New Kinds of Religious Orders?

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janessa1850

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Hey- Could anyone tell me if they know of any RC orders like the Servants of the Sacred Cross where you can live in your own home, be a part of an external community, wear a habit, that is near to North Carolina? I have been searching since 1994 for a religious lifestyle that I can be part of; but I’m 50, have a mortgage, 4 pets I adore, and friends here- I don’t want to move. I would join the SSC-if they’d have me-but I can’t afford the yearly trip to Nova Scotia or Niagara. I am on a low, fixed income. Please help. Any thoughts you might have are truly welcome. Blessings to all on this forum!
 
You could ask about being a diocesan hermit.

There are several in the USA–don’t know how many.
 
Daughters of the Heart of Mary are able to live in their own homes. They don’t have any Sisters presently living in the North Carolina area, but it is possible.

dhmna.org/index.htm
 
Benedictine Online Oblate Chapter (BOOC)
Try going to their site on your computer.
or, email bgacnik@mtmc.edu bgacnik@mtmc.edu
Or, Benedictine Online Oblate Chapter Director
Sacred Heart Monastery
1005 West 8th Street
Yankton, SD 57078
(605) 668-6229/-1582/-6000

It is an online oblate program for males and females.

Best wishes!
 
I have known Third Order Fransiscans who ocassionally wore a habit and would be dressed in one at burial.
 
janessa1850:

I went to Halifax and was received as a postulant in the Servants of the Sacred Cross last Novmember. I will be clothed as a novice at the Carmelite Retreat Centre by Niagara Falls in September. I, too, was concerned about the cost. Mother Wendy’s advice to me was, “Save your pennies!” Which I did, along with nickels, dimes, quarters, etc. I live on an extremely limited budget, but it worked for me! I am so happy to be a Servant of the Sacred Cross! If that is where God wants you to be, He has a wonderful way of multiplying pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, etc., as well as loaves and fishes! Don’t pass up the opportunity to be truly happy as you serve the Lord! 😉 Mother Wendy is a very wise superior. 👍
 
Dear “Old Convert”:
I am so excited to hear from you. May I ask how far you had to travel to go to Halifax? I am in North Carolina and it is 1200 or so miles away. I am on a fixed SS income. I also have no car. If you can give me any tips about your experience, I would appreciate it. I believe I read about a new SSC member in the SSC newsletter. Congratulations to you and your new life! Blessings always!👍:)😃
 
Hi Janessa1850:

I had to travel to Halifax from Chicago. That’s a lot further than you, I think. Plus, it takes me three hours to get to Chicago on the bus! That’s what I get for living in the middle of the corn fields! It is not as difficult to go to Windsor, Ontario, for Chapter. We fly to Buffalo and then take the Niagra Airbus across into Canada. It is a lot less expensive; although, staying at the retreat hourse is a little pricey. Still, the price includes room and meals.

All I did was to make up my mind to save my pennies–I cut back drastically on my spending and moved into a much cheaper apartment. After I was received, I wore my postulant’s dress all of the time (I had five made) and that saved a lot of money on buying clothes. I also put all of my debts into a debt consolidation program. That’s difficult, but it works wonders. As of this fall, I will be completely out of debt except for student loans. But my loans are held by the National Direct Student Loan Program (they are consolidated) and they have an Income Contingent Repayment plan which is based solely on income–and since all I have is Social Security, too–my payment is astoundingly low.

I will be clothed as a novice this September and in early October, I am going to Halifax to become a comtemplative sister at Sacred Cross Convent–so you see why I was so determined to get rid of all debt. Of course, I didn’t do it alone. God was with me every step of the way. He is so amazing!!! It would take a very long posting to tell you of all the wonderful and truly miraculous things He has done for me this year!

What I would say to you is–go for it!!! If you want to be an extern sister bad enough–and you pray enough!–God will help you find the money for Chapter and the blessings you will receive are worth far beyond gold, my dear! Mother Wendy and the other sisters are absolutely incredible women! You will find being a member of the SSC brings such joy to your life. God’s choicest blessings to you! 😉
 
Dear Old Convert,
Thanks abundantly for the info about your travel. It’s so gratifying to hear about your journey and that you will be moving to the convent. I am so happy for you. Pennies from heaven. Blessings to you and your life there in Halifax. I pray it will be full of joys and adventures!🙂
 
Janessa1850

You might also check out the Peoria Franciscan Sisters of Mary at fsmcharism.net/ They have sisters in several different states, and only get together once a year or so for Chapter, but it is usually in Illinois. That is a lot closer than Halifax! I believe their Vocation Directress is Sister Margaret Mary. They wear a modified habit and are still pretty traditional sisters.

Best wishes to you! 👍
 
Old_Convert said:
janessa1850:

I went to Halifax and was received as a postulant in the Servants of the Sacred Cross last Novmember. I will be clothed as a novice at the Carmelite Retreat Centre by Niagara Falls in September. I, too, was concerned about the cost. Mother Wendy’s advice to me was, “Save your pennies!” Which I did, along with nickels, dimes, quarters, etc. I live on an extremely limited budget, but it worked for me! I am so happy to be a Servant of the Sacred Cross! If that is where God wants you to be, He has a wonderful way of multiplying pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, etc., as well as loaves and fishes! Don’t pass up the opportunity to be truly happy as you serve the Lord! 😉 Mother Wendy is a very wise superior. 👍
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Congratulations! What a cool religious order and with vocations for older women and those who wish to continue to live in their home communities or the convent. Appears to have both Catholic and Anglican backing in the US/Canada/Australia. From what I read Catholics are received by Catholic clergy and Anglicans by Anglican.

May you be blessed in your life and ministry.
 
Old_Convert said:
janessa1850:

I went to Halifax and was received as a postulant in the Servants of the Sacred Cross last Novmember. I will be clothed as a novice at the Carmelite Retreat Centre by Niagara Falls in September. I, too, was concerned about the cost. Mother Wendy’s advice to me was, “Save your pennies!” Which I did, along with nickels, dimes, quarters, etc. I live on an extremely limited budget, but it worked for me! I am so happy to be a Servant of the Sacred Cross! If that is where God wants you to be, He has a wonderful way of multiplying pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, etc., as well as loaves and fishes! Don’t pass up the opportunity to be truly happy as you serve the Lord! 😉 Mother Wendy is a very wise superior. 👍
Click to expand...
Congrats on your acceptance into the Servants, Old Convert! 👍

I came across their website not too long ago. They’re pretty unique, if I may say so myself!

I think there was even a picture of the community taken alongside Niagara Falls [the Canadian side, which is the better one]! Pretty cool! 😃 🙂
 
+JMJT+

If I may, I would like to suggest the Brothers and Sisters of Charity, started by a Catholic by the name of John Michael Talbot. I was looking over their website just a few minutes ago, and discovered that you are able to live in your own home as a part of the order.

Taken from their website:
We also have an international ecumenical domestic expression consisting of single men and women and families, living in their own homes and sharing the same Rule and Constitution with the monastic expression.
Click to expand...
Their website is found here.
 
Hi,
I haven’t posted but I have been keeping up with what is going one.
I have been sooooo busy. I am in the beginning stages of forming
a new women’s monastic order. This has kept me pretty busy,
plus I work full time. Starting a new order is somewhat of a daunting
task, but I have finally written a rule, constitution and charism.
We will be a de facto association until approval from my bishop.
Until we can have a cloister we will be called The Association of
the Holy Face of Jesus, hopefull (God willing) we will be able to
call our order The Holy Face of Jesus Monastery. The charism is
of St. Therese, Little Way. The home of the association will be
in the South, Fairhope, Alabama. I had not set a age limit, I plan
to ask women to do a discernment retreat with us. We are in the
process of looking for a suitable house and plan to move in in
November. We also will need extern sisters. If anyone is interested
they can email me at maryannmorrison@bellsouth.net or maryannmorrison@att.net.
In Christo et pro Christo
Abscondita
 
Abscondita said:
Hi,
I haven’t posted but I have been keeping up with what is going one.
I have been sooooo busy. I am in the beginning stages of forming
a new women’s monastic order. This has kept me pretty busy,
plus I work full time. Starting a new order is somewhat of a daunting
task, but I have finally written a rule, constitution and charism.
We will be a de facto association until approval from my bishop.
Until we can have a cloister we will be called The Association of
the Holy Face of Jesus, hopefull (God willing) we will be able to
call our order The Holy Face of Jesus Monastery. The charism is
of St. Therese, Little Way. The home of the association will be
in the South, Fairhope, Alabama. I had not set a age limit, I plan
to ask women to do a discernment retreat with us. We are in the
process of looking for a suitable house and plan to move in in
November. We also will need extern sisters. If anyone is interested
they can email me at maryannmorrison@bellsouth.net or maryannmorrison@att.net.
In Christo et pro Christo
Abscondita
Click to expand...
Is the spirituality Salesio-Carmelite?

Blessings,
Cloisters
 
In response to Cloister,

The rule is pretty much Carmelite. The spirituality is Therese’s Little Way.
Mother Theresa once said that a community without joy is a dead community.
I am hoping for the Franciscan spirit of Joy. My vision is to oneday be able
to have Perpetual Adoration. I am also working on a website. We are looking
for ways to support ourselves, any suggestions would be greatfully appreciated.
In Christo
Abscondita
 
Abscondita said:
In response to Cloister,

The rule is pretty much Carmelite. The spirituality is Therese’s Little Way.
Mother Theresa once said that a community without joy is a dead community.
I am hoping for the Franciscan spirit of Joy. My vision is to oneday be able
to have Perpetual Adoration. I am also working on a website. We are looking
for ways to support ourselves, any suggestions would be greatfully appreciated.
In Christo
Abscondita
Click to expand...
Franco-Theresian Carmelite?

Donations via PayPal
Amazon.com button on the site
Canvass the locality for needs

HTH.

Blessings,
Cloisters
 
Abscondita said:
In response to Cloister,

The rule is pretty much Carmelite. The spirituality is Therese’s Little Way.
Mother Theresa once said that a community without joy is a dead community.
I am hoping for the Franciscan spirit of Joy. My vision is to oneday be able
to have Perpetual Adoration. I am also working on a website. We are looking
for ways to support ourselves, any suggestions would be greatfully appreciated.
In Christo
Abscondita
Click to expand...
I think you might be the person I’ve been looking for to share my ideas. I have envisioned a habit that combines Franciscan with Carmelite (including the scapular). I thought it would be incredible to combine the two Charisms. I was just writing my friend about my ideas this evening:
I’ve never heard of a order of Poor Clare Carmelites. That’d be interesting, though! I was thinking recently that it would be neat to have a Franciscan/Carmelite order and I would design habits that would be denim blue tunics and have a Carmelite scapular over top with the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the top lapel. It would have a black belt with a wooden Franciscan 15-decade rosary on the hip with the Miraculous Medal, and also it would have a silvertone San Damiano cross on a rope necklace. Novices would have a long white veil (to the waist), and professed would have a long black one. It would be called something like the Theresian Franciscans of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The main patrons would be St. Therese and St. Francis. It would be a completely contemplative order devoted to prayer for mercy and love, especially the Sacred Heart Novena and the Divine Mercy Chaplet. Their charism would be the Little Way of St. Therese and practicing Franciscan poverty.
Click to expand...
Of course, it’s just an idea. I don’t think I am called to start an order because I am very drawn to the Discalced Carmelites. I may decide to draw a picture of the habit, but that’s it. If someone is looking to start an order, I’d be willing to give them my ideas. But I am not wanting to be a foundress. 🙂
Click to expand...
Talk about deja vu! If you would like, I could draw up a picture of the habit I saw in my dream. I think it would be INCREDIBLE to see the habit in person! 🙂 And what an incredible charism.
 
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