The Difference Between Orders And Institutes

[carmenchristi]

So there was a bit of confusion of the difference between Orders and Institutes. I don't have much time to cite the specific aspects, maybe later I can add to this if there are still questions, but the answer is quite simple. An "Order" would refer to a long-time established group of religious (often with "Institutes" aggregated to it or branched off from it), the most recent of which being the Jesuits. I'll explain. Today, no one can found a new "Order" though the terminology is often applied for simplicity's sake, or from ignorance. Some examples of religious "Orders" would be: Carmelite, Franciscan, Dominican ecc. But this is not to be confused with "spiritualities" either. For example, the Franciscan Order does not specifically include all the million off-shoots of Franciscanism, but only includes the Friars Minor, the Friars Minor Conventual, and the Friars Minor Cappucian (not sure if the Third Order of the Renewal fits in there or not), and that's it. So I'm a Franciscan sister, but I don't specifically belong the the Franciscan "Order", but to a Franciscan Institute "aggregated" (which means formally joined to in a non-giuridical way) to the Friars Minor Conventual. So "Order" is more of a technical term, that applies to only a few realities. Infact, Canon Law makes no mention of "Orders" in the sense of religious orders, but entitles the section dealing with religious life, "Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life". In the end, the differences are technical, and the general population makes no notice of them, mainly because they are not essential. So if you pay attention to the web-sites of various realities of consecrated life, you will notice that they almost always use the term "Institute", "Congregation", "Community" and rarely, if ever use the word "Order" unless they are referring to the actual Order that they are branched off from. Here's a good example of the use of the two terms: [url="http://nashvilledominican.org/Apostolate/Bringing_Christ_to_the_World"]http://nashvilledominican.org/Apostolate/Bringing_Christ_to_the_World[/url] "In our [b]Congregation’s[/b] one hundred and fifty year history, we have lived the motto of the [b]Order[/b], 'to contemplate and to give to others the fruits of our contemplation,'".
So this is getting really technical, and also pretty boring, so I'll stop. If anyone has questions (or corrections for me!) please reply.
Hope this helps.

[Lisa]

Not boring- very helpful! And love your new tag

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

Thanks for the explanation--makes sense to me, and it wasn't boring at all!

And, you got your "Religious" tag so fast! That's great!

[FutureSister2009]

Starting to make more sense to me

[faithcecelia]

Thank you. I had avoided attempting an answer on the other thread, and while on the right line I wouldn't have been accurate, so thanks again.

[carmenchristi]

Glad it was helpful.... and thanks to whoever added the tag! I didn't even have time to ask for it and someone gave it to me

[Sarah147]

Is there anything an Order VS. an Institute would do differently?

Are they both final Professed and recognized by the Vatican?

Do they both follow poverty, chatity and obedience?

Are they both actually "Sisters"?

Why aren't they part of an Order?

Are Communities and Congregations the same as an Institute?

[Maximilianus]

[quote name='JoyfulLife' timestamp='1309287080' post='2259791']
Is there anything an Order VS. an Institute would do differently?

Are they both final Professed and recognized by the Vatican?

Do they both follow poverty, chatity and obedience?

Are they both actually "Sisters"?

Why aren't they part of an Order?

Are Communities and Congregations the same as an Institute?
[/quote]


From [url="http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/rc_con_ccscrlife_profile_en.html"]http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/rc_con_ccscrlife_profile_en.html[/url]

"Some Institutes are called Orders: these are Institutes in which, for historical reasons or because of their character or nature, solemn vows are made by at least some of the members. All members of these orders are called regulars, and if they are women they are called nuns [i]("moniales").[/i] Other religious institutes are called congregations, or religious congregations. Their members are called religious of simple vows (can. 1192.2). The orders are older than the congregations."

If you read the rest it will explain a few other other things, it doesn't cover communities as a term used to decribe a group in consecrated life so I'm guessing that 'communtiy' is a generic term used similarly to how religious order is used to cover Institutes and Societies of Apostolic Life.

[Lilllabettt]

The big difference between an Order and a Congregation/Institute is that members of Orders take solemn vows. Women who take solemn vows are called nuns.

Congregations/Institutes etc. take simple perpetual vows. Women who take simple perpetual vows are not nuns, they are "Sisters"

The differences between solemn and simple perpetual vows are not as emphasized today, but they do exist ... solemn vows may only be dispensed by the Pope, for example, while simple vows can be dispensed by the local Bishop. A nun in solemn vows who attempts marriage gets an INVALID marriage - the marriage vows don't "take." A Sister in simple perpetual vows who tries to get married does in fact get a valid marriage - she is really married, just illicitly. A nun preparing for solemn vows must sign over her property to someone else; a Sister in simple perpetual vows surrenders the right to USE her property, but not her right to own it.

Nuns with solemn vows are also almost always cloistered. The "active" exceptions I can think of are certain Benedictines, Visitation communities that still run schools, and certain Canonnesses.

[Sarah147]

Is taking perpetual vows as a Sister in an Institute a real commitment? I mean, it is different from solemn vows in an Order... They could even leave at any time in their life as it isn't solemn, right? Does the Vatican and God consider perpetual professed Sisters in an Institute to be real Religious, not laity?

[Sarah147]

Also, what goes into discerning a call to an Institute VS. an Order? What kind of a calling is it?



God bless you!

[carmenchristi]

[quote name='JoyfulLife' timestamp='1309376945' post='2260377']
Is taking perpetual vows as a Sister in an Institute a real commitment? I mean, it is different from solemn vows in an Order... They could even leave at any time in their life as it isn't solemn, right? Does the Vatican and God consider perpetual professed Sisters in an Institute to be real Religious, not laity?
[/quote]


Returning to Max' quote:
"Some Institutes are called Orders: these are Institutes in which, for historical reasons or because of their character or nature, solemn vows are made by at least some of the members. All members of these orders are called regulars, and if they are women they are called nuns [i]("moniales").[/i] Other religious institutes are called congregations, or religious congregations. Their members are called religious of simple vows (can. 1192.2). The orders are older than the congregations."

So yes, members of religious Institutes are [i]real [/i]religious in the eyes of God and the Church. Thus, they cannot arbitrarily leave their Institute. Although indults can be granted for both solemnly and simply professed religious, this is only for VERY serious cases.
Can. 691 §1. A perpetually professed religious is not to request an indult of departure from an institute except for the gravest of causes considered before the Lord. The religious is to present a petition to the supreme moderator of the institute who is to transmit it along with a personal opinion and the opinion of the council to the competent authority.

Lillabett explained quite well the differences. I don't have anything to add, but I think she may have confused the poverty part. Perhaps it differs from Institute to Institute, but in our constitutions one renounces the USE of goods at the time of temporary vows and the RIGHT TO OWN with perpetual vows and with a legal document where possible. I believe believe that this is a universal practice, but could be mistaken. Anyway, it obviously does not only apply to nuns.

As far as discerning institute VS order... already the fact that one is discerning a religious vocation comprends this concept. As you search for a community, if you are called, you will eventually begin to be drawn to one whether be is an "Order" or an "Institute". The same principles apply. I personally don't see much of a necessity to specifically discern Order/Institute, because your general discernment will lead you one way or another.

[emmaberry]

[quote name='Lilllabettt' timestamp='1309299724' post='2259920']
The big difference between an Order and a Congregation/Institute is that members of Orders take solemn vows. Women who take solemn vows are called nuns.

Congregations/Institutes etc. take simple perpetual vows. Women who take simple perpetual vows are not nuns, they are "Sisters"

The differences between solemn and simple perpetual vows are not as emphasized today, but they do exist ... solemn vows may only be dispensed by the Pope, for example, while simple vows can be dispensed by the local Bishop. A nun in solemn vows who attempts marriage gets an INVALID marriage - the marriage vows don't "take." A Sister in simple perpetual vows who tries to get married does in fact get a valid marriage - she is really married, just illicitly. A nun preparing for solemn vows must sign over her property to someone else; a Sister in simple perpetual vows surrenders the right to USE her property, but not her right to own it.

Nuns with solemn vows are also almost always cloistered. The "active" exceptions I can think of are certain Benedictines, Visitation communities that still run schools, and certain Canonnesses.
[/quote]

I know this is an older response, but I was searching PM for an answer to my simple vs solemn vows question, and this answered it simply, yet gave me all the info I needed to understand and all explain the info to others. Thanks!