Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word

[ATeutonicKnight]

I really like their order. They’re almost perfect: I only need to get a GED, no college required (For those that say this statement is bogus I spoke with the vocations director Brother Patrick Mary and he said college is NOT a requirement), they preach, they travel, they’re Franciscan, they wear brown, they are orthodox to the very extreme, they’re all nice and humorous, they even have a dog! And a Labrador of all dogs! But the one problem they have is one I simply cannot live with: I need to be 21. Why cruel God, why? I don’t want to wait six more years! Three years to join any other community itself seems far too long, but six? I don’t even want to bear the thought. I don’t suppose making them watch Therese would change their mind?

This thread may seem pointless, but I just need somebody to talk to about my superficial woes.

 

[malphono]

Why on Earth would someone who is, apparently, 15 yo be talking about a GED? Best to finish High School (that will occupy several years), earn a diploma, and then revisit the matter. The Franciscans will still be there.

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

Why on Earth would someone who is, apparently, 15 yo be talking about a GED? Best to finish High School (that will occupy several years), earn a diploma, and then revisit the matter. The Franciscans will still be there.

Did it ever occur to you in your mind that I just might be home schooled?

 

[oneseeker2]

Homeschooled students can get diplomas. It happens every day, all day long. Maybe you were just joking?
oneseeker2

 

[JReducation]

I really like their order. They’re almost perfect: I only need to get a GED, no college required (For those that say this statement is bogus I spoke with the vocations director Brother Patrick Mary and he said college is NOT a requirement), they preach, they travel, they’re Franciscan, they wear brown, they are orthodox to the very extreme, they’re all nice and humorous, they even have a dog! And a Labrador of all dogs! But the one problem they have is one I simply cannot live with: I need to be 21. Why cruel God, why? I don’t want to wait six more years! Three years to join any other community itself seems far too long, but six? I don’t even want to bear the thought. I don’t suppose making them watch Therese would change their mind?

This thread may seem pointless, but I just need somebody to talk to about my superficial woes.

I didn’t know that they had a 21-year rule. That would make sense. While other Franciscans require that you have a BA degree and these friars require that you be 21, that would make them all about the same age when they enter.

The MFVA have a little more wiggle room than the other Franciscans because they’re a diocesan community and they are very small. The smaller communities have more flexibility than the Pontifical communities. That’s the reason for the differences that you’re seeing.

You said that you’re being home schooled. Doesn’t your state have competency exams? They go by different names in different states. But they allow home schoolers to get a standard high school diploma.

By the way, not all Franciscans wear brown. LOL Some of us wear grey, blue, black and even tan. The MFVA take their habit from the Capuchins. Their founder is a Capuchin, Fr. Angelus Shaugnessy, OFM Cap. He was their first superior until they were legally allowed to elect their own. It was a technicality. Mother Angelica was the person behind the vision. But Canon Law does not allow women to be superiors of men. Men can be superiors of women, but not the other way around. Fr. Angelus,who is a very holy man stepped in. I don’t know what his connection was to Mother. That was many years ago. I have not seen him on EWTN in ages. Anyway, that’s the story of their habit. It’s the Capuchin habit with a shorter cowl and the monstrance on the front panel.

The biggest difference between them and the other Franciscans is that they are a clerical community. Only clerics can be superiors. I don’t know about formators and counselors, nor about theological studies. Some clerical communities don’t allow the brothers to get formal theology degrees and some do. That’s all part of being a diocesan community. When you’re a diocesan community you have a little more independence from the larger Franciscan family, but you also have to submit to the bishop of the home diocese. If that’s the way that the local bishop erected them, then that’s what it has to be.

From what little I know of them, they are very talented. Everyone knows something about something. You should take advantage of these six years. Since they do a lot of work in the area of Catholic communication, you may want to take some courses in communication or even get a degree in communication. You’ll be finished some time after between your 21st and 22nd birthday. I know that one or two of their brothers is involved in the technical side of EWTN. That may be something that you may want to look at in terms of studies. I’m not sure what kind of education that requires, but I’m sure that you can’t just stand behind a camera. There must be some kind of education requirement for that kind of work. There are so many things that you can do with those six years. Take advantage of the possibilities. God does not go away and neither will the friars.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

I didn’t know that they had a 21-year rule. That would make sense. While other Franciscans require that you have a BA degree and these friars require that you be 21, that would make them all about the same age when they enter.

The MFVA have a little more wiggle room than the other Franciscans because they’re a diocesan community and they are very small. The smaller communities have more flexibility than the Pontifical communities. That’s the reason for the differences that you’re seeing.

You said that you’re being home schooled. Doesn’t your state have competency exams? They go by different names in different states. But they allow home schoolers to get a standard high school diploma.

By the way, not all Franciscans wear brown. LOL Some of us wear grey, blue, black and even tan. The MFVA take their habit from the Capuchins. Their founder is a Capuchin, Fr. Angelus Shaugnessy, OFM Cap. He was their first superior until they were legally allowed to elect their own. It was a technicality. Mother Angelica was the person behind the vision. But Canon Law does not allow women to be superiors of men. Men can be superiors of women, but not the other way around. Fr. Angelus,who is a very holy man stepped in. I don’t know what his connection was to Mother. That was many years ago. I have not seen him on EWTN in ages. Anyway, that’s the story of their habit. It’s the Capuchin habit with a shorter cowl and the monstrance on the front panel.

The biggest difference between them and the other Franciscans is that they are a clerical community. Only clerics can be superiors. I don’t know about formators and counselors, nor about theological studies. Some clerical communities don’t allow the brothers to get formal theology degrees and some do. That’s all part of being a diocesan community. When you’re a diocesan community you have a little more independence from the larger Franciscan family, but you also have to submit to the bishop of the home diocese. If that’s the way that the local bishop erected them, then that’s what it has to be.

From what little I know of them, they are very talented. Everyone knows something about something. You should take advantage of these six years. Since they do a lot of work in the area of Catholic communication, you may want to take some courses in communication or even get a degree in communication. You’ll be finished some time after between your 21st and 22nd birthday. I know that one or two of their brothers is involved in the technical side of EWTN. That may be something that you may want to look at in terms of studies. I’m not sure what kind of education that requires, but I’m sure that you can’t just stand behind a camera. There must be some kind of education requirement for that kind of work. There are so many things that you can do with those six years. Take advantage of the possibilities. God does not go away and neither will the friars.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Well, actually, many of the Franciscan communities I’ve looked into allows entrance when you’re eighteen and only requires a G.E.D. or high school diploma. The Franciscan Brothers of Peace, the Capuchin Franciscan Friars in Denver are the main ones that stick in my mind. I’ve looked into many Franciscan communities though.

I’ve never heard of such exams before. Maybe I should look into them.

Yeah. They’re not too small anymore. They’re up to sixteen Friars, which although is a lot for today’s standards, is pathetically small by the original standards. Every friary had at least sixty men back in the old days. It makes you wonder what happened.

I know not all Franciscans wear brown. That’s why I put that as an asset. Brown is my favorite color of the habit.

I’ve never heard of him before on the website. Who knows, he might even be dead. Was he an older person?

Well, as much as I would love to go to college and get a degree, since I love education so much already If I were in a church I’d burst into flames at this moment, my family doesn’t have the money, and the economy is only getting worse. Yes, fortunately for me, I don’t even think college will be a pipe dream with the current economic situation.

The Friars may not disappear, but time won’t either, and six years will feel like sixty years.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I will say what others have been saying.

Relax.

Work on your education.

In 3 years you can really start to look into this.

Take this time to grow in your faith, volunteer in your parish, and mature.

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

I will say what others have been saying.

Relax.

Work on your education.

In 3 years you can really start to look into this.

Take this time to grow in your faith, volunteer in your parish, and mature.

Ha, yeah. I was at a meeting with my spiritual adviser Father Wesley, and when I told him about my feelings on this, he told me the same advice you did (Except he didn’t say to wait three years. He thinks it’s great I’m looking into it now). I then told him about an article I read about waiting patiently, and to enjoy the moment. He told me to read this article everyday.

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

Homeschooled students can get diplomas. It happens every day, all day long. Maybe you were just joking?
oneseeker2

The G.E.D. is a diploma. G.E.D. literally stands for “General Education Diploma”.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

The G.E.D. is a diploma. G.E.D. literally stands for “General Education Diploma”.

Be aware that some institutions look upon the G.E.D. as being less than a High School Diploma.

If you are being home schooled your parents should look into the homeschooling resources for your state which can help them figure out how you go about getting a High School Diploma instead of the G.E.D…

 

[HOLYHEARTS]

Why dont you ask the Knightsat the Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament if you can join them for a few years & work & study in Hanceville. Then you could ask to join the Friars.... That way, you can have the option of either community bc theKinghts` also have some members in the Seminary now. BTW, the Missionaries of the Eternal Word offer Daily Mass at the Shrine.

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

Be aware that some institutions look upon the G.E.D. as being less than a High School Diploma.

If you are being home schooled your parents should look into the homeschooling resources for your state which can help them figure out how you go about getting a High School Diploma instead of the G.E.D…

Well, all of the communities I’ve spoken to treat it well. In fact, on almost all of the communities I’ve spoken to, they usually say something like “We ask that you have a high school diploma or it’s equivalent the G.E.D.”. So right there they recognize that it’s an equivalent and it doesn’t prove that you have less intelligence than everyone else.

 

[JReducation]

Well, all of the communities I’ve spoken to treat it well. In fact, on almost all of the communities I’ve spoken to, they usually say something like “We ask that you have a high school diploma or it’s equivalent the G.E.D.”. So right there they recognize that it’s an equivalent and it doesn’t prove that you have less intelligence than everyone else.

I think you’re missing the point. A community may take you with a GED or a HS diploma. However, let’s say that you’re someone like me. I wanted to study theology. To do so, I had to get a BA in philosophy, then go on for the M.Div, STL, STD etc. Yadda Yadda Yadda.

I had to go to CUA for my BA. At the time, CUA did not admit students with a GED. I don’t know if ths is stil the policy. The point is that the religious community cannot make policies for the colleges and schools to which they send their friars. Therefore, if you cannot enter a tertiary school, you will be limited in the number of ministries in which you can engage. That’s the point.

In my community we have a brother who has one year of college. He is a catechist and a very good one. However, he cannot be a DRE, because this diocese requires that DREs be certified teachers. To do that, you must have a degree and the right number of education courses.

He has a lot of philosophy and theology under his belt. The formation program is 7-years. But he does not have the degree to hold the position of DRE, which he should hold, because he’s good at it.

It’s good that you’re looking now. It’s important that you take in the whole picture. What kind of minsitry would you like to work in? What is required for that particular ministry? Even a friar who is a cook has to learn to cook. Some actually go to technical institutes to study cooking, carpentry, mechanics, electricity and so forth.

It is also good to look at each Franciscan community according to its ministry, not just the color of the habit. Habits come and go. I’ve lost track of how often the Franciscan family has modified and changed it’s habit.

As to your comment about 60 friars to a house, that’s not exactly true. This was a phenomena of the late 19th century until the mid 20th. The numbers have not gone down that much. However, the return to the early life says that the friars shall live in fraternities, not in priories and monasteries. Those big houses have been disbanded and the friars assigned to small communities. Ideally, the community should be between 3 and 20 men. Houses of formation and houses of study are usually more populated, because you pull men from all over.

You seem to have many preconceived notions about the religious life for someone so young. You need to get past them or you will be very disappointed. Remember, you are joining us, we are not joining you.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

I think you’re missing the point. A community may take you with a GED or a HS diploma. However, let’s say that you’re someone like me. I wanted to study theology. To do so, I had to get a BA in philosophy, then go on for the M.Div, STL, STD etc. Yadda Yadda Yadda.

I had to go to CUA for my BA. At the time, CUA did not admit students with a GED. I don’t know if ths is stil the policy. The point is that the religious community cannot make policies for the colleges and schools to which they send their friars. Therefore, if you cannot enter a tertiary school, you will be limited in the number of ministries in which you can engage. That’s the point.

In my community we have a brother who has one year of college. He is a catechist and a very good one. However, he cannot be a DRE, because this diocese requires that DREs be certified teachers. To do that, you must have a degree and the right number of education courses.

He has a lot of philosophy and theology under his belt. The formation program is 7-years. But he does not have the degree to hold the position of DRE, which he should hold, because he’s good at it.

It’s good that you’re looking now. It’s important that you take in the whole picture. What kind of minsitry would you like to work in? What is required for that particular ministry? Even a friar who is a cook has to learn to cook. Some actually go to technical institutes to study cooking, carpentry, mechanics, electricity and so forth.

It is also good to look at each Franciscan community according to its ministry, not just the color of the habit. Habits come and go. I’ve lost track of how often the Franciscan family has modified and changed it’s habit.

As to your comment about 60 friars to a house, that’s not exactly true. This was a phenomena of the late 19th century until the mid 20th. The numbers have not gone down that much. However, the return to the early life says that the friars shall live in fraternities, not in priories and monasteries. Those big houses have been disbanded and the friars assigned to small communities. Ideally, the community should be between 3 and 20 men. Houses of formation and houses of study are usually more populated, because you pull men from all over.

You seem to have many preconceived notions about the religious life for someone so young. You need to get past them or you will be very disappointed. Remember, you are joining us, we are not joining you.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

Well, I’m actually going to start the Catholic online college Angelicum, started by Father Fessio (A good friend of the Pope’s). I’m starting it next year (I don’t need any diplomas or anything to join it. I just have to be fourteen) and by the time I’m eighteen I’ll have an associates degree. From there, I can choose to go to Benedictine college in Atchison, Kansas, for two years to get a Bachelor’s Degree in theology, which I have been none too-gently ordered to do by Father Gabriel of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal so I can join their order.

It’s funny though. I called him earlier today and asked him about the requirements, and he said, and I quote, “Well, in Atchison Kansas there’s a very good orthodox Catholic college called Benedictine. How about you go there. They’re very compatible with home schooled kids.” Which is information I already know because my sister goes there, but he basically explained it in a way that sounded like a demand. It was hard to keep from laughing as I said I would consider it. I’ve basically decided to do it though.

 

[CatholicFireman]

Seton Home school gives a diploma: setonhome.org/

My daughter had to be home school (do to illness) for the last six months of her senior year so we used Seton. Raymond Arroyo spoke at her graduation.

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

Seton Home school gives a diploma: setonhome.org/

My daughter had to be home school (do to illness) for the last six months of her senior year so we used Seton. Raymond Arroyo spoke at her graduation.

We used to use Seton, but my parents were never able to get me to do the schoolwork so we never got to send the books back to get graded. The problem is I don’t think I’d be able to just swoop in at the last moment, could I?

Besides, with Angelicum, I will get to focus about all of the cool things that I enjoy like history, religion, philosophy, etc, and not focus so much on math, science, economics, and all of that lot. In fact, I’m not even sure if they teach science or anything at Angelicum, so that would definitely be a dream come true for me. It’s really cool that Raymond Arroyo talked at your daughter’s graduation though. It would be really cool to meet him one day.

 

[CatholicFireman]

My daughter had to take her whole senior year in six months so I guess you can “swoop” in. Seton is not for everyone, but they do offer a high school diploma.

Raymond is a very nice man.

Good luck.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Well, all of the communities I’ve spoken to treat it well. In fact, on almost all of the communities I’ve spoken to, they usually say something like “We ask that you have a high school diploma or it’s equivalent the G.E.D.”. So right there they recognize that it’s an equivalent and it doesn’t prove that you have less intelligence than everyone else.

No, I am sure that communities that only require a high school education would accept a G.E.D., just that not all institutes of advanced learning will look upon it the same way.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Well, I’m actually going to start the Catholic online college Angelicum, started by Father Fessio (A good friend of the Pope’s). I’m starting it next year (I don’t need any diplomas or anything to join it. I just have to be fourteen) and by the time I’m eighteen I’ll have an associates degree. From there, I can choose to go to Benedictine college in Atchison, Kansas, for two years to get a Bachelor’s Degree in theology, which I have been none too-gently ordered to do by Father Gabriel of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal so I can join their order.

I would carefully check this out. I find it hard to believe that a fully accredited college can accept students without a high school diploma (or equivalent) for a degree program. I earned an Associates degree from a technical school and you still needed a college education for it.

As Brother JR pointed out, you seem to have some preconceived notions and not only about religious life.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Besides, with Angelicum, I will get to focus about all of the cool things that I enjoy like history, religion, philosophy, etc, and not focus so much on math, science, economics, and all of that lot. In fact, I’m not even sure if they teach science or anything at Angelicum, so that would definitely be a dream come true for me. It’s really cool that Raymond Arroyo talked at your daughter’s graduation though. It would be really cool to meet him one day.

When you get an advanced degree much of your course work will be in those subjects that you do not like.