Can I Join a Third Order?

[JimR-OCDS]

JimR-OCDS;1990575:

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

Well this is truly a blessing! My wife and myself often feel like odd balls, because we’re together in our faith. So many of our friends are not in this situation. In fact, the majority, the wife is a practicing Catholic, but the wife is not, or the husband is a practicing Catholic, but the wife is not. They struggle very much trying to balance their faith with their marriages. So, it’s a real blessing when both you and and your wife are together in faith.

Perhaps you wife would also go with you to an OCDS group? My wife is the one who found our group, and she has a deep devotion to St. Theresa. I was attracted to St. John of the Cross, so we both join together, made our promises together, and made our vows together. Today, because our group disbanded, we are isolated. However, we both still follow the rule, and we pray the evening prayer(the Liturgy of the Hours) together.

God bless you and your wife, as you seek out God’s will in finding a 3rd order.

Jim

 

[littleone]

littleone;1992753:

Well this is truly a blessing! My wife and myself often feel like odd balls, because we’re together in our faith. So many of our friends are not in this situation. In fact, the majority, the wife is a practicing Catholic, but the wife is not, or the husband is a practicing Catholic, but the wife is not. They struggle very much trying to balance their faith with their marriages. So, it’s a real blessing when both you and and your wife are together in faith.

Perhaps you wife would also go with you to an OCDS group? My wife is the one who found our group, and she has a deep devotion to St. Theresa. I was attracted to St. John of the Cross, so we both join together, made our promises together, and made our vows together. Today, because our group disbanded, we are isolated. However, we both still follow the rule, and we pray the evening prayer(the Liturgy of the Hours) together.

God bless you and your wife, as you seek out God’s will in finding a 3rd order.

Jim

Thank you Jim I would love my wife to come this way if it were to her advantage. She though is turned to the sisters of St Josephs and our Charismatic group and has my blessing as I have hers in my quest for depth in the little way.

God bless
littleone

 

[puzzleannie]

for the record, it is not necessary that both the husband and wife join the same secular order, although it is a very nice thing of they are both attracted to the same spirituality.

there are many diocesan priests who belong to secular orders, one of our newly ordained priests is in formation and will become a Benedictine Oblate this year, and we have a retired diocesan priest who is an oblate and says Mass for us and does confessions.

the first thing to do is discern which spirituality is most attractive and beneficial for you. If you are discerning a priestly vocation you should already have a spiritual director, and this question should be discussed with him.