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grace88
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Can you be a friar and still be a practicing doctor?? I mean God would have given you the gift to heal. should you not use it??
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Ocarm
Guest
If the religious institute to which you belong wishes you to practice as a doctor, then yes, certainly.Can you be a friar and still be a practicing doctor?? I mean God would have given you the gift to heal. should you not use it??
However, there is never a guarantee in religious life that you will follow a particular kind of apostolate, unless the institute carries out one kind of work only e.g. teaching or nursing. Even then, someone has to manage the finances and promote vocations and act as formator, so there will always be exceptions. But it is inevitable that professional qualifications would be considered when appointments are made within the institute, and it is unlikely that such skills would go completely unused.
It would be advisable to discuss this when in discernment with an order of friars to clarify the situation. Generally religious life aims at making good use of the gifts that God has bestowed, but obedience might demand that they are not used in the way or in the place that you would most prefer. Giving up these kind of freedoms as a mature adult who already has a career and significant life experience is a challenge, but if the vocation is right, it will be worthwhile.
I was a psychiatric nurse and psychotherapist for 20 years before joining my community: I may do this kind of work again in the future, and I may not. I can live with that uncertainty because of the other gifts that my new life has given to me, but it is a sacrifice, even so.
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grace88
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:thumbsup:
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jimcav
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There is a priest named Fr. Rick Frechette, who is both a practicing MD and a priest of the Passionist congregation. Amazing to me that God could give one man so much talent and so much work to do…
A sad story has brought him into the limelight these days.
He runs an orphanage in Haiti, but was home in NYC to see his dying mother when the quake hit the island. His mom told him to go back to Haiti to be with his children, which he did, but when he left his mom died. He came back to bury her and is now back in Haiti giving both medical help and doing his religious duties for his children. The orphanage has been destroyed.
While not a friar, I thought his example would help the op of this thread…
A sad story has brought him into the limelight these days.
He runs an orphanage in Haiti, but was home in NYC to see his dying mother when the quake hit the island. His mom told him to go back to Haiti to be with his children, which he did, but when he left his mom died. He came back to bury her and is now back in Haiti giving both medical help and doing his religious duties for his children. The orphanage has been destroyed.
While not a friar, I thought his example would help the op of this thread…
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Julian0404
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There is a priest in my former parish who is a licensed Psychiatrist and works at a state hospital. He is not a friar, but if their Bishop permits it, then they can hold other responsibilities/jobs.Can you be a friar and still be a practicing doctor?? I mean God would have given you the gift to heal. should you not use it??
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JReducation
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As Brother said above, it depends on the community. You should know that even though the term “friar” is used by all the mendicant orders, not all orders of friars are the same. Let me see how I can say this better. There are orders of friars that have a very active apostolic life. These would probably welcome a physician. There are other orders of friars that are much more contemplative and would not be able to use the services of a physician.
The inquierer has to consider what charism he’s looking for. For example, the Carmelite Friars are canonically a clerical order. Therefore, they are much more oriented toward pastoral ministry than Franciscans. Franciscans, even though we do have ordained friars, are not a clerical religioius family. We have the Friars Minor Observants, usually simply called The Franciscans. They are a clerical branch of the order and are very oriented toward pastoral ministry.
The Friars Minor Capuchin are much more oriented toward service to the poor and less to parishes. They are not a clerical order. There would probably be more opportunity to use the talents of a physician since they often work with the very poor in areas such as pregnancy centers, homeless shelters, mental health, children’s homes, addicts and so forth.
The Dominicans are much more oriented to preaching and teaching. I’m not sure how much of an opportunity there would be for a physician in such ministry.
As you can see, there is great diversity among the friars. You should ask the Vocation Director of the order that attracts your attention. They can fill you in. As Brother said, ultimately it is up to the Major Superior to help you discern where you can best serve the Church and your brothers.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
The inquierer has to consider what charism he’s looking for. For example, the Carmelite Friars are canonically a clerical order. Therefore, they are much more oriented toward pastoral ministry than Franciscans. Franciscans, even though we do have ordained friars, are not a clerical religioius family. We have the Friars Minor Observants, usually simply called The Franciscans. They are a clerical branch of the order and are very oriented toward pastoral ministry.
The Friars Minor Capuchin are much more oriented toward service to the poor and less to parishes. They are not a clerical order. There would probably be more opportunity to use the talents of a physician since they often work with the very poor in areas such as pregnancy centers, homeless shelters, mental health, children’s homes, addicts and so forth.
The Dominicans are much more oriented to preaching and teaching. I’m not sure how much of an opportunity there would be for a physician in such ministry.
As you can see, there is great diversity among the friars. You should ask the Vocation Director of the order that attracts your attention. They can fill you in. As Brother said, ultimately it is up to the Major Superior to help you discern where you can best serve the Church and your brothers.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
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Cowfold
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There has been and there still is many medically qualified members of the Carthusian Order but, alas, there is no facility for them to carry on this vocation within the Carthusian life.
It might be of interest that Dom Pablo (Dom Thomas Verner Moore) who was instrumental in setting up the Charterhouse of the Transfiguration, Vermont was himself medically trained. Interesting also that Dom Pablo was not clothed as a Carthusian until he was 70. He was a Benedictine for many, many years before.
This is all the more interesting in that one of the Fathers at Parkminster died last year at the age of 93. He was a General Practitioner in Dublin before entering a Trappist community in Ireland for 12 years only to transfer to Parkminster in his late 40s.
It might be of interest that Dom Pablo (Dom Thomas Verner Moore) who was instrumental in setting up the Charterhouse of the Transfiguration, Vermont was himself medically trained. Interesting also that Dom Pablo was not clothed as a Carthusian until he was 70. He was a Benedictine for many, many years before.
This is all the more interesting in that one of the Fathers at Parkminster died last year at the age of 93. He was a General Practitioner in Dublin before entering a Trappist community in Ireland for 12 years only to transfer to Parkminster in his late 40s.
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JReducation
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Last month there was a priest on EWTN who is a practicing physician. If I’m not mistaken, he was a diocesan priest. I believe that he was on Fr. Benedict’s Sunday night show. I was fascinated to hear that there are about 100 priest physicians around the world. I didn’t think that the number would be as high. I know many religious brothers and religious sisters who are physicians, but these usually belong to communities that are in the healthcare field. The Alexians are a male religious community that do healthcare only. The Medical Mission Sisters are a female community that are involved in the same kind of apostolate. I don’t know anyone in what are called the Orders who are physicians, but there may be one or the other out there. The orders are tricky, because they usually do not identify with one specific apostolate, but with a spiritual tradition instead: Carmelite, Dominican, Franciscan, Augustinian, Benedictine, Carthusian, etc.
If I hear of anything like this, I’ll post it. It may be of interest to others.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
If I hear of anything like this, I’ll post it. It may be of interest to others.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
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grace88
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Thank you all for your help!
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