Br
Thanks for the info
I still don’t believe they practiced ecumenicism but I guss we’ll just have to agree to disagree.
You may want to read the documents of the Church and the CCC on ecumenism. What may be a stumbling block for you may be your understanding of what ecumenism is. There are certainly many mistaken understanding of the concept. There is no debate on that one.
But the orders have always had very good relations with non-Catholics, but especially with non-Christians. Over the centuries there has abeen a lot of cooperation in order to care for the needs of the poor and in order to bring the Gospel without proselytizing.
Prosyletism? For the Benedictines, not so much. In a direct manner they have been far more concerned with their own inner conversion than that of the world at large. The Rule of St Benedict is completely silent concerning external evangelization which btw shouldn’t be confused with prosyletism. There are many ways to evangelize and prosyletism is but one. And in many circumstances, the wrong one. Benedictines have always let their lifestyle preach for them. Many people are drawn to them to help with their own inner conversion and that even includes “evangelizing” Catholics, of which Oblate programs play a very large role.
I find it a bit odd opining about the practices of the religious. Our opinion matters not unless we are professed and can sit in chapter with the superior and community. The are governed by their own rules, statutes, charisms and traditions. In the case of Benedictines, with great latitude among individual houses. Surely as laypeople our role is rather to observe and if we require greater involvement, adhere to the charism that works for us in a third order, oblate or lay associate capacity, not suggest that orders bend to our wishes!
This is key. Evangelization and proselytizing are not the same. Evangelization can often happen without a single word. When a comminity of Trappists sets up a monastery in the middle of some jungle, they are envangelizing by their presence. They haven’t said a word.
One of the greatest evangelists of modern times is Bl. Charles de Facould. He never preached to the Muslims aroudn him. Yet, some of the extremists were so threatened by his holy and evangelical presence, that they murdered him.
As to the layman’s relationship with the orders and congregations, I think that the Council of Trent made it very clear. The bishops are to protect the religious and the laity are to financially support their apostolic work and when possible, work along with them. This happens often, through secular orders, oblates, lay associates, volunteers and other associations of the lay faithful. I always think of Mother Teresa. No one really knows how many lay volunteers work with the sisters and brothers in the Missionaries of Charity. However, one thing was clear from the beginning. Mother did not tolerate lay interference or even suggestions concerning the religious community itself.
She had allowed for an organization called the Helpers of Mother Teresa. They raised millions of dollars for the sisters and brothers. However, they deviated from her vision of poverty. These were all lay people. As they grew they became more corporate. They actually became international.
Mother gradually became upset, because they deviated from povety. At a meeting in NYC, where they were in a hotel, Mother blew a gasket. She disbanded them because of the absence of poverty in the organization and the introduction of too much structure into her congregation.
There was a big stink, because this group has incorporated as a legal entity and mother disolved it and closed its bank accounts without the authorization of the Board of Directors. The Vatican upheld Mother’s right to do so, even though civil law said not. It had a happy ending. The folks at the head were not going to take this to court. They simply handed over the bank accoiunts. Some walked away and many stayed as volunteers.
Those who stayed had to refrain from telling the sisters and brothers how to run their apostolate. If you do, they “fire” you. Everything must be done as if Mother were still alive. It’s very interesting.
This one?
Perhaps the traditionalist perspective now occupies a position in the life of the Church that stands in parallel to the Orders.
There are many movements and organizations that exist parallel to the orders and congregations. That is perfectly fine, as long as they do not try to interfere with the orders and congregations and as long a sthey do not dissuade the faithful from supportiing or joining the orders and congregations.
One of the biggest of such movements that exists alongside orders, congregations and dioceses is Opus Dei. The Society of the Holy Cross (Opus Dei) has a wonderful relationship with the religious. They are boundaries that St. Jose Maria Escriva made very clear.
Yet, they borrow a great deal from the Benedictines and the Jesuits. That’s a good kind of parallel existence. The Opus Dei is a very traditional lay charism, but it avails itself of what these two orders have to offer.
A smaller movement, but very similar is the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest. They are secular priests, not religious. They borrow a great deal from the Canons of St. Augustine in setting up their houses, but without the consecrated life. They have most of the practices and spirituality of the Augustinians. They’re rather interesting to observe how seamlessly they ahve pulled Traditionalist and Augustine together into a secular society.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
:thumbsup: