The Early Religious Orders

Part II

The Early Religious Orders

Religious orders have always been part of our society ever since the early years of history and are still present today as we seen them in our daily lives. The religious orders started at around the 12the century where Christians gathered together to form vows of abstinence, chastity, and poverty. These religious orders have been a big impact on society and have influenced the lives of many people.

The Franciscans

Franciscans in a general assembly in their monastery

The Franciscans are one of the religious orders under the Catholic Church. It began with St. Francis when he gave up his wealth to live a life of poverty and by doing so, he then began to gain companionship which eventually grew to a significant number. It was in 1223 where he was granted approval by Pope Innocent III by the influence of the impressed bishop of Assisi. After the approval from the pope, the Franciscans had spread across Europe during the 1220s and eventually became a world known organization which has helped Christians live holier and simpler lives.

There were many important events and achievements that the Franciscans had gone through. One of the most important events in the Franciscan history was the 1^st expedition to evangelize and convert people from other countries outside Europe. It was on 1252 where one of the Franciscans, William of Rubruck journeyed to Mongolia. Not soon after that began the waves of Franciscans who were moving to other countries to evangelize and convert more people. One important achievement for them was when they set foot on America and were able to influence many countries such as: Mexico, Paraguay, Brazil and many others. They were also able to send friars to Africa particularly South Africa.

Franciscans in the Philippines

Though the Franciscans have made a big impact on the world, they had made a big impact on the Philippines as well. The Franciscans landed on the Philippines and brought evangelization and a good influence to the to it that are even being practiced until this time. There are many Franciscans who as of now reside in the Philippines especially in places like Manila and Cebu. The Franciscans have established institutions for prayer and brought the idea of being holy and institutions for poverty in the Philippines.

The Dominicans

Who are the Dominicans? The Dominicans, otherwise known as the Order of the Preachers, are a religious order founded by Saint Dominic in the year 1216 in France. Membership in the order included friars, the nuns, congregation of active sisters, and lay persons affiliated with the order. In England, the Dominicans came to be known as the Black Friars and in France, they came to be known as the Jacobins. This order was founded mainly to preach the gospel and combat heresy. Today, the Dominican Order is headed by the Master of the Order, who is now represented by Fr. Carlos Azpiroz Costa.

The Dominicans had 3 divisions; mainly the nuns, the sisters, and the laity. The nuns were founded by St. Dominic even before he had founded the order. They are the contemplatives in a cloistered life. The nuns then came to be known as the “Second Order”, though this is not accurately correct. The sisters carry on a number of apostolates. They are different from the nuns. They are a way of living of a Third Order Dominican. They live their lives supported by the four common values, often referred to as the Four Pillars of Dominican Life, these being the community life, common prayer, study, and service. The laity are governed by their own rule, the Rule of the Lay Fraternities of St, Dominic.

The Dominicans have 3 mottoes. The first is “Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare” which means to praise, to bless, and to preach. The second is “Veritas”, which means Truth. The last one is “Contemplari et Contemplata Aliis Tradere”, which means to study hard and to hand on the fruits of study (or, to contemplate and to hand on the fruits of contemplation.

The Augustinians

Augustinian Monk talking to an angel during his meditation

One of the other religious orders under the Catholic Church were the Augustinians. After the foundation of the Dominicans and the Franciscans by St. Dominic and St. Francis of Assisi, a new group of hermits came together to form a new order with influence to the two existing orders that time and they were called the Augustinians due to their way of living their religious lives with the “Rule of St. Augustine”. It was named after St. Augustine of Hippo although St. Augustine of Hippo was not the actual founder of this religious order, he is still regarded as its spiritual founder. Their main cause was again to live a very holy and religious life in regards to the Rule of St. Augustine.

The whole Augustinian order is made up of two kinds of people and these are the regular canons and canonesses and friars and nuns. The rule of St. Augustine was the main point of religious life for the Augustinians as it was the one that made them like the other religious orders. The main message of this rule was that love is the center of christian life meaning that you have to love your neighbors or even your enemies and to show the world that they are still carrying the love that Christ had for us. They use their time to show that they are truly servants of the Church in terms of words, sacraments, and also justice.

Augustinians in the Philippines

The Augustinians in the middle ages proved that they could spread the word of God like the Dominicans and the Franciscans which also existed that time. The Augustinians made a big impact in the Philippines in such a way that they were the first ones who brought christianity to its people with the help of the Spaniards in which some of its people were Augustinians and this altogether influenced the entire country to practice its beliefs especially the Rule of St. Augustine and in the future years, it came to spread thus gaining more members on the way.

The Recollects

Founded in 16th century Spain, the order of Augustinian Recollects or simply the Augustinians Recollects was a Roman Catholic monastic order of men and women, who were reformists from the Augustinian hermit friars. They also follow the Augustinian Rule of St. Augustine of Hippo similar to the Dominicans where it expresses enduring principles and manifests an understanding of the human condition to what is essential for a religious life in community which was guided by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Recollects followed a more austere rule and were only recognized as a separate order but was formally recognized as an Order in the Catholic Church in 1912.

Recollects in the Philippines

Modern Day Recollects in their monastery

The first group of Recollects were consisted of 13 Recollects with one who died in sea, arrived in Cebu in 1606 before proceeding to Manila where they established their convent in Bagumbayan or now known as Luneta. In 1607, they took charge of Bataan, Zambales and western Pangasinan which were previously abandoned by the other orders. Life in the missions were quite difficult due to the hostility of the natives. In the 17th century, 20 religious people died at the hands of these marauders. Even one province was captured and ransomed in Zamboanga during the yearly visit of Bishop Pedro de Arce of Cebu. The motherhouse of the Recollects was transferred from Intramuros to Quiapo which is currently known as the San Sebastian Church or the all-steel church.

The 19th century saw further expansion of the missions by getting back Zambales. Their taking charge of Negros starting in 1848 was credited in developing the island’s economic success. They also made headway into areas near Manila which they have always wanted with the establishment of Las Pinas and Imus in Cavite. Further, with the distrust of the government with the Seculars, they gave two parishes, Cavite Viejo Kawit in 1851, and Silang in 1853. They founded the town of Carmona in 1856. The history of the Augustinian Recollects soon became very much intertwined and the political upheavals of the 19th century played a big role in the emerging nationalism in the Philippines culminating in the Philippine Revolution of 1898.

Conclusion

As of now, there are many other religious orders that exist and one of its reasons maybe were the existence of these first 4 groups that gave influence to these orders. These 4 religious orders served their ways to fulfilling the word of God and to spread it to people worldwide. Their quest is not yet over due to their existence until now but they were crucial in a way that they carried the church with them wherever they go and following orders of great saints of the church. This was all about influence and without it, there would be fewer religious orders today.

Study Questions

1. Who was the founder of the Dominicans

2. Who was the founder of the Franciscans?

3. What was the way of living religious life of the Augustinians?

4. What was the way of living religious life of the Recollects?

Practical Exercises

1. The Franciscans, the Dominicans, the Augustinians, and the Recollects all live very holy and religious lives although their not the same in doing everything in terms of these. Make a diagram comparing their similarities and differences in terms of practices.

2. The Augustinians and the Recollects followed the same rule and that rule was the “Rule of St. Augustine of Hippo”. Form in groups and make a skit about how they practice this rule

Catechism

1426 “Conversion to Christ, the new birth of Baptism, the gift of the Holy Spirit and the Body and Blood of Christ received as food have made us "holy and without blemish," just as the Church herself, the Bride of Christ, is "holy and without blemish." Nevertheless the new life received in Christian initiation has not abolished the frailty and weakness of human nature, nor the inclination to sin that tradition calls concupiscence, which remains in the baptized such that with the help of the grace of Christ they may prove themselves in the struggle of Christian life. This is the struggle of conversion directed toward holiness and eternal life to which the Lord never ceases to call us.

1428 “Christ's call to conversion continues to resound in the lives of Christians. This second conversion is an uninterrupted task for the whole Church who, "clasping sinners to her bosom, is at once holy and always in need of purification, [and] follows constantly the path of penance and renewal." This endeavor of conversion is not just a human work. It is the movement of a "contrite heart," drawn and moved by grace to respond to the merciful love of God who loved us first.”

References:

Herbermann, Charles George. The Catholic Encyclopedia: An International Work of Reference on the Constitution, Doctrine, Discipline, and History of the Catholic Church. University of California: Encyclopedia Press, 2009.

Hinnebusch, William A.. The Dominicans: A Short History . New York City: Dominican Publications, 1985.

O'Mahony, James Edward. The Franciscans. University of Michigan: The Macmillan Company, 2007.

Romanillos, Emmanuel Luis A.. The Augustinian recollects in the Philippines: Hagiography and History. Cebu City, Philippines: Recoletos Communications, 2001.

http://www.aquinasonline.com/dominic.html

http://www.augustinianrecollects.org/home.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominicans

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franciscan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustinians

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recollects

Credits:

Abas, Reginald Matthew M.

Sub-Section: The Augustinians, Augustinians in the Philippines

Conclusion

Study Questions 1 to 4

Practical Exercises 1 and 2

Dagelet, Francis Lorenzo L.

Introduction

Sub-Section: The Franciscans, Franciscans in the Philippines

Catechism

Ermitaño, Mauro Iñigo S.

Sub-Section: The Recollects, Recollects in the Philippines

Titular, Paolo Angelo M.

Sub-Section: The Dominicans, Dominicans in the Philippines

Answers to Study Questions(Part II)

1. The founder of the Dominicans is St. Dominic

2. The founder of the Franciscans is St. Francis of Assisi

3. They lived a very holy and religious life by practicing the Rule of St. Augustine of Hippo which tells the follower to spread the gospel of our lord Jesus Christ.

4. They lived almost the same life as the Augustinians because they follow the same rule which was the Rule of St. Augustine of Hippo.