Catholic DUers

I am a convert who converted to Catholicism about 8 years ago. My husband was a Catholic and we were raising our kids as Catholics by going to weekly mass and the kids went to weekly religion classes. I had not had any type of religion growing up so I made the choice to become Catholic. I went through RCIA and the whole bit but still don't feel that I have much knowledge about the religion.
My now ex husband went to a Catholic boys school that was then (70's-80's) mostly run by Monks and Priests.
I was asked at work today (being the only Catholic person here)what a monk is and is he the same as a Friar. It had to do with the man in the brown robe was next to Terri Schaivos parents. Can anyone help me here?

Monk


A monk may be conveniently defined as a member of a community of men, leading a more or less contemplative life apart from the world, under the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, according to a rule characteristic of the particular order to which he belongs. The word monk is not itself a term commonly used in the official language of the Church. It is a popular rather than a scientific designation, but is at the same time very ancient, so much so that its origin cannot be precisely determined. So far as regards the English form of the word, that undoubtedly comes from the Angle-Saxon munuc, which has in turn arisen from the Latin monachus, a mere transliteration of the Greek monachos. This Greek form is commonly believed to be connected with monos, lonely or single, and is suggestive of a life of solitude; but we cannot lose sight of the fact that the word mone, from a different root, seems to have been freely used, e.g. by Palladius, as well as monasterion, in the sense of a religious house (see Butler, "Palladius's Lausiac History" passim). Be this as it may, the Fathers of the fourth century are by no means agreed as to the etymological significance of monachus. St Jerome writes to Heliodorus (P.L., XXII, 350), "Interpret the name monk, it is thine own; what business hast thou in a crowd, thou who art solitary?" St. Augustine on the other hand fastens on the idea of unity (monas) and in his exposition of Ps. cxxxii, extols the appropriateness of the words "Ecce quam bonum et quam jucundum habitare fratres in unum" when chanted in a monastery, because those who are monks should have but one heart and one soul (P.L., XXXVII, 1733). Cassian (P.L., XLIX, 1097) and Pseudo-Dionysius (De Eccl. Hier., vi) seem to have thought monks were so called because they were celibate.

In any case the fact remains that the word monachus in the fourth century was freely used of those consecrated to God, whether they lived as hermits or in communities. So again St. Benedict a little later (c. 535) states at the beginning of his rule that there are four kinds of monks (monachi):

cenobites who live together under a rule or an abbot,
anchorites or hermits, who after long training in the discipline of a community, go forth to lead a life of solitude (and of both of these classed he approves; but also
"sarabites" and
"girovagi" (wandering monks), whom he strongly condemns as men whose religious life is but a pretence, and who do their own without the restraint of obedience.
It is probably due to the fact that the Rule of St. Benedict so constantly describes the brethren as monachi and their residence as monaslerium, that a tradition has arisen according to which these terms in Latin and English (though not so uniformly in the case of the corresponding German and French works) are commonly applied only to those religious bodies which in some measure reproduce the conditions of life contemplated in the old Benedictine Rule. The mendicant friars, e.g. the Dominicans, Franciscans, Carmelites, etc., though they live in community and chant the Divine Office in choir, are not correctly described as monks. Their work of preaching, mixing with their fellow men in the world, soliciting alms, and moving from place to place, is inconsistent with the monastic ideal. The same is to be said of the "clerks regular", like the Jesuits, in whose rule the work of the apostolate is regarded as so important that it is considered incompatible with the obligation of singing office in choir. Again members of the religious congregations of men, which take simple but not solemn vows, are not usually designated as monks. On the other hand it should be noted that in former days a monk, even though he sang office in choir, was not necessarily a priest, the custom in this respect having changed a good deal since medieval times. Besides the Benedictines with their various modifications and offshoots, i.e. the Cluniacs, Cistercians, Trappists etc., the best known orders of monks are the Carthusians, the Premonstratensians, and the Camaldolese. The honorary prefix Dom, and abbreviation of Dominus is given to Benedictines and Carthusians.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10487b.htm

and that is the garb worn by Franciscans. I don't know for sure but since the Franciscans have been aroud for a very, very long time, I'm sure there's something with the Vatican that says its ok for them to wear the brown robes.

:hi:

"A monk is a man who is a member of a brotherhood living in a monastery and devoted to a discipline prescribed by his order: a Benedictine monk; a Franciscan monk; Carthusian monk; a Buddhist monk."

There is a Benedictine monastery not far from where I live. I think as far as the Church is concerned monks are somewhat similar to nuns in their duties and responsibilities. They cannot say mass as a priest can, but they do the Church's work and they live a life of solitude and prayer. Just as nuns are referred to as "Sister," monks are referred to as "Brother," as in "Brother David." Each order has it's own rules for the monks to live by. At the monastery near here they say specific prayers at specific times of the day and of course attend mass once a day. They do community service work as well as maintain the different businesses that the monastery is involved in. Here it is citrus groves.

The Franciscan brotherhood was founded by Saint Francis of Assisi in 1209 and has three independent branches. That's about all I know about them besides the fact that they wear brown robes. The Benedictines wear black.

that they were like nuns but a man version. That helps...thanks!

to become a Catholic voluntarily. I am always amazed at people who choose later in life to become Catholic -- it's a demanding religion. I was born Catholic, but there are aspects of my religion that I disagree with. I've sponsored someone for RCIA, but when I did I told them point blank that I knew there were areas of the Catholic belief system that would disagree with their own beliefs.

That said, I still do find great comfort in my faith, and I think my Church is one of the most peaceful places in the world. I frequently attend prayers with the monks here and there is nothing like it to restore my faith in God and in myself. I consider myself lucky to have had religious training in my childhood, because it came in handy when I was faced with adult problems.

Good luck in your new religion! I hope you find comfort in it as I have.

i divorced that husband because he was a chauvinist ass and since then (6 years ago) I haven't been to mass. Both of my kids were baptized and received 1st communion and i have told them i will go to mass if they want to go but i wouldn't take communion. My daughter is now 18 (chose not to be confirmed) and has become agnostic. My son is 13 and still goes to mass occasionally with his dad but doesn't want to be confirmed either. He is starting to question some things as well. I support them in whatever road they choose to go down.
I miss the fellowship but have noticed since our divorce, people are nice to me but not as nice as they used to be. I am considering checking out a Unitarian Universalist church near me though. People on DU speak well of them and i have a friend ( former Catholic) who is very liberal and loves the UU church.

I am divorced from a (non-practicing) Catholic husband, and I also got my annulment. I go to prayer services at the monastery near me but seldom go to mass anymore myself. I did attend mass for many years every week. But lately the prayer services are much more spiritually comforting to me. And since I haven't been to confession since I don't know when it wouldn't be right for me to take communion either.

When I was about 13, my parents broke from the Catholic Church and told me I could practice any faith I wanted. I stayed with Catholicism. I have never been confirmed, but the Church allowed me to have a Catholic wedding anyway. I think it is wise for you to allow your kids to choose their own religion, or non-religion. When I was very young church attendance was kinda forced on me. Your decision not to make them attend services but to continue supporting them in their choice is a sound one.

I can relate to feeling a bit left out or even ostracized because of your divorce. I like the monastery where I attend prayers because it is less of a family environment (except for mass) and I don't feel funny that I'm not there with my own family. I am close to a few of the brothers and enjoy their company.

I also have friends who belong to the Unitarian Church and have heard good things about it. I might even go if there were a Unitarian Church near me, but there isn't. If you end up going, please PM me and let me know what it was like, I'd love to hear about it.