Just note: most communities are recognized by the bishop, not the Pope. Only communities with a global presence are generally given recognition by the Holy See.
And, even the ones which will eventually receive papal recognition must generally have recognition from the bishop first and operate under the bishop for years first.
(1) As I say, Ignatius only has personal vows to God which for pious reasons, happened to be made in a friendly priest’s mass (his Spiritual Director, not his lawful Superior as he does not have one).
(2) This voluntary association (founded largely by Ignatius himself) was first called “Order of the Legion of St. Michael (OLSM).”
Now an “Order”, in the Catholic Church, is the more traditional name for what is a type of Religious Institute.
Members of such a RI take public and solemn vows.
Such a RI must also be formally approved by the local Bishop, or in the case of an “Order” one would tend to expect formal approval from the Pope with a head office in Rome.
That likely explains why Ignatius later had to change the name to “Oblates and Missioners of St. Michael” as he was in fact at odds with Canon Law.
It is a loose Association of members with personal vows (oaths actually).
Ignatius wants to be seen as legit - even if he isn’t a real “Brother” as most of us born n bred Catholics rightly understand public use of that title.
(3) Nor does Ignatius’s voluntary Association have any Canonical approval via his local Bishop. While Ignatius tries to give the impression above that his Association has the same canonical diocesan mandate as a true Religious Institute (as opposed to a lay Association that any of us could form without anybody’s permission) he does not actually say his Association is one.
As of 2009 Ignatius was unable to do so. A journalist contacted the local bishop of the diocese in which his “hermitage” is located who had never heard of him or his “order”.
searinglight.blogspot.co.nz/2009/12/on-spcdc-bro-ignatius-mary-and-richard.html
If Ignatius can advise us if the situation has changed I suggest that would be helpful for many of us?
(4) Nor does Ignatius, being legally only under his own personal vow to God and himself, have a true Superior or a hierarchical “chain of command” to Rome re obedience.
In fact I do not believe he as even taken an oath of obedience (let alone a personal private vow, let alone a public vow) to a canonically lawful Superior.
As Canon 1192 states: “A vow is public if it is accepted in the name of the Church by a lawful Superior.” As Ignatius has taken only private vows he has no such lawful Superior and is not a member of a true RI.
Yes Ignatius has a personal Spiritual Advisor, as do many of us here.
Yes, his Association has an oath of fidelity. The current oath for vowed entrants is:
- to exercise my service according to the requirements of the Holy Rule of St. Michael.
- I shall associate myself with what is expressed by the holy shepherds as authentic doctors and teachers of the faith…
- And with diocesan bishops I shall gladly devote my energy so that apostolic activity, to be exercised by the mandate and in the name of the Church…
- I shall also associate myself with what is expressed by my superiors and perform all apostolic activity in the name of the Oblates and Missioners of St. Michael in communion with them and its leaders.
saint-mike.org/stmike/oath.html#Fidelity
However most of this is trivial and it is an oath of fidelity and not a vow of obedience to a person. The last oath is directed to Ignatius personally by members, given that he is the founder and leader.
It is not clear that Ignatius himself has made such an “oath of fidelity” to anybody but himself.
He may like to clarify that aspect?
I find the last clause interesting. It reads like it is ensuring members (who are “trained” exorcists) are bound to give up any donations they receive from the grateful delivered to Ignatius himself. The Association specialises in this charitable service and likely receives tax breaks accordingly from the Government being a Catholic “brotherhood.”