Religious Orders

[A10Pilot]

What is the origin of the various religious orders within Catholicism (Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans, Benedictines, etc) and what place do they hold in the Church today? Are they separate in any way from the Catholic Church as a whole? Can/should they be considered like the different Protestant denominations, insofar as they all fall under the broader Protestant/Christian umbrella but worship in their own ways?

 

[Te_Deum]

The religious orders are the heart and soul of the Church (and the martyr’s blood is the the nourishment of her).

They are not in any way, shape or form to be treated as Protestant denominations! They each have their own spiritualities it is true. The Carmelites originated when people wanted to follow the life of Elias and lived a monastic life on Carmel. The Dominicans originated as an order of preachers against the heresy of the Albigensians. In fact the Dominicans have the honour by which Our Lady gifted Saint Dominic with the rosary to help him fight the heresies of his day! And Saint Thomas Aquinas, the pre-eminent theologian of the Western Church, was a Dominican religious! The Franciscans hug trees (don’t bite my head of Brother !).

But they all share the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Faith.

The Orders should be viewed with the greatest respect as men and women who have taken up the Cross of Christ and vowed to uphold the Evangelical counsels by making vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.

 

[NewsTheMan]

Short answers from me because I am praying the Office in 10 minutes so can’t be long! Hope that’s okay, someone else will expand.

What is the origin of the various religious orders within Catholicism (Jesuits, Franciscans, Dominicans, Benedictines, etc)

Every order has it’s own origin. Jesuits founded by St.Ignatius. Dominicans by St.Dominic, and so on. Some were founded to fight heresy, others out of a particular need, others to gather like-minded individuals together who wanted to follow Christ radically.

and what place do they hold in the Church today?

A most important one. They are the Religious branch of the Church, comprising of different kinds of spiritualities and services. Some are contemplative and pray and work in service to God. Others work with the poor. Others preach. Others serve schools and educational institutions. Sisters in particular work hard with the poor and downtrodden of the world. Each Order lives the Gospel.

Are they separate in any way from the Catholic Church as a whole?

No, they are Catholic.

Can/should they be considered like the different Protestant denominations, insofar as they all fall under the broader Protestant/Christian umbrella but worship in their own ways?

They are not Protestant. They are Catholic. They worship in a Catholic way but some have their own “Rite” and spirituality and charisms, but they are still under the authority of the magisterium, the Pope and they are Catholic Orders.

 

[Te_Deum]

Short answers from me because I am praying the Office in 10 minutes so can’t be long!

Did you sleep-in and miss Prime or are you anticipating Terce ?

 

[NewsTheMan]

Did you sleep-in and miss Prime or are you anticipating Terce ?

I pray Lauds at 9am I usually try pray it at 6am but sometimes I can’t so the latest I pray it is 9am. Usually pray Lauds at 9, Sext at noon, Vespers at 6pm. I’m not bound by any rule so I do the best I can in preparation for the monastery next year where (if God wills it) I will be praying all the hours

 

[Te_Deum]

I pray Lauds at 9am I usually try pray it at 6am but sometimes I can’t so the latest I pray it is 9am. Usually pray Lauds at 9, Sext at noon, Vespers at 6pm. I’m not bound by any rule so I do the best I can in preparation for the monastery next year where (if God wills it) I will be praying all the hours

Matins & Lauds anticipating the evening before for me, Prime when I wake up around 6am. Then Terce, Sect, None etc. Vespers around 6pm and Compline at 9pm. But to be fair, I pray the Little Office which is a lot easier!

I will hopefully be spending a month at Golgotha my self either later this year or early next year .

 

[NewsTheMan]

Matins & Lauds anticipating the evening before for me, Prime when I wake up around 6am. Then Terce, Sect, None etc. Vespers around 6pm and Compline at 9pm. But to be fair, I pray the Little Office which is a lot easier!

I will hopefully be spending a month at Golgotha my self either later this year or early next year .

Wow you’re doing a lot better than I am I need to pull up my socks it seems.

So are you also discerning with the FSSR? Boy I can’t wait to get out there and spend a month with them. Maybe we’ll be there at the same time! I’ll be going very early January. Pray for me please and I will certainly pray for you

 

[Te_Deum]

Wow you’re doing a lot better than I am I need to pull up my socks it seems.

As I said, it’s only the Little Office. It’s no where near as big and as complicated as the Divine Office. I think it is I that needs to be pulling my socks up!

This was actually one of the questions I asked Br. Whether brothers could continue a devotion to the Little Office (whilst of course keeping to the Divine Office as obliged). Very happy to have gotten a “yes” for that. It’s definitely one of the great attractions to the F.SS.R. They’re steeped in Marian spirituality!

So are you also discerning with the FSSR? Boy I can’t wait to get out there and spend a month with them. Maybe we’ll be there at the same time! I’ll be going very early January.

I’ll let you know after the 8-day detox period if I’m around .

Pray for me please and I will certainly pray for you

Of course. I’ll add you to my rosary intentions.