Religious communities to meet the current needs

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I was responding to another thread and it suddenly hit me. You know how everyone laments that we don’t have the numbers of Catholic schools that we once had, run by religious sisters and religious brothers? Some Traditionalists lament that we don’t see enough sisters in habits or clergy in Roman Collars. Then there is a concern that we don’t have good catechesis. And forget about brother-friars and brother-monks. Most Catholics couldn’t care if they disappeared, forgetting that these men contributed to the preservation of Catholic culture and the formation of many saints. Bl. John Paul and Pope Benedict are among the few in the modern Church who have expressed a desire to see these men grow in numbers again.

I’m repeating myself; but, it’s important to understand history to fix things. Most teaching communities were founded as communities of sisters and lay brothers to teach the poor. Look at what happened. By the 20th century, the sisters dressed like nuns, followed the horarium of nuns, adopted the customs of nuns and even the government of nuns. The lay brothers, such as the Christian Brothers, Marist, Holy Cross and others, were founded to be different from friars and monks who are also brothers, but are not lay brothers, though some monastic communities have both lay brothers and monks. Friars do not. They are all friars, priests or not. These brothers became like friars and monks. Even their formation programs began to mimic that of the friars. Like friars, they blended the contemplative and the apostolic, when they were founded to be apostolic. A simple example, the Liturgy of the Hours was not part of the life of the sister or the lay brother. Their founders deliberately had them make different vows from that of friars, monks and nuns, so that they would not be bound to the Liturgy of the Hours or the monastic life.

However, by the time we enter the 20th century, these men and women look so much like the friars, monks and nuns, that you can’t tell the difference. Everyone is happy, except the Holy See and the Major Superiors. Time passes. Each community moves further from its roots. To make things even more serious, their students gradually become middle class, but the religious remain. They continue to teach in these schools, which are no longer for the poor. Some were actually very expensive. The one that I attended was very expensive.

The same thing happened to those sisters and brothers who were founded to do healthcare, social work, outreach ministry, live and work among the poor. They ended up in suburbia. Friars gradually became more like diocesan priests, taking on parishes, living alone, ordaining large numbers of men to staff these parishes. These parishes gradually became middle class and higher. Originally, the excuse was that these were parishes for the peasants, Indians, slaves, rural poor, urban poor, immigrants or mission parishes. Gradually, they too were in suburbia.

By the 1950s, superiors realize that they must rescue their religious communities or they will morph into something that was not in the original vision and mission. They petition Rome for help. They are told to hold on. Vatican II issues Perfectae Caritatis, which commands, not suggests, all religious to go back to their roots, simplify their way of dress, and adapt their work to the needs of the time, but preserving the spirit of the founders. As a result, many religious pull out of the schools, hospitals and parishes that they once staffed. These ministries are not in keeping with the vision of the founders or the original mission of the community. Sisters try to recover from being nuns and return to being sisters. Lay brothers try to return to that, rather than be friars. Friars try to return to being friars, rather than looking like diocesan parish priests. Now we have this explosion. As I always say, in every explosion there are casualties. We lost thousands of men and women. We also lost some communities. They were unable to return to their past. The dissident voices would not let them do it. They got stuck in some undefined state and are still trying to find their place in the Church.

So here is my thought. Rather than insist that men and women religious return to the life and work that they had prior to Vatican II, which the Church and the religious agree was not what they were called to be or called to do . . . rather than go back to what is contrary or out of compliance with the founders, why don’t the voices that express concern join some of the emerging communities that are trying to meet the needs of today’s Church? If there is no such a community in your area, why not join forces and form new communities that meet these needs?

For example, if you need sisters to teach in suburban parishes and you know that the older communities of sisters are not going to do it, because you’re not poor, why not start a community that serves the middle class? That’s what they did in Ann Arbor. That’s how the Dominican Sisters of Mary came into existence. They were founded to educate the middle class and up, whereas their mother community, the Dominican Sisters of Nashville were founded to educate the poor.

The Franciscans of the Renewal started the same way. The Capuchin Franciscans could not provide men to walk the streets of NY, staff soup kitchens and shelters, be traveling minstrels bringing the joy of music to the Church around the country, or clean the homes of the poor and so forth. However, everyone knew that these ministries were part of Francis’ vision. But, they were committed to the poor parishes in NY and New England and to retreat ministry. Six friars asked for permission to go out into the streets.

I believe that instead of lamenting what is out of our control or wishing for what should not be, why not join an emerging community or start one? It’s a challenge, but it can be done.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
Bro JR,

We certainly couldn’t do it without the brothers and sisters and by all means we should do our best to help our communities instead of just complaining about them. I don’t think people forget about the religious brothers and sisters. They simply don’t see the drop in tradition or hurt that has happened in the religious communities when compared to the more secular groups. People will for example complain of the Jesuits for being so liberal to the point of heterodoxy in some cases but I have never heard of people complaining about heterodoxy within the Franciscans. It’s not because people don’t care, it’s just the Franciscans have remained orthodox 🙂 This is something to be proud of no? I may be wrong but people generally do not view the religious communities declining in orthodoxy and tradition as other groups have. Is this a misconception?
 
rben20 said:
Bro JR,

We certainly couldn’t do it without the brothers and sisters and by all means we should do our best to help our communities instead of just complaining about them. I don’t think people forget about the religious brothers and sisters. They simply don’t see the drop in tradition or hurt that has happened in the religious communities when compared to the more secular groups. People will for example complain of the Jesuits for being so liberal to the point of heterodoxy in some cases but I have never heard of people complaining about heterodoxy within the Franciscans. It’s not because people don’t care, it’s just the Franciscans have remained orthodox 🙂 This is something to be proud of no? I may be wrong but people generally do not view the religious communities declining in orthodoxy and tradition as other groups have. Is this a misconception?
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I’m really refering to the shortage. I know that most Catholics live in suburbia. I also know that most religious are not in suburbia, for the reasons that I explained. My feeling is that instead of lamenting that they are not there, why not do one of two things: either join one of the emerging communities that are serving in suburbia or start one.

The Holy Spirit is always looking for generous souls. Sometimes I wonder if people understand why we don’t have these communities in large numbers as we once did. There are good reasons. But there is no reason for not having new ones to replace the ones that can no longer serve the middle class.

That’s why I admire the Dominican Sisters of Mary. They saw a need for Dominican Sisters in suburbia. They also knew that most Dominican congregations were founded for the poor and these congregations were not going to return to the typical parish Catholic school. What did they do? They started a Dominican community that teaches this population. They’re getting many women. American women seem to feel more comfortable in very structured communinties serving in the middle class environment than the inner city as do the Franciscan Sisters of the Renewal, or picking up the homeless from the streets ad do the Missionaries of Charity, or running pregnancy centers and homes for unwed mothers as do the Sisters of Life.

Those communities will always be small in the USA, because that’s not the profile of the current American woman. The current American Catholic woman is career oriented and accustomed to certain creature comforts, albeit simple ones, such as a bed.

However, there are not enough Dominican Sisters of Mary to go around. One can either join them or start other similar communities.

The same applies to men. I understand that people don’t feel hostility toward Franciscan men, but there is a lot of hard feeling toward them in many places. That comes from feelings of abandonment. Franciscan men have moved out of many parishes, closed some and merged others in order to take on poor parishes, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, street ministry, pregnancy centers, and other apostolates among the poor. Those people are not too happy.

The reason for the big move was to return to the 13th century or as close as one can get. Obviously we ride subways and Francis did not do so. We use computers for ministry or appear on TV.

Now . . . those folks can enter the diocesan seminaries. Ultimately, running parishes is the primary duty of diocesan priests. They can enter the Dominicans, who also run many parishes or join emerging communities such as the Franciscans of the Holy Family who do not take care of parishes, but they do have a few priests that they lend out to parishes on weekends. During the week they preach on the street.

My own community was born out of a response to a need. There were no Franciscans who did pro-life work full-time. Two Capuchins and three Secular Franciscans joined forces and created a new Franciscan brotherhood that would have vowed brothers and secular brothers who would protect the unborn, the sick, the dying, convert those who promote abortion and euthanasia, educate the masses on the dignity of man and the sacredness of life. We could have stood around lamenting what we did not have and we still would not have it.

That’s what I’m wondering. Why not do it? Join a community, start one, or adopt one and promote it.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
I think this is an interesting idea. Do you think part of the issue is that it is not only new orders that are required, but maybe a whole new type of thing? In the same way that friars didn’t exist before there were needs in society that required them, maybe there is something new required now?
 
Very interesting and thought provoking thread Brother. Thank you for starting it.

Having said that, what role do you see for the lay faithful in religious orders such as the Third/Lay Orders that exist within some groups? I am aware of several groups that have Lay Orders such as the Dominicans, Franciscans, etc. and I believe that other groups such as the Jesuits used to but no longer have them.

One of the reasons I ask is that I think that many of us, particularly converts, do not find interest or feel a call until later in life. By that time we are married with kids, a mortgage, student loan debt, etc. and obviously cannot do the things you are referring to.

I would be curious as to any thoughts you have on the subject. If you feel this is going to get your thread off track, I would encourage you to reply here: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=569581 If not, you are welcome to reply here or via PM, whichever is convenient for you.

Peace of Christ,

Jason
 
Bluegoat said:
I think this is an interesting idea. Do you think part of the issue is that it is not only new orders that are required, but maybe a whole new type of thing? In the same way that friars didn’t exist before there were needs in society that required them, maybe there is something new required now?
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There is always room for something new. Right now I’m trying to gather a group of men to form a Franciscan Association that will protect the unborn, the sick and the dying as well as educate the masses and convert those who approve of abortion. All I know is that my bishop gave me verbal permission to give it a shot. I have no idea where it’s going to lead. I know that I will continue to be a consecrated religious in vows. I will continue to work for the Gospel of Life until I die, which should not be too long now, since I have cancer, a failing pancreas, failing kidneys and congestive heart disease. However, I’m at peace because whatever time I have left will be lived for the good of the most vulnerable, as my Holy Father Francis would have wanted it. After all, Christ lived his last minutes for the salvation of the most vulnerable too.

There is always the possibility of the Holy Spirit inspiring new forms of consecrated life. Until Vatican II, we did not have Societies of Apostolic Life or Secular Institutes. That always makes me chuckle. Were it not for the revisions that Vatican II made to consecrated life, the SSPX could not have been approved. There was no place in canon law for secular societies of priests. It was the Maryknoll who introduced the idea to the bishops of the USA. This was later introduced to the Council and made universal. It was not until 1983 that these societies and secular institutes were approved as valid alternatives to religious orders and religious congregations.

Today, the Church is much more open to new forms of consecrated life and of secular life too. There may be a new form of life that may arise to fill in this vacuum. But it’s not going to happen, if people don’t pray for it and if they don’t get working on it. Lamenting should be left for ballads.
jwinch2 said:
Very interesting and thought provoking thread Brother. Thank you for starting it.

Having said that, what role do you see for the lay faithful in religious orders such as the Third/Lay Orders that exist within some groups? I am aware of several groups that have Lay Orders such as the Dominicans, Franciscans, etc. and I believe that other groups such as the Jesuits used to but no longer have them.

One of the reasons I ask is that I think that many of us, particularly converts, do not find interest or feel a call until later in life. By that time, we are married with kids, a mortgage, student loan debt, etc. and obviously cannot do the things you are referring to.

I would be curious as to any thoughts you have on the subject. If you feel this is going to get your thread off track, I would encourage you to reply here: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=569581 If not, you are welcome to reply here or via PM, whichever is convenient for you.

Peace of Christ,

Jason
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Each third order is different. Some are real orders. They are canonical and of Pontifical Right. Others are extensions of the religious community and the follow the same rule as do the religious with some modifications so that it can be lived in the secular world.

The work that these orders do will depend on the rule and their government. For example, the Secular Franciscans are not a lay order as are the Lay Dominicans. The Franciscan Third Order is a secular order. They welcome all secular people, lay and clergy. Lay orders are not for clergy.

These orders have a mission given to them by the founder. For example, the Secular Franciscans were founded to penance for those who don’t do penance. They have a history of work among the poor. You’re not going to see them ministering in middle class parishes. They have many middle class brothers and sisters, but their apostolic attention is directed toward the poor.

The Dominicans, on the other hand, are an order of preachers. They have preached to rich and poor alike, though they are very strict about the practice of poverty. That’s why the Sisters of Mary can teach middle class students. They are not bound to serve only the poor. I can see them taking up the slack in middle class communities, especially in the area of catechesis. It would be a wonderful ministry for them.

I can see the Secular Franciscans doing catechesis among the poor, not among middle class and upper, unless individuals do it. That’s always a possibility.

One thing has to be clear. You enter a third order because Christ has called you to live according to this charism. It’s not an association like the Legion of Mary or the Holy Name Society that you enter and leave at will. There is a long formation process and a public commitment to the Church and to the order. Once you’re in, you’re in until death unless you ask to be released.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
May I suggest a list of current religious communities, perhaps broken down by state? I think the average person would need some guidance or advice.

Peace,
Ed
 
edwest2 said:
May I suggest a list of current religious communities, perhaps broken down by state? I think the average person would need some guidance or advice.

Peace,
Ed
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Vocations Online is a good resource. The little communities are not all listed, because many don’t have the funds to get in and others were not around when these lists were created. But it’s a pretty good site.

Fraternally,

Br. JR,OSF 🙂
 
JReducation said:
Each third order is different. Some are real orders. They are canonical and of Pontifical Right. Others are extensions of the religious community and the follow the same rule as do the religious with some modifications so that it can be lived in the secular world.

The work that these orders do will depend on the rule and their government. For example, the Secular Franciscans are not a lay order as are the Lay Dominicans. The Franciscan Third Order is a secular order. They welcome all secular people, lay and clergy. Lay orders are not for clergy.

These orders have a mission given to them by the founder. For example, the Secular Franciscans were founded to penance for those who don’t do penance. They have a history of work among the poor. You’re not going to see them ministering in middle class parishes. They have many middle class brothers and sisters, but their apostolic attention is directed toward the poor.

The Dominicans, on the other hand, are an order of preachers. They have preached to rich and poor alike, though they are very strict about the practice of poverty. That’s why the Sisters of Mary can teach middle class students. They are not bound to serve only the poor. I can see them taking up the slack in middle class communities, especially in the area of catechesis. It would be a wonderful ministry for them.

I can see the Secular Franciscans doing catechesis among the poor, not among middle class and upper, unless individuals do it. That’s always a possibility.

One thing has to be clear. You enter a third order because Christ has called you to live according to this charism. It’s not an association like the Legion of Mary or the Holy Name Society that you enter and leave at will. There is a long formation process and a public commitment to the Church and to the order. Once you’re in, you’re in until death unless you ask to be released.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
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Thank you very much for your thoughtful response. I appreciate your time and insight. I will pray for your illness that you might know comfort and healing.

God Bless,

Jason
 
“One thing has to be clear. You enter a third order because Christ has called you to live according to this charism. It’s not an association like the Legion of Mary or the Holy Name Society that you enter and leave at will. There is a long formation process and a public commitment to the Church and to the order. Once you’re in, you’re in until death unless you ask to be released”

And that’s why I’ve spent the last seven years discerning spiritualities and third orders, because it’s serious business.

I agree with what you’re saying Brother JR, and I wish more people had that kind of drive/zeal.

I will be praying for your health and for the community you have formed.
 
Br. JR,

How easy is it to get permission to start a new order? Does one need to have permission and from whom?
 
TrueLight said:
Br. JR,

How easy is it to get permission to start a new order? Does one need to have permission and from whom?
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Its impossible to start a new order as the Council of Trent forbid the creation of new orders. The Jesuits were the last religious order created.

But there are other religious communities, congregations, societies of apostolic life, and such.

To create one, you would need the approval of your bishop first. He may require you to gather a group and to live your proposed constitutions/statues for a time to verify that the life is livable.

I am sure others, especially Br JR, might have more insight into this.

Part of what drew me to the order I am in, the Carmelites, was the history that is present within a long lasting group.
 
ByzCath said:
Its impossible to start a new order as the Council of Trent forbid the creation of new orders. The Jesuits were the last religious order created.

But there are other religious communities, congregations, societies of apostolic life, and such.

To create one, you would need the approval of your bishop first. He may require you to gather a group and to live your proposed constitutions/statues for a time to verify that the life is livable.

I am sure others, especially Br JR, might have more insight into this.

Part of what drew me to the order I am in, the Carmelites, was the history that is present within a long lasting group.
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Ok. Thank you.
 
TrueLight said:
Br. JR,

How easy is it to get permission to start a new order? Does one need to have permission and from whom?
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Actually, the last religious order founded in the Latin Church was the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). Afterward, the Church closed the doors to religious orders. There is rather complicated history.

Originally, the term order came from the word Ordinem, which meant a structured way of life. The key phrase here is “way of life”. Orders were founded to live the Gospel in a particular manner. For example, the Benedictines and all of their offspring were founded to live the Gospel in silence and solitude. The original Carmelites were also founded to live the Gospel the same way. The difference between a Carmelite and a Benedictine is that the Benedictines lived in community, whereas the Carmelites were clusters of hermits. The Carmelites had what can be best described as little villages (very little), where each hermit had his hermitage close to others and they came together for very few functions. The monks, on the other hand, lived together in one house and did everything together, but in silence to preserve the solitude. They spoke only when dealing with outside guests or when it was required for work.

Friars, which is just a bad translation of the Latin term Fratres (Brothers) were founded to live the Gospel in brotherhoods. These men were not monks. They did not live in solitude or in silence. They observed periods of silence and solitude during the day, but they were also active outside of their houses. The cared for the poor, sick, captives, and they took on other works of charity. They were often preachers. Many of them were priests, so they celebrated the sacraments for the local people. But the focus was always living the Gospel according as the Holy Spirit had inspired the founders. For example, the Dominicans were to live in contemplation of the Gospel, then they went out to preach what they had contemplated. They were to live in brotherhoods of priests. The preaching was always the result of contemplation and they support each other by going out in teams of brothers to preach and teach.

Franciscans are also a brotherhood. Unlike the Dominicans, they are like the Benedictines in that they are not a brotherhood of priests. We have many brothers who are priests, but the priesthood is not a requirement to be a Franciscan nor a Benedictine. The Franciscan’s focus is to live the Gospel in absolute and unquestioning obedience to the Church, among the poor, living as the poor live and working as they work. Many Franciscans serve the needs of the poor, because they live among them. Others may live in different settings and serve whatever needs arise in those setting. That’s how you end up with more than 100 branches of the one family. As the family grew, it expanded around the globe. The settings changed, so did the work and the demands on their life. But one thing remained constant, they lived the Gospel in obedience to the Church. In other words, they look to the Church to interpret the Gospel for them. They accept every command and direction that comes from the Church as that which has to be obeyed without question. Only sin can be rejected.

The Carmelites eventually left the hermitages and took their place among the Franciscans and Dominicans. They lived in a brotherhood and their special call is to be contemplatives. Through contemplation, Christ directs them to serve the Church. But contemplation has the place of primacy in their lives, as obedience and poverty do for the Franciscans, and contemplation and preaching do for the Dominicans.

When the Jesuits were founded, Ignatius introduced a whole new concept. He organized a society of men whose purpose was to be teachers and preachers. He did not give them a way of life. They organized their daily lives to fit the needs of their work. In the end, every Jesuit house was unique. The work governed their schedule, their finances, their relationship with each other and with others.

Other founders came with the same idea. They saw a need and they wanted to respond to it. The say poor children who needed education, young women who needed to be protected, orphans, sick people, missions, heresies to be combated. The Church realized that these new communities were being built around a ministry, call it a line of work, if you will. Once they identified the work that they needed to do,then they wrote their statutes as to how to dress, pray, eat, play, what they could own, how they were to govern themselves, etc.

This was very different from the previous communities. The previous communities organized their way of life and then squeezed work into their schedule and the system they had set up. The Church also noticed that it was not possible for these men and women to make solemn vows. In order for your vows to be solemn, your life has to center totally around the person of Christ to the point that if you have to sacrifice the work, so be it. In other words, if a Franciscan has to stop hearing confessions because it’s time to pray with his brother, he stops. If there is a line waiting, he apologizes and asks people to come back at a time when he does not have to be with his brothers. If a Dominican has to decline an invitation to preach somewhere, because he has to attend a community function, he does so. The community is his way of life and preaching flows out of that way of life. If you sacrifice the way of life, you harm the preaching.
 
There was no way that these communities that devoted themselves to teaching, nursing, caring for the elderly and homeless could live as an intense life of prayer and an intimate life of community. Their vows were considered simple and their communities were called congregations, which meant that they congregated or gathered for a specific mission. This was the beginning of the congregations such as the Redemptorists, Passionists, Fathers of Mercy, Christian Brothers, Sisters of St. Joseph, etc. These are the very directed apostolic communities. They are very necessary in the Church. They are not second class religious. However, they are not orders. Their ministry governs how they live. In an order, the way that you live determines what ministry you do and how much of it you do.

Eventually, secular institutes were born. The first of them was founded by St. Vincent de Paul. He founded the Congregation of the Mission, today known as Vincentians and the Daughters of Charity. These are not religious. They are secular men and women, who make vows, live in community, but they retain all the rights and privileges that are part of being a secular man or woman just like you. They do not have to be poor, but live simple lives. They obey in matters pertaining to ministry, including assignments. They are celibate. The Daughters of Charity have a very interesting arrangement. They never make perpetual vows. They make vows for one year at a time. They can leave at the end of that year or renew. Of course, the expectation is that they will continue to renew until death, but it’s not demanded that they remain Daughters of Charity until death. They do not live in convents, do not have novitiates and they have no superiors, because they’re not religious. They govern themselves democratically. Today, many people do not like this of them, because they think it’s an innovation. The truth is that they have been doing this since the 1600s. No one knew about it, because there was a custom in the Church that communities did not share with the laity information about their internal life and organization. This comes up with the advent of the Internet.

Whe you watch TV, especially old movies, every religious community is called an order. Every man is a priest. Every woman is a nun. That’s only on TV. That’s not in real life.

To start a congregation, you must have a stable group, income, a house, and you must bring to the table a ministry that is needed in the Church. This may be something that is being done elsewhere, but not where you are. For example, when the Dominican Sisters of Mary were founded, they were not the first teaching Dominican Sisters around. However, there was a need where they were. They responded to that need. The local bishop approved them. When a community grows beyond the borders of the diocese where it is founded, the superior may ask to be elevated to the status of a congregation of pontifical right. They no longer depend on the bishop of the home diocese, but they answer directly to the Holy See. This makes them exempt religious.

Exempt religious is a good thing. It protects religious communities from the bishops and from the laity. The privilege of exemption grants the religious community the right to expect the bishop and the laity to support its apostolic work and it binds the bishop and laity to do so, while at the same time, it bars the bishop and laity from dictating to them how to live and work.

Many people have gotten ugly and said that they will not financially support a religious community because they disagree with them or for some other reason. Canon law is clear that unless it’s a matter of hardship, the laity and the diocese must support them. Failure to do so for any reason other than hardship is at least a venial sin. I can’t imagine when it would be a mortal sin, but I guess it’s possible.

In any case, you must have that stable group, the house, the statutes that govern the group, and the financial backing of the laity. The bishop must give you permission to ask for money. You can’t just begin to beg in his diocese. Most communities begin as public associations and go from there. For example, the Franciscan Friars of the Eternal Word are not members of the Franciscan Order, not yet. They are a public association of the faithful. They are religious, because they are in vows living a stable way of life approved by the local bishop. The bishop can disband them at any time, as long as they are a diocesan association. Once they become a congregation, the bishop cannot disband them even if they set off a nuke in his backyard. 😃 Just kidding. To show you how serious the Church takes this. Even if they are a diocesan congregation, the bishop cannot disband them. Only the pope can do that.

Now that you have the map, get some women who share your spiritual vision, begin to pray, discern, work together. Eventually find a house where you can live as one family and find a way of supporting yourselves. Submit your statutes to the bishop and you’re on your way. To get from an association to a congregation can take up to 20 years. That’s OK. You’re still a religious once the bishop has endorsed you and you make vows. It’s just that as long as you’re an association, you can be disbanded by the bishop. This is to protect the Church from charlatans. If you’re looking for a ministry, I can give you one that needs to be addressed in this country, ministry to public officials. There is one lonely Jesuit serving as the chaplain on Capitol Hill. How many Catholic politicians are there in our country? How many of them are well catechized? Does anyone go to them other than to scream at them for voting the wrong way? Someone has to take up the education and evangelization of Catholic public officials.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
To become a Society of Apostolic Life is a huge deal in of and of itself. I remember a few years ago the Companions of the Cross had their celebration of becoming one, and it was quite the event!

Br. JR, I may be missing something here from your posts but why are the Jesuits the last “order”? Why has no other been founded since then?
 
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