Religious Orders QUESTION from Mike Maguire on April 10, 2003 Can you tell me if either the Dominican or the Benedictine orders are considered to be on the more conservative or traditional side?Are they about the same?If you can't tell me can you guide me to someone who can?Also, do you know of any other major orders that are on the more conservative side? Thank you Mike Maguire
ANSWER by John-Paul Ignatius, OLSM on April 17, 2003 Dear Mr. Maguire:
Unfortunately in this day and age when looking at any of the ancient established orders or looking at brand new orders one must assess them on a case-by-case basis. A blanket assessment as to an order's orthodoxy is generally not possible. Some monasteries may be liberal and others orthodox yet be in the same Order.
In general the Benedictines that I am familiar with are generally orthodox, but not completely. For example, the ones I know stand at the consecretion even though universal law in the Latin Rite is that we are to kneel. I do not know if they have a particular dispensation from this law or not.
Dominicans, who traditionally were to protect the orthodoxy of the faith, have in large measure failed in this duty in recent times depending on which Province we are talking about. The Eastern U.S. Province seems to be mostly orthodox. The Western Province has some problems.
I have personally met several Dominican priests from the Western Province and found them to be flirting with heresy.
I personally know of Franciscan Convents that are worshipping the Goddess Sophia.
You never know.
You need to check out any order, old or new, and each individual monastery, old or new.
Orders that are associated with the Institute for Religious Life will be good and orthodox orders and monasteries.
The website for the Institute is: http://www.religiouslife.com/
God Bless, Bro. Ignatius
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