The SSPX (Society of Saint Pius X) priests are currently suspended from practicing their priestly faculties unless they are needed to hear a Confession before someone dies or something… and the SSPX is not a religous order but a fraternity of priests (they take no vows but they work together with a common charism).
Well, technically speaking, aren’t the canons regulars practicing religous life?If you are looking for religious life, of all the above mentioned, the only ones that are religious orders are the Carmelite Monks and the Franciscans of the Immaculate. The others are what is canonically known as Apostolic Societies. They often live in community anf follow the evnagelical counsels. But they do not have a canonical rule as to Carmelites, Benedictines, Augustinians, Franciscans and Basilians. Nor do they make solemn vows. Some make simple vows. There is a difference between simple and solemn vows. Some do not make vows at all or make a promise of obedience to the statutes of their institute, which they often refer to as their rule, because these statutes govern their life and apostolate.
Of the clerical societies or fraternities, my personal favorites are the Canons of St. John Cantius and the Institute of Christ the King. I find that they seem to get along very well with other members of the clergy. They are very humble and very joyful. My personal experience with them has been very positive. They do not take a condescending attitude toward the Ordinary Form of the mass or toward those who prefer the OF. They have no problems working alongside religious and diocesan priests who subscribe to the OF. In addition, they are very helpful to those communities who want to celebrate the OF in a more reverent manner that is consistent with Vatican II. They make a genuine effort to help priests and religious understand the decrees that came out on the liturgy and to implement them correctly. They are very knowledgeable about liturgy in both forms, even though they celebrate only the EF.
The other quality about them that I find very admirable is that they have no questions about the integrity of Vatican II and its decrees. Their concerns are about the misinterpretations that people have given to the decrees, which is a legitimate concern for many of us who are religious or priests trying to be faithful to the Church.
Finally, I find that they are not stuck at 1963. They use the current Catechism of the Catholic Church in their catechesis. They have produced a number of catechetical books and other materials based on the CCC. It is refreshing to see a traditional institute integrate tradition with the current explanations of our faith as written by and approved by current popes and orthodox scholars such as the ones who put together the CCC. I find in them a genuine continuity between the past and the present.
I must say that I do not know all of the other gorups. I do know the Carmelite Monks and the Franciscans of the Immaculate. The Franciscans of the Immaculate of course belong to my religious family and I know them better. They are a religious order. You would have to make solemn vows as a brother. There is no guarrantee that you will be ordained, because the rule of St. Francis does not guarrantee this. The rule was written for brothers. Priests are admitted to the Franciscan family as an exception to the rule, not as the norm. But as you go through the period of formation, which can take from 6 to 10 years before making solemn vows, you do get feedback and you know whether the brothers are going to approve you for Holy Orders or not long before you make solemn vows. Unless there is a radical change, if you were approved for Holy Orders before you made solemn vows, the brothers make it a policy to go forward. But they do deserve the right to change their mind. This is done by a vote of the entire community several months before you are scheduled to be ordained a deacon. Again, you usally know whether you’re on track for Holy Orders before making solemn vows. I just like to warn those entering the Franciscan family about this, because some men are shocked when they enter the postulancy that they do not hear anything mentioned about the priesthood during their entire formation period of six to 10 years. The reason is that the life of the Franciscan is not about being a preist, but about being like Francis of Assisi, the perfect mirror of Christ. The expectation is that you are entering because you want to follow Christ in the manner that Francis did.
Usually, Franciscans do not train their own men for the priesthood. Those who ask to be ordained and are approved are sent to a Catholic university for a Master’s Degree in Theology. Franciscans do not have seminaries. We do have a postulancy, novitiate, and period of temporary vows. During that time you study Franciscan theology, history, liturgy, Franciscan philosophy, Franciscan art, Franciscan approach to the scriptures, Franciscan ministry, Franciscan spirituality and Franciscan mysticism. You also spend time in internships in different community houses, usually in the summer when you’re not in classes.
Another caution about joining Franciscans is that you may never see a parish. Parish ministry among Franciscans is decreasing for a simple reason. We are ordaining less men and this is very deliberate, to keep the number of ordained and lay brothers pretty even. We are taking up more ministries among the poor, the unborn, the immigrant and in the missions. Then of course there is the contemplative side of Franciscan life. There are many hours spent praying the Liturgy of the Hours in community, silence, lectio divina and other penitential acts and observances.
The Franciscans of the Immaculate have as their special ministry the promotion of devotion to the Immaculate. They are often more involved in communication ministry, as was St. Maximilian Kolbe, who is the inspiration for this branch of the order. They are a wonderful group of very holy friars, sisters, nuns and secular brothers and sisters.
I hope this information is helpful.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
Sorry about that. I did not notice the Benedictines in that listing. Yes, they are a religious order. Canons are not a religious order. That’s why they are called such. They are societies of apostolic life. They live the evangelical counsels. As I said before, many communities do so, without being religious orders.
hmmm. Thanks for the info.Sorry about that. I did not notice the Benedictines in that listing. Yes, they are a religious order. Canons are not a religious order. That’s why they are called such. They are societies of apostolic life. They live the evangelical counsels. As I said before, many communities do so, without being religious orders.
The Church sets religious orders into a class of religious families of their own, because they make solemn vows. All other religious families make simple vows, promises, or no public commitment at all. Solemn vows have a distinct spiritual, canonical, and theological impact on the soul, the other forms of profession do not. Therefore the violation of solemn vows is a much more serious sin than the violation of other forms of profession. It is much more difficult to get dispensed from solemn vows. Also, solemn vows automatically invalidate any attempt at marriage by rendering the sacrament invalid, where the other vows to not have the spiritual power to trump the sacrament. A person in simple vows who attempts a Catholic marriage is validly married and automatically dismissed from his community. A person in solemn vows who attempts a Catholic marriage is not married. The vows trump the sacrament and the person remains a member of his community and bound by the vows.
Then there are other canonical rights that are guarranteed to orders, that societies, congregations, institutes and confraternities cannot have. One of them, but not the only one, is exemption from obedience to bishops. Orders are only tied to obedience to the pope. Another is service to the laity. Orders are not bound to serve the laity, unless it’s in their constitutions. But the Church does not expect it of them. Congregations, institutes, societies and confraternities are for the benefit of the laity or of a particular apostolate. Orders are for the benefit of their own members and for the spiritual needs of the universal Church. They may choose to serve the local Church or maintain a distance. Most orders are not clerical. The clerical state is not necessary for a religious order. Therefore, an order can be governed by a lay man who is in vows. The other groups are usually governed by clerics. Finally, orders have a superior who has the same authority as a bishop. Therefore, they do not need a bishop, except for ordination… However, the bishop cannot refuse to ordain the member of an order. The superior calls a man to the priesthood and the bishop cooperates with the superior by ordaining the man. The bishop cannot overrule the decision to ordain made by the superior of an order. And ordained men who belong to an order cannot be called to leave their order to serve the Church. For example, if a Benedictine is selected to be a bishop, he remains a Benedictine. The Church cannot call him out of his order. His Benedictine rule and way of life goes with him and he remains bound to it. The Church can call a priest out of any of the other groups. She can dspense them from their vows to free them.
I hope this helps a little.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
It seems to me that bears a bit of clarification: Those who are Canons Secular (e.g. members of a Cathedral Chapter) are not Religious at all although they do normally live in community.
Well yes, but I think it’s a bit more complicated than that. I don’t want to get into a long drawn-out exchange here, but I will make a general comment as a brief overview of what I mean.
this is correct.
The O.Praeim and the Augustinian Canons are part of the Augustinian family. They follow the rule of St. Augustine. That’s what makes them different and makes them an order. They have a rule. The same applies to the Dominicans. The Dominicans are an order, because they follow the rule of St. Augustine. You have to be bound to one of the approved rules, by solemn vows, to be an order. These groups meet those requirements.
(1969), when it was removed, bishops from Religious Orders had the option to maintain their proper habit (with episcopal trappings). Some did so while others (e.g. S Pius V who was a Dominican) did not.
In the renewal of Canon Law in 1983, a consecrated bishop who belongs to a religious order continues to belong to his order and continues bound by the rule of his order. He is not longer tied to the superior of his order. There is an important distinction between the superior and the rule. The superior manages the day to day affairs. These don’t apply to the bishop, because he does not live inside the community. The rule orders his spiritual life. That part goes with him where ever he goes. That is the change. As far as dress, they may wear the habit of their order, unless the constitutions of the order forbid it. Any money that a bishop makes while he is bishop, does not belong to the order. That’s another distinction that was made by the canons of 1983. It belongs to either the diocese or he may give it to whomever he pleases, as per the rule of his order. In the case of Franciscans, the rule says that if the money does not belong to the Church, then the friar bishop must give it away, but he may not give it to the order.
Some rules are more demanding on their members than others. There was a big stink in Boston, because there are points in the rule of St. Francis that govern the personal life of the Cardinal. Some people did not like a bishop whose life is governed by a rule of an order. But eventually they realized that it only helps the Cardinal remain connected to his roots and keep him focussed in his own spiritual journey.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
Yes, I know. Isn’t that what I said?
Again, yes, but isn’t that what I said?
Agreed that a bishop remains part of his Order. Lovely that it’s in the 1983 CIC but it’s nothing new. But even if the bishop were to resign or retire and return to his community, he is still a bishop and would still not be bound to the superior.
For the rest, let’s revert to the OSB example: part of the Rule is that an OSB is bound to Office in choir. An OSB who is a bishop (with the usual exception of an Abbot Nullius) is generally unable to accomplish that since he no longer lives in the Abbey. Yes, of course there are exceptions to various parts of the Rule for various reasons, but living permanently outside the community rather means that he would be permanently excepted from that major aspect of the Rule. Seems to me that would be stretching things a little thin on that count.
There’s one thing that doesn’t seem to have been mentioned, and it probably should be noted: while a priest who is a monk (or friar or Canon) may be selected to be ordained bishop, he is under no obligation to accept. He may decline and remain an integral part of his Order.
Except for official episcopal functions, where the bishop is to wear house or choir dress proper to a bishop. Ut sive sollicite is still in force. Notice, e.g., that O’Malley wore the red choir dress of a Cardinal during the Kennedy funeral.
I am not so sure that the Carmelite Monks of Wyoming are a religious order. They are not affiliated with either the Order of Carmel (O.Carm.) or the Discalced Carmelites (O.C.D.).
I think there is some confusion on this. I saw an inerview of them on EWTN and they (the Carmelites) referred to themselves as hermits. The anchor kept calling them monks. I’m not sure here. This also happens with Franciscans. People often refer to us as monks, when we keep referring to ourselves as friars or mendicants.
I believe that we are saying many of the same things, but in different words.
True. They may well follow the Carmelite Rule but they are not part of O.Carm (or OCD), and as such I doubt they would be entitled to use the Order’s mnemonic. Since they are only of Diocesan Right, they profess simple vows, which I believe means they are a “Religious Institute (of diocesan Right).” Unless things have changed radically, I think that means they cannot claim the designation “Order.”
Their website calls them monks. Maybe they have realized the mistake and are attempting to correct it but that does not change the fact that they are not affiliated with either of the Carmelites orders and are formed under the jurisdiction of their local bishop.I think there is some confusion on this. I saw an inerview of them on EWTN and they (the Carmelites) referred to themselves as hermits. The anchor kept calling them monks. I’m not sure here. This also happens with Franciscans. People often refer to us as monks, when we keep referring to ourselves as friars or mendicants.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
I think you are right on here.
