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CyrilSebastian
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What is the difference between vows and promises of priests in the Roman Catholic religion?
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Corki
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Only priests in religious orders take vows. Regular diocesan priests, also called secular priests, do not.
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TimothyH
Guest
Ordinary parish priests promise to obey the bishop, to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, and to live a celibate life.
Religious, whether they are priests or not, make vows. Some religious vow chastity, poverty and obedience to the superior. Other religious vow obedience to the superior, stability and ongoing conversion.
Stability means that you stay put, content with where you are and what you have, not restless and always looking for someplace where the grass is greener.
Vows are different from promises. Solemn vows change your state in life. God acts through the Church and the person’s becomes consecrated to God.
-Tim-
Religious, whether they are priests or not, make vows. Some religious vow chastity, poverty and obedience to the superior. Other religious vow obedience to the superior, stability and ongoing conversion.
Stability means that you stay put, content with where you are and what you have, not restless and always looking for someplace where the grass is greener.
Vows are different from promises. Solemn vows change your state in life. God acts through the Church and the person’s becomes consecrated to God.
-Tim-
O
otjm
Guest
Vows are also much more difficult to be released from than promises.
J
johnnykins
Guest
Without looking it up to be absolutely sure in a technical way, I have been taught the difference is: (i) a Vow is a promise made to God with God as witness, as well.
Thus “wedding vows” “vows of chastity, poverty and obedience”
Vows can be solemn or simple…not sure of the technical difference
(ii) A promise is a statement to do or not do something. Thus a vow is a type of promise.
A diocesan priest promises to obey his Bishop and remain celibate; or “I promise to take the kids to a movie.”
The repercussions of a broken promise can run from not very much to major sin if the promise is a vow.
Thus “wedding vows” “vows of chastity, poverty and obedience”
Vows can be solemn or simple…not sure of the technical difference
(ii) A promise is a statement to do or not do something. Thus a vow is a type of promise.
A diocesan priest promises to obey his Bishop and remain celibate; or “I promise to take the kids to a movie.”
The repercussions of a broken promise can run from not very much to major sin if the promise is a vow.
J
JReducation
Guest
These are good answers. The deeper theological difference between vows and promises has to do with a state in life.
Vows are not part of Holy Orders. Normally, a man promises to obey his bishop and to remain celibate at the time that he is ordained a deacon, not a priest. They are renewed at the time of priestly ordination and again at the time of ordination to the order of bishop. But the promise of obedience and celibacy is actually made at the time of ordination to the order of deacon. Even permanent deacons who are married must promise celibacy. If they are widowed, ,they must remain celibate unless the Church dispenses them from the obligation.
The promise of celibacy is not essential to the ordination, neither is the promise of obedience. A man can be validly and legally ordained without such a promise. But it has been the law, for hundreds of years, to promise to obey the bishop of one’s diocese and to remain celibate beginning that moment, if the man is single or at the death of his wife, if he’s married.
The vow, on the other hand is essential to the consecrated life. Without the vows, there is no consecrated life. There are several ways of doing this. For example, the Benedictines vow obedience, stability and conversion of manners. But obedience includes chastity and poverty. Because the monk vows to obey the Rule of St. Benedict. The rule commands the Evangelical Counsels.
Most communities publicly vow obedience, poverty and chastity. For example, when I made vows, I made four vows: obedience, poverty, chastity and to proclaim the Gospel of Life. Without the Evangelical Counsels, there is no consecrated life.
Holy Orders, on the other hand, is a sacrament, but it’s not a form of consecration. The word “consecration” is often used to refer to deacons, priests and bishops, but it does not mean the same thing as when you use it for a religious.
When we say that a priest is a consecrated person, the consecration is passive. By passive, we mean that God consecrates the man to himself for the service of his Church. When we use it for a member of a religious community, male or female, we mean that the person has given himself or herself to a way of life that does several things: a) It leads to greater union with the Divine; b) it is a means of special graces for the Church; c) it is the school of perfect charity for the laity to look toward; d) it is an eternal covenant between the person and God in which they espouse each other. We tend to think of women religious as brides of Christ. The truth is that all religious, male and female are espoused to Christ as a husband is espoused to his wife. In our case, there is no gender or sexual identity involved. It makes no difference that you’re male or female. As the Apostles says, “In Christ there is no male or female.”
The vow has the effect of espousing us to Christ, just as the marriage vow has the effect of espousing a man and a woman.
Vows are not part of Holy Orders. Normally, a man promises to obey his bishop and to remain celibate at the time that he is ordained a deacon, not a priest. They are renewed at the time of priestly ordination and again at the time of ordination to the order of bishop. But the promise of obedience and celibacy is actually made at the time of ordination to the order of deacon. Even permanent deacons who are married must promise celibacy. If they are widowed, ,they must remain celibate unless the Church dispenses them from the obligation.
The promise of celibacy is not essential to the ordination, neither is the promise of obedience. A man can be validly and legally ordained without such a promise. But it has been the law, for hundreds of years, to promise to obey the bishop of one’s diocese and to remain celibate beginning that moment, if the man is single or at the death of his wife, if he’s married.
The vow, on the other hand is essential to the consecrated life. Without the vows, there is no consecrated life. There are several ways of doing this. For example, the Benedictines vow obedience, stability and conversion of manners. But obedience includes chastity and poverty. Because the monk vows to obey the Rule of St. Benedict. The rule commands the Evangelical Counsels.
Most communities publicly vow obedience, poverty and chastity. For example, when I made vows, I made four vows: obedience, poverty, chastity and to proclaim the Gospel of Life. Without the Evangelical Counsels, there is no consecrated life.
Holy Orders, on the other hand, is a sacrament, but it’s not a form of consecration. The word “consecration” is often used to refer to deacons, priests and bishops, but it does not mean the same thing as when you use it for a religious.
When we say that a priest is a consecrated person, the consecration is passive. By passive, we mean that God consecrates the man to himself for the service of his Church. When we use it for a member of a religious community, male or female, we mean that the person has given himself or herself to a way of life that does several things: a) It leads to greater union with the Divine; b) it is a means of special graces for the Church; c) it is the school of perfect charity for the laity to look toward; d) it is an eternal covenant between the person and God in which they espouse each other. We tend to think of women religious as brides of Christ. The truth is that all religious, male and female are espoused to Christ as a husband is espoused to his wife. In our case, there is no gender or sexual identity involved. It makes no difference that you’re male or female. As the Apostles says, “In Christ there is no male or female.”
The vow has the effect of espousing us to Christ, just as the marriage vow has the effect of espousing a man and a woman.
J
JReducation
Guest
What happens when a man is both: priest + religious.
Usually, men will become religious before they become deacons. That is, if they are given permission by the superior to be ordained. Superiors decide who is ordained and who is not. We do not decide this. This is taken out of our hands. We postulate ourselves for Holy Orders. The superior, after consulting his counsel, decides whether Christ calls us to Holy Orders or not. If he decides that we’re not called to Holy Orders, then we remain religious until death, but not ordained. However, we’re still consecrated religious.
Normally, one must complete religious formation before being ordained, if it’s the intention of the superior that we be ordained. At the completion of religious formation, we renew our vows. But this time, we make them until death. The time of religious formation varies from community to community. The law is that no less than 6 years and no longer than 10. In my community formation lasts 7 years.
If a man asks for Holy Orders and if the superior approves, the same superior will ask a bishop to ordain him. However, the part of the promises of obedience and celibacy are skipped. Why?
The man has already vowed obedience to the Rule of his community. He cannot double dip. He cannot promise obedience to the bishop. According the Council of Trent, bishops cannot command the obedience of religious, only that of diocesan priests and the laity. Religious are only bound to the bishop as far as the rule of their institute commands. In most institutes, there is no requirement to submit to the authority of a bishop nor are bishops allowed to involve themselves in matters of religious life, nor are the laity. Both laity and bishop can be interdicted for overstepping this boundary. The law commands bishops and laity to financially and morally support the work of religious, but not to involve themselves without the permission of religious. This may sound very harsh and cold; but it’s not. It’s part of the whole idea of a consecrated state. It is state that is “other worldly” for lack of a better term. Bishops and laity are of this world. The consecrated religious, no matter how sinful, is not of this world. The religious, because he is baptized can intervene in the affairs of the secular world, but the bishop and the laity, because they are not consecrated religious cannot cross over to the other side. There is a spiritual barrier there. Today, this is a point of contention with many laymen. But it is what it is. It cannot be changed. It is part of the Church’s doctrine. For this reason, a consecrated religious does not promise obedience or celibacy at his ordination.
He does not need to promise celibacy, because he already vowed chastity. Chasity is what I like to call “celibacy plus”. It involves celibacy and more. The vow of chastity binds us to one another. The promise of celibacy is a negative. It is a promise not to do something, not to marry. The vow of chastity is a positive. It is a vow to love all men as Christ loves them, to be a brother or sister to all men as Christ is the firstborn among many brothers, to be intimately in love with one’s brothers or one’s sisters in community so that one has no need of a biological family. Even our parents, children (as in my case), siblings and other relatives cease to be family in the metaphorical sense. They will always be biological family. But this relationship is insignificant, because it’s an accident of biology. The religious brother or sister in community is a gift of the Holy Spirit. The ties are deeper. All of this part of the vow of chastity. Secular priests do not make such a vow.
A secular priest usually belongs to a diocese. He can also belong to a society such as SSPX. FSSP, ICRSS, Maryknoll, Vincentians, Missionhurst, Sulpicians, SOLT and others.
A priest who is also a religious is called a regular priest, not a religious priest. There is no such animal in theology. Regular comes from the word “regula” to mean one who lives by a rule (regula).
For some of us, the Church recognizes our vows as solemn. This means that the degree of consecration is deeper and the moral consequences of violating the vows are also more severe. You can forfeit your soul by a simple act such as not asking for permission to step outside to get fresh air, if your superior requires that you ask for such permission. This is going to vary from community to community.
In a community with simple vows, the day to day activities are the same, but the moral obligations and consequences are much lighter. Sisters, for example, do not make solemn vows. The Church has always believed that very few women have what it takes to live such a deep level of religious commitment. Solemn vows among women are only for nuns in a cloister, not for your sisters who teach, nurse, do missionary work, etc. For example, Mother Angelica is in solemn vows. Mother Teresa of Calcutta was not. She was a sister, not a nun. She did not meet the Church’s prerequisites for the privilege of solemn vows. Among men, all men who are monks, friars and Jesuits make solemn vows. All other religious make simple vows. Even among men, there are some restrictions, but not as many as those that the Church places on women.
Everytime I visit a Traditionalist site and see Trads bashing Jesuits, I have to chuckle. Because at the level where it counts, which is the Church, she believes that it is part of her moral duty to see in every Jesuit Christ’s solemn love for him. The Church recognizes the vows of the individual Jesuit as solemn and far superior to that of any religious, even friars, monks or cloistered nuns can’t occupy that place. It’s always sad to see how often people become parallel lawgivers and judges.
That’s a lot of theology, law and tradition all wrapped into one post. I hope that it helps.
Usually, men will become religious before they become deacons. That is, if they are given permission by the superior to be ordained. Superiors decide who is ordained and who is not. We do not decide this. This is taken out of our hands. We postulate ourselves for Holy Orders. The superior, after consulting his counsel, decides whether Christ calls us to Holy Orders or not. If he decides that we’re not called to Holy Orders, then we remain religious until death, but not ordained. However, we’re still consecrated religious.
Normally, one must complete religious formation before being ordained, if it’s the intention of the superior that we be ordained. At the completion of religious formation, we renew our vows. But this time, we make them until death. The time of religious formation varies from community to community. The law is that no less than 6 years and no longer than 10. In my community formation lasts 7 years.
If a man asks for Holy Orders and if the superior approves, the same superior will ask a bishop to ordain him. However, the part of the promises of obedience and celibacy are skipped. Why?
The man has already vowed obedience to the Rule of his community. He cannot double dip. He cannot promise obedience to the bishop. According the Council of Trent, bishops cannot command the obedience of religious, only that of diocesan priests and the laity. Religious are only bound to the bishop as far as the rule of their institute commands. In most institutes, there is no requirement to submit to the authority of a bishop nor are bishops allowed to involve themselves in matters of religious life, nor are the laity. Both laity and bishop can be interdicted for overstepping this boundary. The law commands bishops and laity to financially and morally support the work of religious, but not to involve themselves without the permission of religious. This may sound very harsh and cold; but it’s not. It’s part of the whole idea of a consecrated state. It is state that is “other worldly” for lack of a better term. Bishops and laity are of this world. The consecrated religious, no matter how sinful, is not of this world. The religious, because he is baptized can intervene in the affairs of the secular world, but the bishop and the laity, because they are not consecrated religious cannot cross over to the other side. There is a spiritual barrier there. Today, this is a point of contention with many laymen. But it is what it is. It cannot be changed. It is part of the Church’s doctrine. For this reason, a consecrated religious does not promise obedience or celibacy at his ordination.
He does not need to promise celibacy, because he already vowed chastity. Chasity is what I like to call “celibacy plus”. It involves celibacy and more. The vow of chastity binds us to one another. The promise of celibacy is a negative. It is a promise not to do something, not to marry. The vow of chastity is a positive. It is a vow to love all men as Christ loves them, to be a brother or sister to all men as Christ is the firstborn among many brothers, to be intimately in love with one’s brothers or one’s sisters in community so that one has no need of a biological family. Even our parents, children (as in my case), siblings and other relatives cease to be family in the metaphorical sense. They will always be biological family. But this relationship is insignificant, because it’s an accident of biology. The religious brother or sister in community is a gift of the Holy Spirit. The ties are deeper. All of this part of the vow of chastity. Secular priests do not make such a vow.
A secular priest usually belongs to a diocese. He can also belong to a society such as SSPX. FSSP, ICRSS, Maryknoll, Vincentians, Missionhurst, Sulpicians, SOLT and others.
A priest who is also a religious is called a regular priest, not a religious priest. There is no such animal in theology. Regular comes from the word “regula” to mean one who lives by a rule (regula).
For some of us, the Church recognizes our vows as solemn. This means that the degree of consecration is deeper and the moral consequences of violating the vows are also more severe. You can forfeit your soul by a simple act such as not asking for permission to step outside to get fresh air, if your superior requires that you ask for such permission. This is going to vary from community to community.
In a community with simple vows, the day to day activities are the same, but the moral obligations and consequences are much lighter. Sisters, for example, do not make solemn vows. The Church has always believed that very few women have what it takes to live such a deep level of religious commitment. Solemn vows among women are only for nuns in a cloister, not for your sisters who teach, nurse, do missionary work, etc. For example, Mother Angelica is in solemn vows. Mother Teresa of Calcutta was not. She was a sister, not a nun. She did not meet the Church’s prerequisites for the privilege of solemn vows. Among men, all men who are monks, friars and Jesuits make solemn vows. All other religious make simple vows. Even among men, there are some restrictions, but not as many as those that the Church places on women.
Everytime I visit a Traditionalist site and see Trads bashing Jesuits, I have to chuckle. Because at the level where it counts, which is the Church, she believes that it is part of her moral duty to see in every Jesuit Christ’s solemn love for him. The Church recognizes the vows of the individual Jesuit as solemn and far superior to that of any religious, even friars, monks or cloistered nuns can’t occupy that place. It’s always sad to see how often people become parallel lawgivers and judges.
That’s a lot of theology, law and tradition all wrapped into one post. I hope that it helps.
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