A couple of weeks ago I mentioned to a priest the notion of a "complete" hermit. He immediately said, "Oh, well you cannot be a complete hermit unless the Bishop designates you as one," and he proceeded to list out technical terms and Latin phrases. But his bottom line was that one cannot consider oneself to be a hermit unless so designated and approved.
I was aware previously of the category, and it is outlined in The Catechism of the Catholic Church. I think it is under consecrated religious, in the category of consecrated eremitics, or religious solitaries. Maybe I should just quote it right now.
The Consecrated Life
914 The state of life which is constituted by the profession of the evangelical counsels, while not entering into the hierarchical structure of the Church, belongs undeniably to her life and holiness.
Evangelical Counsels, Consecrated Life
915 Christ proposes the evangelical counsels, in their great variety, to every disciple. The perfection of charity, to which all the faithful are called, entails for those who freely follow the call to consecrated life the obligation of practicing chastity in celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom, poverty and obedience. It is the profession of these counsels, within a permanent state of life recognized by the Church, that characterizes the life consecrated to God.
916 The state of the consecrated life is thus one way of experiencing a "more intimate" consecration, rooted in Baptism and dedicated totally to God. In the consecrated life, Christ's faithful, moved by the Holy Spirit, propose to follow Christ more nearly, to give themselves to God who is loved above all and, pursuing the perfection of charity in the service of the Kingdom, to signify and proclaim in the Church the glory of the world to come.
One Great Tree with Many Branches
917 "From the God-given seed of the counsels a wonderful and wide-spreading tree has grown up in the field of the Lord, branching out into the various forms of the religious life lived in solitude or in community. Different religious families have come into existence in which spiritual resources are multiplied for the progress in holiness of their members and for the good of the entire Body of Christ."
918 From the very beginning of the Church there were men and women who set out to follow Christ with greater liberty, and to imitate Him more closely, by practicing the evangelical counsels. They lived lives dedicated to God, each in his own way. Many of them, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, became hermits or founded religious families. These the Church, by virtue of her authority, gladly accepted and approved....
The Eremitic Life
920 Without always professing the three evangelical counsels publicly, hermits "devote their lives to the praise of God and salvation of the world through a stricter separation from the world, the silence of solitude and assiduous prayer and penance. [Canon 603]
921 They manifest to everyone the interior aspect of the mystery of the Church, that is, personal intimacy with Christ. Hidden from the eyes of men, the life of the hermit is a silent preaching of the Lord, to whom he has surrendered his life simply because He is everything to him. Here is a particular call to find in the desert, in the thick of spiritual battle, the glory of the Crucified One.
This morning and even last night, I realized that I have relapsed, it seems. This is Lent, and it is a very challenging one for me. My confessor tells me to rest and to absorb the mercy of Christ. I need His mercy! I have veered further from the evangelical counsels than in a long while in that I have been muddling in the white mold of materialism and not been silent. That is all changeable, though; this morning I begin again. I slash away the noise and bleach the mold.
This morning, also, I listened carefully to the Bishop's homily in a rare preaching on a weekday morning. Two pews were reserved, and I noted wealthy who-who's in those pews, and then followed Mass the swishings of a very important meeting with the Bishop. I felt rather sorry for him, in some ways, that he had to spend time catering to the wealthy and important folk; I also feared ever looking like the old women dressed finely and with guishy make-up and fur coats, but with hearts no doubt of gold and generosity. The Bishop had spoken of our need to help the poor, a theme especially brought out in Scripture during this Lenten Season. These wealthy people help the poor; and us less than wealthy people help the poor, and it is no great thing.
I live in such comfort. I live in far more comfort than I did over two years ago, prior to my mother's suffering and death. It haunts me, even purchasing the furnishings for the hermitage, even if I give other furnishings to the poor. It haunts me. But I appreciate the comfort and am grateful.
O Lord, how shall I serve? This thought arises as I drive home after Mass. Am I bored? Not really. But what is there for me to "do"? And again, I recall the direct message of now 8 weeks ago today, from my angel Beth, that the Lord has chosen me to this hermit life and I have not appreciated or valued it as He does.
So I must apply myself more to this life, and re-reading the portions quoted above has helped me. And I do think there is a purpose in being canonically approved as a consecrated eremitic. Why? Not to boast about a designation, not to stand out or be labeled, not to begin a community of hermits--none of these reasons are for me.
Somehow, I feel as if I need the inherent, mysterious graces that such an approval by the Bishop would bring. Somehow, I feel as if I need to make a formal offering which binds me to this life and for the purposes stated, for the commitment not only spiritual and private but to the superior of this Diocese.
It would anchor me in this life, exteriorly and interiorly, to the hermit life.
I don't know if I'd all of a sudden do a better job at daily routine and structure, but the graces would somehow do their work on me, all the same.
I'm not sure how to approach this with anyone, with my director, my confessor, or the Bishop. My spiritual director has in the past pointed out that this designation is not necessary, that more it is to actually live the life. I believe this to be true. Yet, something remains unsettled within, and that is the point of the graces which are bestowed supernaturally; and these I desire and need.
So we shall see if the Lord brings this canonical approval about.
One thing I do not desire, and this from seeing it in a "hermit newsletter." A hermit wrote some advice of her experience, and within the lines she stated how long she'd been a hermit, and in parenthesis put the years of "canonically approved." This I do not need: more pride.
I was aware previously of the category, and it is outlined in The Catechism of the Catholic Church. I think it is under consecrated religious, in the category of consecrated eremitics, or religious solitaries. Maybe I should just quote it right now.
The Consecrated Life
914 The state of life which is constituted by the profession of the evangelical counsels, while not entering into the hierarchical structure of the Church, belongs undeniably to her life and holiness.
Evangelical Counsels, Consecrated Life
915 Christ proposes the evangelical counsels, in their great variety, to every disciple. The perfection of charity, to which all the faithful are called, entails for those who freely follow the call to consecrated life the obligation of practicing chastity in celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom, poverty and obedience. It is the profession of these counsels, within a permanent state of life recognized by the Church, that characterizes the life consecrated to God.
916 The state of the consecrated life is thus one way of experiencing a "more intimate" consecration, rooted in Baptism and dedicated totally to God. In the consecrated life, Christ's faithful, moved by the Holy Spirit, propose to follow Christ more nearly, to give themselves to God who is loved above all and, pursuing the perfection of charity in the service of the Kingdom, to signify and proclaim in the Church the glory of the world to come.
One Great Tree with Many Branches
917 "From the God-given seed of the counsels a wonderful and wide-spreading tree has grown up in the field of the Lord, branching out into the various forms of the religious life lived in solitude or in community. Different religious families have come into existence in which spiritual resources are multiplied for the progress in holiness of their members and for the good of the entire Body of Christ."
918 From the very beginning of the Church there were men and women who set out to follow Christ with greater liberty, and to imitate Him more closely, by practicing the evangelical counsels. They lived lives dedicated to God, each in his own way. Many of them, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, became hermits or founded religious families. These the Church, by virtue of her authority, gladly accepted and approved....
The Eremitic Life
920 Without always professing the three evangelical counsels publicly, hermits "devote their lives to the praise of God and salvation of the world through a stricter separation from the world, the silence of solitude and assiduous prayer and penance. [Canon 603]
921 They manifest to everyone the interior aspect of the mystery of the Church, that is, personal intimacy with Christ. Hidden from the eyes of men, the life of the hermit is a silent preaching of the Lord, to whom he has surrendered his life simply because He is everything to him. Here is a particular call to find in the desert, in the thick of spiritual battle, the glory of the Crucified One.
This morning and even last night, I realized that I have relapsed, it seems. This is Lent, and it is a very challenging one for me. My confessor tells me to rest and to absorb the mercy of Christ. I need His mercy! I have veered further from the evangelical counsels than in a long while in that I have been muddling in the white mold of materialism and not been silent. That is all changeable, though; this morning I begin again. I slash away the noise and bleach the mold.
This morning, also, I listened carefully to the Bishop's homily in a rare preaching on a weekday morning. Two pews were reserved, and I noted wealthy who-who's in those pews, and then followed Mass the swishings of a very important meeting with the Bishop. I felt rather sorry for him, in some ways, that he had to spend time catering to the wealthy and important folk; I also feared ever looking like the old women dressed finely and with guishy make-up and fur coats, but with hearts no doubt of gold and generosity. The Bishop had spoken of our need to help the poor, a theme especially brought out in Scripture during this Lenten Season. These wealthy people help the poor; and us less than wealthy people help the poor, and it is no great thing.
I live in such comfort. I live in far more comfort than I did over two years ago, prior to my mother's suffering and death. It haunts me, even purchasing the furnishings for the hermitage, even if I give other furnishings to the poor. It haunts me. But I appreciate the comfort and am grateful.
O Lord, how shall I serve? This thought arises as I drive home after Mass. Am I bored? Not really. But what is there for me to "do"? And again, I recall the direct message of now 8 weeks ago today, from my angel Beth, that the Lord has chosen me to this hermit life and I have not appreciated or valued it as He does.
So I must apply myself more to this life, and re-reading the portions quoted above has helped me. And I do think there is a purpose in being canonically approved as a consecrated eremitic. Why? Not to boast about a designation, not to stand out or be labeled, not to begin a community of hermits--none of these reasons are for me.
Somehow, I feel as if I need the inherent, mysterious graces that such an approval by the Bishop would bring. Somehow, I feel as if I need to make a formal offering which binds me to this life and for the purposes stated, for the commitment not only spiritual and private but to the superior of this Diocese.
It would anchor me in this life, exteriorly and interiorly, to the hermit life.
I don't know if I'd all of a sudden do a better job at daily routine and structure, but the graces would somehow do their work on me, all the same.
I'm not sure how to approach this with anyone, with my director, my confessor, or the Bishop. My spiritual director has in the past pointed out that this designation is not necessary, that more it is to actually live the life. I believe this to be true. Yet, something remains unsettled within, and that is the point of the graces which are bestowed supernaturally; and these I desire and need.
So we shall see if the Lord brings this canonical approval about.
One thing I do not desire, and this from seeing it in a "hermit newsletter." A hermit wrote some advice of her experience, and within the lines she stated how long she'd been a hermit, and in parenthesis put the years of "canonically approved." This I do not need: more pride.
