Religious Bishops and Deacons?

[AvailableName]

I understand the difference between religious priests and diocesan (or secular) priests. But who ordains a religious priest? Do the (for example) Benedictine Monks have their own bishop or bishops to ordain their own priests? Or is the abbot a bishop?

Also I assume religious priests used to be religious transitional deacons. But do religious permanent deacons also exist?

 

[YoungTradCath]

No, abbots are not bishops (although I guess an abbot may be appointed a bishop of a diocese later). The bishops who ordain their priests are typically the local bishop of the diocese the abbey is located in or perhaps some bishop friend of the community.

 

[OraLabora]

At least AFAIK the Benedictines do not ordain permanent deacons. If a monk is ever a permanent deacon it’s because he was already ordained as such before professing as a monk. It would be fairly unusual for a permanent deacon to become a monk; he would require permission of the bishop first, and of course of the monastery. We do have a few deacons who are Benedictine secular oblates however (and also a couple of priests who are also oblates)

Abbots are the Ordinary of the abbey. They don’t submit to the local bishop, but are of pontifical right, and Benedictine houses enjoy significant autonomy. The abbot wears the mitre and carries the crozier and has almost all of the faculties of a bishop within his house, but cannot ordain. Thus Benedictine ordinations are done by the bishop of the diocese in which the abbey is located (note that he tends to wear the mitre and carry the crozier only at big solemnities, not at a regular Sunday Mass where he only wears the pectoral cross).

 

[commenter]

I assume religious priests used to be religious transitional deacons. But do religious permanent deacons also exist?

In rare circumstances, a diocesan priest can enter a religious community, with all kinds of permissions needed. My old Newman Center chaplain later joined the Jesuits and now is in another state. As a practical matter, with the desperate priest shortage in my diocese, I suspect this might not happen today. Of course, religious priests sometimes become diocesan priests.

A religious brother can, with permission of his superior, be ordained by a bishop as a deacon. The bishop may or may not be a religious. If he is not going on to be a priest, he would be a “permanent deacon” and still a religious. I suppose a “diocesan permanent deacon” who is not married might, with his bishop’s permission, ask to enter a religious community. I suspect this is rare, but I would welcome any figures on either avenue of becoming a religious permanent deacon.

 

[OraLabora]

In rare circumstances, a diocesan priest can enter a religious community, with all kinds of permissions needed. My old Newman Center chaplain later joined the Jesuits and now is in another state. As a practical matter, with the desperate priest shortage in my diocese, I suspect this might not happen today. Of course, religious priests sometimes become diocesan priests.

A religious brother can, with permission of his superior, be ordained by a bishop as a deacon. The bishop may or may not be a religious. If he is not going on to be a priest, he would be a “permanent deacon” and still a religious. I suppose a “diocesan permanent deacon” who is not married might, with his bishop’s permission, ask to enter a religious community. I suspect this is rare, but I would welcome any figures on either avenue of becoming a religious permanent deacon.

It would be highly unlikely in a a Benedictine community for a monk to be ordained a permanent deacon. All deacons I’ve known among Benedictines were transitional and most have become priests. There currently is a transitional deacon in the community I’m associated with, he just finished advanced studies in Paris so I expect he’ll be ordained to the priesthood fairly soon.

A permanent deacon who is unmarried or widowed and without obligations (children, debts, etc.) may become a monk I suppose, but so far haven’t seen this happen. I suspect here again many permissions would be required.