|
Post by hibernicus on Oct 1, 2015 21:00:36 GMT
Two stories in the latest issue of the IRISH CATHOLIC highlight the theme of this thread. The Kiltegan Fathers are moving their headquarters from Co. Wicklow to Nairobi because of the shortage of Irish vocations, and Loreto House on St Stephen's Green is closing (with the remaining nuns being dispersed among other Loreto communities) because there aren't enough nuns to keep it going.
|
|
|
Post by Alaisdir Ua Séaghdha on Oct 2, 2015 7:58:40 GMT
Not surprising. The Columban headquarters has been in Hong Kong for some time.
|
|
|
Post by hibernicus on Apr 19, 2016 19:40:46 GMT
|
|
|
Post by hibernicus on Jan 5, 2020 20:32:38 GMT
The Oratorians are not strictly speaking a religious order (they're a confederation of houses of missionary priests, and don't take the three vows in the form taken by religious orders) but it's worth noting here the announcement that an Oratory in formation is being established at St Kevin's in Harrington Street, Dublin with the approval of Archbishop Martin. It consists of two priests and two brothers training for the priesthood, and there will be several years' trial before a decision is taken on its permanency.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2020 14:48:09 GMT
The Oratorians are not strictly speaking a religious order (they're a confederation of houses of missionary priests, and don't take the three vows in the form taken by religious orders) but it's worth noting here the announcement that an Oratory in formation is being established at St Kevin's in Harrington Street, Dublin with the approval of Archbishop Martin. It consists of two priests and two brothers training for the priesthood, and there will be several years' trial before a decision is taken on its permanency. Excuse my ignorance, but what impact (if any) will this Oratory have on the parish? Is this considered a unanimously positive development?
|
|
|
Post by hibernicus on Jan 7, 2020 22:02:22 GMT
None for the present, except that the students will help out in the parish. Presumably if the Oratory were made permanent (which can't happen for several years) the Oratorians would run the parish in the same way that other religious orders run parishes in the archdiocese. Oratorians also traditionally act as chaplains in jails, hospitals etc and as relief clergy to help out diocesan seculars (indeed I think they are still ordained for the individual diocese rather than the Congregation). Several Oratories have been founded in Britain in recent years (besides the old-established London and Birmingham ones). Oxford I think is mainly university chaplaincy (taking over from the Jesuits who used to run the church attached to the Oratory); York is in the city centre at St Wilfrid's and I'm not sure how populous the parish is. I have never seen the Cardiff, Salford or Bournemouth Oratories so I don't know how they operate.
Since the initiative was only announced last Sunday it's a bit early to gauge the parishioners' reaction.
|
|
|
Post by hibernicus on May 12, 2020 18:33:43 GMT
This poem by John Betjeman may be relevant here, even though it refers to the last member of an Anglican rather than a Catholic [women's] order. Bear in mind that whereas the Catholic Church has regulations for winding down a dying Order (which usually involve sending the few remaining members to a convent of another order) Anglican religious orders for much of the time since their revival in the wake of the Oxford Movement have tended to be marginal and unofficial (often not formally under the authority of the local bishop) so that the situation of an isolated last survivor described in the poem is more plausible. H/t to Fr Hunwicke, who explains at the link below why the sanctuary lamp mentioned in the poem is white, not red: liturgicalnotes.blogspot.com/2020/05/is-patrimony-red-or-white.htmlfamouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/john_betjeman/poems/849
|
|
|
Post by hibernicus on Nov 11, 2021 23:31:47 GMT
The post linked below gives an example (from experience) of some of the problems that can beset religious orders. In this case the order was a traditionalist one but I've heard similar descriptions of how certain liberal orders use similar techniques to justify oppressing those who don't get with the programme. Anyone aware of religious history will be aware of similar problems recurring in religious orders throughout the Church's history. This isn't because religious life is bad but because it is vulnerable to certain disorders which need to be guarded against. The author's warning against fluffy-bunny idealisation of nuns, the danger of developing a "cosplay" mentality, overextension with new foundations to create an appearance of growth, and the appeal to "charity" and "obedience" to foster and maintain a personality cult have applications far beyond the specific case. gaudiumetspes22.com/2021/11/10/guest-blog-thoughts-on-spiritual-abuse-rewilding-and-the-discalced-laity/
|
|