That’s almost a contradiction in terms!
St. Paul Street Evangelization is starting their own Society of Apostolic Life. However, I don’t have any details regarding how they expect the members to live. I would suggest joining them anyway, because I’ve never seen anything like what they do. They’re bringing Catholics back to the church, and there are even some miraculous cures along the way. This should be their URL:
http://streetevangelization.com/
Some orders that include eremitism:
The Augustinian Order was originally called the Hermits of St. Augustine.
The Discalced Carmelite friars began as hermits but had to become mendicant when chased from the Holy Land.
St. Vincent de Paul told his Congregation of the Mission “to be Carthusians in the convent”. They would evangelize in the rural areas, then spend a week in prayer in the convent.
St. Francis of Assisi wrote a rule for hermits. It called for two to be “mothers” who would meet the public, and the other two would be in the hermitage. Then they would change places.
Otherwise, you’d be looking to produce your own Personal Prayer Rule which has you as a contemplative/eremitic most of the time, with street evangelization at other times. Question is, what would you do for remunerative work?
My emerging charism has congregational recluses, with a whole spectrum of ministries. Each member is responsible for their own upkeep at the moment. For more information, click the second link below my signature.
I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination. I would suggest you retain a spiritual director there locally. If he/she discerns that you’re being called to eremitism, then discern which kind – lay or canonical. If the latter, then there’s going to be a checklist that you’ll need to complete over a span of years to show that you can live the life.
Blessings,
Mrs Cloisters OP
Lay Dominican
http://cloisters.tripod.com/
http://cloisters.tripod.com/charity/
:rescue_worker_helmet:
