St. Martin de Porres
His story is so extraordinary...
Today there are no lay brothers like him. They pretty much abolished the vocation. Everyone must be somebody now.
They say 3000 people leave religious life each year.
Everyone must be somebody now.
I'd like more information about that number; is it those who professed perpetual vows, postulants like one I heard of in a homily, who went to the convent at the same time the priest telling the story went to the seminary; 15 years later and he celebrated his 10th anniversary of ordination. She left the convent 3 weeks after her arrival, upon realizing that the nuns didn't sit around at Adoration all the time but they had work to do; cooking, cleaning, etc. And Friars, aren't their vows renewable? What about those in seminary for religious orders? For me, there's a huge difference between someone leaving religious life if: a) they haven't made perpetual vows yet, or; b) their vows are renewable rather than perpetual and leaving despite having made perpetual vows. It would also be interesting to learn how many are dissidents who are now finally making their split with the Church official.
ReplyDeleteIf the Holy See had to grant a dispensation than the vows were most likely perpetual although in some cases it they would be temporary vows, depending on the circumstances.
ReplyDeleteThese numbers would not be about postulants or novices or temporary professed who asked to leave on their own.
As sad as I am to see these numbers they don't surprise me as the years after perpetual profession are crucial. The article specifically stated that there are many young religious seeking dispensation.
And no, friars' vows aren't renewable. They make perpetual/solemn profession after a certain number of years in temporary vows.
It's a reflection of our culture.
As for laybrothers...the Dominican Order is working very hard to renew the laybrother vocation in the Order! Pray for this!
"Everybody must be someone now."
ReplyDeleteI know. Just look at the phenomenon of blogs.
What?
On a serious note, thank you for always having a thought-provoking blog--it gets the creative juices bubbling.
Scott - you are right about the blogs - my involvement too.
ReplyDeleteMy guess is that God actually wants you to blog--that it is part of your vocation. But I don't think that's always the case...
Delete