Favorite Order

  • Thread starter Thread starter DeusExMachina
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
DeusExMachina said:
Frankly Im a bit surprised the dominicans are so popular.
Click to expand...
Why? Because of the Spanish Inquisition? I suppose that was a biggie. And they preach verbally as their charism so how does that fit in with today?

It would depend whether the OP was talking about a fave male or female Order and whether they were contemplative or apostolic - both completely different.

Male Apostolic: Franciscans, and in the poorer countries the Jesuits possibly.

Male Contemplative: I like the idea of Carthusians.

Female Apostolic: Poor Clares and Missionaries of Charity.

Female Contemplative: Carmelites and Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate.

(As for male Carmelites, I am confused as to what their charism is - friars but really contemplatives - and so they are too confusing).
 
Path_Finder said:
That’s great and reminds me of the Little Sisters of the Poor, another order; so in the end, there are too many that are doing honorable work, helping people. It might be good to produce a long list of orders and have persons choose from such a list. I like the Marists as well as the Marians of the Immaculate Conception. The Oblates is another fine order, there are even orders that are somewhat regional.

Well, the Franciscans and then, I guess it is their female counterparts, the Poor Clares, somewhat referenced to already.

Capuchins, a type of Franciscan?
Click to expand...
Capuchins are a reform of the Franciscans, more strict. You can compare them to being like Trappists as to Benedictines.
 
friardchips said:
Why? Because of the Spanish Inquisition? I suppose that was a biggie. And they preach verbally as their charism so how does that fit in with today?

It would depend whether the OP was talking about a fave male or female Order and whether they were contemplative or apostolic - both completely different.

Male Apostolic: Franciscans, and in the poorer countries the Jesuits possibly.

Male Contemplative: I like the idea of Carthusians.

Female Apostolic: Poor Clares and Missionaries of Charity.

Female Contemplative: Carmelites and Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate.

(As for male Carmelites, I am confused as to what their charism is - friars but really contemplatives - and so they are too confusing).
Click to expand...
Yes, actually. But I suppose they gave us the Rosary so they definitely arent THAT bad 😉
 
DeusExMachina said:
Yes, actually. But I suppose they gave us the Rosary so they definitely arent THAT bad 😉
Click to expand...
Strictly speaking, Our Lady gave us the Rosary - they were the messengers. 🙂 They are most definitely good but not sure how this preaching Order fits in today with the more complete emphasis being on prayer - yes, agreed - and action. I wonder whether St. Dominic’s life was a lot closer to St. Francis’ than what the Order reflects. I expect he went about the poor not just preaching to them but helping them also. However, the Dominicans are mainly priests, and so we can’t say too much against the Order even when compared to others.
 
christofirst said:
Which Order did you think would be my favorite?
Click to expand...
🙂 Something more mystical. I guess the Benedictines have dabbled here and there but generally I would have expected a more apostolic Order that is very Eastward looking, or centred. Maybe St. John of the Cross and the Carmelites - seems to be a kind of contemplative/apostolic Order - and their Mount Carmel prayers are what I’d understand to be mystical. This Order I find interesting, actually. I would have had you down as being into this kind of Order, more than the hospitality-centred Order, of Benedictines. And a saint I would have thought might have interested you other than the one I mentioned, would be St. Julian of Norwich (not a Carmelite) but a hermit which echoes the East to some degree. Some of her meditations are incredible.

Enjoy your Christmas.

👍
 
friardchips said:
🙂 Something more mystical. I guess the Benedictines have dabbled here and there but generally I would have expected a more apostolic Order that is very Eastward looking, or centred. Maybe St. John of the Cross and the Carmelites - seems to be a kind of contemplative/apostolic Order - and their Mount Carmel prayers are what I’d understand to be mystical. This Order I find interesting, actually. I would have had you down as being into this kind of Order, more than the hospitality-centred Order, of Benedictines. And a saint I would have thought might have interested you other than the one I mentioned, would be St. Julian of Norwich (not a Carmelite) but a hermit which echoes the East to some degree. Some of her meditations are incredible.

Enjoy your Christmas.

👍
Click to expand...
It’s true, Julian of Norwich is one of my favorite saints, and since the early circumstances of her life are somewhat shrouded in mystery, she has at times been claimed by the Benedictines. It has been speculated that she had ties to, or was educated at, or was even a former nun of Carrow Abbey, the Benedictine priory in Norwich, although other scholars disagree with this premise.

And your perception is spot on as well in that I am mainly drawn to the more contemplative side of the Benedictines, as opposed to their more active dimension, such as teaching and running schools. The two abbeys closest to me, St. Andrew’s and Prince of Peace, support themselves almost exclusively through retreat ministry, and as houses of peace and prayer where one can find solace in the midst of our busy, crowded, Southern California cities.

And under the Benedictine umbrella, I also include the Cistercians and the Camaldolese, and so my Eastward interest has indeed been fostered by luminaries such as John Main, O.S.B., Thomas Merton, O.C.S.O., and Bede Griffiths, O.S.B. Cam.

A very merry and blessed Christmas to you as well! :christmastree1:
 
christofirst said:
It’s true, Julian of Norwich is one of my favorite saints, and since the early circumstances of her life are somewhat shrouded in mystery, she has at times been claimed by the Benedictines. It has been speculated that she had ties to, or was educated at, or was even a former nun of Carrow Abbey, the Benedictine priory in Norwich, although other scholars disagree with this premise.

And your perception is spot on as well in that I am mainly drawn to the more contemplative side of the Benedictines, as opposed to their more active dimension, such as teaching and running schools. The two abbeys closest to me, St. Andrew’s and Prince of Peace, support themselves almost exclusively through retreat ministry, and as houses of peace and prayer where one can find solace in the midst of our busy, crowded, Southern California cities.

And under the Benedictine umbrella, I also include the Cistercians and the Camaldolese, and so my Eastward interest has indeed been fostered by luminaries such as John Main, O.S.B., Thomas Merton, O.C.S.O., and Bede Griffiths, O.S.B. Cam.

A very merry and blessed Christmas to you as well! :christmastree1:
Click to expand...
I’m also more drawn to the contemplative side of the Benedictines (and those orders broadly following the Rule of St. Benedict). The Abbey to which I’m attached as oblate is of the Solesmes congregation, which is a contemplative congregation with a strong focus on liturgy and in many abbeys including ours, Gregorian chant. Our current choirmaster who is also our oblate master, was also choirmaster at Solesmes for many years, a real coals-to-Newcastle story.
 
The reason the high ratings for the dominicans is that all these other orders are famous for "Showing their faith through works’’ of love and charity, wheras the dominicans historically showed their faith by torturing heretics :o
 
DeusExMachina said:
The reason the high ratings for the dominicans is that all these other orders are famous for "Showing their faith through works’’ of love and charity, wheras the dominicans historically showed their faith by torturing heretics :o
Click to expand...
Not sure why torturing heretics would bring high ratings (?) but it is surprising that they are topping the other big Orders. I am guessing that people on this forum have a certain fondness for St. Thomas Aquinas which is why voting is favouring the Dominicans so far.
 
I have to go with the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest.

Their respect for liturgical tradition is unmatched.

Houses sing the breviary together, they restore neglected churches around the world. they operate missions in Africa, and their charism is taken from The Rule of St. Benedict and the writings of St. Francis de Sales.

The Institute has members at all levels; priests, male religious, nuns, and a lay society.

Best of all; they exclusively use the extraordinary form for all blessings and sacraments!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top