Dispensation from religious vows

[grasshopper34]

Recently I was reading a book written by a former religious sister who left her community after her perpetual profession. She explained in the book, having to write to the Vatican to receive a dispensation from her vows, and after that she left the community. Its a silly question maybe, but I was wondering what would happen if someone just decided to leave their community *without *getting a dispensation? Would they still have their vows, or would the community itself apply to the Vatican to have them dispensed or removed? Hope my question makes sense.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Recently I was reading a book written by a former religious sister who left her community after her perpetual profession. She explained in the book, having to write to the Vatican to receive a dispensation from her vows, and after that she left the community. Its a silly question maybe, but I was wondering what would happen if someone just decided to leave their community *without *getting a dispensation? Would they still have their vows, or would the community itself apply to the Vatican to have them dispensed or removed? Hope my question makes sense.

The superior would eventually write to the Vatican to have the person release from vows so that they could be removed from the community.

A religious under vows is the responsibility of the religious institute.

 

[grasshopper34]

Oh okay thanks very much for your answer. I was very curious!

 

[Gardenman]

I remember hearing of instances where some women religious just up and left their orders without going through any formal process when the “exodus” was happening. They were never heard from again and any inquiry made about them was sort of politely dismissed.
Obviously, the laity was never privvy to how they were “released” from their vows and obligations but the late 60’s and 70’s were disastrous for many orders and we lost a LOT of good religious, both male and female.

 

[grasshopper34]

I remember hearing of instances where some women religious just up and left their orders without going through any formal process when the “exodus” was happening. They were never heard from again and any inquiry made about them was sort of politely dismissed.
Obviously, the laity was never privvy to how they were “released” from their vows and obligations but the late 60’s and 70’s were disastrous for many orders and we lost a LOT of good religious, both male and female.

I was born after Vatican II, but yeah that’s what I was wondering. If a sister or brother just up and left, would someone release them from their vows eventually, if they didn’t request it themselves. But it seems from ByzCath answer that yes the institute releases them.

I also wondered because of a former monk who is a member of my parish. He took solemn vows (which I realize are different from simple vows) and he left his community sometime after that. He told me he can’t be released from those vows, instead he has some kind of indult from the bishop. He’s remaining faithful to the vows though he’s not a member of the monastery anymore. But that is different than simple vows I realize.

 

[Shoshana]

I know we had a diocesan priest that was a trappistine monk but had to leave, with the permission of the ‘superior’ even after being fully professed because he could not handle the diet of total vegetarian diet after being diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. He left there to become a diocesan priest for a good many years and just died a couple of years ago.