the order but wish to follow the spirituality. The Secular Order is for non-religious.

I am very interested in the Secular order being a married man who has followed the little way of St Therese fo many years but would like more depth.
Can you help me please?

Thank you Wayne

 

[Andruschak]

JimR-OCDS;1989256:

I am very interested in the Secular order being a married man who has followed the little way of St Therese fo many years but would like more depth.
Can you help me please?

Thank you Wayne

Check out penitents.org

 

[Dorothy]

Jim,

<<From what I’ve been told, Pope John Paul II was 3rd order Discalced Carmelite.>>

Yes, he was!

 

[Dorothy]

JimR-OCDS;1989256:

Generally, 3rd orders are for people who want to follow the spirituality of a particular order, while remaining in their state in life. Generally that’s the secular life.

However, in the Discalced Carmelites, we have 1st orders, which are the Friars. 2nd orders are the nuns and brothers.
3rd orders are priest who do not belong to the order but wish to follow the spirituality. The Secular Order is for non-religious.

I am very interested in the Secular order being a married man who has followed the little way of St Therese fo many years but would like more depth.
Can you help me please?

Thank you Wayne

Wayne, you may want to check out the Third Order Lay Carmelites. There are two branches to the Carmelite Order, and you can visit one that is near you.

I have been a Lay Carmelite since 1975 and it is a great blessing to me. It was St. Therese of Lisieux’s “Story of a Soul” that got me interested in the first place.

161.58.74.187/menu0.htm

Peace,

Dorothy

 

[JimR-OCDS]

JimR-OCDS;1989256:

Generally, 3rd orders are for people who want to follow the spirituality of a particular order, while remaining in their state in life. Generally that’s the secular life.

However, in the Discalced Carmelites, we have 1st orders, which are the Friars. 2nd orders are the nuns and brothers.
3rd orders are priest who do not belong to the order but wish to follow the spirituality. The Secular Order is for non-religious.

I am very interested in the Secular order being a married man who has followed the little way of St Therese fo many years but would like more depth.
Can you help me please?

Thank you Wayne

Depending on where you live, there might be a OCDS group near you. Follow the links provided by others.

I would ask you however, being a married man, where is your wife in your walk of faith? Are the two of you on the same spiritual level? If not, see if you can work on that first. I’ve seen problems with people, men more than women, who begin the process of becoming a Secular Order member, while their wives want no part of it. Our group met one Sunday afternoon per month. But that was enough to cause a problem between the men and their wives. None ever made it past the aspirant level. If on the other hand if your wife is very understanding, it could work for you. Be open to God’s call, but remember, it’s an invitation, not an order. His will for you is to be a husband first.

I was blessed to have a wife who is also a OCDS member. We have walked together in faith for the past 31 years.

Jim

 

[Friend_Of_Rome]

So, I am able to (possibly at my age, probably later) join a third order and be ordained as a priest at the same time. If this is right, what one would you recommend. I have a friend who is a 3rd Order Dominican, and she loves it. Then again, I really like the Franciscan charism. And then there’s all the rest that I need to research! So much to do, so little time to do it!

Thank you all for your help.

 

[Dorothy]

So, I am able to (possibly at my age, probably later) join a third order and be ordained as a priest at the same time. If this is right, what one would you recommend. I have a friend who is a 3rd Order Dominican, and she loves it. Then again, I really like the Franciscan charism. And then there’s all the rest that I need to research! So much to do, so little time to do it!

Thank you all for your help.

Pray for discernment to see where the Holy Spirit wants you to be. That is important. One does not just join a third order because they consider it a good thing to do.

It would be good if you could get in touch with some and ask to be present at a meeting or two. This may help you to discern. Or, you may already know!

Peace,

Dorothy

 

[Dorothy]

littleone;1989969:

Depending on where you live, there might be a OCDS group near you. Follow the links provided by others.

I would ask you however, being a married man, where is your wife in your walk of faith? Are the two of you on the same spiritual level? If not, see if you can work on that first. I’ve seen problems with people, men more than women, who begin the process of becoming a Secular Order member, while their wives want no part of it. Our group met one Sunday afternoon per month. But that was enough to cause a problem between the men and their wives. None ever made it past the aspirant level. If on the other hand if your wife is very understanding, it could work for you. Be open to God’s call, but remember, it’s an invitation, not an order. His will for you is to be a husband first.

I was blessed to have a wife who is also a OCDS member. We have walked together in faith for the past 31 years.

Jim

Jim,

You give very good advice and one should consider those things.

What I have to add is that everyone is an individual, and the Holy Spirit will do what He Wills!

In 1975 I became a member of the Third Order Lay Carmelite.
They met on Tuesday nights. Although my husband was in no way interested in being serious about his faith at that particular time, he did not present a problem to my attending the meetings. I thank God for that, and it was, and still is a tremendous blessing in my life.

Peace,

Dorothy

 

[JimR-OCDS]

So, I am able to (possibly at my age, probably later) join a third order and be ordained as a priest at the same time. If this is right, what one would you recommend. I have a friend who is a 3rd Order Dominican, and she loves it. Then again, I really like the Franciscan charism. And then there’s all the rest that I need to research! So much to do, so little time to do it!

Thank you all for your help.

I would recommend that you consider becoming a priest in the particular order you’re feeling a call to, rather than becoming a 3rd order member. Some orders will help finance your education through the seminary and such.

3rd Orders generally consist of lay people, not those following the call towards a religious vocation.

Jim

 

[JimR-OCDS]

JimR-OCDS;1990575:

Jim,

You give very good advice and one should consider those things.

What I have to add is that everyone is an individual, and the Holy Spirit will do what He Wills!

In 1975 I became a member of the Third Order Lay Carmelite.
They met on Tuesday nights. Although my husband was in no way interested in being serious about his faith at that particular time, he did not present a problem to my attending the meetings. I thank God for that, and it was, and still is a tremendous blessing in my life.

Peace,

Dorothy

As I said in my post, this is generally more of a problem for males than it is for females. All the females, except for my wife, were members without their husbands, who wanted nothing to do with it, but were supportive. It wasn’t the case for males who tried to join, especially those males who still had children at home.

Jim

 

[Friend_Of_Rome]

I would recommend that you consider becoming a priest in the particular order you’re feeling a call to, rather than becoming a 3rd order member. Some orders will help finance your education through the seminary and such.

3rd Orders generally consist of lay people, not those following the call towards a religious vocation.

Jim

Ever since I first felt a calling, I have been certain that i should be a diocessan priest. Is there any diocessan group (generally found in the church, not “local specialities”) like a third order?

Thank you all for the keen insight. I appreciate it.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Ever since I first felt a calling, I have been certain that i should be a diocessan priest. Is there any diocessan group (generally found in the church, not “local specialities”) like a third order?

Thank you all for the keen insight. I appreciate it.

Well you have to follow your own calling, but there are religious orders who serve in the diocese in parishes.

The Lasallettes, of which I have a good friend who is a priest.

The Discalced Carmelites, serve in parishes, but the priest live in a monastery, and so their called friars.

The Passionist, serve in retreat ministry, and live in a monastery usually attached to the retreat house.

Jim

 

[Dorothy]

Ever since I first felt a calling, I have been certain that i should be a diocessan priest. Is there any diocessan group (generally found in the church, not “local specialities”) like a third order?

Thank you all for the keen insight. I appreciate it.

One can be a diocesan priest and be a member of a Third Order, I know the Carmelites allow it, but do not know about the other orders.

Where I live we have a deacon who is Third Order O.C.D.

 

[littleone]

littleone;1989969:

Depending on where you live, there might be a OCDS group near you. Follow the links provided by others.

I would ask you however, being a married man, where is your wife in your walk of faith? Are the two of you on the same spiritual level? If not, see if you can work on that first. I’ve seen problems with people, men more than women, who begin the process of becoming a Secular Order member, while their wives want no part of it. Our group met one Sunday afternoon per month. But that was enough to cause a problem between the men and their wives. None ever made it past the aspirant level. If on the other hand if your wife is very understanding, it could work for you. Be open to God’s call, but remember, it’s an invitation, not an order. His will for you is to be a husband first.

I was blessed to have a wife who is also a OCDS member. We have walked together in faith for the past 31 years.

Jim

You are a blessing to me, what a blessing to our Father in Heaven to read your last paragraph, It brings tears of joy to my eyes.
Just a little. Iasked our most loving Lord Jesus that if He had a woman for me I didn’t mind and that she would be one who would love me for being myself. (I see myself at times as thinking only of spirit ) I don’t mind letting go of my flesh at all.

This woman who Jesus would give me if He wished had to be Catholic, love Jesus know the Holy spirit, play music in the church and be able to know they hear God speak to them. Also not be able to give a message if God so desired.
Well I got all pluss. My wife is in the womans prayer group leads in the music at mass which play the guitar and sing.

We work together and help youth and I have the joy of ministering at work as the night security, where the youth come and ask how I am so different. Here I am able to minister openly because they ask me. I love being a missionary her in my own home town but with youth from all over the world.
I asked Jesus for someone to help me with my quest in following Him. He gave me a young girl St Therese who for four years was so close to me teaching me the little way by her insperation and putting biblical readings in my mind and how they relate to the little way.

When she came over to New Zealand I never thought anything would happen afterall I had followed the little way for over 25 years. When in 2005 I walked into the catholic church I was pushed by a wind and at that feeling I knew I needed a new home deeper into the little way I have looked and found one but it is very slight in its way. I need more depth in giving of self.

Thank you for your help
little one

 

[littleone]

JimR-OCDS;1990575:

What I have to add is that everyone is an individual, and the Holy Spirit will do what He Wills!

I definitly agree, my life is so full, and I can say that there are many times when I lie or sit or just walk in awness of God’s love for me. Thank you.
My life is so often questioned by even the leaders in the church questioned how I can have the knowledge God has given me the providence our Father often gives me from out of reach places and such large amounts. It is for me an every day occurance. You are so right.

God bless
littleone

 

[littleone]

littleone;1989969:

Wayne, you may want to check out the Third Order Lay Carmelites. There are two branches to the Carmelite Order, and you can visit one that is near you.

I have been a Lay Carmelite since 1975 and it is a great blessing to me. It was St. Therese of Lisieux’s “Story of a Soul” that got me interested in the first place.

161.58.74.187/menu0.htm

Peace,

Dorothy

Thank you for that information I will look there

God bless
littleone