Episcopal Religious Orders

[RevDrNorth]

This may be of general interest here since it is related to vocations. These are some Episcopal Orders.

Since the topic of habits comes up on this forum, here is an Order (Order of Julian of Norwich) with great looking habits (men’s and women’s).
orderofjulian.org/home.html

The Society of St. John the Evangelist appears quite active. Judging by their site they seem to attract a number of younger postulants/novices and the order manages an endowment. The order has quite a history in publishing (Cowley).
ssje.org/novice_novitiate.html
ssje.org/pdf/Cowley%20Summer%2008%203.pdf

St Gregory’s Abbey (Benedictine)
saintgregorysthreerivers.org/index.html
saintgregorysthreerivers.org/info.html

Sister of the Holy Nativity
stmarysretreathouse.com/community_bethlehem.html

Community of the Transfiguration
ctsisters.org/index.htm

Some of the other orders I looked at on the CAROA site seem to have issues common to religious orders in general (ie Roman Catholic as well) and that is aging members. The two men’s order above (SSJE & Benedictine) seem to have managed to attract younger members. I am glad to see some orders (RCC, EO, and Anglican) that are thriving. It would be interesting to study what makes the difference.

 

[scottywolf777]

Greetings RevDrNorth
I was wondering if you knew anything about the Order of the Holy Family. I had been affiliated with them back in my anglican days and last I knew they’d moved to Santa Fe. I’ve tried googling them and find nothing. I was wondering if they disbanded. The used to be in the Denver Episcopal Diocese before they moved to Santa Fe.
They were a rather unique group, they wore Denim Habits and their symbol was a peace cross. They also had tonsures and had daily high mass. Fr Abbott Jon Aiden founded them in the late 60’s or early 70’s and had a large great dane dog named Noel who loved the oatmeal the brothers would serve to the crashers they took in off the street and would try to intimidate her way into some.

 

[RevDrNorth]

Greetings RevDrNorth
I was wondering if you knew anything about the Order of the Holy Family. I had been affiliated with them back in my anglican days and last I knew they’d moved to Santa Fe. I’ve tried googling them and find nothing. I was wondering if they disbanded. The used to be in the Denver Episcopal Diocese before they moved to Santa Fe.
They were a rather unique group, they wore Denim Habits and their symbol was a peace cross. They also had tonsures and had daily high mass. Fr Abbott Jon Aiden founded them in the late 60’s or early 70’s and had a large great dane dog named Noel who loved the oatmeal the brothers would serve to the crashers they took in off the street and would try to intimidate her way into some.

Cute story about the cookies. I have not heard of them though. They sound quite the product of the 60’s.

 

[barb_finnegan]

DrNorth-thanks for showing the links of the different Episcopal Orders!

The Order of Julian of Norwich has a very cool-looking habit! I went to Norwich, England on my last trip in 1999, but did not find the church that’s on the site of her cell.

There’s an order of Sisters in my hometown, too-the Society of St. Margaret. They were founded by John Mason Neale in the 19th century, and their Rule is based on the original Rule of the [Catholic] Visitation Order. A very well-known rich family called the Proctors invited the Society to come and work with the poor here.

They used to wear a gray habit with a black veil. Nowadays they dress in secular clothes, but they do wear the habit when they’re at church services. When I used to work in the local Catholic bookstore, sometimes one or other of the Sisters would stop to buy things.

 

[anode]

For those who collect info on religious orders, there’s a book about Anglican orders:

Anglican Religious life 2008-2009

It is published biannually, has grown in size , changed its name to a simpler name and become quite popular, I think. If interested, you can prob find it on amazon.com second hand for a reduced price. otherwise you order it from the Canterbury Press in England by credit card and pay for shipping. I keep up with it as I was interested in entering centuries ago.

The trends are similar to the RC church. Lots in the developing world, espec Africa. Anglicans are also strong in Polynesia. In England some communities are doing very well, Commun of the Love of God, which is cloistered, for one, with a simple full habit; others are very small, aging and will probably close. Many have closed already. Many were founded as a response to Victorian poverty, which is much alleviated in a welfare state. A lot wear a modified habit or a simplified full habit; a popular variant is a habit -like dress and collar but no veil, which looks good on middle aged and older women. Quite a number don’t show their hair; others do, with a veil, with mixed success, I think.

Many follow an Augustinian rule, others Benedictine, living in an abbey. Almost all pray the office. Anglican orders in the US and UK were almost always mixed, never active, in the sense that they all prayed the office.

 

[RevDrNorth]

For those who collect info on religious orders, there’s a book about Anglican orders:

Anglican Religious life 2008-2009

It is published biannually, has grown in size , changed its name to a simpler name and become quite popular, I think. If interested, you can prob find it on amazon.com second hand for a reduced price. otherwise you order it from the Canterbury Press in England by credit card and pay for shipping. I keep up with it as I was interested in entering centuries ago.

The trends are similar to the RC church. Lots in the developing world, espec Africa. Anglicans are also strong in Polynesia. In England some communities are doing very well, Commun of the Love of God, which is cloistered, for one, with a simple full habit; others are very small, aging and will probably close. Many have closed already. Many were founded as a response to Victorian poverty, which is much alleviated in a welfare state. A lot wear a modified habit or a simplified full habit; a popular variant is a habit -like dress and collar but no veil, which looks good on middle aged and older women. Quite a number don’t show their hair; others do, with a veil, with mixed success, I think.

Many follow an Augustinian rule, others Benedictine, living in an abbey. Almost all pray the office. Anglican orders in the US and UK were almost always mixed, never active, in the sense that they all prayed the office.

Yes, that is interesting. I suspect that in our culture it is difficult for some people to imagine religious life as they think they will be missing all of the noise and activity of secular culture. In many ways, I imagine this is why there are so many late vocations. People have a call and often suppress it for what they feel the secular world offers. When they get older they realize that the secular world did not offer what they were looking for.
So many people think…“If only I was married” or “if only I had children” but then there are many bad marriages, many very stressful situations raising children (kids who end up on drugs, in prison), etc. Any priest will tell you that.

I would say that first of all God calls us to certain vocations. Second, happiness has a great deal to do with what is going on inside of us. Third, becoming a religious does not mean giving up life. I loved the picture on one web site of a Carmelite priest riding his bike or kayaking (If I recall correctly). Folks, the guy looked perfectly normal and even trendy (correct clothes for sport).