Explain "your" order's spirituality

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OK. What do I mean? Let’s assume you are devoted to/a member of/a member of a lay association affiliated with a particular order ( for example Carmelite priest/Dominican brother/lay Passionist or similar). Please explain (it doesn’t have to be a long explanation)
  1. “your” order’s spirituality
  2. "your’ order’s active ministry
  3. What draws you the most to “your” order
  4. Your favorite story about “your” order (a personal story would be awesome)
  5. Whatever else that you would like to add
Please use the 1,2,3,4,5 format. Thank you!

**To be clear, you do not need to be “officially” a member of the order to post in this thread. For example, you do not have to be a Franciscan priest or brother; Franciscan nun/sister; or Secular Franciscan to post about the Franciscans. Hope that makes sense. :o:D
 
What is wrong? No one wants to do this? I am curious about different Orders. How about the Passionist, Salesian, and Capuchin Priests? What are they like?
 
hi, looks like no takers to a very good inquiry-maybe it takes time; i have some familiarity to the Trappists, once in an era of Thomas Merton-this monastic order became part of american catholic culture, early 50’s by interest in Merton-the author (he wrote seven story mountain-his autobiography); otherwise known as the order of strict observance, OSO; which means they observe silence-it is a way to pray -you see? -they have a web site.kind of an exclusive club; waht do they do? well they have daily office, and get up at about 4 or 5 in the morning; i remember that the last prayers at evening-asking God in prayer to have a good rest and a peaceful death…this is noticed to be a chant, which is refreshing change from a busy world-.seven times per day, as routine…monks pray the Psalms-The Hours, as they call it…those version of the Psalms -perhaps mentioned in Merton’s writing as the church’s highest sense of praise…they take work very seriously…they are said to work and pray…at the same time…the priests are super people…well thx patrick
 
Luigi_Daniele said:
OK. What do I mean? Let’s assume you are devoted to/a member of/a member of a lay association affiliated with a particular order ( for example Carmelite priest/Dominican brother/lay Passionist or similar). Please explain (it doesn’t have to be a long explanation)
  1. “your” order’s spirituality
  2. "your’ order’s active ministry
  3. What draws you the most to “your” order
  4. Your favorite story about “your” order (a personal story would be awesome)
  5. Whatever else that you would like to add
Please use the 1,2,3,4,5 format. Thank you!

**To be clear, you do not need to be “officially” a member of the order to post in this thread. For example, you do not have to be a Franciscan priest or brother; Franciscan nun/sister; or Secular Franciscan to post about the Franciscans. Hope that makes sense. :o:D
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Nothing’s wrong, dear! I honestly thought this would have attracted more posters, but I’ll start with “mine.” 😛 I am looking at joining the Sister Servants of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus after I finish college and, with God’s good grace I won’t, but if I do have any debt, pay it back. In case you’d like to look, here is a link for their website/Facebook page: sacredheartsisters.org/index.html
facebook.com/pages/Sister-Servants-of-the-Most-Sacred-Heart-of-Jesus/145975278785277

Spirituality, I believe would be Franciscan.

Active ministry included teaching, ministry, (rarely) mission trips, parish secretaries, etc. Though it may sound contradictory, the SSCJ order is actually pretty cloistered, except for when the Sisters go to work and such.

You know, that is an excellent question. I was first drawn to it because it is in the diocese which I will reside in after I finish college, then I learned that they have two things I desire to be: cloistered, while still being able to help in the community. I desire to be cloistered so much, and the only thing stopping me is the fact that I wouldn’t be able to see my family. Once you make first vows, I believe you are allowed to go home for a week or two each year. Besides those things, I believe God is the one who led me to this order, and a friend of mine has a friend who is currently a second year novice right now.

Well, I don’t have any personal stories, seeing as I can’t reach the order by email, however I did find the correct email on the Facebook page! 😃 I am just so excited to be able to really discern my vocation to the religious life, and also to this order!

I’m sorry no one else tried to post on here. I know there are quite a few oblates/discerning men and women on here, which surprises me that no one would even give it a shot.

I hope I could give you some good answers! 😃
 
Great thread, and replies! I find I am most attracted to the Order of St. Benedict. Now I know that there are several here who are far more invested in Benedictine spirituality than I am, and I was waiting to see if any of them would post first. But they are probably praying, while I am writing, so here goes: David Patrick has already mentioned much of what I would say, since the Rule of St. Benedict is also the foundation for the Cistercians and Trappists, as well as the Camaldolese (another of my favorite orders).
  1. Benedictine spirituality is multi-faceted, but what I find most attractive is the emphasis on a balanced life - Ora et Labora - prayer and work, both in moderation. This just seems like a sensible approach to life in general. I consider the Benedictines to be counter-cultural too, from the earliest days when St. Benedict fled from the licentiousness he encountered in Rome, until the present day. Society pulls us one way, but the Benedictines show us another way - a better way, I think - where every hour, every moment is made holy, no matter what we’re doing.
  2. Many Benedictines are engaged in teaching or writing; scholarly pursuits. Most all of the abbeys and monasteries offer hospitality and retreats, where all are “welcomed as Christ.” They are self-supporting, and many monasteries produce crafts or edibles.
  3. I became drawn to the Benedictines years ago, when my own life was very much out of balance - lots of work with scant prayer. The Rule offers a regular way, adaptable for a lay man like myself, to incorporate more time for prayer - like the Liturgy of the Hours, quiet prayer, and Lectio Divina - into an otherwise hectic day.
4 & 5) I really don’t have any anecdotes of interest, except that I very much look forward to visiting my closest abbey, St. Andrew’s in Valyermo, which right now is not often enough! My path to the Benedictines, like it is for so many, came from reading Thomas Merton, who then led me to read and encounter so many others associated with the Benedictine way. But I must admit I have a long way to go. Sometimes I think I like the idea of regular prayer and a balanced life more than I actually like living the life! :o

That’s my story. I think its only fair that Luigi answer his own questions for us too!
 
Hi I am a Descalced Carmelite Secular and I joined the Order of its spirituality. It is for me a direct and intimate experience of God which is the basis of Carmelite spirituality. This is or becomes a search for God in silence and solitude detaching oneself from all that would keep one from God. To see the face of Christ in everyone, that they may see Christ in us. There is a interior life of prayer, To live the Gospel in its fullness, the commitment to the community and for the sake of the Church and the world. What drew me to the Order was the way of life of prayer while still in the world as a way of bringing Christ to a world that is in desperate need of Him, to grow Spiritually and to seek union with Christ. The one thing I would like to add is that it has changed my life and I try to see the world and all in it as God sees it, rather difficult but with God’s help it might be done. to be humble and not looking for praise or recognition , or even thinks. Its doing all out of love for God whom loved us first.
 
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