CATHOLIC RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES

Yesterday and Today

From the Beginnings of the Monastic Movement to the Twentieth Century

History

The Desert Fathers

Men who went into the desert to become closer to God

St. Antony was the most important

St. Pachomius established the first monasteries and wrote the first Religious Rule to incorporate the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience St. Antony of the Desert Monastery,

Egypt, is one of the oldest monasteries in the world

First Monastic Communities

Throughout the Middle East and northern Africa, others followed Pachomius’ example

Basil of Caesarea established communities for both men and, working with his sister Macrina, women

The Rule Basil wrote for his communities would become the basis for Orthodox monasticism

St. Benedict

Benedict of Nursia established a religious community at Monte Cassino, Italy

The Rule he (The Benedictine Rule) wrote for the monks there would become the basis for monastic life in the Catholic Church

The order he founded still flourishes in the Church today

First built in the 7th century; it has been rebuilt several times. The most recent was in the late 20th century after its almost complete destruction during World War II.

Benedict’s Abbey at Monte Cassino

Medieval Monasticism

Communities for both monks and nuns were established throughout Europe

Communities were often open only to those who were wealthy

Communities were required to be self sufficient Many had farms worked either by peasants or

by “lay” brothers and sisters Monks and nuns were the only educated people

in Europe during the 8th through 11th centuries

A reconstruction of the abbey’s cloister

Battle Abbey, England

A Medieval nun at prayer

Monk in Scriptorum

Medieval monks and nuns spent

much of their time copying books for use

both in the monastery and in

churches and chapels

throughout Europe

Liturgy of the Hours

Both monks and nuns spent a part of their day in Chapel reciting the Liturgy of the Hours.

The Liturgy of the Hours is seven periods of prayer and Scripture readings that are scattered throughout the day and night.

A New Type of Religious Life – The Mendicants In the 12th century there began to be the

need for a more flexible type of religious community

This need was met by the formation of new orders called “mendicants”

Mendicants could travel from place to place and minister to the specific needs of the people, both as parish priests and in other ministries

The Order of Friars Minor

Founded by St. Francis of Assisi

Commonly called “Franciscans”

Practiced absolute poverty

Worked with the poor, preached, became doctors, later were missionaries

The Order of Preachers

Founded by St. Dominic de Guzman

Commonly called Dominicans

Founded to preach to and convert heretics

Became teachers (especially in universities), pastors, confessors and later missionaries

Mendicant Orders were open only to men

Although both Francis and Dominic did found orders for women, these orders were cloistered

Today, there are active orders of Franciscans and Dominicans for women

New Orders for the 16th CenturyAfter the Protestant Reformation, religious life in the Catholic Church changed again:

There was a need for teachers to teach the Catholic faith in an age when Protestants were converting Catholics throughout Europe

There was a need for missionaries to preach the faith to the peoples of Asia and the Americas as Christianity spread beyond Europe and northern Africa for the first time

The Society of Jesus

The Jesuits, founded by St. Ignatius Loyola

Founded to become missionaries. They were active in both Asia and the French and Spanish colonies of the Americas

Became teachers, especially to the upper classes of Europe. Jesuit schools even today are known for the academic excellence

Jesuit led retreats, based on “The Spiritual Exercises” of St. Ignatius Loyola, are also popular.

The Christian Brothers

Founded by John Baptist de La Salle in France

Mission: to teach the children of the poor

La Salle founded the first school to teach teachers and established the first Catholic elementary schools

He is the patron saint of teachers

Active Orders for Women

For the first time, communities of women began to leave their monasteries and converts and work “in the world”

Most of these new communities were teaching or nursing orders and most worked primarily with women and children

The Daughters of Charity

Founded in Paris by St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac to serve poor women and children

The first religious order for women to not be cloistered

Active religious orders for women expanded considerably throughout the 18th and 19th centuries

Elizabeth SetonFounder American Daughters of Charity

Katherine DrexelFounder of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament

Frances CabriniFounder of Missionary Sisters of Sacred Heart of Jesus

Religious Life Today

Today there are two types of religious communities: Contemplative – live and work in their monasteries

and convents Active – live in community, but work “in the world”

All members of religious communities take the three vows of poverty, chastity and obedience

All communities have a specific “habit” – something in their clothing that identifies them as belonging to that particular community

The Evangelical Counsels

Poverty – to own little; to live simply Chastity – to remain unmarried; no

sexual relations; no exclusive relationships

Obedience – to God; to the Rule of your community; to your religious Superior

Different communities may interpret these a little differently

Contemplative Communities

Live and work within their community Spend much of their day in prayer –

including the Liturgy of the Hours Communities must be self sufficient Some are more modern than others Most allow the monks and nuns to leave

the community briefly to spend time with family or to attend school or workshops

A Typical Daily Schedule . . .

From Gethsemane Abbey in Kentucky3:15 Vigils5:45 Lauds6:15 Eucharist7:00 Breakfast8:00 Work12:15 Sext12:30 Dinner1:30 Work; leisure; private prayer

5:30 Vespers 6:00 Supper 7:00 Rosary 7:30 Compline 8:00 private time

until bed

Contemplative Orders include . . . Benedictines (men and women) Trappists (men) Carthusians (men) Domincans (women) Poor Clares (women)

Carthusian monk in a French community

Monks in Wyoming at Recreation

Cistercian Brothers chanting

Abbey of Gethsemane, Kentucky

Traditional Benedictine nun

Dominicans nuns at prayer

Benedictine sisters in Wisconsin

Active Communities

Work “in the world” Often may work at any job that does not

contradict Church teaching and beliefs, but most work for the Church in some capacity

Live in community Attend Mass daily; pray a modified form

of the Liturgy of the Hours

Sister of Charity tutoring children

Christian brothers

Most active orders in the Church today are for women

Active orders for both men and women have experienced a decline in membership in the past 50 years