FutureSister2009 Posted March 21, 2011 Posted March 21, 2011 I'm just curious. Do you have to already be a Sister to found an Order or can someone who is certain of their Vocation go ahead and create one after getting it approved? I know this question is bizarre but I've always wondered.
OnlySunshine Posted March 21, 2011 Posted March 21, 2011 I've heard of instances of both religious women and non-religious women forming their own orders. Sr. Rosalind Moss is one that comes to mind as she was not a religious before she founded the Daughters of Mary, Mother of Our Hope. She has been through a year of formation with the Visitation Nuns and has decided to move her foundation, with the permission of the bishop in Tulsa, OK, to his diocese. She has [u][b]70[/b][/u] applicants already! She has decided to allow a dozen women to enter to help her found the order, but she is still looking for a suitable convent in Tulsa. Here is the latest interview: [url="http://stlouiscatholic.blogspot.com/2011/03/hold-nothing-back-from-god-interview.html"]St Louis Catholic interview with Sr. Rosalind[/url] Also, one of the orders I discerned with had a founder, Bl. Maria Teresa, who was not religious before she founded the order of the Carmelite Sisters of the Divine Heart of Jesus. She was very devoted to St. Teresa of Avila and God gave her some visions in dreams that she was to found an order that had the spirit of the Discalced Carmelites but would combine it with the active apostolate of caring for children and the elderly. The order is thriving today with convents in St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, Texas, etc. Their generalate/motherhouse is in Sittard in the Netherlands. Mother, herself, was Lutheran before converting to the Catholic faith. Her is her biography written by the Sisters: [url="http://carmelitedcj.org/foundress.asp"]Bl. Maria Teresa of St. Joseph[/url] I believe you have to have an exact outline of the idea of the order and a rule must be in place whether it be Augustinian, the Rule of St. Albert (Carmelites), etc. This is usually talked about through the bishop and/or the delegate for the religious in the diocese and they must give permission for the founding of the order. The order first starts out as a private association of the faithful. After a period of time and through the request of the religious to advance their status, the bishop audits the order and he decides if the order can progress to the status of a public association of the faithful. The next two steps are "religious community of diocesan right" and then "religious community of Pontifical right." The last two take several years, even decades to get approval for and total obedience to the Bishop/Magisterium is called for. I suggest that if you are thinking about founding your own order, that you talk to your priest of your parish and he can direct you to the person you should talk to next. One must have abundant graces from God to do this mission because it is not easy. Bl. Maria Teresa had objections from Bishops and the faithful but she stood strong because it was Jesus who was motivating her and giving her the grace to fulfill His will.
MithLuin Posted March 21, 2011 Posted March 21, 2011 It can work either way, but it is generally good to have the help of another order with formation and such. No one wants to start the religious life 'from scratch' and there's a lot to be learned from people who have already been living the vows. Many of the saints who started religious orders of their own did spend a significant amount of time 'hanging out with' another religious order (ie, living in a guest house at a monastery or something like that) and participating in their life in some way to learn what it means. And others leave their order to found a new one, such as Mother Teresa. Or reform an existing order, like the Discalced Carmelites. And schismatic orders that rejoin the Church at the very least need catechesis, which they generally get from another order. I realize that's not the same as a 'new' order, but same idea.
emilier98 Posted March 21, 2011 Posted March 21, 2011 [quote name='vee8' timestamp='1300745419' post='2222154'] How? I think you have to be like really really [/quote] Then why haven't you founded one? You could found the Phatmass Sisters of the perpetual online chat session.
LaPetiteSoeur Posted March 22, 2011 Posted March 22, 2011 [quote name='emilier98' timestamp='1300750265' post='2222176'] Then why haven't you founded one? You could found the Phatmass Sisters of the perpetual online chat session. [/quote] ::
Mary Magdalene Posted March 22, 2011 Posted March 22, 2011 [quote name='emilier98' timestamp='1300750265' post='2222176'] Then why haven't you founded one? You could found the Phatmass Sisters of the perpetual online chat session. [/quote] haha nice one!!
FutureSister2009 Posted March 23, 2011 Author Posted March 23, 2011 The other people who answered were nice about it. Why are the others being mean to me?
OnlySunshine Posted March 23, 2011 Posted March 23, 2011 [quote name='FutureSister2009' timestamp='1300915730' post='2222737'] The other people who answered were nice about it. Why are the others being mean to me? [/quote] Hun, they weren't trying to be mean to you. Vee8 was kidding and all those who posted after her were responding to her post. They weren't responding to you.
Lil'Monster Posted March 23, 2011 Posted March 23, 2011 [quote name='emilier98' timestamp='1300750265' post='2222176'] Then why haven't you founded one? You could found the Phatmass Sisters of the perpetual online chat session. [/quote] that would be sweet! lol
Lil'Monster Posted March 23, 2011 Posted March 23, 2011 [quote name='FutureSister2009' timestamp='1300915730' post='2222737'] The other people who answered were nice about it. Why are the others being mean to me? [/quote] dont worry about vee shes just a dork!
vee Posted March 23, 2011 Posted March 23, 2011 [quote name='emilier98' timestamp='1300750265' post='2222176'] Then why haven't you founded one? You could found the Phatmass Sisters of the perpetual online chat session. [/quote] YESSSSsssssSSSS!!!!! or PSPC for short!
vee Posted March 23, 2011 Posted March 23, 2011 [quote name='FutureSister2009' timestamp='1300915730' post='2222737'] The other people who answered were nice about it. Why are the others being mean to me? [/quote] MM was right that wasnt directed at you. I made my comment thinking of stories like those of Mother Angelica, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, and Teresa of Avila to name a few and what they had to endure. Im not sure about the stories of what the foundresses of more recent Communities such as the Sisters of LIfe, and the DSMME had to go through but in each case they are not crazy in the bad sense of the word. They are crazy for God, and it was God's will for them.
krissylou Posted March 23, 2011 Posted March 23, 2011 Yes yes, teasing vee is just good clean fun. So sorry if you felt caught in the crossfire!
emilier98 Posted March 24, 2011 Posted March 24, 2011 [quote name='FutureSister2009' timestamp='1300915730' post='2222737'] The other people who answered were nice about it. Why are the others being mean to me? [/quote] I am so very sorry. I was not trying to be mean, I was simply responding to Vee8. My humblest apologies for having offended you.
emilier98 Posted March 24, 2011 Posted March 24, 2011 [quote name='vee8' timestamp='1300918187' post='2222756'] YESSSSsssssSSSS!!!!! or PSPC for short! [/quote] We could found the order in Hawaii. Our habits could be board shorts and some sort of top and the veil made of swimsuit material. lol
BarbTherese Posted March 24, 2011 Posted March 24, 2011 [quote name='FutureSister2009' timestamp='1300719416' post='2222067'] I'm just curious. Do you have to already be a Sister to found an Order or can someone who is certain of their Vocation go ahead and create one after getting it approved? I know this question is bizarre but I've always wondered. [/quote] I dont know much at all about founding a religious order. My thoughts are that you probably would need with you others who are living your thoughts re a religious order or 'the lifestyle' you have in mind, but as I say, I really dont know much at all about it. I would tend to think that the best way to go would be to speak to your Vocations Director in your diocese for some straight answers. I am pretty sure it is a process governed by Canon Law in that your group starts out as a private association of the faithful or a lay group. From there, I think you need to meet certain criteria of Canon Law before you can actually form a religious order including always the approval of your Bishop. You will find Canon Law here: http://www.ourladyswarriors.org/canon/ Scroll down to: CHAPTER II : PUBLIC ASSOCIATIONS OF CHRIST'S FAITHFUL If you scroll down further, you will see "Religious Insitutes" God bless - Barb
FutureSister2009 Posted March 29, 2011 Author Posted March 29, 2011 Well I'm asking since I'm still going crazy about my Vocation. There is the Order that I love dearly with all my heart, and then there's also the Carmelites but I don't think I have the temperment for them unfortunately. I have an idea for an Order but I don't know if it would work out. And now I'm not so sure if I really know what my Vocation is.
LaboureSociety Posted March 29, 2011 Posted March 29, 2011 [quote name='emilier98' timestamp='1300750265' post='2222176'] Then why haven't you founded one? You could found the Phatmass Sisters of the perpetual online chat session. [/quote] L O L !
LaboureSociety Posted March 29, 2011 Posted March 29, 2011 I always wanted to found the Dominican Sisters of Saint Thomas Aquinas and we would all do doctoral work in Rome and teach at universities. That was my dream... lol. Now, I'm getting married.
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