Poor Francis' New Decree Calls on Cloisters to Become More Worldly

Pope Francis calls upon Catholic women religious, whose members live in cloistered communities, to a greater engagement with the world.

Vatican City (KNA) Pope Francis calls upon Catholic women religious, whose members live in cloistered communities, to greater engagement with the world. The life of prayer and contemplation should not be lived as  a "retreat into itself," but must "embrace all mankind", according to a papal decree, which the Vatican published on Friday. The nuns should pray for prisoners, refugees, the persecuted and unemployed, so Francis. At the same time the Pope recognizes the indispensability of contemplative religious. They are a prophetic sign for all Christians.

Among the most famous contemplative women religious are the Carmelites or Poor Clares. They live strictly shielded from the outside world in their monasteries, which they may leave  only exceptionally. Canon law recognizes four different forms of strict cloisters. Contemplative female orders will in future decide on one of four forms of  cloister. According to the decree, there can be varying decrees within an order.

The so-called Apostolic Constitution of Francis bears the Latin title "Vultum  Dei Quaerere - The Search for the Face of God". With the letter he wanted to take into account the teaching of the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) in the face of a changing social and cultural context, the Pope explains. The last such piece of legislation dates back to the 1950s.

Francis is attempting with the decree to reverse the loss of members  at any price. "The recruiting of candidates from other countries with the sole purpose of establishing their own monastery should be absolutely avoided," it says in the text.

In the comprehensive 35-page letter (Italian version), the Pope deals with twelve points of religious life. Besides the cloister there  is training, prayer, the role of the biblical texts, the Eucharist and Confession, community life, autonomy, work, silence, communication and asceticism. Contemplative woman orders  will in future decide on one of four forms of cloister accordingly.

Francis emphasized the autonomy of the monasteries. It should be not only a canonical status; moreover, a "true autonomy of life" is necessary. A condition for this is a minimum number of nuns in a convent. Other conditions are that there is no aging populations and the dignity of liturgical life as well as ensuring the ability to economic survival. Otherwise, solutions will be sought in regard to the monasteries in question according to which the Pope will commission representatives of the local Church, the Vatican and the Order. At the same time, the Pope states that in future each monastery must belong to

an association, or a federation.

All previous Church legislation or previous decisions on religious life contrary to the new decree, Francis has abolished.

Future Establishment of Institutes of Consecrated Right Will Require Confirmation by Rome

New Centralization for Religious Communities

(Rome) For the future establishment of institutes of consecrated life of diocesan right,  there will need to be approval of  Rome. 

Institutes of Consecrated Life are officially described as Catholic religious orders whose members take public, perpetual or temporary vows, in which they promise to lead a life according to the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and and usually live in community. Religious life in the Church goes back to the 4th century AD.

Institute of diocesan and pontifical right

The Church distinguishes between institutes of diocesan right and those of pontifical right. While the latter are built by the Holy See and "directly and exclusively subject to  the authority of the Apostolic See," the former are established by a diocesan bishop in his own diocese and are also subject to his supervision and responsibility. However, the bishop decided this by virtue of its jurisdiction authority.

As a rule,  a small community of believers forms who want to live together collectively for a certain charism. They call on the diocesan bishop in whose diocese they live for canonical recognition. He checks the precepts, and the community for compliance with Catholic doctrine and ecclesiastical discipline. He examines especially the sustainability of the community. It's a process that takes several years until an acknowledgment is completed, as an institute of diocesan right. The recognition is first provisionally limited to a few years. After probation it is then unlimited.

After another year of positive development and spread of the Order, most ask for recognition as an institute of pontifical right. What a renewed evaluation period means and is again initially provisional and an indefinite probation.

Pope curtails rights of the bishops: the decree of establishment without Rome's consent null and void

Publication of the Rescript in today's Osservatore Romano

With Pope Francis' new centralization determination, the agreement of Rome's future is essential for the establishment of an institute of diocesan right.

Pope Francis chose a rescript ex audientiaa curtailment of the powers of the diocesan bishops. A diocesan bishop who wants to establish an Institute of diocesan right must obtain the consent of the Holy See. The Rescript firmly necessitates  Rome's consent ad validitatem. Above all, it holds the decree for an institute of diocesan right, which was established without the approval of Rome, null and void.

The Rescript dated on May 11,  was only published in yesterday's edition of the Osservatore Romano by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin. It says:

"The Holy Father Francis in the audience, which was granted to the undersigned secretary on April 4, 2016,  determined that the prior consultation of the Holy See is understood as necessary ad valididatem for the establishment of a diocesan institute of consecrated life, under penalty of the annulment of the decree establishing the institution itself. "

The rescript will enter into force 1 June 2016th

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: comboni.it/Osservatore Romano (Screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches....

AMDG

Pope Francis to Order: "No to Novice Trade, Otherwise We Will Form Little Monsters"

Edit: Also reported by Vatican Insider for a contrast.  It's unclear what he means by "novice trade", but it could refer to some orders which are growing, one in particular.  It's somewhat difficult to come to other conclusions looking at the topics for discussion.

(Rome) The Jesuit journal   La Civiltà Cattolica published an address by Pope Francis in its latest issue with the participants of the General Meeting of the Union of Superiors General (USG) of the last 29 November. "You have to form the heart, otherwise we will make little monsters", the Pope said.

At the curial headquarters of the Salesians at the General Meeting in Rome conducted the 82nd Assembly of the Union of Superiors General on 27 - 29 November 2013, 82nd.  Pope Francis personally took part, in contrast to previous general meetings on 29 November.

Pope Francis called on the religious superiors to put an end to the "novice business".  Civiltà Cattolica had published this with a notice to the new edition, which was published on the internet already yesterday.

The Pope on 29 November with 120 representatives of the Catholic Women's Orders. "You have to form the heart, or we will make little monsters. And then, these little monsters form the people of God. That gives me the creeps,"  is how Civiltà Cattolica cited the exhortation of Pope Francis to the Superiors. The quote is part of a detailed conversation between the Pope and the superiors about the challenges of religious life in today's world and the challenges in the Church.

Among the topics covered the Jesuit magazine writes:  "the complexity of life between grace and sin, the Prophetic being in our world; the brotherhood, the indictment of the" novice trade"; hypocrisy and fundamentalism; praise for Pope Benedict XVI. for his fight against child sexual abuse by clergy and the importance of charisms and the pressing challenges; the relationship between the religious and the bishops, the need of tenderness "to caress conflicts," and a jolt to awaken our unfeeling world. "

This edition of the Civilizations of Cattolica with the conversation appeared yesterday. On the Internet, they will be available from 15 clock in Italian, Spanish and English. Father Antonio Spadaro, the editor of the Jesuit magazine was one of the 120 religious superiors, the 29 November were received by Pope Francis. At 15 pages it summarizes the free and spontaneous approach proposed by Pope's address together.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
image: USG
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

Link to Katholisches...

15 Sisters of the Community of St. John Took Perpetual Vows -- New Monastery in Cordoba

(Madrid) 15 Sisters of the Community of St. John have made their last vows on the last 29th June in the parish of La Rambla in Cordoba.  The solemn profession was on  the occasion of the 100th Birthday of Father Marie Dominique  Philippe who died in 2006, whom the sisters consider their founder. The sisters are from Austria, England, France and Spain, where many family members were on hand to celebrate and witness the festive occasion of life surrender and consecration to the Lord.

The Mass was celebrated by  the Bishop of Cordoba, Demetrio Fernandez.  Bishop celebrated in the presence of the Vicar General and the Rector of the Seminary of the Diocese. The sisters have settled recently in the Diocese of Cordoba. 25 sisters of the Community live in the monastery near Cordoba  and worldwide there are now 150 sisters who lead a contemplative life, but without examination. The female branch of the St. John's community was founded on 8 December of 1982 and has been recognized since 1994 as a diocesan congregation.

Unlike other religious communities  St. John's puts both the same emphasis of importance the habits of both their female and the male branches.

The male branch, which now has some 600 brethren, arose from a merger of theology students to the Dominican priest and professor at the University of Freiburg in Uechtland, Marie Dominique Philippe, which was formed in 1975 and is recognized canon law since 1987. The mother house is in Rimont in France. He now has offices throughout Asia, Africa, America and Europe. In Austria, the Priory Queen Mary in Marchegg and in Switzerland, the Priory of Saint Jean in Geneva. In the Netherlands and Belgium, there are both brothers and sister communities of the Congregation.

Text: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: Community of St. John

Link to katholisches....

Contemplative Dominicans Revive Dominican Chant

Traditional Dominican Nuns have awakened those timeless melodies, whose goose the Vatican Council has tried to cook, to new life. -kreuz.net (Not of this Church)

(kreuz.net, Avrille)  The Traditional contemplative Dominicans of Avrille will celebrate soon their 25th year of existence.

This is according to their superior, Mother Marie-Emmanuel on 'laportelatine.org' the website of the French District of the Society of St. Pius X.

The 12,000 soul community of Avrille is near Angers in western France.

Not of this World

The life of the Dominican nuns is described by Mother Marie-Emmanuel as open, simple and balanced:  "It is filled with supernatural joy."

The lives of the Dominican nuns is "not of this world".

Free in the Prison of Love

On the way to heaven the same principle is valid as in the desert, in the arctic circle or climbing a mountain:  "To stay in the same place means death".

The cloistered nun says of the bars of the enclosure, that the sisters are prisoners of the love of God are unendingly free.

When a postulant enters the enclosure,   she is initially impressed by the silence, the simplicity and the love of neighbor.

The silence is filled with God's presence.

God Takes Away the Useless

The closer one comes to the source, the more the thirst for it grows.

A Dominican sister throws off all excess ballast, in order to find the face of Christ.

The divine bride simplifies the inner life of the soul and immediately takes the useless away.

Desire for Silence and Prayer

When asked about the call Sister explained that every soul has her own story.

She is a world unto herself and belongs to God.

When he calls, he gives everything that is necessary to follow the call.

For life in the Cloister it is necessary for the sister to have a thirst for God as well as a desire for silence and prayer.

The exteriorly inactive life uncovers an inexhaustible treasure.

Exclusively Facing God

A soul which has been called would find an active life dry and full of care.

It would not give everything that it could:  "It would seem as though she was stealing from God".

It is of the greatest importance, that God chooses some of His creatures to serve Him alone.

The Superior recalls that even with the hierarchies of angels, some are exclusively turned to face God.

They fertilize the -- increasingly non-existent -- Apostolate

Mother Marie-Emmanuel explains why the nuns in her cloister belong to the "Order of Preachers":

"The Dominicans take contemplation to the soul and the Dominican nuns carry the soul to contemplation."

The nuns preach in the silence of their hidden life.

They would never forget to pray for the holiness and blessings of others.

Their love is concerned with the -- very thin flow of-- apostolates of priests and missionaries.

No Competition 

The Sisters have good contacts with other traditional nuns -- Carmelites, Clares and Benedictinnes.

In the world of saints there is no competition. 

In a garden, which is apparently "so fruitful"  as the Holy Church, "every flower is happy with the spot that God has planted it."

She is happy for the beauty of all the other flowers.

For that reason, Mother Superior clearly knows, "that the foundations of the Church are shaken in this time."

The Old Sounds Are New

The Superior stresses, that her Cloister is restoring the Office of the ancient melodies of the Dominicans.

These tones were silenced after the catastrophe of the Council.

Finally, sister explained that her community is open to beginning anew.

Link to kreuz.net...

Whithering Beatnik Nuns Devoted to Environmentalism not Vocations

The following article actually mentions something key that:

As religious orders took root across the United States in the 19th century, they built networks of schools, hospitals and orphanages to provide services to the poor and marginalized. The rise of government and private programs, however, made many of these institutions obsolete.

It's not a question of going into obsolescence, but it's a question of auto-leisionism, or self-destruction. These gnostico-pantheists ought to be sorted out, given severance packages and sent packing. These Religious orders are becoming irrelevant because no one believes they are anything more than social workers.

The loyalty of these Massachusets Sisters rests more with Marxist pet causes like environmentalism than it is to their founding principles and their interest in things like this will be inversely related to the numbers of vocations they receive, which is a fairly good indicator of success.

Shrinking religious orders take up land conservation [Surely, it couldn't be as important as teaching Catechism to the poor or making altar breads]

Looking over the wooded parcel her Catholic order sold in 1992, Sister Chris Loughlin stood with arms folded, the regret on her face plain to see.

But Loughlin and her fellow Dominican sisters in Plainville, Mass., about 30 miles southwest of Boston, have more than made up for the loss of 10 acres from the former orchard that was bequeathed to the order in 1949.

Gesturing to surrounding fields and forests, Loughlin explained: "Now we have these 42 acres, and 32 of them are in a conservation restriction. So no matter what happens at this point, at least the land is preserved."

The old orchard is now home to the Crystal Springs Earth Learning Center, and the rambling farmhouse is the unassuming headquarters of a remarkable land conservation initiative, the Religious Lands Conservancy.

Launched by Loughlin in 2002 with the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition, the Religious Lands Conservancy has been instrumental in placing hundreds of acres owned by religious communities into conservation. With a faith-based mission to protect the Earth, Loughlin has approached congregations throughout the Northeast to broach the spiritual value of conservation.

It's not just a feel-good spiritual mission. During the past 40 years, the number of Catholic nuns has plummeted 66 percent, and the number of Catholic brothers by 60 percent. The financial strain of dwindling membership has resulted in lucrative -- and often attractive -- offers to sell the orders' land to developers.

Loughlin said that although religious orders are fading, their land could yet be a lasting legacy.

She is among a growing network of Catholic sisters who have reexamined their connection to the Earth in the context of their faith. Mary Evelyn Tucker, a professor of environmental and religious studies at Yale University, said the increasing involvement of religious groups in preservation is not simply a trend but also "the rediscovery of ancient traditions." [Wow]

"All the rituals of world religions are very much nature-based," she said.

The green-sister revolution is rooted in the teachings of the Rev. Thomas Berry, who before his death in June fostered the idea that the environmental crisis must also be understood as a spiritual crisis. Sister Miriam MacGillis, a Dominican nun who has been at the forefront of the movement, said Berry's perspective shifted her work "quite radically" to encompass a respect for all life on Earth.

Ever since MacGillis helped found the 226-acre Genesis Farm and its Earth studies center in Blairstown, N.J., in 1980, Catholic sisters across the United States and Canada have woven environmental justice and community-supported agriculture into their religious vocation.

Living in Massachusetts -- the nation's third-most densely populated state -- the Dominican sisters of Plainville are helping to save a critical habitat, said Bob Wilber, director of land protection for the Massachusetts Audubon Society, and their foresight has helped spark conversations with other orders.

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