More whacking away the weeds of the more temporal aspects of dealing with topic of publicly and privately professed Catholic hermits. There continue to be questions with comparative and conflicting views pertaining to the many rather external aspects of the hermit vocation. Yes, these are important questions to consider and seek answers, which ultimately need to come from bishops in diocese in which hermits reside, from the documents of the Church, from studying the institutes on consecrated life, and in prayer for God to provide the necessary answers in order for a hermit to then be free to live the hermit vocation in its spiritual fullness.
We are all the more to freely offer ourselves in that full surrender to Christ who means everything to us, and to be for the Church a witness of the mystery of Christ in the Church, and to the world be a silent preaching of Christ. We are to devote our lives to praise of God and to pray for the salvation of the world. Too much expenditure in energy of weed-whacking in order to clear the land, can detain us from getting down to the humus, to the soil of our souls in Christ. We want to as quickly as possible cut and clear the weeds, seek the rich soil; we want our implantation in Him, for our germination--and in order for new life to come forth from Christ in us. Through, with, and in Christ we hermits then will be best utilized to uplift the Body of Christ--all souls on earth and in heaven, to the glory of God.
I'm still awaiting word regarding my Bishop's interpretation and desires as to privately professed Catholic hermits. Specifically I seek his view as ordinary of the diocese, on parameters for me as privately professed; or if he prefers hermits to be "by law," per CL603 publicly professed. I also seek his interpretation or view if only one type of professed hermits (the CL603 hermits) or if also privately professed hermits are allowed to be in the consecrated life of the Church.
The answer to this latter point matters in aspect of clarification, for I want to be correct in what I write and in not my being incorrect in the reading and interpreting of this point. What the Bishop determines, or by his canonist who will reflect the views of the Bishop, will only affect my hermit vocation in what may seem external aspects. I am realizing that being in keeping with and "right" within the Church is necessary for me, and that the Bishop is my "superior" in effect, whose interpretation and wishes regarding the eremitical vocation are important for me to align with. Obedience I do value; it is one of the evangelical counsels I professed as a hermit years ago.
We hermits, both publicly and privately professed, ought in these times of the increasingly developing application of CL603, rely on our diocese bishops to help determine the precedents that will be set in the details. Even symbolic details--yet may be meaningful to some hermits--such as allowing a publicly (or if it includes privately) professed hermits to adopt a religious or "new" name, to wear a habit, and also a written rule of life plus an additional vow if the bishop wishes a vow beyond the profession of the three evangelical counsels. Each diocese bishop may have preferences and reasons for these preferences.
Privately professed hermits profess the three evangelical counsels, but a CL603 hermit writer has been helpful in offering thoughts or recommendations on what CL603 hermits' lives, but also has shared ideas on what is not allowed for privately professed hermits. The CL603 hermit writer has stated in past that privately professed hermits should not wear a habit nor take a religious name. I tend to personally agree with these "do not's" the publicly professed hermit has purported. Truly, there are many aspects I agree with of which the CL603 hermit writes.
And it could be, as this is another point that the diocese hermit mentions in fact, that privately professed hermits are not in the consecrated life of the Church. My appreciation of this other writer of hermit life from the CL603 perspective, also includes that hermit's thoughts about privately professed hermits, just as I write of my life as a privately professed Catholic hermit but also share my thoughts about the CL603 more recent option for Catholic hermits to be recognized by [Church] law. I appreciate the benefit that we all have a right to share our views, opinions, and thoughts.
(Granted, I find more boring and tedious the less-spiritual aspects of "getting into the weeds" of technicalities and details of what to me seems externals--housekeeping rules, of sorts--not to diminish the importance of the governance and laws that have become necessary for humanity, and very much including Christianity and the Church; our ancestors needed the Ten Commandments, for mercy's sake, humanity needed God to come as Son, Jesus Christ, to teach us and die for us.)
It really depends on interpretation of §920 of "Eremitic Life" under the section on "Consecrated Life of the Church" in The Catechism of the Catholic Church. If one interprets §920 stating "Without always professing the three evangelical counsels publicly, hermits...[and then into description of what the Church specifies, encapsulating the pith hermit vocation which is quite spiritually encompassing of the glorious vocation is eremitic life]--if "without always professing the three evangelical counsels publicly alludes to all those who do not publicly profess the three evangelical counsels--meaning the privately professed hermits, then the privately and publicly professed Catholic hermits are included in the eremitic life, and thus are also each and both included in this section titled and as representative of The Consecrated Life of the Church.
This may not be important to other privately professed (or even to the publicly professed, diocese hermits, per CL603); but the clarification of privately professed Catholic hermits as being included in the consecrated life of the Church is important to me as not only a writer of the hermit journey from a privately professed Catholic hermit's experience and viewpoint, but as a Catholic hermit called by God to the eremitic vocation years ago. I do not want to be considering myself as part of the consecrated life of the Church if my bishop or his canonist interpret only publicly professed Catholic hermits are included. I will need to cease that consideration of self, and not write of my being a consecrated Catholic hermit, not part of the consecrated life of the Church.
The diocese hermit who writes quite well and consistently, and shares life from the publicly professed, CL603 hermit viewpoint and experience, has stated and considered that privately professed Catholic hermits are not included in the consecrated life of the Church. And I have been researching and have found a statement that also indicates, from the CL603 stance, that only publicly professed Catholic hermits are included in the consecrated state of Church life.
I simply want to get an answer as to my bishop's interpretation, as he is my (I guess I cannot say "legitimate" superior since I am not a Catholic hermit "by law", and this could be a way to interpret it and has been suggested by other hermit who writes on the topic. I also want to ascertain if I am allowed, by my bishop, to refer to myself as a "Catholic hermit, or to have my blog title "A Catholic hermit," for the other hermit writer has stated in the past that I am not allowed, since not a hermit publicly professed nor legitimate since my profession of the three evangelical counsels are not "by law" and not professed "into the hands of the diocese bishop."
However, at least 12 years ago (I'd have to research back to be exact, and this is crucial to have the date), I was told to title my blog "A Catholic Hermit" by the Chancellor, Vicar General, and Cathedral Rector of the diocese in which I privately professed the three evangelical counsels, and offered my vows, and rule of life, but not with Bishop but rather my spiritual director, a long-time priest. I am no longer in that diocese; thus I would like clarification on this point from the bishop of diocese who is in effect my superior in the same sense he is every Catholic's superior, shepherd of the diocese flock, the one to whom we look for clarification, instruction, and guidance in all matters spiritual and ecclesial within the diocese.
At the beginning of a new temporal decade in life, with a new spiritual father, with my life settling in to what I hope in God is my final hermitage on earth, after the spine surgery, also settling into the parish and with that priest confessor, I'm taking steps necessary to make sure my temporal Catholic life and my eremitic life (currently privately professed) are in good and proper order, and that I know clearly what the Bishop expects of me as a Catholic hermit residing in his (and all our) diocese, and that I am "right" and correct with the Church in referencing myself, the title of my blog, if in consecrated life of Church or not, if I am a Catholic hermit or not a Catholic, not a hermit, or not a Catholic hermit, if I am to wear a habit and have a religious name or not--per this bishop's desires.
It will be very good to find out if he prefers I make my profession publicly (but not publicized, there is a difference of which I totally concur with the other hermit writer on this and many points), and thus be a CL603 hermit, or if he prefers no hermits, or rather not new-to-diocese hermits. In that case, I will be God's hermit, of course, but that only because my angel had told me years ago that God had chosen the hermit life for me and values it very much. I would thus not make reference as a hermit connected with the Church. But this is conjecture; I of course would need to seek God's will if the bishop's wishes are other than what I have been for nearly a third of my life.
As to publicly professed (CL603 hermits) having a sense of being hermits in large part to build up the Church, to have a strong linkage of spiritual life and vocational life in edifying and promoting and being intrinsically linked through the eremitic vocation in and with the Church, privately professed hermits very much also do and are and are to be, likewise. There is no distinction between a publicly professed (CL603) hermit and a privately professed hermit as to our purposes in and for and of the Church. Beyond the difference of public profession (per CL 603) and private profession of the three evangelical counsels [and perhaps if privately professed hermits are not included as part of the consecrated life of the Church], all else that the Church states and desires of her hermits is the same for both publicly and privately professed hermits.
They each and all are to: "devote their life 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." They each and all are to: "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" (from The CCC under "Consecrated Life of the Church": "Eremitic Life": §920, §921).
My opinion and thought based on research regarding the growing trend of diocese hermits and the essence of legitimacy placed upon hermits who are "recognized by law as one dedicated to God in consecrated life..." is likely a purpose or reason behind having the canon law (603) created and included in the ecclesial canons in the last century, and updated, formalized in 1983 as CL603. Increasingly I've noted that the tendency of others within and outside the Catholic Church to have a certain assurance of legitimacy in those who are recognized "by law"--be it a lawyer by a national law association, a doctor by a national medical board, a teacher by a state education certification board, or a politician who has won election and sworn a vow in a public ceremony or inauguration.
This is human nature plus human reason and intelligence. I find it humorous that even in trying to agree, there can be discord. It is not that people may not make private vows as hermits (although I do now realize the consideration given a diocese bishop per that bishop's views and potential desires and parameters for hermits with private vows living in or moving into the diocese. I'm seeing the value and charity in going along to get along, of respect--and that means of respect for the bishops who desired structure and oversight of hermits, by law, by the Church, by the bishops themselves as they are responsible for all in their flock, in their diocese. Laws are created due to our sins and our needing boundaries; so any humor aside, obviously there was a reason for a law needed to be created to recognize by law the "eremitic or anchoritic life...(Can. 603 §1."
And the longer laws are in place, and the more persons are aware of and enter into relationship with that law (in this case a legitimization process, a public profession, a type of legal contract, if you will), then of course, that law will grow in prominence and provide a sense of assurance within a society (in this case the Church, although people outside the Church would also place credibility upon someone recognized by law over someone not recognized by law--typically, that is). I certainly tend to prefer a licensed medical doctor advising me than an unlicensed one. It is a human reaction. In the spiritual life, of course, we know that God views not as man views.
But Church laws do carry weight, just as do secular laws. I'm simply seeing the reality--not that everyone will decide to be a hermit through CL603. And in review of the literature online, the CL603 diocese hermit path is becoming the growing trend; and the reality of the Church's "stamp of approval," in essence carries weight and authority. I'm merely agreeing with, and seeing the perspective of another hermit writer who is a CL603 diocese hermit. And I'm suggesting that more and more, those discerning a hermit vocation, will see the temporal sensibility and the ecclesial benefits of being a hermit recognized by Church law, and of definitely being included in the consecrated life of the Church, and of providing for those who know of his or her vocation, a sense of assurance that they are not frauds nor counterfeits, and are "legitimate" and approved of, by their bishop, and thus in effect by the Church.
For those who still feel called to private profession of the three evangelical counsels, I think it fair to understand where one stands and how others may or may not perceive them. Especially if one who is privately professed and perhaps has something akin to a "gentleman's handshake" understanding with one's bishop, or at least an informal "nod of approval" from him, bearing no ecclesial legal standing, of course, then if the privately professed hermit decides to take on a religious or new name and wear a habit, then that might avoid many persons reporting to the bishop that there is a fraud being perpetrated, as someone masquerading as a Catholic hermit.
I'm speaking from many personal experiences, and also as one who has been detracted for even writing a blog about hermit life as a "Catholic hermit, privately professed." A CL603 hermit has been adamant that it wrong for me to write a blog as a Catholic hermit, saying that only CL603 hermits, who are "recognized by law" may write as only they are "authorized" to write "in the name of the Church." It has even been suggested as if suspect, or wrong, that I have written other blogs in the past, of other blog titles which represent the phases of my life and the various topics or subjects, or purposes of the blogs. I can see that being an "approved" and "recognized by law" hermit might deter some of the objections that others come up with, and try to demean, cast doubts, or warn others against those who do not have the type of mantle of authority, legitimacy, canonical standing, and perhaps even a place at the table of those included in the Consecrated Life of the Church.
For those of us whose bishops and holy spiritual directors, confessors, over time are fine with and also encourage the private profession of vows over the canon law recognition by the Church, and profession in the hands of the bishop, then we enter in with knowing the realities of our situation. Regardless, time and history will tell those of future years and time periods, what is best for the Church and what is best for individual hermits, of which most of us will not be yet on earth, we can but hope in God, to find out!
I remain a privately professed, Catholic hermit, likely consecrated in the life of the Church, but at this point given that I am attempting to find out the wishes of my bishop in these aspect, much remains to be seen. Per my bishop's views, desires, and interpretation, I am in TBD (to be determined) modality--other than, of course, my life currently labeled as Catholic Christian, hermit, mystic, victim soul, a writer and author...among other designations!
I also want to state, again, that I write anonymously, and am to remain anonymous per my late spiritual father's direction, and by my own desire to remain "hidden" in this way of anonymity. I was directed to write by my late spiritual father as well as my current spiritual father. I have admired and drawn upon the examples of others who wrote and write, have been published, anonymously.
Examples of such anonymous authors are represented in various books by simply "A Carthusian," the more recent "A Benedictine Priest " (In Sinu Jesu, c. 2007), and the translator of many Catholic treasures who was simply known as "A Benedictine Nun of Stanbrook Abbey." In my print media published articles and when a columnist in newspaper, and in a published historical biography, I used a pen name, thus I have a legally established history of anonymity as a writer and author.
I do not give permission for my name nor location to be publicized nor published, regardless who may have sought to and discovered my personal information. It is against the law, the practice called "doxxing," as well as is against the law to libel another, or to engage in internet stalking. I have maintained my desire and my expressed wishes for blog and internet anonymity now for 15 years since my first blog. In my previous print media published articles, when a columnist in newspaper, and in a published historical biography, I used a pen name; thus I have a legally and long-established, documented history of my anonymous status as a writer and author.
Do feel free to read my various blogs, if you wish. Thank you for your respectful, lawful, and Christian consideration of my implicitly and explicitly expressed long-standing, maintaining of my anonymity.
I have cut-and-pasted for your reference, CL603 (emphases mine). We can note the close similarities to what is seemingly intended for all Catholic hermits as written in §920, §921 in The Catechism. However, the public profession aspect and of being recognized by [Church] law, and the profession in the hands of the bishop, and observing a proper program of living under the bishop's direction, are distinct (and I agree) very important differences, in factuality.
Canon Law 603
Can. 603 §1. In addition to the institutes of consecrated life, the Church recognizes the eremitic or anchoritic life by which the Christian faithful devote their life to the praise of God and the salvation of the world through a stricter withdrawal from the world, the silence of solitude, and assiduous prayer and penance.
§2. A hermit is recognized by [Church] law as one dedicated to God in consecrated life if he or she publicly professes in the hands of the diocesan bishop the three evangelical counsels, confirmed by vow or other sacred bond and observes a proper program of living under his direction.
Above all else, God bless His Real Presence in us! And let us love one another, little children, for God Is Love!
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