So you’re saying it’s all about the money.
You don’t understand the nature of the order.
You won’t listen to other posters.
You simply keep on with the mantras of “they can walk away like any other people who make vows and break them”
"They need to walk away if they don’t agree’.
“Bad press equals lower donations”.
I don’t blame Father Ruggero and Deacon Jeff for being rather flabbergasted that they–one a priest, one an actual member of the Order in question–should be completely disregarded by some poster who won’t listen to people who actually know what they’re talking about.
I’m with them. I’m done with this. I may not agree with them on certain subjects, but in this case, I’m behind them 100%. With regard to the Order, they know, far better than you, what they are talking about, and your comments, well-intentioned as they undoubtedly are, are entirely out in left field and in fact, counterproductive.
The courteous thing in this case would be for posters to ‘bow to authority’ on this and either say something like, "I really thought I was right on this but I guess I have a lot to learn’, or simply stop posting if it’s too hard to ‘eat crow’ and admit being ‘not as right as you usually are’, and return to the actual topic in question.
Thank you.
I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge your very kind post.
It is, frankly, nothing short of an enigma to me that there are persons who will simply argue, without regard for their own lack of knowledge and experience, with persons who actually hold…and have held for years or decades…the very thing about which the person wants to argue.
Without giving a whole course on the theology of consecrated life as it touches on this matter.
As already clearly and several times said, there are three classes within the Order of Malta, which include vowed Religious, cloistered nuns, Priests who have emitted vows and are conventually part of the Order as well as other priests and prelates who occupy varying categories within the Order; there are laity who have made profession of vow and laity who have made promises, according to the norms of law and which constitute profession of a sacred bond. Those in all of these categories are members of the Order. And all members are bound by sacred bond. How they live out that sacred bond will depend upon the category that they are in.
The Order of Malta has unique privileges in that they are over 900 years old and their customs and practices derive from their antiquity in ways that are without other parallel.
This is not entirely unlike Saint Catherine of Siena or Saint Rose of Lima who, without being cloistered Nuns and living before the moment of Apostolic Sisters in the Dominican family nevertheless professed the Dominican Rule and lived as consecrated Dominicans. Which is why they are depicted in the Dominican habit. They were members of the Dominican Order, while lay women, while living in their respective homes. That is how consecrated life can and does work.
There are solemn vows and simple vows. There are solemn promises. Diocesan priests as well as permanent deacons incardinated in dioceses do not take vows…they make solemn promises. Religious, classically speaking, take various vows of varying categories while those in other Institutes of Perfection take promises. That is a matter of particular law concerning the vocation as well as concerning the Institute of Perfection – but it does not impinge on the reality of definitive incorporation or of sacred bond.
In this case, being in the Order of Malta is effected through the emission of various categories of sacred bonds – which if a person actually lived this reality instead of casting about the Internet for what can be found about it, they would quite well know.
It should not be so hard to comprehend that being a lay person and being a member of an Order from the 11th century are not mutually exclusive…if the person commenting had even a basic knowledge and experience of consecrated life.
The Sovereign Military Order of Malta is funded by the members of the Order throughout the world. They are also recipients of significant governmental funds in those places where they contract to provide medical care and facilities. They also receive funding from many other sources.
There is a lot more that could be said on any of these topics. To what value there is in speculating about such matters, I don’t know. I have no sense that the government of Ireland, to take one example, will be altering their financial arrangements with the (name removed by moderator) for the services (name removed by moderator) provides in Ireland. Whether, to take another example, non-members of the Order who would make a donation to the Order are more or less likely to donate, some may be less and others who have never donated may now choose to donate. The motives and actions of an individuals on a worldwide stage is an imponderable.
It is really a reduction to the absurd – and taking on the character of a farce – to quote an informational page from the headquarters in Rome to people
who have lived this reality for years…and decades. I am more than aware of what is found on the Order’s website.
This is like someone who would give their incorrect musings about the military and military life to a military officer who had served in the military. It is not only not amusing, it is actually beyond insulting.
It has become evident that further attempts would be beyond an exercise in utter futility with regard to some…but I felt you should at least have a fuller answer. And I thank you again for your very kind post. It was appreciated.
