Modern Hermits/Saints

  • Thread starter Thread starter Timothy_Garber
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

Timothy_Garber

Guest
Today I read a little bit about St. Antony and MAN, was it inspiring! He did so many things (like live on bread and water, slept on the floor, lived alone in a castle, etc.) that were just amazing. But then I wanted to know if people today still do that. I can’t really see someone being able to do things that St. Antony did because of the kind of government and relationships we have today. (Plus, how do you even live by yourself in the middle of the wilderness anyway?). So I ask you all:

What is a modern form of hermits and just awesome holiness (like St. Antony) that people can obtain today?
 
Timothy_Garber said:
Today I read a little bit about St. Antony and MAN, was it inspiring! He did so many things (like live on bread and water, slept on the floor, lived alone in a castle, etc.) that were just amazing. But then I wanted to know if people today still do that. I can’t really see someone being able to do things that St. Antony did because of the kind of government and relationships we have today. (Plus, how do you even live by yourself in the middle of the wilderness anyway?). So I ask you all:

What is a modern form of hermits and just awesome holiness (like St. Antony) that people can obtain today?
Click to expand...
I don’t know of anything like this. But I am interested in this topic. Would love an answer!
 
Yes, there are still hermits in the church today (see Canon 603). However most of them live according to the current time and place in history. Especially for female hermits it may not be safe to live in a cave totally unprotected - - - but to live in alone in solitude in one’s own dwelling, even if it is in an apartment building or urban setting, is possible.
 
Timothy_Garber said:
Today I read a little bit about St. Antony and MAN, was it inspiring! He did so many things (like live on bread and water, slept on the floor, lived alone in a castle, etc.) that were just amazing. But then I wanted to know if people today still do that. I can’t really see someone being able to do things that St. Antony did because of the kind of government and relationships we have today. (Plus, how do you even live by yourself in the middle of the wilderness anyway?). So I ask you all:

What is a modern form of hermits and just awesome holiness (like St. Antony) that people can obtain today?
Click to expand...
Yes, people today still live as hermits. These days you would work towards becoming a Canonical Diocesan Hermit. You write your own rule of life, which will need to be approved by your bishop, you make your vows to the bishop, and you can live in a city or in the country. Where you live would depend on your needs and the wishes of the bishop. Diocesan hermits, if the bishop approves, may wear a habit or cowl.

I don’t know about you, but where I live it’d be totally impractical to live alone in the country. It gets too cold, too much snow to shovel. Because of the weather it’s just unsafe. Oh the joys of living in the colder parts of Canada. 🙂

I’m not sure if this is ever done anymore, but considering the cost of living these days it might be more practical to live as an anchorite. An anchorite being someone who lives in basically a cell that is attached to a parish. The quote below does say the Church recognizes anchorites, but I’ve never actually heard of one. And I’ve never heard of a Church with a room appropriate for an anchorite to live in. But hey, if it’s God’s will for someone to live that way then he’ll make it happen!​

"Can. 603 §1 Besides institutes of consecrated life, the Church recognises the life of hermits or anchorites, in which Christ’s faithful withdraw further from the world and devote their lives to the praise of God and the salvation of the world through the silence of solitude and through constant prayer and penance.

§2 Hermits are recognised by law as dedicated to God in consecrated life if, in the hands of the diocesan Bishop, they publicly profess, by a vow or some other sacred bond, the three evangelical counsels, and then lead their particular form of life under the guidance of the diocesan Bishop ."​

An article written by the sister of a real modern western hermit.
integratedcatholiclife.org/2012/01/thomas-my-sister-the-hermit/
 
Being a hermit is certainly *one *path to great sanctity, for those who are called to it, but it is far from being the only way. Of the many men and women who have been canonized in recent times, off the top of my head I can only think of one who was a hermit (St. Charbel), though there are probably others. You may find the story of St. Charbel interesting. He was a Maronite hermit who lived in Lebanon at the end of the 19th century, and various miracles were attributed to him. But miracles are not the only signs of personal holiness, nor the best. Our Lady didn’t perform any public miracles, at least to our knowledge, and she has the greatest sanctity of all the saints. The best sign of great sanctity is charity, which we can all grow in through our daily lives, by generously accepting God’s will in all things. (cf. the little way of St. Therese Lisieux; Abandonment to Divine Providence by Caussade)
 
Timothy_Garber said:
Today I read a little bit about St. Antony
Click to expand...
Where have you read about him? I’ve read a book about him and the desert fathers, but I’d like to read more about them. If you know of any good reads or websites, please share!
 
LilyPearls said:
Where have you read about him? I’ve read a book about him and the desert fathers, but I’d like to read more about them. If you know of any good reads or websites, please share!
Click to expand...
A book called “The Lives of the Fathers, Martyrs, and Principal Saints” by Alban Butler. I read it off of my ipod touch, and the book is free off the books store.
 
This is a very good resource.

ravensbreadministries.com/index.html

“Raven’s Bread Ministries is a service offered to hermits and lovers of solitude around the world, no matter what their spiritual affiliation. Those who have embraced eremitical life full-time; those who are discerning this particular call from God, and those who cherish whatever solitude they can work into their daily lives will find encouragement and support through Raven’s Bread Ministries.”

A lot of Hermits do NOT seek to be Canonical Hermits and are essentially invisible to the World.
 
There is a monastery of Discalced Carmelite Nuns about a mile away from my house. They are totally cloistered. So, yes they still do exist.
 
Kevin812 said:
This is a very good resource.

ravensbreadministries.com/index.html

“Raven’s Bread Ministries is a service offered to hermits and lovers of solitude around the world, no matter what their spiritual affiliation. Those who have embraced eremitical life full-time; those who are discerning this particular call from God, and those who cherish whatever solitude they can work into their daily lives will find encouragement and support through Raven’s Bread Ministries.”

A lot of Hermits do NOT seek to be Canonical Hermits and are essentially invisible to the World.
Click to expand...
NB please note that Ravens Bread has drifted further and further into a form of neo-paganism that reminds much of a cult. I recently went back to their site after a gap of years and was less than happy.

Yes, very true that the Catechism speaks re hermtis NOT needing to be Canon 603.
 
Rosebud77 said:
NB please note that Ravens Bread has drifted further and further into a form of neo-paganism that reminds much of a cult. I recently went back to their site after a gap of years and was less than happy.

Yes, very true that the Catechism speaks re hermtis NOT needing to be Canon 603.
Click to expand...
Raven’s Bread is located in Western North Carolina, where there is much occult activity. I would think that their ministry is a form of outreach, and that the Lord could be reaching out to the “heathern” through solitude. I have tried to encourage the occultists who have written me through my own website: cloisters.tripod.com/ but the pull of Hell is very strong. These souls need many prayers and sacrifices to be able to get out of the Adversary’s grip.

If you have any concerns about Raven’s Bread, please do contact our diocesan Chancellor, Rev Mauricio West at chancery@charlottediocese.org

I consider myself a lay recluse. Blessed Izetta of Huy was a lay recluse, as well.

Today is the feast of St. Colette of Corbie, who spent several years as an anchoress walled up next to her parish church. She had revelations about reforming the Franciscans, and fought it tooth and nail.

There are a number of books online which I would recommend in order to get an idea of what was expected of an ancient anchoress. “Ancrene Rile” (sp?)
 
Look at Fr, Lazarus El Antony on youtube.

He lives in a cave right by where St. Antony lived. He has great videos.
 
Gus36 said:
Look at Fr, Lazarus El Antony on youtube.

He lives in a cave right by where St. Antony lived. He has great videos.
Click to expand...
I was going to mention him.

There are still priests in the US living as hermits in the wilderness. There’s one, Holy Souls Hermitage. Also, the Discalced Carmelites still allow those who are called to the ermetical life to live as hermits.

If I was called to it, I would go to where Fr. Lazarus El Anthony is. There’s more “support” let us say.
 
Here is an article about a modern day hermitess: culturalcatholic.com/hermitnun.htm

Towards the bottom, the article states that in 2005, there was four women and one man living as hermits in the diocese of Lacrosse, WI.
So interesting!
 
tomgosse said:
I just watched this video where an Anglican priest lives for three weeks near him.

Yeah I saw that. It was funny when he said some German dude tried to stay there but ran down the mountain screaming after one night.

I can’t imagine.
Click to expand...
 
There’s a Carmelite Hermitage in Christoval, TX. It’s a group of hermit’s who help support one another. It’s a lot like a cloistered monastery but a lot more separation from one another and not just the world. I think the best example of that type of life are the Carthusians.
 
wild_thing said:
Here is an article about a modern day hermitess: culturalcatholic.com/hermitnun.htm

Towards the bottom, the article states that in 2005, there were four women and one man living as hermits in the diocese of Lacrosse, WI.
So interesting!
Click to expand...
Articles about women who are diocesan hermits, one in Indiana:

todayscatholicnews.org/2011/09/mary-kloska-is-first-hermit-in-diocese/

integratedcatholiclife.org/2012/01/thomas-my-sister-the-hermit/

and two in Maryland:

catholicreview.org/article/home/after-final-vows-hermits-lead-lives-of-prayer

Videos: “Homily: Why become a hermit?” (Sr. Maria Veronica of the Holy Face)

youtube.com/watch?v=wfxA8Y-283k

youtube.com/watch?v=DJHRfVd1SrQ
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top