Okay, I have what may be an odd question, but here goes...

How does one go about 'starting' a new community? Specifically a community of a particular order? Or, how would one go about bringing a community or order to a specific part of the country? Would one need to join a community elsewhere and then somehow 'split', or something?

I'm just curious, because there are very few communities in the Northwest (I would almost bet to say no communities that are active and wear a habit). It seems that if there is no presence of religious life, it would be difficult to foster vocations.

Thoughts? Comments?

There are a few communities:

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady of Sorrows (OR)
Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon (OR, site shows younger sisters in habit)


You need to ask Gemma about actually starting communities.

well..first off..
Bishops... Bishops, Bishops...cant live with em, cant live without em...sigh
for something that i may be a first part of that is 'new' yet ancient...i may actually have to go to a small place in Italy, due to Bishops.......one must have zealous, favorable, risk -taking, and wise Bishop(s)..who invite communities..and to support you as well..or a good thing that has begun....will not continue....

In your first paragraph, I think you're talking about 2 separate things: starting an order; and an established order making a new foundation in another part of the country.

If starting an order, one would have to get the new charism down on paper, and try to include a habit sketch if possible, if a habit was given. As EJames mentioned, working with the bishop is going to make or break a new foundation. And whatever anyone does, don't wear the habit before talking to the bishop! The habit comes at a much later stage, and we're starting to see inconsistencies between dioceses as to when new communities can wear the habit. I'm sure a few PMers have noticed this--for instance the Sisters in Jesus the Lord and the Daughters of St. Joseph (who, by the way, have updated their website after sharpening the focus of their charism).

Communities like the Nashville and Ann Arbor Dominicans have missions, and in your case, either one taking over a school in your area would be considered opening a mission for them. The community would not be splitting, they would simply be out on mission.

The Ann Arbor Dominicans split from the Nashville Dominicans. That is a "split" in the proper use of the term, but it was an amicable split, not one caused by dissension. An example of the latter would be the Sisters of St. Joseph the Worker splitting off of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth after Vatican II.

Starting a new community of a particular order--I've known a handful of cases like this. Depends on whether or not the founders are already members of the order. If so, and the community grows for 10 years, then they not only get diocesan approval, but also get grafted onto the order's tree, so to say. The Ann Arbor Dominicans are a very good example of this.

In the history of religious orders, we often read of Third Order Secular members gathering to do apostolic work and this evolves into their taking the rule of the Third Order Regular (from the Latin "regula" meaning "rule"). The example that pops to mind right now are the foundresses of the Hawthorne Dominicans.

Bringing a few sisters to your part of the country would start with your local bishop. Make a diplomatic request to your local chancery--and try to be specific with whatever order you wish to see there. The order may not have the personnel to fulfill the request, but if the bishop is truly understanding of your desires (and it helps to have other people sign on who feel the same way), his persistence with writing yearly requests may eventually get results.

There are quite a few orders historically situated in the NW, but almost all of them went wiggy after Vatican II.

Traditionally speaking, the new Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Church just split from the CMRI sedevacantist group in Spokane, WA. This is a very interesting development warranting continued observation. The "split" seems to be a result of the prayers of Mother Teresa's sisters, the Missionaries of Charity, who recently opened a house in Spokane. The bishop requested that they make a foundation there specifically for the purpose of praying for the Mount St. Michael group (the CMRI). Of course, the MCs are doing other works as well, but one of the main reasons for the invitation was to take care of the spiritually bereft situation in the Spokane diocese.

HTH.

Blessings,
Gemma