Lay Religious Vs. Nun (outside of convent)

[aspiringnun]

Brother JR.
Thank you so very much for your reply.
You are correct, I am not a catholic but have no quarms whatsoever about making a commitment. I have only recently come to Catholicism and started to pray the rosary in the last couple of years although I have always been a religious person and tried to live in a good way, like the lady above, I have felt this calling later on and it is urgent yet beautiful. I am quite happy to take time in persuing this path because knowing that I was on the Path would be enough, working towards a proper spiritual goal in God’s time rather than floundering in the world with a thirst for God and no hope in sight only my own stumbling efforts. I am in Wales Br. J.R. and will look on the internet for the Orders you suggest but would welcome any links or cantact details you might be able to offer.
It is heartening to read MadMaxi’s story, she makes some comments that I agree with concerning age and ever increasin good health in older years and also the calling God after a life in the world being like the return of the prodigal. We have a lot that we can share and a desire born of experience, albeit won the hard way.
Thank you also sesame for your advice, I shall look into that but as I say, I feel quite pleased about catholicism, I do not belong to any church at the moment.
I am so happy to have found this thread and would like to pass a link on to other who I know are older and searching for a fulfilling inner life in community with others but have also met with closed doors.

 

[JReducation]

Brother JR.
Thank you so very much for your reply.
You are correct, I am not a catholic but have no quarms whatsoever about making a commitment. I have only recently come to Catholicism and started to pray the rosary in the last couple of years although I have always been a religious person and tried to live in a good way, like the lady above, I have felt this calling later on and it is urgent yet beautiful. I am quite happy to take time in persuing this path because knowing that I was on the Path would be enough, working towards a proper spiritual goal in God’s time rather than floundering in the world with a thirst for God and no hope in sight only my own stumbling efforts. I am in Wales Br. J.R. and will look on the internet for the Orders you suggest but would welcome any links or cantact details you might be able to offer.
It is heartening to read MadMaxi’s story, she makes some comments that I agree with concerning age and ever increasin good health in older years and also the calling God after a life in the world being like the return of the prodigal. We have a lot that we can share and a desire born of experience, albeit won the hard way.
Thank you also sesame for your advice, I shall look into that but as I say, I feel quite pleased about catholicism, I do not belong to any church at the moment.
I am so happy to have found this thread and would like to pass a link on to other who I know are older and searching for a fulfilling inner life in community with others but have also met with closed doors.

The call to follow Christ is always an urgen one. Remember when Jesus calls the young man to follow him and the young man says that he must go bury his mother and father. Jesus says “let the dead bury their own dead.” The only time that Jesus gives someone time to get their affairs in order is when he tells the other young man, “Go seel what you have and give to the poor, then come follow me.”

Christ’s call is urgent, because his love for us is urgent. He loves us with a passion.

I have pasted a link here to the Secular Franciscan Order in the UK. There you will find the rule, constitutions and other important information about the life of the Order. Please read them prayerfully.

Do not just read them to get information. That will prove dry and disappointing. Reflect on the meaning of the words.

Why does the Holy Spirit raise up religious families in the Church?
Why is Francis called the Seraphic Father?
Why does a Franciscan bind himself/herself to a fraternity?
What does Church mean when she refers to the cells as fraternities?
How are these cells different from other church organizations?
What is the rule saying about the life of prayer?
How does one follow Christ in the manner of St. Francis?
What was the manner of St. Francis?
How does a Secular Franciscan take Francis’ vision of the Gospel into the secular world?
Why is it necessary to have Franciscans that are involved with the secular world?
What does God expect them to achieve that a friar or a nun cannot achieve from within a friary or a convent?
What does a Franciscan proclaim to the world about the Gospel and the Church?

These are just some questions that you must pray over as you read the rule and the constitutions of the order.

Here is the link to the UK Franciscan web site. Please stay in touch with me, if you want to know more about our Franciscan way of life. We are a very large family of different Franciscan congregations all members of the same family. We try to support each other and those who are looking at Francis as a possible mentor on Gospel living. You can also reach me via PM, anyone on these threads can do so.

I’m starting a project for men and women who want to live a secular life as Franciscans devoted to defend and promote the dignity of human life. We are in the USA. Our brothers and sisters would live a consecrated life in a community, with vows, but retain their place among the faithful, becaues it is the Catholic whom we want to convert back to faithful communion with the Church. If you are interested in this project or creating something similar in your area, I can help. Just PM me and we’ll talk via PM or via video cam.

Anyway, here is the link to the UK Franciscan site.

s-f-o.org.uk/

Fraternally in St. Francis,

Br. JR, OSF