Can someone please explain to me the reasons for joining a Third Order or a Secular Order. What is the point? When you are a member of a Third Order, what does it entail? Are there any tasks that you have to perform on a daily basis and do you have to give money to the order?
Could someone please share their experiences of being a member and tell us how daily life has changed as a result.
Lastly, what are the benefits of joining? I mean, if you’re going to join a Third Order, why not become a Nun or a Priest?
You are looking at things like joining a religious order is like joining a club. It is not, it is a calling. The benefits are a spiritual life that fits your calling. Most of the Orders are founded based on the ideals and spiritual life of their founder (i.e. St. Francis, St. Benedict, St. Theresa, etc.) Something about the way of life about the founder attracted people to follow them. Something about that life still attracts people. People that totally turn over their lives to the calling usually become either 1st Order or 2nd Order religious, make vows, and live in a convent or monastery. Not everyone can do that, whether they be married, secular priests (i.e. diocesean) or have a different calling like supporting hospitals, schools, etc. Thus the need for the Third/Secular Orders. They were created for people that wanted to follow the life but due to circumstances couldn’t give up everything to follow the lifestyle.
What is the point? The point is to join an organization of like minded individuals that have a common path of spirituality. An example is the difference between Carmelites and Franciscans. Although both entail service and contemplative life, the Carmelites stress contemptative life and the Franciscans stress living the Gospel life through actions more then the contemplative life. Thus a different path toward the ultimate goal of a saintly life. You don’t have to be a member of an order to follow this life but it helps firm up things and give you a support system.
It depends on what Order you join what you have to do on a daily basis. Many orders require saying the Liturgy of the Hours at least once a day. Frequent reception of the Eucharist and frequent use of the sacrement of reconciliation. Some orders require other things (i.e. some may “require” the rosary, scapula, etc.)
The Secular Orders in general are meant for lay people that can’t give up everything to be religious brothers/sisters/priests. Some Third Order groups actually are meant for priests and nuns (i.e. all the priests in that Third Order support a hospital or TV network). Some groups that you actually think of as monks/friars are actually Third Order groups because they split off from the 1st Order and instead of starting their own 1st Order they became a Third Order of the same charism. As I said before this gets into some real complicated technicalities that I don’t totally understand. An example is, I personally am not real sure whether the Franciscans of the Renewal (the group you see on EWTN a lot) is technically a 1st Order Franciscan Order or a Third Order Franciscan. It all depends on how their rule was written and how it was presented to Rome. Looking at their history and the fact the lay people associated with their group are called associates, they look like they are technically a third order because they split off from the 1st order Capuchins. If they are 3rd order vs. 1st order it doesn’t make them any “less spiritual” then the other, it is just a difference in their rule. All the official orders of a charism support each other towards their ultimate goal, a more spiritual life worshipping God.
