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