Diocesan Hermit

[Zoe1188]

Does anyone have any experience with this vocation, I just recently found out about it and im curious to learn more :detective:

[veritasluxmea]

I meet one once, well sort of. I saw him at a distance when I visited a Franciscan monastery. He was their chaplain. From what I learned through conversation, it's a pretty rare vocation, and he started out as a diocesan priest first and then transferred over. He still had contact with people through mass and confessions, and was in the nun's vicinity even though they didn't talk to each other (the nuns lived in silence and so did he, I guess). So he wasn't *completely* isolated, like he still visually saw people each day. That's all I know. 

[puellapaschalis]

There's one in a diocese I used to live in: http://www.beslotentuin.nl/en/

 

Great guy, wicked sense of humour, generous with his time when people come to him in spiritual need. Perhaps if you sent him a message he could help you - but there's also some information on there about the spirituality.

[BarbTherese]

This blog from Stillsong Hermitage by Sr Laurel O'Neale (professed diocesan hermit) is a wonderful and most often reliable resource on many matters relating to vocations, including primarily perhaps diocesan hermit matters.

 

http://notesfromstillsong.blogspot.com.au/2014/05/fraudulent-catholic-hermits-is-it-big.html

 

My own diocesan authority is most reluctant to undertake those aspiring to diocesan hermit and also consecrated virginity.  I think that this is probably because he is already absolutely bogged down with many diocesan matters, responsibilities and general workload.  Consecrated virgins and diocesan hermits fall under the jurisdiction of the bishop and him alone insofar as I am aware and he needs to have the time available to do these vocations justice.

This, to me, reflects and mirrors in a way that problem with religious communities that have certain criteria in place for accepting aspirants - and regularly this criteria often can exclude quite a few. 

 

[Gabriela]

I think it makes sense that it's a rare vocation, and not one to be taken on lightly. Without the direction of a community and superior, those living in solitude can easily stray from the path or become quite eccentric. It's important, even in the solitary vocations, to have a good SD. It might be even better to live with a community for a while, to receive good formation in the religious life, and only then to step out on one's own (with God, of course!). There are quite a few communities of hermits in the US where you could inquire about being formed with the intent of eventually becoming a diocesan hermit.

Edited October 19, 2014 by curiousing