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Oren
Guest
Are there still hermits ? How do they do it? Are they only attached to a monastary? Any info about that?
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David_Riederer
Guest
Well I can say that they are still around, or at least one is still around. I am a college seminarian at IHM Seminary in Winona, MN, and one of the priest we can choose from for a spiritual director is a hermit. Thought I don’t know many of the details behind it, I was told he was a diocesan priest that got permission to become a hermit. But I need to look into it a bit more. But like I said there is at least one that I can say exists. God Bless
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Hesychios
Guest
There should be some hermits in various places around the globe.
Of course, the hermit life can take various forms, in the cenobite communities sometimes an experienced monastic is allowed to live as a hermit if the superior is persueded that the individual can handle it. On Mt Athos that is certainly the case.
There are urban hermits, some are not attached to any communities at all, some are oblates or third order, but rats, one still needs some source of income and that can mean compromises in the development of an interior life.
I think the Carmelites have a program for urban hermits. There also used to be a group of anchorites that live a totally solitary existence far from each other, but I don’t know if the group functions anymore, although that is no reason to believe that the people wouldn’t continue without the organization.
There are established communities which have always had a strict hermit lifestyle as part of their charism. Here are two:
The Carthusians
The Camaldolese
Of course, the hermit life can take various forms, in the cenobite communities sometimes an experienced monastic is allowed to live as a hermit if the superior is persueded that the individual can handle it. On Mt Athos that is certainly the case.
There are urban hermits, some are not attached to any communities at all, some are oblates or third order, but rats, one still needs some source of income and that can mean compromises in the development of an interior life.
I think the Carmelites have a program for urban hermits. There also used to be a group of anchorites that live a totally solitary existence far from each other, but I don’t know if the group functions anymore, although that is no reason to believe that the people wouldn’t continue without the organization.
There are established communities which have always had a strict hermit lifestyle as part of their charism. Here are two:
The Carthusians
The Camaldolese
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hermit
Guest
It all depends on your definition of hermits. The original hermits were people who withdrew from society to have a closer one-on-one relationship with God.
Does one have to withdraw physically to be considered a hermit. What about being in the world but not of the world?
Does one have to withdraw physically to be considered a hermit. What about being in the world but not of the world?
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mercygate
Guest
Hermit life is alive and well. Some hermits live in complete independence. Some live in “lauras” – loose communities of individuals who share certain aspects of practical and spiritual life. Have a look at: A Way of Desert Spirituality: The Plan of Life of the Hermits of Bethlehem in the Heart of Jesus it is published by Alba House and you can order it online.
The Bethlehem hermits support themselves by offering hospitality to retreatants. Guests stay in little one-room hermitages. Retreats are silent, solitary, and unconducted. Bread and water is the fare on Wednesdays. Prayer is the only activity of your day (Mass in common in the morning, however), and even books are not permitted in the hermitage!
Canon 603, for the first time in the history of the Church makes official recognition of hermit life.
I personally know hermits who live as solitaries according to the discipline of Franciscan, Carmelite, and Camaldolese life.
The Bethlehem hermits support themselves by offering hospitality to retreatants. Guests stay in little one-room hermitages. Retreats are silent, solitary, and unconducted. Bread and water is the fare on Wednesdays. Prayer is the only activity of your day (Mass in common in the morning, however), and even books are not permitted in the hermitage!
Canon 603, for the first time in the history of the Church makes official recognition of hermit life.
I personally know hermits who live as solitaries according to the discipline of Franciscan, Carmelite, and Camaldolese life.
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dream_wanderer
Guest
There are some hermits attached to our congregation who live in cabins in the mountains. They come down to the church for mass on Sunday and then return back to their solitary vigil of prayers… I don’t know anything about them except for the fact that they exist. 
dream wanderer
dream wanderer
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Fr_Ambrose
Guest
There are one or two Yahoo lists (one is RC) run by mainly US hermits -and they don’t mind people signing up and listening in.
There is a rather nice magazine “Raven’s Bread” which comes out as a hard copy publication and (in a shortened version) on the Internet. I used to subscribe once and was always amazed by people (including Catholic monasteries) advertising places for hermits!! They might have a cabin placed away from the monastery which nobody is using and they use “Raven’s Bread” to get the word around.
op.org/ravensbread/
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elizabeth55
Guest
Yes, there are still hermits about. Some are called diocesan hermits, in which they live of life of solitude and prayer,but still have some contact with the world.For instance going to Mass and occasionally speak to people. There is a discerning process of some years and they need to have a spiritual director. After some years they can ask the bishop to give vows publically in the hands of the bishop and they have to draw up a rule.
If you want to know more look at Canon Law 603.
I hope this helps
If you want to know more look at Canon Law 603.
I hope this helps
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inJESUS
Guest
In Lebanon we have hermits…
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DaveBj
Guest
I think Fr. Corapi considers himself to be a hermit, at least part of the time.
Speaking only for myself, I’ve always had a problem reconciling hermitism with the commission to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Obviously, Fr. Corapi has had no problem fulfilling that commission.)
DaveBj
Speaking only for myself, I’ve always had a problem reconciling hermitism with the commission to “go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Obviously, Fr. Corapi has had no problem fulfilling that commission.)
DaveBj
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Pixiemaxx
Guest
Hi, everybody!
My name is Mother Mary Victoria Howard, and I am a hermit. I do not go out into the world to spread the Good News - I do it from home! I play sacred music for the neighbors, I have two networks on the Web:
newjerusalemlaura.groupsite.com/
for hermits to convene, and:
antiabortionsquad.groupsite.com/
for those opposed to abortion to get together virtually.
I am also a writer:
mysite.verizon.net/vzezunbp/
Beyond that, I am one of the few on Earth who dedicate themselves to being there for companionship with God Himself. God and I are best friends, and we commune here in my apartment, my hermitage, day after day. God needs at least some people like that. I go to daily mass, pray the rosary and other prayers, fast almost continuously, do mortifications exteriorly and interiorly, and I am considered a contemplative and a mystic.
God needs love, too, and so many people are in such a rush that they don’t commit themselves to Him the way I can. My lifestyle is very important and very necessary. I have given up parties and ordinary human socialization in order to please God, and I find it very engrossing and it makes me quite happy.
The two networks above are featured at this network, Catholic Answers Forums, under groups. Check them out.
Write to me anytime and I can tell you more. Take a look at the writing. And believe me, there are plenty of hermits still around!
In the Love of Christ,
Mother Mary Victoria Howard
My name is Mother Mary Victoria Howard, and I am a hermit. I do not go out into the world to spread the Good News - I do it from home! I play sacred music for the neighbors, I have two networks on the Web:
newjerusalemlaura.groupsite.com/
for hermits to convene, and:
antiabortionsquad.groupsite.com/
for those opposed to abortion to get together virtually.
I am also a writer:
mysite.verizon.net/vzezunbp/
Beyond that, I am one of the few on Earth who dedicate themselves to being there for companionship with God Himself. God and I are best friends, and we commune here in my apartment, my hermitage, day after day. God needs at least some people like that. I go to daily mass, pray the rosary and other prayers, fast almost continuously, do mortifications exteriorly and interiorly, and I am considered a contemplative and a mystic.
God needs love, too, and so many people are in such a rush that they don’t commit themselves to Him the way I can. My lifestyle is very important and very necessary. I have given up parties and ordinary human socialization in order to please God, and I find it very engrossing and it makes me quite happy.
The two networks above are featured at this network, Catholic Answers Forums, under groups. Check them out.
Write to me anytime and I can tell you more. Take a look at the writing. And believe me, there are plenty of hermits still around!
In the Love of Christ,
Mother Mary Victoria Howard
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