Third Orders STRONGLY Devoted to Mother Mary

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As I mentioned in my Priesthood or Politics thread, I am at a point where I am wondering whether I want to move forward at being a Priest (specifically through the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land) or to try and make a life out of politics. I also mentioned that, if I go the politics route, that does not mean I will minimize my love for or involvement in the Church and that I would probably go the route of a Third Order.

Anyway, I realize I have a really strong love and attachment to Mother Mary. Whereas I have issues of my relationship with God being one of fear, I see Mother Mary as the perfect Mother (I admit my own mother had some issues: depression, alcoholism, died when I was 12) who loves us beyond measure and does everything she can to spare us from her Son’s wraith and from Hellfire. She gave us the Brown Scapular, the Rosary (which, sadly, I have been neglecting to pray for awhile), she intercedes on our behalf, she watches over us and she wants the best for her children. I assume it must sadden her greatly when one of her children perishes in Hellfire or rejects her love and care.

Are there any Third Orders that have a really special devotion to Our Mother, that seek to strengthen their member’s relationship and bond to her?
 
Monica4316 said:
perhaps the Carmelites?
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That had actually crossed my mind (even when I have been thinking wanted to be a Priest, might I want to go through them) since I am devoted to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel (the Brown Scapular) and my patron saint is St. Teresa of Avila.

I was also thinking might just become a Secular Franciscan, especially since the Franciscans are more of an active than contemplative order and, if I go the route of the Priesthood still, it would be likely through the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land.
 
I wonder if the Dominicans have third orders, - they are usually very Marian 🙂
 
Monica4316 said:
I wonder if the Dominicans have third orders, - they are usually very Marian 🙂
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I think they have laity. By the way, does a Third Order/Secular member of an Order get to wear the habit of said order (i.e. the brown habit of the Franciscans if you’re SFO)?
 
nsper7 said:
I think they have laity. By the way, does a Third Order/Secular member of an Order get to wear the habit of said order (i.e. the brown habit of the Franciscans if you’re SFO)?
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I don’t think so… maybe someone can confirm… I think they just live in the world but have a specific prayer rule, etc
 
All third orders/religious orders honor Mary in some particular way, according to their charism.

What you’re going to have to figure out is where Mary wants you.

Dominicans have a great devotion to Mary, as it is to us that she entrusted the rosary, and showed St. Dominic with a ball of fire where to build his first monastery of nuns–which he founded before the itinerant preacher-friars.

But, as I said, have her guide you as to where she wants you. There are all kinds of Third Orders, oblatures, and lay associates, and each has their own amount of devotion to Mary.

Blessings,
Cloisters
 
nsper7 said:
As I mentioned in my Priesthood or Politics thread, I am at a point where I am wondering whether I want to move forward at being a Priest (specifically through the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land) or to try and make a life out of politics. I also mentioned that, if I go the politics route, that does not mean I will minimize my love for or involvement in the Church and that I would probably go the route of a Third Order.

Anyway, I realize I have a really strong love and attachment to Mother Mary. Whereas I have issues of my relationship with God being one of fear, I see Mother Mary as the perfect Mother (I admit my own mother had some issues: depression, alcoholism, died when I was 12) who loves us beyond measure and does everything she can to spare us from her Son’s wraith and from Hellfire. She gave us the Brown Scapular, the Rosary (which, sadly, I have been neglecting to pray for awhile), she intercedes on our behalf, she watches over us and she wants the best for her children. I assume it must sadden her greatly when one of her children perishes in Hellfire or rejects her love and care.

Are there any Third Orders that have a really special devotion to Our Mother, that seek to strengthen their member’s relationship and bond to her?
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What about the Franciscan Third Order of the Immaculate? They are connected to the Franciscan Friars and Sisters of the Immaculate. As evidenced by the following website picture, they receive habits to wear. I am currently writing the Sister branch to discern if I should make a visit. It looks like a beautiful order.

marymediatrix.com/religious-life/third-order-of-the-immaculate
 
The Carmelites and Dominican’s have the strongest Marian identity among third or secular orders, imho, but all of them have some element of Marian devotion. You also have to discern (as does the community) if you are called to a particular third order.

Not certain if the Franciscan third order in DOM6’s post wear their habit at all times. I am a secular Carmelite and we have ceremonial brown scapulars and the lay Dominicans have an even larger ceremonial scapular, but ours and theirs are only worn for meetings and our ceremonies.

Prayer as you continue your discernment process.
 
i too am looking for an order that focuses a little bit more on mary too. i have such a strong love for our blessed mother.
 
The Secular Franciscan Order is a little different from other secular orders in some very important respects. It’s not better than, just different. Let me outline it for you, as much as I can in the space alloted here.
  1. They are the first secular order ever founded.
  2. They are a real order. They are not a branch of the friars or the Poor Clares. They have a rule written by St. Francis, a constitution approved by the Sacred Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Aposotolic Life. They have their own Superior General, just as we friars do and their own local superior whom Francis called a Minister. The community is governed by an international superior general and council in Rome, a national superior and council in each country, a religious superior and council in larger countries, and a local superior (minister) and council.
  3. They are subject only to the Holy Father. Only the Holy Father can change their rule or their constitutions. They can’t do it themselves, nor can the friars or the Poor Clares do it. Neither the friars nor the Poor Clares have jurisdiction over them. They do not fall under the jurisdicitono of the local bishop either. They are an exempt Order of Pontifical Right.
  4. Most of their members are married, but some are celibate and many are ordained priests and deacons. That’s why they are called Secular Franciscans and not Lay Franciscans. If they were lay, they would not have ordained members. Men in Holy Orders are not lay men.
  5. Most live with their families, but they may live in cells (communities).
  6. Every fraternity gathers at least once a month for a business and formation meeting. Aside from those they have a community ministry, community functions and activities that are part of their life of fraternity.
  7. Their constitution binds them to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, frequent mass, adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, devotion to the Blessed Mother and to devotion to our holy Father Francis.
  8. They must participate in the life of the Franciscan family around the world along with the friars, sisters, nuns and other secular members.
  9. They had a habit. It was a tunic, w/o a cowl, w/a chord. Today, they must wear the Tau, which is the universal symbol of the Franciscans. Some fraternities still wear a habit, such as those of the Immaculate.
  10. They have a long formation program: aspirancy, inquierer (postulant), candidate (novice) and temporary profession.
  11. They make a solemn profession to live the Gospel according to the Rule of St. Francis. Essentially, it’s a vow of obedience to the rule. It is a public profession. A public profession is recognized by the Church as a public commitment to a specific way of lfie in a religious family with a defined structure. Their profession is a liturgical act. Therefore, it must always take place in the liturgy where the priest receives the promise in the name of the Church and the local Minister receives it in the name of the order.
  12. The Minister (superior) is de facto the canonical successor of St. Francis, just as my superior is the canonical successor of St. Francis.
  13. They are not dependent on us for government, funding, or spirituality. Their rule is very different. We follow the rule of obedience. They follow the rule of penance. The Poor Clares follow the rule of poverty. To each order Francis gave a specific canonical title and the order is bound to emphasize it in their daily lives.
  14. Once you make perpetual profession as a Secular Franciscan you cannot leave, just like you cannot leave the friars or the nuns. You must go through the process of being released from your commitment.
  15. A member of the Secular Franciscan Order cannot be a member of any other order, association of the faithful or society that requires allegience and obedience to them. You can only have allegience and obedience to one order at a time.
  16. You may not use the Secular Franciscans as a stepping stone to enter the friars, sisters or nuns. You can ask for a transfer. That’s different.
  17. Secular Franciscans do not have the same Marian spirit as the Carmelites do. That’s not their charism. But they are Marian. Francis of Assis was very Marian. All of the Franciscan orders are Marian.
  18. Finally, you have to be Roman Catholic, baptized, confirmed, and if you’re married, married in the Church to be a Secular Franciscan.
YOu can read their rule and constitutions here. ciofs.org/en.htm

I hope this helps.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
I had another thought regarding the Dominicans (my parish in Ohio was blessed to have Dominican Fathers). Their motto is Veritas (truth) and the charism is “preaching” and they have been given the task of specifically standing up for life and bringing veritas and preaching to issues of respect for life. Obviously the rosary and marian devotion is also central to being a dominican. Again, you have to discern where you are being called, but to have a pro-life politician speaking the truth about issues 👍

Lay domincans also have monthly meetings, at least here in the U.S.
 
Perhaps the Mercedarians are what you’re looking for?

They’re also called the Order of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mercy (or Ransom), founded in the thirteenth century for the purpose of freeing Christians kept as slaves by the Saracens… even by trading places with the slaves. They’re a mendicant Order of friars and priests, with a strong love for Mary, and they have a Third Order.

Here’s their website (info on the Third Order is under “Charism”):
orderofmercy.org/

and a Wikipedia article:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Blessed_Virgin_Mary_of_Mercy
 
The Mercederian Friars and the Dominican Friars are part of the same religious family. They are Augustinians, because they follow the Rule of St. Augustine. Both are orders of friars. Many of their friars are priests, even though they will always be friars too. The major difference between them is their ministry. Their community and religious life is pretty much the same, since St. Dominic and St. Peter Nolasco were both sons of St. Augustine.

The Dominicans, whose proper name is the Order of Friar Preachers (OP) and the Mercedarians, whose proper name is the Friars of Our Lady of Mercy (OM) are very Marian in their private spirituality. Their external mission is different. The Dominicans were founded to be preachers and teachers. The Mercedarians were founded for pastoral care, especially to those in prisons. Today they do more parish ministry.

Unlike the Franciscans where priests are brothers and have no special place in the community, among Dominicans and Mercedarains, there is tier system. The community is run by priests and so are their minstries. The friars who are not priests and they lay orders are a branch of the order, not an independent order, as they are among Franciscans. The reson for this is very important. The ministry to which Christ calls the Augustinian family is very different than that to which he calls Franciscans and Benedictines.

Franciscans and Benedictines are called to live the fraternal life and to preach the Gospel through their presence. You don’t have to be a priest to live a brotherly lfie or to preach the Gospel by your example of prayer, penance, etc. The Augustinian tradition, which is what the Mecedarians and the Dominicans follow requries that one be a priest, because their ministry is sacramental. The role of the priest is very important to their orders and everyone is dependent on the priests in the order. Therefore, you don’t have the equality that you have among Franciscans and Benedictines.

All of the mendicants, we left out the Trinitarians and Carmelites, are Marian. But one has to decide what kind of community life one is looking for. If you’re looking for a community that is devoted to work outside of the religious house, the the mendicants to look at would be: Carmelties and all of the Augustinians (i.e. Dominicans, Mercedarians and Trinitarians). If you’re looking for a religious life that centers around the interior life of prayer, brotherhood, penance, silence, service and where the apostolate is product of the fraternal life, then you would want an order with very strong community life such as Franciscans and Benedictines.

If you’re looking for Secular Orders, they follow the same spirit as the friars of each family. Beside secular orders, there are also Third Orders. That’s another kind of animal, lol. The good thing about the Church is that there is a place and a spirituality for everyone.

I hope this helps someone.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
Thanks for all the extra information on the Mercedarians, Brother JR!

I’m grateful for your explanations of the differences between religious Orders, and the structures within them: different bits of the overall picture click into place, and it’s great.
 
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