Hypothectically Speaking

[SacredHeartFan]

How would one go about founding a religious order?

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

How would one go about founding a religious order?

Well technically there have been no new religious orders since the Council of Trent when the Church banned the creation of new religious orders and suppressed some.

What we have now are religious congregations of diocesen right, religious congregations of pontifical right, and associations of the faithful. While they resemble religious orders they are not the same and there are some Canons which are different, as well as the vows.

That being said, I think the first thing one would need to do is find a charism and others who wish to live their lives in conformity with that charism. Then you would need to get, or already have, a spiritual director who thinks this is the way to go. Then contact your local bishop and work out a rule and a set of constitutions.

 

[SacredHeartFan]

Well technically there have been no new religious orders since the Council of Trent when the Church banned the creation of new religious orders and suppressed some.

What we have now are religious congregations of diocesen right, religious congregations of pontifical right, and associations of the faithful. While they resemble religious orders they are not the same and there are some Canons which are different, as well as the vows.

That being said, I think the first thing one would need to do is find a charism and others who wish to live their lives in conformity with that charism. Then you would need to get, or already have, a spiritual director who thinks this is the way to go. Then contact your local bishop and work out a rule and a set of constitutions.

So basically it is a realigious order, but just in the diocese? Well what about The Sisters of Chairty? Are they not a religious order?

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

So basically it is a realigious order, but just in the diocese? Well what about The Sisters of Chairty? Are they not a religious order?

No they are not a religious order but just in a diocese. A religious order is treated a certain way under Canon Law.

I am not sure what the Sisters of Charity are, one would need to ask them or look to their constitutions.

 

[chicago]

Well technically there have been no new religious orders since the Council of Trent when the Church banned the creation of new religious orders and suppressed some.

Why was/is that?

What we have now are religious congregations of diocesen right, religious congregations of pontifical right, and associations of the faithful. While they resemble religious orders they are not the same and there are some Canons which are different, as well as the vows.

Could you tell us a bit about the difference, please?

 

[bbentrup]

My mother-in-law founded the Confraternity of Penitents, a lay association based on a 13th-century Franciscan rule for lay people. They have a couple of hundred of people across the globe, I gather. You can check out their site at www.penitents.org. My mother-in-law’s name is Madeline Nugent; she is extremely busy, but drop her an email suggesting that you would love to talk with her and I’m sure you would be able to work out something.