by Therese Ivers, JCL

In browsing the web, I came across the story of a lady who became a consecrated virgin living in the world.  Later, she joined a religious community, and is a solemnly professed member there.  While the vocation of consecrated virginity is certainly compatible with that of religious life (the Rite has two options; one is for religious virgins and the other is for virgins in the world), it is unusual for a consecrated virgin to become a religious because consecrated virginity in and of itself is a definitive vocation.  Hence, this Sister’s story prompted me to reflect a little more deeply on vocational discernment and share some thoughts on what are seen as “stepping stone” vocations.

Stepping Stone Vocational Myth #1: People Should Become Diocesan Hermits to Form Religious Communities

There is a popular theory floating around, that a simple way to get canonical recognition and to start a religious community is for people to first become diocesan hermits and then form a religious community rather than go through the hoops of becoming an association of the faithful, gaining approval as a diocesan right, and then perhaps pontifical right congregation.  The problem with this theory is that the discernment process for becoming (and accepting/professing) diocesan hermits is focused on the call as a life-long call/commitment to “greater solitude and separation from the world”.

For, the vocation to become a diocesan hermit includes having an individually lived out personal rule of life that has been hand crafted to fit that hermit’s vocation and approved for that person only.  The vocation presupposes and requires a lifelong commitment to solitude – not community life, which is a defining characteristic of religious life.  To go through the long and arduous process of becoming a diocesan hermit (which often takes years and years) and vowing to live this life permanently (final profession) with the intention of going against the heart of the vocation in forming/joining a religious community in the future is fraud, pure and simple.  In fact, if such a diocesan hermit were to take such a step, I would advise his bishop to institute a canonical investigation to determine whether his vows were to be declared null (invalid) on account of the fraud and if this was found to be the case, to reduce him to the lay state and to impose a suitable penance upon him.

To be continued later.

© 2009 by Therese Ivers
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www.DoIHaveAVocation.com

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