Aug
6
Hermits of Saint Bruno
August 6, 2008 | 23 Comments
The “Hermits of St. Bruno”[1] is a fraternity of hermits that have their profession of solemn vows to eremitic life under Canon Law (either as a professed Relgious Hermit[2] or a Diocesean Hermit per Canon 603[3]). The “Hermits of Saint Bruno” was founded Brother Michael Anthony, Erem. M.I., D.D., Ph.D., D.B.A.[4]
As the name implies, the members of Hermits of St. Bruno try to follow the Carthusian spirit…, enjoying the support many clergy. We organize our day around our horarium, which involves praying the Divine Office, with periods of Lectio Divina, study, meditation, manual work and the daily attendance as Mass where possible. The habit worn is the same as those worn by the Carthusians.
History
The Hermits of St. Bruno (H.S.B.)[5] started as the former Community of Hermits of St. Bruno (CHSB). An international Roman Catholic religious community with members in the U.S.A, France, Ireland (North and South), as well as the U.K that was established in February 2001. The fraternity of Hermits of St. Bruno was reestablished in the United States in 2007 from the CHSB, dissolved 30 April 2007,[6] and was to be a community that welcomes men, women, clergy, and former religious who felt the call to live out the vocation of a hermit in solitude, but with advantages of belonging to a Religious Community. Two other groups that are trying to start that branched off from CHSB is the ssb in the U.K. and after another year from the H.S.B. is the f.s.b. in the North East of the U.S.A.
Stages of the Hermit of Saint Bruno’s Life
The stages of formation to join the fraternity of the HSB are started with the desire to answer the call of Our Lord to the contemplative life. And your spiritual direction and formation that will lead with permission of joining the HSB will be provided by the associated religious order or more commonly your diocesans appointed spiritual director.
- * Postulancy (3 to 12 months) the postulant lives the life of a hermit but without having professed any kind of vows.
- * Novitiate (2 years). The novice wears the white Carthusian habit.
- * Simple Vows (3 years) becomes a junior professed monk and wears the full Carthusian habit.
- * Renewal of simple vows (2 years)
- * Profession as Relgious Hermit or a Diocesean Hermit per Canon 603.
- * Solemn profession.
Locations of Hermitages
- * Immaculate Heart of Mary’s Hermitage, West Melbourne, FL, U.S.A.
- * (Under Construction)
Locations of Diocesan Cenobitic Communities
- * Les Ermites De Saint Bruno, Tarn-et-Garonne, France[7]
Eremitic Spirituality
Further reading
- * A Monk. The Hermitage Within: Spirituality of the Desert. London:Darton,Longman & Todd Ltd, 1977
- * Lockhart, Robin Bruce. Halfway to Heaven. London:Cistercian Publications, 1999
- * Kossmann, Benedict. Sounds of Silence. Authorhouse, 2005
References
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[2] ”Religious Institutes“. Code of Canon Law.
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[3] ”Institutes of Consecrated Life“. Code of Canon Law.
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[4] An Eremitic Presence in the Diocese of Orlando Ascension Catholic Community Bulletin 06/29/2008 Page 10
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[7] ”Diocese of Montauban These Hermitages of Saint Bruno are recognized by the Bishop of Montauban as monastic community of his diocese”.
External links
Comments
23 Comments so far
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Hi Br. Anthony;
I was one person who emailed you last year and asked a few questions about the ending of CHSB. I had just started the application process with Br. Robert and then, nothing except what I heard through you and a few items on the IFSB. I am glad to see that you are involved with this venture and ask if you can fill me in with more information at this time.
With every wish that your adventure in Our Lord’s Will, will praise him,
Your brother in Christ,
Brian
The Hermits of Saint Bruno requires that you must first be consecrated as a diocesan hermit or be a member of a religious community whose prior has given written permission for you to apply. You may contact the prior of the cenobitic community in France, Les Ermites De Saint Bruno, through their diocese office.
If you are a member of the laity and wish to have support you may contact Brother Benedict Joseph, a diocesan hermit, who is now attempting to found the fraternity of Saint Bruno (fsb). The fsb is at this time inviting those who wish to discern a vocation as a hermit with the fraternity. I will send you his contact address.
—–
Monday, August 11, 2008 7:11:25 PM
Dear Mr. Colter my message to you was returned stating that your addresses had permanent fatal errors. God bless you.
I am glad that you have received my message and I await your contact.
In Christ;
Brian
PAX!
Thank you for the new e-mail address…I have sent out the information to you a few minutes before this post. God bless you.
Marantha!
My Brother in Christ:
I looked at the bounced message again and see it was refused/blocked. I can only assume that you have your reasons. I can say with absolute certitude that I have done nothing wrong and will stand before Christ, with you if you like, and ask him for his judgment. I do think I know what happened, but instead of asking, you have chosen to hide.
I am sorry this has happened and continue to pray that God will be proclaimed through your ministry
Much blessings and perfect healing to you;
Brian
I would like to ask if it is possible to get some more info on the HSB ?
I applied for entering the chsb but the process suddenly had to stop because the chsb was dissolved.
How is this hsb different, does it have cononical status or has it applied for such status ?
Well I do have a lot more questions, but I will start with these.
David
PAX!
All questions sent thus far have been answered above. But for clarity I shall try and summarize here. The H.S.B. is a fraternity of hermits. In order to be eligible to apply the aspirant must first be consecrated as a diocesan hermit or be a consecrated member of a religious community whose Superior has given written permission for them to apply.
Another path would be to contact the prior of the coenobitic community in France, Les Ermites De Saint Bruno, through their diocese office. To apply to this community you must speak French and have some knowledge of Latin. Most of the hermits in this community were Carthusians who sought an even more ascetic life with the blessing of the order.
You will be in my prayers. God bless you!
Thank you for your response.
I don’t speak French and the bishop of Denmark never responds when one tries to contact him, so one must resume he is not interested in hermits. The sad thing is that even when people contact him about becoming a priest he doesn’t respond.
I guess I will have to leave my country if I want to make the evangelical councils, not a good way for my country, but I guess that is how the church wants it.
With prayers
David
PAX!
Dear Brian,
No one has ever been blocked nor any message refused. Though I have heard this from others before. The servers we use are offered free and I believe are sometimes overtaxed. You are not the first to mention this problem.
Dear David,
You are not alone. Many bishops will refuse to even entertain the thought of responsibility of a hermit in their diocese. Most that have answered queries state financial liabilities even though a hermit must be self-sustaining.
I have heard of dioceses that will not incardinate any with Holy orders at all. It is every country that has this problem that you are seeing. It is not that people do not wish to answer the call of God and follow their vocation. It is that some prelates push them away.
The CHSB no longer exist and the Hermit of Saint Bruno reside only in the community in France.
Remember that all things are possible through Our Lord.
Know you are all in my prayers. God bless you!
Br Michael Anthony,
Regarding the Ermites de Saint Bruno, I read that “Since its founding, the Hermitage Saint Bruno is recognized by the Bishop of Montauban as a monastic community of his diocese”. Does that mean they are a religious community of diocesan right, or are their vows made under Canon 603?
Thank you for ant feedback.
Benedicite!
They are a religious community of diocesan right with the full spiritual support and approval of La Grande Chartreuse.
Nos, cum Prole pia, benedicat Virgo Maria!
Br. Michael Anthony,
Some questions about the Hermits of St. Bruno:
Are you proposing a community? or a Laura? Would the Hermits of St. Bruno live in the same location? or Would they live in their own location (like the CHSB did)?
What do you mean by “profession of solemn vows to eremitic life under Canon Law”?
You must know that since the new Code of Canon Law of 1983 there are no more solemn vows allowed for new Religious Communities.
Would the Carthusians receive the Hermits of St. Bruno as members of their Order allowing them to make solemn vows?
Thanks and Peace be with you,
María Paz of Jesus, diocesan hermit
Sr. María Paz of Jesus.
As mentioned above, the Hermits of Saint Bruno exist at present as a coenobitic community in France, Les Ermites De Saint Bruno. Most of the hermits in this community were Carthusians who sought an even more ascetic life with the blessing of the order. The Hermits of Saint Bruno are a religious community of diocesan right with the full spiritual support and approval of La Grande Chartreuse.
I had envisioned a situation where we would have both hermits living in isolated hermitages and coenobitic communities. At present I do not see the growth of the fraternity. There always seems to be someone who takes some of the group as it starts to form and breaks off in order to try and start their own community, like the fsb in the U.S.A. or the ssb with the SSPX in the U.K. I have left in the hands of Our Lord.
You must know that from the Commentary on the Code of Canon Law (Commissioned by the Canon Law of America) published in 2000.
Canon 1192:
(1) A vow is public if a legitimate superior accepts it in the name of the Church; otherwise it is private.
(2) a vow is solemn if the Church has recognized it as such; other wise it is simple.
(3) A vow is personal if the person making the vow promises an action; real if the person making the vow promises some things; mixed if it shares the nature of a personal and real vow.
The chief juridical difference between the two is that religious who profess a solemn vow of poverty renounce ownership of all their temporal goods (c. 668, paragraphs 4-5), whereas religious who profess a simple vow of poverty have a right to retain ownership of their patrimony but must give up its use and revenue (c. 668, par.1). A temporary vow, which expires after a stated period of time, is always a simple vow.
So according to the 2000 edition we see that there is a distinction between solemn and simple vows.
At present no, the Carthusians would not allow this. To be a Carthusian, you must join the order and be accepted.
Nos, cum Prole pia, benedicat Virgo Maria!
Br. Michael Anthony, Erem. M.I., D.D.
Dear Br. Michael Anthony,
Would it be possible to contact you by phone, or to send you a confidential email which is not public. Thankyou and God Bless!
My dear sister in Christ,
I have access to no phone and my e-mail is on the web site…but I shall send it to you via an e-mail itself so you can just hit the reply key to respond. God bless you!
Dear Br.Michael,
thank you for your prayers.
Elizabeth
Could you please email me with information regarding your group? I am very interested in vocational information and was a Benedictine monk for a few years. I am very interested in learning more about your life. Do you have more in your community? Have you ever considered having more members? Thank you.
My dear brother in Christ,
I have sent you a response to your query via an e-mail. God bless you!
Estimados en Cristo : Necesito saber si existen ermitañas de san Bruno mujeres. Busco esta vida desde hace años y no la encuentro. Estuve más de ocho años en las hnas. De Belén, pero no, no era eso, con su liturgia oriental… no es como el latín y la liturgia Cartujana. Si alguien sabe algo por favor escribirme. Un abrazo In Christo Vuestra hna.
C’est moi encore. Si vous ne comprenez pas l’espagnol. Je veux savoir si Elles existent, les eremites de Saint Bruno. Je chercche cette vie depuis long temps, j’ai eté chez les soeurs de Bethleem plus de huit ans, mais non, c’était pas Ça, avec leur liturgie orientelle… c’est pas comme la liturgie des chartruex avec le latin. Je vous remercie de votre aide.
In Christo.
Ma chère sœur en Christ, je suis au regret de vous informer que les seules communautés reconnues pour les Ermites de Saint-Bruno sont pour les hommes seulement. Je ne sais pas de tout pour les femmes qui ont été formés avec succès. Mais il ya des Sœurs chartreux, la nouvelle maison donnant été formé en Corée. Mais je ne sais pas ce qu’est la liturgie qu’ils utilisent. Sachez que vous êtes dans mes prières. Que Dieu vous bénisse!
PAX!
Dear Brian,
No one has ever been blocked nor any message refused. Though I have heard this from others before. The servers we use are offered free and I believe are sometimes overtaxed. You are not the first to mention this problem.
Thank you Brother,
Brian
Estimados en el Señor
Quisiera comunicarme en forma personal con el responsable de la comunidad. Lamento no hablar Inglés o Francés (solo español). Me interesa sobremanera saber de ellos.
Un abrazo fraterno,
Juan