Catholic Hermit: Super Day; and More on Private Profession v. Private Vows

Been a busy and super day for this nothing-much, consecrated, Catholic hermit!  Morning Mass where I fulfilled my penance the parish priest suggested, laying a person on the altar in spirit, with loving offering of self with the person, in prayerful desire for there to be some agreement and cohesive, congenial spirit. 

We shall see.

The priest's homily was superb, and the major point he made while focusing on the Gospel for today (St. Blaise and St. Ansgar), to realize that the spiritual reality and life is far superior to the temporal.  The Lord keeps reminding me of this truth, and of His will for me to remain focused as much as possible on the spiritual and supernatural reality of His Real Presence:  Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The priest also linked also the emphasis of both Christ as Head and us as the Body of Christ, and the Church also in the realm of spiritual reality.

Excellent, and what I need to continuously be reminded, for the fussing about temporal Catholic world terminology, much of it seemingly created in new rules, laws, and terms not found in the Church's own documents, laws, and writings of Popes--well, it just feels ridiculous.  However, truth and facts are important, and as I discussed with my parish priest in Confession as part of what I was including as distraction, the temporal Catholic Church and the spiritual/mystical Catholic Church are one reality, and it is a matter of making sure that what I right and more importantly, what I am as a Catholic Christian, hermit, victim soul, and mystic all be aligned with the Church temporal and spiritual.

Thus, I still believe that the best way to determine facts and truth is to ascertain what the Diocese Bishop states, and also probably to seek out (which will take quite awhile for a response) what the hierarchy beyond the Bishop level, determines as to my and other privately professed, traditional hermits, who also have offered a vow as well as have an approved (by priest spiritual director or bishop if bishop is one's spiritual director) rule of life, and has been living the hermit vocation according to the first hermits and those through history, which I guess best is described as traditional, historical, solitary hermits.  (Note:  I am not suggesting any new designation to be taken seriously, but it does seem we need some specific designation for this form of hermit life, for clarification.)

Now, what is meant by "profession" by a hermit?  The Church asks of all her hermits, in order to be in the eremitic life of the Church as well as in the consecrated life of the Church, is to "profess" the three evangelical counsels:  poverty, chastity (celibacy usually), and obedience (to God, to one's bishop as ordinary regardless if a diocese hermit or "traditional" hermit, as one's bishop is our head Shepherd for anyone in a diocese).  If a hermit in an ancient Order of hermits, the prior or prioress would be the immediate superior; if in a new institute of a recently formed community of hermits, obedience would still be to the diocese bishop who has authorized the development of the new institute, the community of hermits.

So when was state that a hermit of any type--diocese and "traditional", "publicly professed" or "privately professed", profession refers to affirming one's faith in or allegiance to the three evangelical counsels:  poverty, chastity and obedience.  All hermits profess these counsels but not always publicly; thus hermits who do not profess the counsels publicly, since not all do publicly, those of us who live our eremitic lives more in the lineage of the original or traditional, historical, solitary hermits, profess our vows privately.  

The hermits who profess them publicly do so to their diocese bishop; hermits who profess the counsels privately do so to our priest spiritual directors, to a religious order spiritual director such as abbot or priest, or to one's bishop but in mutual agreement that the hermit is not a diocese hermit, but rather a traditional, historical, solitary hermit who wishes to remain more hidden.  This latter type of private profession with a bishop, is what my new spiritual father/director (had been an active priest before entering hermit vocation, and still is a priest but not actively) did with the bishop at the time of his becoming a hermit.

I am not making up any new rules, categories, laws, or designations; I'm simply explaining the reality of what is profession for a hermit:  is profession of the three evangelical counsels.  Conceivably, a hermit could make the profession of the three evangelical counsels to God alone; but I personally think that would be taking liberty of feeling overly confident and presuming one is not in need of priestly spiritual direction in living the eremitic life.

The reality of "professing" a vow, does not need have the word "profess" involved.  A vow may be "offered," may be "tendered,"  may be "stated,"  maybe be "made," or may be "professed.  The bottom line, is that those of us in the eremitic vocation, in the consecrated life of the Church, usually (but not always) prayerfully develop a vow that is reviewed or given added input from one's spiritual father; diocese hermits would have their bishop review or give input into a vow they wish to offer, profess, tender, or whatever term.  But a vow is not mandatory; I personally think it a good idea as it can lend specific focus to the individual hermit's purpose and goals as a hermit, and is a touchstone, of sorts, a compass.  As to a rule of life, the traditional, historical hermits have had rules of life; thus those of us in that path ought follow suit.  Diocese hermits and hermits in the new institutes of hermit communities might also have a rule of life, but rules of life actually are not specified that I know of, in any Church documents as being required.  (I'm tired right now, so if I discover otherwise, will update.)

The profession of the three evangelical counsels, the vow which most all hermits do make regarding their eremitic focus and goals--the commitment, in other words, to God and the Church--as well as a rule of life, plus the living out of the eremitic life per what the Church does state and describe as concisely and beautifully expressed §920, §921 in The Catechism of the Catholic Church, found under "Consecrated Life of the Church" and then subset under "Eremitic Life" will give all hermits some parameters in which to sincerely and genuinely live out our hermit vocations to the best possible results.

It is the above paragraph of which when hermits fulfill in public or private profession, avowal, rule of life, and living the eremitic vocation day and night--which distinguishes a hermit from laity.  In fact, it is the profession of the evangelical counsels that distinguish all persons who are in the Consecrated Life of the Church (aka Consecrated State), from laity.  Lay persons do not profess to live the three evangelical counsels, as their vocations remain in the active life, married or single. However, there are Societies of the Faithful, Institutes (new communities and groups of people who so desire to be more conformed to the life of Christ and profess the evangelical counsels, hermit communities and otherwise for specific charisms), and provision for widows, widowers, and virgins to do likewise, but all these must profess and live the three evangelical counsels and the other specifications detailed in under "The Consecrated Life of the Church" and in various Church documents that mention and describe these.

Hope this is helpful.  I apologize to my other-than-United States readers to be sort of side-tracked in needing to present the facts and provide where one may find this information, but it has become a point of controversy for a hermit of one format, who presents what seems to be not in agreement with what I'm presenting here which is based upon simple research and reading over using the good old, critical thinking and reading skills that are important when examining the more temporal but necessary Church documents, canon laws, and various writings of popes.  I suspect the debate on one side will continue, but I don't plan to keep rehashing.  I will patiently wait to get word from "on high", meaning from the bishop and/or the hierarchy above the bishop level in the Church.

For me, personally, I need to, as a writer of hermit life from my experience and spiritual progression, be accurate as possible, including of that which is pertinent to hermits of all forms and types.  However, I also want to be in keeping with the Church in all aspects of my temporal and spiritual life, as a Christian Catholic, a hermit, a victim soul, and a mystic.  If for some reason it is deemed that my 20 years as a privately professed (evangelical counsels), my offering of my vows, my rule of life, or my living the eremitic vocation in the Church as a "traditional" type hermit--if that is deemed not included as an eremite/hermit within the consecrated life of the Church, then I will need to become what the Church hierarchy does consider the type or form of hermit that is within the consecrated life of the Church.  I seriously doubt that the powers-that-be will exclude the traditional type hermits, going back to the Church's original hermits in earliest centuries, including St. Paul the [known] First Hermit. 

But, with this also, we shall see.

My way of hermit life, as a traditional solitary type hermit, with my vows not really focused on technicalities of debating terminology and what hermits are "included" and what hermits are "not included" or whatever the current disagreement that seem to come up regardless of topic, I must not let the devil take me off my spiritual course, off my eremitic vocational purpose, which is to be a silent preaching of Christ, to be a witness to the mystery of Christ and HIs Church, to devote my life to the praise of God and to prayer for the salvation of the world. That is what the priest this morning was alluding to, in part, that our purpose is to seek the spiritual that is far beyond the temporal.

Please pray for my new spiritual father who underwent surgery earlier today.  Pray for all hermits to be united in cohesive purpose that is spiritual and not fussing over what can be handled without wasting time writing about what is not yet proven fact, which is obviously going to require hierarchical decisions.  Trust me, if somehow I and the other privately professed (evangelical counsels), avowed, and living our eremitic rule of life in daily hermit vocation, are not considered included with the other hermits of the Church, then I will state this.  Then, as is part of my blog mission of sharing the spiritual progression of a consecrated Catholic hermit, will share what path I must take to be in correct alignment with Holy Mother Church.  Again, I doubt all the priests and one late bishop will be proven wrong, but I remain open to truth more than opinions and inventive suppositions.

God bless His Real Presence in us!

Catholic Hermit: Further Clearing of the Weeds

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!

Catholic Hermit: Hermits in Consecrated Life of the Church

Once again, and this for final time other than now and then no doubt need to repeat what the Church states, Catholic hermits are either privately professed or publicly professed, and both are in the consecrated life of the Church.

Refer to §920, §921 in The Catechism of the Catholic Church.  (I have also written about this in the past,  so please either look in past blog posts or simply Google the pertinent sections of the CCC.)  It seems to me the issue has become long since dealt with, but one hermit who is publicly professed compared to my private profession (we each have professed individual vows, as well) has continued to purport contrary information.  

To be clear, my spiritual director did by no means imply or state that somehow myself or all the hermits (saints, mystics, and unknown-to-us but Catholic hermits of the past two millennia) are not Catholic hermits in the consecrated life of the Church.   I am; we are.  Thus was another reason why he told me I have absolutely no need for adding on the more recent option of being a diocesan hermit, or "publicly professed."

This reality has been stated to me for the many years I've been a consecrated Catholic hermit--nearly 20 years, not including 15 months of discernment along with formation.  Until the Church changes the facts of both privately and publicly professed, the publicly professed may also be considered as in the Consecrated Life of the Church but must be under supervision by his or her Bishop or his designee (usually the designated supervisor/director is a priest in most dioceses).  The privately professed Catholic hermits for centuries are, of course, also in the Consecrated Life of the Church.  Catholic hermits, both privately and publicly professed, profess the three evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Also, there is no such term in the institutes of the Catholic church nor in canon law, as a fairly recent created one, namely that of lay hermit.  Perhaps the term was introduced by someone desiring to elevate or distinguish in form of exclusivity or status to the 1983 CL603 addition of hermits who must remain in their specific dioceses, and profess the three evangelical counsels "into the hands of their bishop".  Whatever or whomever was the relatively recent genesis of the term "lay hermit," while it may over time be repeated, it is not in Church description or nomenclature of the eremitic life. 

(In addition to "lay hermit", the label "dedicated hermit" and other similar terms seem only to be found in writings of but one Catholic hermit in one particular diocese, who has expressed fears of "fraud" and "counterfeit" hermits reducing to ruination the eremitic vocation that has been lived for centuries in the Catholic Church and could ostensibly include, if we persist in such unrealistic fear, to that of religious eremites and solitaries going back in history, such as with Christ's ancestors, or some of the prophets who lived as eremites, or as could include solitaries from the Jewish Essenes and possibly also the Therapeutae.  Eremitic life may be traced back centuries prior to the birth of Christ. There seems no extant data on who if any were fraud or "counterfeit" hermits, and obviously none have destroyed the Catholic Church's eremitic vocation of privately, and now including publicly, professed hermits in the consecrated life of the Church.) 

So yes, I am a consecrated Catholic hermit, privately professed, as is the diocese hermit, publicly professed, a consecrated Catholic hermit.  Another  publicly professed per CL603, diocese hermit, who has been a hermit not as long as I have but longer than most other diocese hermits, also has written of both publicly and privately professed Catholic hermits being all in the Consecrated Life of the Church.

Do just read §920, 921 of The Catechism. You will find it under The Consecrated Life of the Church, under the subsections on The Eremitic Life.  The words do not lie.  It's a shame that the nitpicking continues.  It is of this in particular to which my parish priest who used the word "rubbish" and the hermit-priest who used the terms "heavy baggage," plus "negative," and "the devil involved" were referring.  I had asked each to clarify, due to a diocesan hermit who has libeled, doxxed and detracted me for over 11 years on other issues, even personal attacks, as well. But for awhile now, the person's omphalos is that only publicly professed, diocese hermits be the only hermits included in the Consecrated Life of the Church.   Thus I had asked again recently, the confessor and the hermit-priest, as I want to be clear and correct; and personally I always want to be right with the Church.

But the wording is quite clear; and the holy reality is more so that the Church is not about to insist that all Her hermits belong to a certain diocese, and be publicly professed.  Nor, are they about to negate twenty centuries of privately professed, Catholic hermits as they all were and are yet very much in the Consecrated Life of the Church.  CL603 in 1983 provided for an additional option for those who choose or feel they need, desire, or are called by God to choose public profession of the evangelical counsels, requiring supervision by a diocese bishop or his designee, and provides a canon law sense of security. Perhaps in centuries to come, diocese hermits, publicly professed, may be the only form of hermits. The Church has not yet become exclusively litigious. Until then, both privately and the more recently publicly professed Catholic hermits are welcome in the long-standing Church's eremitic vocation, along with the various other vocations detailed in The Catechism, and under "Consecrated Life of the Church!  

Thus, all the Catholic hermits all these centuries, including those of us today, while "not always publicly professed," very much have been and are, and will be: in the Consecrated Life of the Church.  Also, per the more recently added provision of CL603 designation of publicly professed hermits who are in specific dioceses if Bishops desire to approve them--they, too, are included in the Consecrated Life of the Church.

Mercy, children!  Readers surely wonder why the one diocesan hermit takes such issue that such as myself and far many other anonymous, privately professed, consecrated Catholic hermits (who are and have been for centuries living marvelous eremitic vocations) are very much in the Consecrated Life of the Church.  It is such an obvious and provable fact.  One wonders if people other than the one hermit actually have ever questioned what is more of God than of man.  

I've long surmised, and others have suggested, that the publicly professed hermit is at root, bothered that another hermit, privately professed, is consistently writing, sharing thoughts on the spiritual journey and of the life of a Catholic hermit--yes, also very much within the Consecrated Life of the Church.  There's room enough on the world-wide web for everyone with a calling to write of the holy and good, of Christ, of the spiritual life.  This is also a good reminder of what we ought to be focusing.  Spiritual life over nitpicking; law of God over law of man.  Expansive, positive vision, seeking union with Christ and love of God and others--over myopic, exclusionary focus  which is more Pharisee than Christlike.  

Why not find it beneficial to whomever reads blog posts about the eremitic life by Catholic hermits living the vocation--to enjoy and appreciate both the privately professed, traditional, historical path as well as the publicly professed, diocesan, CL603, more recently included path.  But more so, to read reflections of spiritual growth, of the pitfalls and temptations in a hermit's daily life and spiritual progression--these aspects are not rubbish, not heavy baggage, not negative, not courting the devil's intrusion.

Seems like a win-win, to me!  I call out again in love and peace, to this other Catholic hermit, for a cease-fire.  I continue to pray for my fellow consecrated hermit, sincerely love the hermit's immortal soul.  Yet I am all the more focused into every aspect of my consecrated life as a Catholic hermit (privately professed).  I've been praising God that the devil's stirrings always inspire me, all the more, in my spiritual life.  All the more grows my love of the Holy Trinity and my desire to strive all the more for union with God through the gift of my eremitic vocation--of which I pray to live to the ideal as a Christian, Catholic eremite in the consecrated life of the Holy Catholic Church.  And, as we all should desire, to be above all else: ever consecrated in the Sacred Heart of Christ!

God bless His Real Presence in us!  Little children, let us love one another, for God Is Love!


Postscript:  I have come to consider that this issue that has become a bugaboo for my hermit colleague, is one of restating facts and trying to then lift myself to a more spiritual level, at least in my own handling of the "rubbish."  I am striving to be obedient to my new spiritual director as well as my confessor, who advise to stay clear of this negative situation, as the devil is involved.  While this nasty distraction is an aspect to write about as far as the progression in the spiritual life of hermits, and honesty is of value, there is a positive point in that the Church's hermits--professed both privately and publicly--sharing in the responsibility of being in the Consecrated Life of the Catholic Church.  We are also all part of the Body of Christ even if hidden in our lives of praise and prayer and a silent witnessing of Christ and His Church.

Such a blessing and privilege--as we pray to absorb what a unified bonding of hermits in the consecrated life of the Church can mean, deeply within yet outspreading mystically in loving and positive ways unfathomable but to God.  The spiritual reality and richness supersedes what we consider ridiculous and demonic in unholy distraction, compared to what we consecrated Catholic hermits are to be for the Church and for the whole world.  

Our very beings are to be lived in praise of God, praying for salvation of world, for all souls on earth and beyond, to exist in stricter separation from the world, in the silence of solitude, hidden from eyes of others, to be as a silent preaching of Christ, a witness to the mystery of Christ and the Church...and so much more!  

Let us, dear hermits one and all, proceed in this light of Christ and His Church!  I'm under obedience to do so, not only from alter Christi but very much from the Holy Trinity to be in the Divine Will.  Be positive, recognize the great movement His Real Presence is having in our souls and lives!  Remain in Christ's Love!  Uplift one another in prayer and sincere kindness and love! 

"I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose.... Is Christ divided?....For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning."  ~ 1 Corinthians 1:10, 17



[Postscript: I will not be writing of this again, unless my spiritual director wants me to back-track and hinder my own hermit vocation, my spiritual life, my soul. God wants to take me and all of us into Himself for His glory and for whatever help I (or you) may be for others.  I am certain my director nor my confessor wants me held back by such negativity of which the devil is involved--this hermit-priest who seemed more in heaven than earth and the confessor of whom I've never seen such holy dynamism and spiritual depth and energy.  The spiritual joy and wisdom in guiding me and pointing the way to what the Lord is opening up now and next--all the positive and good for my soul and for others' souls--that is to be my view, my grasp. I ask you dear readers to please pray for myself and this other hermit, for there to be a clarity of peace and love, and for each of us (and all of you!) to attain to the heights of Christian perfection and union with God.  And for me, pray for a strength in dropping this other, staying clear, and moving onward in Christ and His Church.  Thank you!] 

Catholic Hermit: Follow Naked, the Naked Christ

The Lord has spoken, in this consecrated Catholic hermit's consideration of His hermit having a pet. 

(I love the verses in 1 Samuel in which the young Samuel continues to be awakened, hearing the voice of God calling his name.  Samuel being young and inexperienced in locutions or the Lord speaking directly to him, goes to the priest Eli, thinking it is he who called him in the night.  Finally Eli realizes that it is the Lord calling Samuel; he instructs the youth to answer if called again, saying, "Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.")

So it is that I have, over the years, when faced with a decision or even when not, repeat this line in my inner senses, asking the Lord to speak to me, and that I am listening.  When we ask the Lord to help us in discerning the aspects of our lives, not only may we ask the Lord to help us, to speak to us, to show us in whatever ways the Lord may choose, our major effort then is to listen.

Listening is not easy in the temporal world, and it is definitely not easy in the spiritual sense, as our thoughts and feelings are so aroused and integrated with many of the decisions we face.  Yet, when we persist in prayer and do all we can to still our thoughts and feelings, or at least to list pro's and con's, and seek some input from others, we can then in the silence of our more stilled minds and hearts, hear God's answer in the stillness of our souls.

A few days ago someone had contacted me, wanting counsel on a dilemma faced.  I wrote back, mentioning first of all:  Die to yourself!  Then I analyzed the person's situation, in the way I tend to do, pulling out all bits of realities that may be cluttering the person's viewpoints, and sparing no effort in being honest even to the details of what may be emotionally affecting the person's thoughts and feelings regarding the dilemma.  Yes, in this I risk the person being upset, for often we humans do not want to do deep cleaning and seeking of our inner "houses".  So easy for us to want to stuff feelings down, hide away realities, deny truths and avoid the dying to self of which we Christians are called in following Christ.

The person contacted me, explained dies to self daily in giving of self to family.  Yes, I had prodded the inner recesses, and I soothed some, for there also was a temporal reality in which the person felt there was not time to literally clean out a lot of clutter that had accumulated in their abode over the years, and especially, as I pointed out, in the several years of some major health calamities that their family faced and lived through.  So there are quite valid reasons involved in decisions, and I pointed out the factual aspects, and that it is quite fair enough to make a decision based on the external realities--but that the person knows when asking me for counsel, that there will be a thorough examination so that the person may get to all facets of what may be troubling the person.

The person understood, and we were able to discuss that of dying to self, and of course, that I am called to do that, myself, often.  But in the person's case, other factors helped make the decision needed to be made.  Ironically, though, since our communication, circumstances have changed, and the person has taken steps that were part of the examination of facets of the dilemma the person faced.  Someone is helping to get their abode tidied despite a few days remaining before a type of deadline.  God handles all aspects of our lives when we ask and then listen.  Input from others is helpful in deeper examination of our dilemmas, as trusted others will be honest with us.

Yes, some people seek out those who will tell them what they want to hear and who will support them no matter, not wanting to stir the waters or in some cases, poke a bear!  Each of us, if we tend to be ones of whom others now and then seek counsel, must ask the Lord and listen, what is our role and duty according to His will.  Mine is to die to self even in this role of any seeking counsel:  honesty, intelligence, thorough examination, critical thinking, non-judgment, Scriptural backing, but reality therapy...!  They dying to self on my part includes being willing for those seeking my counsel, to react with upset, denial of the realities exposed, or even deciding to not seek counsel of me again.

We must consider the rich young man who asked Jesus for advice and counsel, with a question as to how he could get into the Kingdom of Heaven.  The young man was not able to accept the reality of the answer nor to do--at least at that time--what Jesus said was needed.  The young man walked away; Jesus watched as he walked away, but Jesus did not call after or chase after, nor did He dilute the reality of what would be needed.  Essentially, Jesus tells us we must die to ourselves, be able to part with the temporal possessions as well as the mental and emotional baggage:  all hindrances.

We must be willing to, able to, and in whatever situations that do arise--over time we must act on removing the hindrances, much as the person who contacted me is now getting help to remove the temporal clutter that had accumulated.  And there is no judgment by God nor should be by us; there are reasons why our possessions in, of body, mind, and heart pile up or accumulate.  And we then have situations present themselves, in which the Lord is asking us, allowing us, the opportunity to address the situations, the dilemmas, and to remove or give away or die to ourselves in some aspect or other, or to walk away from doing so, if we are unable yet or unwilling...at that time.

We do not know from Scripture if the young man who did not follow Jesus nor felt able to get rid of his "possessions" at that time when he asked Jesus what he needed to do to enter the Kingdom of God, that the young man did not later on, or in bits and pieces over course of his life, give away his "possessions" and without hindrances follow Jesus.  After all, we may follow Jesus even if we have many hindrances we are lugging along with us.  After awhile, we become weary or the hindrances too great of obstacles, and we may drop them off, one by one or many or eventually all or nearly so.  What we do not die to in this life, of which the mental and emotional attachments may be more challenging and burdensome than the temporal--we carry with us when we pass over.  Our choice!

So it is, that with my own dilemma of somehow having a latent need, or perhaps it was more a broader, hidden aspect and attachment, an inability to see a reality or accept a current reality--the Lord has definitively helped me let go, die to self, face the reality, make a choice in line with His will for me and of which He did not push nor dictate.  The Lord simply gave me some signals, in the end, as to my idea, my desire for having a pet in the hermitage and in my hermit daily life.

No.  I will not have a pet, nor will I ever in what earthly life is left for me, have a pet.  The Lord has for me a narrower path.  This path He increasingly narrows in my spiritual progression as a Christian, as a soul, a child of God, a victim soul of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, a parent of adult children and grandparent of three adolescent and teen grandchildren, in addition to my consecrated Catholic, eremitic life.

And I accept.  It was not without some mental and emotional pain.  Two persons gave input, suggesting a cat not a dog--unless I have allergies, which I do, and of course cats are not going to provide enforced walking as they do not take to leashes and hiking!  But the one person then was supportive, recognizing the functional and emotional reasons I had openly admitted as would be helpful.  But at the same time, the young woman (and her husband) who have these non-shedding, hypo-allergenic, larger breed pups, texted last night, as I lay in bed again, plenty of burning pain after having been up for awhile, making myself stay up and also increase stamina for sitting despite the pain that causes.

She texted that if I did decide against having the puppy, she would refund 80% of deposit.  Earlier in the day I had found out that there is a family who would really like the puppy, but of course there was no pressure on me.  I had wanted to know if a back-up person, for I have taken this decision seriously and a huge part of it was if the Lord wanted of me or feels of me Himself, that I am capable of the narrower path, the stricter separation from the world, the deeper silence of solitude, the higher points of the hermit vocation ideal, of the following of Christ in a type of utter nakedness.

What comes to mind is the ancient Christian ascetics motto:  Nudum Christum, nudus sequere.  Follow naked, the naked Christ. 

God did take pity on me, by my not having me "pay" a price in addition to facing a deep and intensely painful reality of His desires and expectations for me to detach all the more, to let go of connections to this temporal life as well as roots going way back to childhood.  There was a beloved dog.  I was the one to find him hanging, drowned--and the shock of that was immense for a child of a pet who had filled in some aspects of emotional blessing in the three years "Mel" was my faithful pal and enforcer of my tending and responsible care.  (Way back, I was very spiritual, always symbolic, so the pet's name well thought out by a little kid. Mel was named for Melchior, one of the three wisemen for whom I named him on Christmas Day, 1961.)

The main issue this nothing consecrated Catholic hermit has been contending with, the Lord needing me to expose from deep within and in the present moment, is facing and accepting my now consistently higher level of constant pain, the likely cessation of my intestines functioning, and the reality of God calling me to a higher ideal and level of all that is entailed in the hermit vocation, as well as my deeper commitment in following Christ, stripped to my core.

(However, I emphasize that there is nothing written in church documents or would be, that a hermit ought not have a pet.  A hermit having a pet may be a blessing in various ways, depending upon the hermit and in what phase or degree of unique way the Lord is leading the person, the hermit.)

The Lord is my comfort, my constant companion, my ALL.  In fact, throughout my forage into all the positives for my having a pet, the reminder of what has been an innate and Holy Spirit inspired utterance for fifteen years, kept playing in my mind.  My Love, my Love, my only Love!  The cross, the cross, and only the cross!  The Holy Spirit also reminded me that my hermitage is truly that of Solus Deus:  God alone!  This is not the first named thus of a hermitage.  My very first hermitage 20 years ago, had the "Solus Deus" sign hanging on my porch, a sign I will hang here but not visible to public.  I have learned what "hidden from the eyes of men" means within and why this phrase is included in what the Church desires and wisely challenges Her hermits to grasp, become, and remain.  Being hidden, for a hermit, is another dying to self.

(I plan to write about narcissism in hermits, and of how various pernicious disorders may arise when vices go uncorrected in anyone's soul, but how it is especially detrimental to hermit purpose and progression.)

So it is that this hermit will not ever have a pet.  Yes, I had an unexpected emotional reaction when I accepted the Lord's answer, when He nudged the seller to persist a bit, for I suspect they preferred the puppy to go to the family--and of course I think pets are best with more than one person, although I have pointed out the good of service and therapy animals.  To help with my sadness, as there is always some grieving in death, of which dying to self is very much a death, a loss, a letting go of some part of ourselves, I focused on the family last night, who would be--children especially--ecstatic with excitement that they were getting the puppy after all!  To focus all the more, I put into my imaging, my eldest child and her husband and two daughters, and I visualized their joy and excitement as if they were the family hearing the puppy news last night.

I'm praying to recognize my angel's efforts--doing all possible to help me get up and be more mobile physically.  However, I'm also willing to accept that the pain has me debilitated from fatigue.  Tomorrow I meet with the priest, and will find out who he has in mind as a spiritual director. It may work out or not; but we hermits ought remain open to trial and error in all aspects. 

I also will discuss with the priest who is older, wiser, and some knowledgeable of the mystics and more spiritually acute than others, how he views traditional, privately professed hermits as opposed to the publicly professed diocese hermits.  I realize readers continue to inquire, and there is contradictory information being promoted online, elsewhere, including created notions and terminology as if fact.  I will ask if he thinks I should also meet with the bishop, as well, to clarify what seem to be misconceptions and contradictions being promoted and created, online. 

(Perhaps he will think privately professed Catholic hermits ought sign after their names, "erem.cpp" or "erem.tcpp" or some such created designation to distinguish us from the "erem.dio" that has been created and promoted by someone or other in the past few years?  I jest, as attempts to advertise, identify, distinguish, or promote ourselves by creating initials, akin to what religious orders do of necessity due to different charisms and orders, to identify themselves, their group, is not a hermit tradition or practice, nor is it necessary whatsoever for any hermit, no matter if publicly or privately professed.  However, since there is now in the past recent years, the inclusion of publicly professed hermits, attached to particular dioceses, perhaps it is necessary for the two types of hermits to be distinguished, one from the other?  Fascinating and quite temporal topic and question.)

Now, forward and onward in the serious and legitimate focus of my mission and purpose as a consecrated Catholic hermit, a Christian, an eremite striving in following Christ on His narrow path, of dying to self increasingly--and thus not seriously or foolishly interested in adding initials following my name or any title or designation.  Nudum Christum, nudus sequere!

And, with that, also very much:  God Bless His Real Presence in us!

Catholic Hermit: Apology

What at one point was a blog post apologizing to you, dear and forgiving readers, seemed more necessary after a night's rest, to be an apology to God.  
It has to do with my soul, my mind, the choices, the distractions that might not seem so bad, but at this seeming juncture are not good.

What is prickling me, within and my mind starting to grasp, is yet again how mundanity can take hold.  Mundanity is not what a consecrated Catholic hermit such as me ought be about.

For one, you can discern from the posts (if you've suffered through reading some or most), the ones in which I deal with the more structural, temporal aspects of hermit life are at least for me, torturous.  My writing becomes more stilted and not of the heart.  It is how it was when writing portions of my doctoral dissertation, when completing my doctoral degree at the University of Southern California.  

My supervising professor could tell the difference in the chapters involving review of the literature (research), setting forth the thesis, providing for and reviewing the statistics--and then the "findings" and prognostic for future study and change.  She could tell of the slow, structured, staid sections that I struggled in style and completion.  That contrasted with the present- and forward-moving, creatively genuine sections.  

My advisor and mentor knew me more than I recognized. "You are a poet at heart," she said, while encouraging what was painstaking to write of the more mundane yet foundational aspects that must meet high standards in the academic world.

So I'm sorry for staying stuck or returning to writing of temporal aspects like hermits wearing a habit, or taking on a religious name when one becomes a hermit.  Or when I write, explaining the obvious facts of whether privately or publicly professed, a hermit who professes the evangelical counsels and lives a God-called and directed eremitic life (with a Bishop director or priest or other qualified spiritual director) enters into the consecrated life of the Church.

I get sidetracked by such topics when others inquire of such, for I suppose such facts that are more of external aspects are of initial interest to lay persons or non-Catholics curious about the Church's hermits of today.  So I attempt to rehash which includes such as some of the following of which some I will delete for it is tedium and not genuinely where this consecrated Catholic hermit "is", in this present phase of hermit life.  These aspects, such as in a doctoral dissertation, are one-and-done type facts, like the review of past facts and findings.  I must press onward, genuinely sharing what the Lord asks of me to not only write, but most importantly what He inflames in my heart. 

So it is for me as a contemporary, Catholic hermit--one of God's Church's hermits--to not only think with the heart (as He instructed me in 1995 so profoundly) but to also write with and from the heart.  As is written in Samuel 16:9, "Man looks to the outer appearances; the Lord looks at the heart."  I tarry too long in the externals.  

The Lord wants my heart, my soul--and yes, also my mind but not in rehash of easily understood facts such as are the Church's requirement for hermits to profess the three evangelical counsels whether or not privately or publicly, and to live then the vast interior reaches of what it is to be a consecrated hermit in the Church today.  I'm to divest myself of mundanity and go to the heart of God Himself, while remaining true to the broad-reaching parameters the Church has so poetically yet rightfully set forth for Her hermits.

Thus, I can delete much of what I'd written last night, that shared of my early exploration based upon what I myself misguidedly wondered about once I was a hermit in the Church, following the more concrete and definitively doable requisites, although profession of the evangelical counsels includes much depth of the soul's discussion with God as to honoring a life lived in poverty, obedience, and chastity.  There is so much more to a hermit's life and to what the Church sets forth for us, challenges us to the ways and means of living this vocation true to God and Church--Her Head and Her members, the Body of Christ.

Yes, at one time early on I experienced being a postulant and then novice, in a recently founded community of hermits in which we each lived in our own locales but followed an horarium and other structured features of living out daily and nightly, our hermit vocations.  I wore a habit and was given a religious name (Pio of the Wounded Heart).  I learned much from this experience, and I learned the external aspects in our current times are rather antithetical to ensuring stricter separation from the world, silence of solitude, and remaining hidden from the eyes of men.  

I stuck out, noticed, a point of conversation and of controversy, over-admired or unjustly demeaned.  The externals kept me ever reminded, as they were ever reminding others, of the outer, not the inner.  I was not "noticed" due to what I was in Christ or He in me; I was noticed by clothing that was typical of the poor of desert hermits of early first century.  The habit and having a religious name were fashioned after the ways of Medieval-initiated religious order, and that caused others to assume that which was not truth.  

I learned from those brief externals, all the more. to seek the Lord, to listen to what He wanted of me in externals, and when He made Himself quite clear, I followed His desires in these regards.  "Why would you want THAT, when you can have ME more directly now?"  Who, when this is stated to one directly by the Lord, and discerned with the help of a holy priest of many decades, would argue otherwise?

And the truth of the matter is, years ago the Lord revealed to me my heavenly name, the name of which I will be called in heaven, and that name to me seems the more pertinent as it is eternal.  But I would not go by my heavenly name while in the temporal nor expect others to call me by that name here on earth, any more than I would go by my eremitic name.  

As a consecrated Catholic hermit, I simply do not want to be noticed for that to me is not God's need of me, use of me, and in external aspects that do affect the internal, is an unnecessary distraction. When I am out and about for a necessary outing (medical, grocery or other necessity shopping, rare charitable visit, Mass at the parish) how He wishes me to be noticed--if at all as His hermit, as His Church's hermit--is by the Light of His Love and His Real Presence within me. 

The interior is what matters, what will make any difference of substance with and to others.  As in Samuel 9:16, Man looks at the outer appearance; the Lord looks at the heart."  

What stood out in the past--of the religious solitaries, the hermits--was their stricter separation from the "world" as an aide to their intense seeking Christ in the "spiritual desert," in the silence of solitude, in their devoting of their lives--bodies, minds, hearts, and souls--to the praise of God and the salvation of the world, of souls!  

That is what ought stand out to others, now, if anything be noticed of us consecrated Catholic hermits.  At least that is what my prayerful discerning and my 20 years of lived experiences as a consecrated Catholic hermit in these our times--and what His Real Presence has told and shown me in various ways thus far.

The issues that might seem important to some, such as what hermits wore in earlier centuries that now a causes one to be noticed more as a nun or monk or even as a theatrical person and changing one's name as is the practice when in a Church-condoned religious order are not this hermit's point in purpose. Whether or not a hermit is a consecrated Catholic hermit by his or her having professed the evangelical counsels privately or publicly, is not this hermit's issue nor should be beyond what was, in fact, which particular mode of entering into the eremitic vocation in the consecrated life of the Church.

My issue right now is moving from apologizing to readers, into apologizing to God, for my too-much mundanity.  (I enjoyed reviewing in dictionary "mundane's" various definitions, synonyms, and roots.  "Of the world", "unvaried", "sublunary", even "wearisome": mundanity can cause me to become "stuck".  That is not my being the fire on earth that Jesus came for and of which He wishes I was burning already.)  

What is best for a hermit's soul, could be what God wills for any holy soul, such as what has been best for the known and unknown saints of all ages. Holy souls whose very lives in the inner sanctum of their hearts, minds, and souls sought Christ with all their verve.  We aspiring souls--and very much us Catholic hermits who are devoting our lives in particular ways and means, should still seek Christ with all our being.  The Church's hermits did not nor should they yet today remain in what they've progressed through of what was, is, been-and-done: mundane.

Especially now, I am reminded in my current phase of life of yet deeper seeking, needing, yearning to be in Christ.  In my grasping and clasping onto His Real Presence--Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I am culled increasingly from the externals.  I've fulfilled and continue to do so, the expressed profession requirements of the Church.  

The more I discern God's specific call to me, coming upon entering my third decade as a privately professed hermit in the consecrated life of the Catholic Church, the more He desires me to come to increasing union with Him.  It is in my mind, heart, and soul now, to write of what He wills from within Him to without, through Him without to within me.  My soul in Him, deeper and more profoundly, with the living out of my life increasingly a living out of His will and His Heart.

Thus you readers can understand that I pray to share increasingly the matters of the heart and soul.  I am inspired in my mind, heart, and soul by His Living Word; I am inspired in my mind (and my heart does flutter) by the writings of those before our time who have written of their lives fully in Christ, and of their progression therein.  

Yet I am praying to write from the mind, heart, and soul that the Lord wants me to increasingly enter into His.  I pray for the grace and discipline to not so much write from what others have found in Him, but what He has of me to write of what the mind and heart and soul He has given me to be in Him--what that of what God has created of mine, discovers in Him.

We shall see.  I don't want to be distracted by other than the venture of the soul into and in His Real Presence--the fullness of the Holy Trinity.  I pray to do so, of course, living out what Holy Mother Church asks of all her hermits, thus my on-going review of what the Church desires of me, Christ's and His Church's hermit, consecrated in Christ and consecrated in the vocational life of the Church.

Such as, there are thoughts from mind, heart, and hopefully my soul, regarding what it means for this Catholic hermit, at this point and prayerfully in God's purview,  to live "in stricter separation from the world."  Or, also, what it is that He wills of His Church's hermits--this hermit--to live in the solitude of silence, to be hidden from the eyes of men, to live a life of assiduous prayer and penance, and so forth.  

What for example, does Christ will of His hermit in manifesting to everyone, "the interior aspect of the mystery of the Church--that is, personal intimacy with Christ?"  How does God want me to be a "silent preaching of the Lord"--or for me to truly surrender my life to Christ "simply because He is everything to me?"  How does God desire me, truly, deeply, genuinely, from within to without--to live His particular call and to find "in the 'desert', in the thick of 'spiritual battle', the glory of the Crucified One?"

To this purpose and mission I am increasingly called.  To come to His Real Presence and to write what He wills and desires (or not to write if not His want of me to do so).  I need His Grace!  My progression of mind, heart, and soul must "hie hither" to the depth, breadth, and pinnacle of His Real Presence, to the Holy Interior of God.  My body is at the phase of crying out to God my Father, united in Christ on the Cross, knowingly begging forgiveness of my not unfinished sinning, for I know not what I do.  And I ask God our Father to forgive us all for all that we do not know what we are doing.

I wonder if I am completely yet broken and ready for Him to piece me back together in the image of the interior of His Sacred Heart--or of His Real Presence, deeply and truly.  I simply do not know if I am yet that broken or ready.  I think so, I want to believe so.  I guess that is at least something:  to have come to that desire as a hope in God reality.

God bless His Real Presence in us!

Catholic Hermit: Faith Reminder

Just this small bit of His Living Word, spoken centuries ago through the lips of an Isaiah, can dead-ringer the truth about faith.

This from Isaiah 7:9:

Unless your faith is firm
you shall not be firm!

I will ponder these Living Words of His Real Presence while putting a second coat of finish paint on the trim boards cut yesterday, intended for two windows in the hermitage kitchen.

A spiritual friend has emailed in route for their vacation.  They are scouting an area for possible relocation.  The husband is in foul mood, perhaps due to a house he'd been following online, for sale, was sold last evening, removed from the possibilities.  The wife is quite the spiritually endowed Catholic Christian, full of faith yet struggling today under the rebuffs and retorts of the husband.

She picked up some spiritual reading materials left out for people to take, after Mass yesterday morning.  Among them something written about John of the Cross.  She figures the devil is not pleased with her taking soul-edifying books along on the trip.  Why not try to get through her, via her husband's foul temper?

I admit it seems the likely scenario.  I am firm on such matters, for the spiritual warfare runs under the surface of life as counter currents in the rivers of our eternally flowing souls.  We hit the rocks and go under with the hidden cross-currents when our faith is not firm.  Well, we can hit the rocks regardless, but if we can remain firm in faith, we see the pitfalls and know how to survive the undertows that can disrupt or even lead to our spiritual deaths.

Here, in this desert exile, the Lord seems to be saying in His Love-and-Mercy Thoughts, that this consecrated Catholic hermit is to remain for awhile, perhaps for a long while, with firm faith.  It is true that the hermit's finances are finite, yet the Lord is allowing obstacles for being able to depart.  In small ways, He provides through generosity of those who stop to take organic vegetables and berries from the roadside table.  

Yesterday someone placed a generous contribution into the clay garden pot when taking some berries and Crookneck squash, fresh-picked that morning.  It helps pay the bills but more so reminds me that people do understand the hours of effort in growing organic produce, as well as notice the old hermit nail-gunning trim around the porch ceiling or mowing, or painting trim laid out on sawhorses, or spreading mulch.  (They know not I am a hermit wearing my Order of the Present Moment habit: tee-shirt and cut-off khakis--paint-splattered.)

The Lord will provide in the firmness of our faith, and thus we become firm in His Love and Mercy.

It is not about financial solvency, for of course if the Lord allowed, a hermit could go bankrupt or lose a hermitage in foreclosure.  These are realities for contemporary consecrated Catholic hermits who are not at all subsidized by the temporal Church nor by patrons or supporters.  Some who are more publicized as hermits such as through their Diocese or Catholic publications, might have some donations flow their way.  That is fine.

Most of us Catholic hermits, privately or publicly professed, and thus by the Institutes of the Catholic Church are fully part of the Consecrated Life of the Church, have our own means of financial support.  When circumstances occur, which they can in any life situation, that requires need of additional income, hermits pray and God provides.  

When our faith is firm, then we shall be firm.

I'm yet in awe that after years of not being eligible for health insurance, within a few short weeks of being able to qualify for Medicare (based upon the earthly ex-spouse's Social Security status), health considerations erupted.  I would have been wiped out financially without the Medicare coverage!  The Lord provided so bounteously and still does, as the bills arrive with manageable amounts to be paid.  Yesterday's contribution for berries and squash pays the primary doctor's appointment.

And the pain that was so very severe in the liver area, has subsided some!  What a difference in outlook and ability to proceed with some manual labor!  Prayers of people of great faith have been answered, and this hermit is extremely grateful!

My faith is firm, and I shall be firm--and all by the grace of God alone.  Faith is His gift to us as are all things temporal and spiritual.

Now to head out to the roadside table at Te Deum Hermitage (of which thus far no one passing by would have any inkling of the name of this hermitage for what does a hermitage look like, anyway?) and rescue the berries and Red Romaine and squash from mid-day heat.  Organic produce droops easily, rapidly.  

Our faith must remain firm, though, and we shall be firm!  Deus vult!  (God wills it!)