Holy “Orders” for Lay People

Following in the Footsteps of the Saints as Tertiaries

I
recently attended the funeral of an
elderly secular Franciscan. For an
hour or so before the Mass of
Christian Burial, he was laid in state
for last-minute mourners and out-of-
state visitors. Seeing him vested in his
Franciscan habit—one of the privileges
of being a third order member—there
was no doubt in my mind that the spirit
of St. Francis had truly permeated
Stanley’s life. This was further made
manifest when I discovered that his
late wife was, and six of their eleven
children are, professed secular
Franciscans too. not of the world,” it also reminds us that they live in the world. And
that the laity have the special challenge although they are not bound by pub-
Sanctifying the to “contribute to the sanctification of lic vows as consecrated religious in
Temporal Order the world as from within, as leaven” community, tertiaries are full-fledged
Following in the footsteps of the (no. 31). By doing God’s work in the members of a religious family.
saints, particularly through associating world, lay persons who are third order
oneself as a third order member of a members are greatly assisted in bring- Gradual Historical Emergence
religious community, has always been ing the Gospel message into their Historically, most third orders
widely supported by the Church. homes, the marketplace, and elsewhere trace their origins to the 12th century,
Through the ages the laity have been in ways that they can be most spiritu- to emerging communities of laity
encouraged to draw deeply from the ally and apostolically fruitful. who desired to live in close connec-
wellspring of these spiritual families Canon Law defines secular or third tion and in apostolic collaboration
to assist them in living more fully orders as “associations whose mem- with particular religious orders. These
their baptismal promises, as well as bers, while living a secular life, strive devout laypersons received spiritual
fulfilling a specific role in the mission after Christian perfection by observing guidance and apostolic direction
of the Church—the sanctification of a papally approved rule, under the from Benedictine monks and
the temporal order. direction and spirit of a religious Premontratesian (Norbertine) canons,
By immersing oneself in the heav- order” (canon 702). Members—con- but it appears that a formal or extensive
enly wisdom of the saints and the sisting of lay men and women, married movement did not exist. St. Francis of
proven pattern for holiness as or single, and even diocesan clergy— Assisi changed all this when his burn-
exemplified by holy founders and their are called “tertiaries,” given their ing desire to live the Gospel inspired
religious congregations, lay men and relationship to a religious community’s baptized believers to reevaluate their
women serve as “leaven for heaven.” first and second orders, to which men lives. Francis specifically composed a
For while Lumen Gentium teaches that and women religious respectively Third Order Rule and wrote a letter to
all Christians are called to be “in but belong. The term “secular” indicates those lay members whom he dubbed
32 Lay Witness
“the brothers and sisters of penance.” proscribed period of spiritual for-
This sparked a widespread renewal mation, followed by a formal pro- Third Order Info on the Internet:
within the Church on all levels, and the fession that includes promises or
Augustinians—www. augustinian.org
third order movement spread as rapidly vows. After their profession, mem- Benedictines—www.osb.org
as the Franciscan Order did. bers are required to fulfill certain Carmelites— www.carmelnet.org
From the 15th century onward, the spiritual practices or exercises, and, and www.ocdswashprov.org
Holy See granted various religious if at all possible, meet in a group Dominicans—www.laity.op.org
communities the right to establish lay setting for ongoing formation and Franciscans—www.nafra-sfo.org
associations within their respective fraternal exchange. They also must Marists—www.maristlaity.org
institutes that have characteristics quite participate, according to their par- Mercedarians—www.orderofmercy.org
similar to those of the Franciscans. The ticular gifts, talents, and circum- Minims—www.minimi.it
Augustinians, Dominicans, Servites, stances, in the apostolic mission of Norbertines— www.premontre.org
Carmelites, Minims, Trinitarians, their religious order, according to Servites—www.servite.org
Mercediarians, Norbertines, Marists, the specific rule followed. Trinitarians—www.trinitarianhistory.org
and Benedictines were permitted to Since Vatican II, there seems to
foster among the laity their specific be some confusion whether secular or ating themselves with religious in the
charism and to involve them directly third orders are still viable within the apostolate, laity can discover, as
in their apostolates to spread the Church. Are they simply outdated Vatican II’s Apostolicam Actuositatem
Kingdom of God. with the emergence of a so-called lay encourages, “the innumerable opportu-
The effectiveness of this intimate spirituality and in light of the plethora nities open to the laity for the exercise
spiritual relationship and close apos- of new ecclesial movements? Should of their apostolate of evangelization
tolic bond is quite evident in the great archaic structures merely dissolve to and sanctification” (no. 6).
number of blesseds and saints who make way for new expressions of lay Vocations to the third orders pro-
have arisen among those who have involvement within the Church? vide a wonderful “bridge” connecting
embraced the tertiary way of life. While Vatican II did indeed refresh- the consecrated life and lay life within
Examples such as St. Louis of France, ingly emphasize the uniqueness of the the Church’s life and mission.
St. Elizabeth of Hungry, St. Maurus, lay vocation and its vital importance Dedicated tertiaries lead ordinary
St. Catherine of Siena and Bl. Anna within the People of God, the acknowl- Catholics to draw even greater inspi-
Maria Taigi verify that wholehearted edgment of the universal call to holi- ration from the rich spiritual tradition
dedication to this type of commitment ness and the explicit encouragement of the Church and to tap into their
can lead to a life of extraordinary for the lay people to live an apostolic many well-established apostolic activi-
holiness and heroic virtue. Modern- life in the midst of the world is hardly a ties. They also can serve as catalysts
day tertiaries include CUF’s founder new teaching. In fact, one could point for vocations to the priesthood and
H. Lyman Stebbins (Benedictine), out that this is something that had been consecrated life within Catholic fami-
Matt Talbot (Franciscan) and even encapsulated by the third orders since lies and parishes. For if children wit-
Pope John Paul II (Carmelite). their origin. Inspired by the example ness a parent living out a vocation as a
and instruction of the first and second Lay Dominican or Secular Franciscan,
In Spiritual Solidarity orders, tertiaries have always striven for example, they themselves may be
with Religious for sanctity by embracing the spirit of much more open and aware of their
This desire to be in spiritual soli- poverty, chastity, and obedience own vocational possibilities.
darity with an established institute of according to their state in life. Theirs is Involvement in the traditional third
consecrated life in no way makes merely accomplished in an ecclesial orders, or even as lay associates of
members of third orders “mini reli- “family context” of a religious institute newer religious communities and other
gious” or “second-rate religious.” On that is called to radically live the institutes of consecrated life, can help
the contrary, a layperson’s desire to Gospel with “an undivided heart.” bring about the “new springtime of the
embrace and incorporate a particular Gospel” as Pope John Paul II has so
charism concretely manifests the work- Consecrated Life often urged. Such an intimate associa-
ing of the Holy Spirit in and through an as a “Bridge” tion with the consecrated life anchors
established religious family. It shows As Pope John Paul II noted in his and guides the lay faithful both spiri-
that the special graces bestowed upon a apostolic exhortation Vita Consecrata, tually and apostolically to the insti-
founder and subsequent followers are “the consecrated life is at the very tutional Church as she strives to “put
intended to build up the Body of Christ heart of the Church as a decisive out into the deep” with renewed fervor
in all places and in every age. element of her mission” (no. 3). at the dawn of the Third Millennium.
Secular tertiaries take their com- Therefore, consecrated religious men
mitment to be a Christian vocation in and women serve as visible reminders Michael Wick is the Director of
the deepest sense of the word. It is not that Christ’s call to “be perfect, as your Operations for the Institute on Religious
merely another Catholic organization heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt. 5:48), Life (www.religiouslife.com) and serves as
or group. Entry into a third order can and must indeed be lived in the vice-chairman of the new Blessed John
requires spiritual discernment and a today’s world. And by closely associ- XXIII CUF Chapter in the Chicago area.

November/December 2004 33