Frequently Asked Questions
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Prayer
1.)
How did the FDP Order get started?
2.)
What is the Mission Statement of the Order?
3.)
Are you affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church?
4.)
I thought all Franciscans were Roman Catholics?
5.)
How can you be Catholics, if you're not Roman Catholics?
6.)
Are you a Canonical Order?
7.)
Where is the Order located?
8.)
Do your members live together in a Friary or in a Convent?
9.)
What ministries do you perform?
10.)
Does the Order financially support its members?
11.)
Do you live by a Rule?
12.)
Am I too old to join?
13.)
Are your priests validly ordained?
14.)
Where is your Formation House?
15.)
Do you profess vows?
16.)
Who can join the Order?
17.)
Would a person's sexual orientation be grounds for exclusion?
18.)
Can women join the Order?
19.)
Do you wear traditional, religious Habits?
20.)
Is the Order ecumenical in its ministry?
21.)
Does your Order have a hierarchy?
22.)
Can I help the Order through a donation or a charitable gift?
23.)
I am interested. So where do I begin?
24.)
I have other questions that were not answered here.
25.)
Is your Order under the authority of a Church?
26.)
Can people from another Church or jurisdiction join the Order?
The
Franciscan Friars of Divine Providence, as it was called in the beginning,
was founded in 1995 in the State of Rhode Island as a Religious Order of
men from various Catholic traditions by (then) Brother Russell
Francis Coates, Jr., FDP. Our Founder was ordained to the Catholic
Priesthood on July 7, 1997 at Grace Place in Chicago, Illinois for the
Holy Catholic Church (USA). On January 1, 2003, the members of the Order
voted to include women into the life of the FDP. Our Order's name was then
changed to the Franciscans of Divine Providence.
Father
Coates resigned from the ministry of the H.C.C. on January 1, 2003. He was
incardinated to the National Catholic Church of America from January 1,
2003 until July 1, 2003. On that date, he and the members of the Order
voted to terminate our ties with the NCCA and return our Order to
independent status.
For the record,
we are not affiliated with any person or persons who represent themselves
on the Internet or in public under a corporate name that appears to be
similar to our Order's name. There is one particular website which
expresses a skewed, ultra-conservative, neo-Tridentine parody of our
website. The presumed goal is to misrepresent us or to mislead the public
and/or to discredit our Founder and our Order. We are progressive Catholics
and are in no way involved with this other group.
+The Most Rev. Michael Ronald Steinhardt
and +The Most Rev. Raphael Byron DeFord,
bishops, in Apostolic Succession, of the Free Christian Catholic Orthodox
Church (Costa Rica), were participants at our Founder's ordination in
1997. On October 18, 2003, they extended Episcopal protection and Canonical
status to our Order through their Apostolic offices.
Thereafter,
Bishop Steinhardt and Bishop DeFord formally announced the election of our
Founder to the Episcopacy. Strictly following the t raditional,
Pontificale Romanum,
they
consecrated Father Coates as an independent, Catholic Bishop with
legitimate Apostolic Succession through both the Latin and Orthodox Rites
of the Church. The consecration took place on Sunday, May 23, 2004 in Rocky
Hill, Connecticut. On that same day, Bishop Coates received both Bishop
Steinhardt and Bishop DeFord as members of the Franciscans of Divine
Providence. They continue to support the mission and ministry of our Order
as Episcopal Advisors.
+The Most Reverend Russell F. Coates, Jr., FDP, M.Div. is our
Founder and Guardian General. He is the first Franciscan
Bishop-Ordinary for the Franciscans of Divine Providence. +Bishop Coates is
the Metropolitan Bishop of the Metropolitan Diocese of Hope of the
Trinitarian Catholic Church.
"Celebrating
God's presence and grace in everything, following the Poor Christ of the
Gospels in lives of mutual care and accountability in harmony with the
faith and practice of the whole Franciscan family, we are the Franciscans
of Divine Providence: an independent, Catholic Religious Order of Men and
Women to the Trinitarian Catholic Church.
We seek to
grow in the love and knowledge of God and to serve Jesus Christ in
faithfulness to the spirit, ideals and example of Saints Francis and Clare
of Assisi through a life of simplicity and self-sufficiency.
We are a new
family of Franciscans, who as Servants are committed to work
in various ministries that foster Ecumenism, Spirituality, Human Dignity,
Diversity, Equality, Social Justice and Reconciliation among all of God’s
people. We shall work in simple ministries of love and stewardship on
behalf of Christ’s poor, alienated and disenfranchised.
Through our prayers and good works, we shall carry on the fundamental
mission and ministry of St. Francis of Assisi and Franciscans everywhere
which is to: Repair God’s House, one human
"Stone" at a time.
Jesus
Christ, the “Stone” which the builders rejected, shall be our cornerstone.
When our Lord once spoke to Saint Francis from the cross hanging in the
ruins of the chapel of San Damiano, Christ spoke to Francis and gave him
this commission, "Repair My House, which is
falling into complete ruin."
In all that we do, this shall be the main focus of our lives and our
apostolic ministry.
We are asked
this question frequently.
We are a
Canonical Order of the Trinitarian Catholic Church, under the episcopal
Jurisdiction of an independent, Catholic bishop who has valid Apostolic
Succession through both the Latin and Orthodox Rites of the Church.
We want to be quite clear that we are Catholics
by virtue of our baptism.
We are, however, not Roman Catholics nor are we a Roman Catholic
Religious Order.
We recognize
and respect the Roman Catholic Church since we share with her the early
beginnings and apostolic lineage of the Christian Church. We also respect
all Catholic and Christian denominations, Rites and traditions that have
Apostolic Succession from St. Peter and/or the first Apostles, as we do. We
respect the office of the pope, who is both the Bishop of Rome and a chosen
successor to Peter and the spiritual leader to the Roman Catholic branch of
the Church. We value the service and contribution of the pope to the
Universal Church and to world peace.
However, we
respectfully disagree with the Roman Catholic doctrine of papal
infallibility and with non-doctrinal statements and positions held by the
Roman Church. In particular, we differ with Rome's conclusions and archaic
attitudes towards many contemporary social issues. We reject those
positions and policies which they have undertaken, especially in recent
years, that serve to effectively alienate, disenfranchise or minimize some
of God's people from the life of the Church and also from the Sacraments in
order to preserve and to protect their control over God's people and to
suppress dissent, ever changing societal attitudes and the fundamental
rights that are guaranteed to citizens who live in a democratic society
such as ours.
Our Church
is autocephalous and inclusive and will always be open, affirming and
welcoming. Our mission to the Universal Church is to rekindle the spirit of
ecumenism among all people of faith. We are progressive, contemporary
Franciscans in the Christian tradition.
Our clergy
are validly ordained according the traditional Christian Rite of Ordination
of the Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Our clergy serve the
jurisdiction of the Trinitarian Catholic Church. Their ordinations assure
that they have valid, Apostolic Succession.
We celebrate
the traditional seven Sacraments of the Church.
We will
ordain to Holy Orders those qualified male and female candidates who are
single, married*, or persons in civil unions, or partnered in same-sex or
opposite sex relationships who meet all of our canonical requirements for
Holy Orders as established by the Trinitarian Catholic Church. *We
recognize marriage as being the legal and spiritual union of two, adult
persons of legal age who may be of the same sex or of the opposite sex.
Historically, the recognition of a marriage between two adults has been
either a family matter or a function of the civil/secular government of
countries, municipalities, provinces or States. Marriage as a sacrament of
the Church did not exist until the 12th century. The current form of the
Catholic wedding ceremony dates back to about the 16th century. In the
United States, a couple may get married in a church, but is required to get
a legal marriage license from the State before such a ceremony takes place.
When a validly ordained Christian clergyperson performs a marriage in the
United States, he/she acts as both a representative of Christ and the
Church and also as the representative for the State in which the marriage
is performed in order to fulfill the laws and requirements of the State.
Our liturgy
is similar to the post-Vatican II, Novus Ordo, Roman Rite. Our clergy may,
with permission, also use the liturgy of the Episcopal Church.
We currently
follow the Universal Church calendar. The Common Lectionary was adopted to
determine all Sunday and Holy Day readings.
We use the
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Bible for its inclusivity.
Our beliefs are creedal in nature.
We are guided by the creedal statements of the first four Ecumenical
Councils of the Universal Church. (Nicaea, Constantinople, Ephesus and
Chalcedon).
The
Nicene Creed
is accepted as our definition of Christianity.
The
Athanasian Creed
is the accepted definition of the Holy Trinity and the person of
Christ.
The
Apostles Creed
provides us the apostolic teachings of the Christian faith necessary for
salvation.
(The full text of the creeds is available by clicking the hypertext above)
We abide by the Ecumenical Councils
(Nicaea,
Constantinople,
Ephesus and
Chalcedon).
The Canons resulting from these Councils are the basis for the Canons and
Statutes that guide and govern the TRINITARIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH and our
Order.
We strive to be ecumenical and inclusive
in both our ministry and our membership.
We do not discriminate on
the basis of age, gender, racial, ethnic or national origin, physical
challenges, marital status, sexual orientation, previous religious life
experience, profession or ordination, work or professional background,
socio-economic status, education, or place of residence.
We welcome all baptized Christians
to receive Holy Communion without discrimination and regardless of church
affiliation.
All of the
Sacraments are offered to all baptized Christian persons. We allow our Lay
Members to maintain dual membership with the Church of their birth. This
means that a Lay Member may maintain ties to his/her Church of birth and
also become a member of the Trinitarian Catholic Church. However,
please note that we are not in union with nor are we under the jurisdiction
of the Roman Catholic Church, nor are we under the authority of any other
ecclesial body outside of the Trinitarian Catholic Church. Through
our Founder's ordination to the priesthood, and his subsequent Episcopal
consecration, we have valid Apostolic Succession through both the Latin and
Orthodox Rites of the Church. Our Founder is the first Franciscan
Bishop-Ordinary for our Order.
If membership issues are of concern to you, we strongly advise those who
presently belong to or regularly attend another Church, to first consult
with their pastor or another member of your Church's clergy to inquire as
to whether your Church or its hierarchy might approve or disapprove of your
becoming a Lay Member of an independent, Catholic, Franciscan religious
Order such as ours.
Historians
for the Roman Church do attest that the first band of "Little Brothers,"
who later became known as the Brothers Minor, founded by St. Francis of
Assisi did eventually become a Canonical Order within the Roman
Church. It should be noted however that there are differing explanations
and accounts of exactly how this came to pass. An unbiased study of the
life of St. Francis by the author, Julian Green, in his book, "God's Fool",
sheds some interesting light on this subject which is free from
the influence of any denominational influence or interpretations. We
require all of our members to read this important work on the real life of
Saint Francis of Assisi.
We happen to
believe strongly that the spirit, teachings and ideals of St. Francis of
Assisi are universal and belong to the whole world. Today, there are many
hundreds of Franciscan institutes, societies, associations and Religious
Orders around the world. Some are Canonical groups that belong to
particular jurisdictions. Some also exist within denominations other than
the Roman Church. Some people choose to live as solitary Franciscans, while
others band together to form a Community or an Order. We are independent
Catholics who have freely chosen to band together. We are a canonical Order
of the Trinitarian Catholic Church so that we might better serve the
Universal Church and minister to Catholics and other Christians from all
Rites and traditions who proclaim in word and by deed to be "open,
affirming and welcoming" to every one of God's people.
How can you be Catholics, if you're not Roman Catholics?
The word
"Catholic" comes from the Greek word meaning "Universal." The "Catholic
Church", therefore means the Universal Church: the Church founded as
a result of the evangelization done by the first Apostles based firmly upon
the word, teachings and life of Jesus Christ. The word "Catholic"
can apply to anyone whose Rite, tradition or denomination can be traced
back to the unbroken priestly tradition of laying on of hands which is also known as Apostolic Succession,
which confers valid priesthood upon a person through the laying on of hands
from by a valid Bishop. This Rite of "ordination" began with St. Peter and the
first Apostles who in turn laid hands upon others who came after them, who
in turn carried on the tradition that continues into our time. While the
Church of Rome is most commonly referred to as "The" Catholic
Church, there were and still are in fact many denominations and ancient
branches of the Church whose lineage began with those first Apostles. They
all profess to be Christians or Catholics but are not
Roman Catholic. It should be noted that the Roman Catholic Church, as
it has come to be known today, actually took form under the Roman Emperor,
Constantine,
who made Christianity the State religion for Roman Empire. Prior to
Constantine, there were many Eastern and Asian Christian churches resulting
from the works of the early Apostles. The early history of the Church shows
that these churches thrived for the nearly 900 years until political powers
changed and many of them were eradicated or suppressed. For all intents
and purposes, these early Churches were independent, Christian Churches
since they each had their own central beliefs and patriarchal leadership.
Many of these first Christian communities even had beliefs in Christ that
were different from one another. Under Constantine, the Roman empire was
divided into five Ecumenical Sees. They were Constantinople, Rome, Ephesus,
Alexandria and Jerusalem. Each had its own patriarch who held equal
authority among the five ecumenical sees.
The Orthodox
churches, which spread throughout the Middle East, Asia Minor and Africa
preceded the institutionalization of the Church of Rome which became known
as the Roman Catholic Church under the reign of Constantine.
(To learn
more about the factual history of the Christian churches, we urge to read
Lost Christianities by Bart D. Ehrman
or
The Lost History of Christianity by Philip Jenkins.)
Along with
the Anglicans, Episcopalians, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, Old
Catholics, the Eastern Churches and Rites, including most of the
Independent and Autocephalous Catholic Churches around the world, all
profess their unity in the "Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church" in their
creeds. Despite the many Schisms (1378 - 1417) in the early Church and the
Great Schism of 1054, whereby See of Rome broke from Orthodoxy, followed
later by the events of the Reformation (1559) and other splits from the
Church of Rome, all of the Churches listed above rightly claim or are
widely regarded as having valid Apostolic Succession because of their
unbroken connection to a line of valid Episcopal Consecrations which are
believed to date back to the first Apostles and especially to Saint Peter
and Saint Mark. It is this historical, apostolic lineage and tradition of
the Catholic churches that we claim and embrace. We claim our right as
baptized Catholics to be members and believers of the "Universal" Church,
into whose service our Lord, Jesus Christ has called us, to be bridge
builders and peace makers, in the spirit of Jesus Christ and Saint Francis
of Assisi.
Are you a Canonical Order?
The
Franciscans of Divine Providence is a Canonical Order of the Trinitarian
Catholic Church, which is an autocephalous, Catholic Jurisdiction in
Apostolic Succession within the Universal Church.
We are not
Roman Catholics nor are we under the authority or jurisdiction of the Roman
Church.
Until May of
2004, we had been under the episcopal protection of the Free Christian
Catholic Orthodox Church through the apostolic offices of The
Most Rev. Michael Ronald Steinhardt and
The Most Rev. Raphael Byron DeFord (Costa Rica), the consecrators of
our Founder to the episcopacy (The Order of Bishops). Through them and now through our Bishop,
our Order has canonical status and valid Apostolic Succession through both
the Latin and Orthodox Rites of the Church. Our Church will serve Jesus
Christ and the people of God as an episcopal Jurisdiction within the
independent, emerging Catholic movement of the Universal Church, under
the episcopal stewarship of our Metropolitan Bishop and with the guidance
of the Holy Gospels and the Holy Spirit.
We strive to
establish ties and stewardly relationships of mutual respect and
cooperation with other "open, affirming and welcoming" Churches, Rites and
denominations. As a canonical Order, we accept and support the leadership
of our Metropolitan Bishop and Founder and the guidance of the Canon Laws
of the Trinitarian Catholic Church. As a canonical Order under the
stewardship of a valid, Catholic Bishop and his successors, our mission to
serve Our Lord, Jesus Christ and the whole of His Church is ensured into
the future.
Where is the Order located?
The Mission
of Saint Francis Seraph, is presently in Rocky Hill, Connecticut (U.S.A.).
The Mission is best described as our collective ministry to the
community we live in as opposed to a physical structure.
The Mission
of St. Francis Seraph in Connecticut serves as our Friary, Provincial
Center and Episcopal Residence. The Province of Our Lady of Divine
Providence includes the states within New England, New York and New Jersey
(U.S.A.). Our Mission in Costa Rica is a shared Jurisdiction with the Free
Christian Catholic Orthodox Church.
The localities in which our members live are only limited by the number of
dedicated people whom God sends to us. Novice members undergo a one year
Novitiate which includes courses of study in preparation for making a
public profession of vows.
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Do your members live together in a Friary or in a Convent?
A Friary or
a Convent is more or less any home or apartment that provides space
for living and prayer for one or more of our members. We neither own nor
maintain any traditional, communal Friary or Convent residences at this
time. We pray, God willing, that we may be blessed with the donation of a
large house or building someday where some of us could live together so as
to have a common residence, a Chapel, a retreat center and offices from
which to work.
Those who
join us live in their own homes or in apartments within their respective
communities and are personally responsible for the expense of their
domicile. They may live by themselves (solitary) or with another/others
(communally) in a house or an apartment for which they are personally
responsible. Our "Brotheries" and "Convents" are the places where we live,
pray and worship, be it a house or an apartment. The Mission of Saint
Francis Seraph, in Rocky Hill, CT is a "Friary" although we prefer to call
it our Mission residence.
What ministries do you perform?
Members of
the Franciscans of Divine Providence are involved in a variety of
ministries in keeping with the Mission Statement and the Rule of our Order.
Apostolates may include, but are not limited to, the establishment of
mission prayer groups, parishes, educational programs and outreach as well
as ministries to the elderly, the poor, to youth, to disenfranchised and
alienated people and people living with HIV and AIDS, and ecumenical
outreach and bridge-building across denominational lines. The Order does
not assign a particular ministry to any of its members. Rather, it is
the responsibility of each member to be engaged in ministries and
Apostolates that reflect the general mission and purpose of the Order which
is peace, bridge-building and ecumenism. Ministries and Apostolates are
most often based upon each member's response to the needs of his/her
community and take into consideration the member's abilities, skills,
education and availability and the sacramental and social needs of each
member's respective community. Volunteering to work with established groups
and organizations that provide social services and other assistance to
needy people is one way our members minister to the people of God with the
greater community.
All of our
members are self-sufficient in accordance with Franciscan tradition.
Neither the Order nor the Church provide an income or a residence to any
member. Those who are engaged in full or part-time employment, in order to
be self-supporting, and those who are enrolled full-time in academic
courses must find time in their busy lives to be involved in some sort of
active ministry or Apostolate of their choosing. While we value and often
incorporate aspects of monastic and contemplative life into our lives, we
are not a monastic, contemplative or reclusive Religious Order. We
live in the world and are called by Christ to be active participants
in the mission of repairing God's House. Despite our busy lives, we must be
ready and willing to selflessly serve others according to the tireless
example of Jesus Christ and our Holy Father, Saint Francis.
Some
Apostolates include our involvement and active participation in groups and
organizations that promote prayer, faith, ecumenism, spirituality,
reconciliation, social action, equality, civil/human rights and
humanitarian relief. We strive to repair the Church through simple, small
acts of charity, kindness and reconciliation and also by direct
interaction, dialogue and outreach to the many fragmented and often divided
people of faith who are God's Holy Church.
Does the Order financially support its members?
Each member is required to be self-sufficient
through various forms of employment or from other personal resources.
Neither the Order nor our Church provides financial support or compensation
or residential accommodations to members of the Order or the Clergy. At
some point, our Order may establish a "corporate funds" account into which
charitable monetary donations would be deposited. The policy of our Order
is that we do not and will not use
corporate funds, donations or other common resources to financially support
any of its members. We do not have and will not seek tax-exempt
status from the State or federal government. Our Church and Order are
strictly not-for-profit entities.
This
policy applies strictly to lay members and Clergy alike. The Order does not fund
nor is it financially liable for any member's personal expenses, debts or
any expenses or debts related to the work we do in our ministries and Apostolates.
Anyone who becomes a member of our Order further agrees to be personally responsible for
any expenses or debts he/she incurs related to education, travel or
ministerial needs, etc. as related to his/her ministry and membership in
the Order and/or the Church.
Do you live by a Rule?
The
Franciscans of Divine Providence voluntarily live according to the
Rule of our Order.
It’s not a Rule that restricts freedom but a Rule that seeks to offer
freedom. It is a Rule first of all written for men and women who desire to
enter into a religious community, specifically, The Franciscans of Divine
Providence. But since it offers ways to find the freedom to love, it would
be hard to imagine that there is any man or woman who will not find in
these pages something that speaks to the searching heart. It is a Rule
written for people who are considering living and working in a community
supported by vows of spiritual chastity, obedience and poverty. But since
these vows emerge from a desire to belong completely to God, there is no
human being who cannot find true spiritual counsel here. It is a Rule
written for Catholics, but since it finds its inspiration in God’s
all-inclusive mercy, every person of faith who desires to live an upright
life will find invaluable treasures in it. This revised Rule was approved
on July 10, 2007.
In
accordance with our Customs and tradition, each member of our Order
incorporates into his/her personal life the following:
1.
WORSHIP:
daily devotions, Liturgy of the Church, Eucharist, Spiritual reading.
2.
PRAYER:
conversation with Christ through meditation, contemplation, solitude,
retreats, fasting and related disciplines and personal actions.
3.
PENITENCE:
acts of daily conversion, self- inventory, acts of reconciliation.
4.
WORK:
occupation, avocation, study, duty, earning one’s daily bread.
5.
STEWARDSHIP:
expressions of faith and love as labor on behalf of God’s people, sharing
of our personal gifts, time and talents with one’s neighbor.
6.
DAILY LIFE:
simplicity, conversation, peace-making, alms-giving.
7.
MISSION:
charity, justice, peace, equality, respect for neighbor and earth, outreach
, self-less service.
8.
OBEDIENCE:
humility, accountability, submission, “listening” to God, living the Gospel
message.
9.
COMMUNITY: family, extended family, the Universal Church family, The Franciscans of
Divine Providence,
The Trinitarian Catholic Church.
The
progression of each member's voluntary submission to Jesus Christ and the
guidance of the Rule is a major aspect of the formation process. From the
first moment that each of us embraces the Rule, a process begins, like
planting the seeds of a personal renewal, which will grow within us
provided that we give it loving attention and nourishment; ever growing,
ever reaching upward and outward toward God and our neighbor.
Am I too old to join?
Consideration is given to adult candidates who meet our requirements and
who are at least 18 years of age to become Brothers or Sisters. We have
no maximum age limit for admission as do some other religious Orders.
The general, minimum age for those seeking Holy Orders is 21 years of
age for the Diaconate and 23 years of age for the Priesthood.
We believe
that "the Spirit of God breathes where It will
and uses the weak things of the world".
We do not discriminate against qualified candidates for admission to
the Order based upon a candidate's age.
Are your priests validly ordained?
The simple
answer is that, yes, our Clergy is validly ordained according to the same
accepted traditional Rite of Ordination from the
,
Pontificale Romanum,
used by the Roman Catholic Church.
Our claim to valid Apostolic Succession can be traced back from our Founder
to Scipione Cardinal Rebiba
(b.1505-d.1577)
of the Roman Catholic Church and from the Episcopal ordinations
performed by the late
Archbishop Carlos
Duarte Costa
(b. in 1888; d. in 1961)
of Brazil which lead to the founding of other independent, Catholic
churches in this hemisphere of the world. It is important to note that the
Roman Catholic Church recognizes the validity of the priesthood of
independent, Catholics who have been ordained through this unbroken
lineage, although they may claim that such ordinations are illicit due to
the fact that they occurred outside of the authority of Rome.
Our
Bishop(s), priests and Deacons are validly ordained Catholic clergy under
the authority and jurisdiction of The Trinitarian Catholic Church, which is
not in union with Rome.
Any member
of the Franciscans of Divine Providence who satisfies the educational and
training requirements for Holy Orders set forth by the Trinitarian Catholic
Church, which requires completion of a training program from our Holy
Trinity Theological Institute may, after careful examination, request to
become a validly ordained Catholic priest or Deacon for our Order and to
our Church in accordance with the Canon Laws and Statutes of the
Trinitarian Catholic Church. Our educational requirements are neither
negotiable nor dispensable. They generally conform to, but are not limited
to, the course of studies required by other Independent Catholic
denominations in the Americas.
If you would
like to learn more about our lineage, please click a link below:
The Costa
Consecrations
The Costa
Consecrations - Jolly/Gabriel Lineage
The Costa
Consecrations - The Martin Lineage
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Many
residential religious Orders have a Formation House or a Seminary school
for the training of their Novice members. Their candidates leave home and
reside in the Formation House or Seminary, wherever it happens to be
located. Like many small, contemporary non-residential religious Orders, we
do not have a physical place to use as a House of Formation. We don't
expect you to abandon your home or your loved ones in order to do your
preparatory training. How does that work, you must be wondering?
For the most
part, we seek to attract people who are sincere, mature and stable
candidates for the religious life. A suitable candidate would have a means
of support, a place to live and have relationships which are important to
maintain. You may even be someone who is married or have a significant
other or life-partner.
You are a person who is connected in some way to the Church either through
parish involvement or personal ministries. In other words, you should be
someone who has already begun your journey toward a life of service to God
and your neighbor.
We accept
you as you are and will help to guide you on your path as a Franciscan. Our
Formation program is simple and can be completed where you presently live.
It allows you to grow spiritually and knowledgeably at your own pace. How
you proceed is all a part of your personal commitment to God, your neighbor
and the Order. We remind all of our candidates and members that the degree
and level of your personal training and preparation will always be in
direct relationship to the degree and level of your commitment to the
religious life. You will never get more out of it than you are willing to
put into it.
Candidates
to our Order who wish to pursue Holy Orders must complete their Novitiate
training and have made a simple profession of vows prior to ordination. FDP
Seminarians must successfully complete the required courses of study from
the
FDP Member Training
- HTTI Certificate Program and graduate from the
HTTI Seminary
Program for FDP and TCC. They also must show evidence of an
on-going ministry and a genuine, sacramental need for their ordination. TCC
Clergy to our Order are bound by the same filial obedience to the Bishop as
secular Clergy, in accordance with the Canons of the Church.
When a
Novice has completed his/her studies and the expectations set out for the
Formation period, he/she may request to make a public Profession of Vows,
within the context of a special Profession Liturgy.
We profess vows and promises to live our lives according to the Holy
Gospels, the Rule and the spirit of the Evangelical Counsels of Poverty,
Chastity and Obedience according to our Rule and to comply with the
teachings and the Canons of the Church.
Simple Vows may be followed by Life Vows which are professed only after a
member has lived a minimum period of three years under Simple Vows. We also
profess and promise to be Self-Sufficient.
All Professed Members publicly renew their vows each year. A vow of
Celibacy is not required. It is optional for those who request to profess
it.
As a
Canonical Order, our members, regardless of Church affiliation, promise to
respect and abide by the
Canons and Statutes of the TRINITARIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH and the Rule and
Constitutions of our Order.
We welcome
candidates regardless of age, gender, racial, ethnic or national origin,
marital status, sexual or affectional orientation, prior religious life
experience, prior profession or ordination, work or professional
background, occupational/employment status, socio-economic status, degree
of education, physical challenges or place of residence. Non-ordained Lay
Brothers and Sisters may hold dual church membership. Ordained TCC clergy
to our Order (Men or Women) must accept exclusive obedience and allegiance
to The Trinitarian Catholic Church and filial obedience to our Presiding
Bishop according to our Canon Law, as is done in most Catholic Rites and
traditions.
We do not
seek those who believe they are perfect, but rather those who believe they
are imperfect and are seeking to renew their relationship and stewardship
to God and the people of God. We believe that "the Spirit of God breathes
where It will and uses the weak things of this world." Together, in the
Spirit, we work as St. Francis did, to:
Repair God's House which still remains in great need of repair.
With God's help we will work to:
"Repair the Church . . . one human Stone at a time."
Our church
Canons clearly state that we can not consider any person as a
candidate for admission to our Order or to Holy Orders, who has been
convicted of a serious crime or offense.
This rule
includes those, with or without a conviction, who are or who have been
involved in:
1) illegal narcotics activities,
2) illegal and immoral activities with minor children,
3) ongoing activities which violate civil laws.
In all such cases, we strictly follow this rule without exception.
We also can
not consider a person as a candidate for admission, whether under medical
care or not, who suffers from a severe disorder such as Bi-Polar
Disorder or any mental illness or dysfunction of the mind which would
impair his/her ability to reason or behave in a rational manner
or to fully comprehend and/or fulfill the serious nature, expectations and
requirements of becoming a member of a religious Order such as ours. This
would include those who have been diagnosed as a danger to themselves and
to others.
All Lay
members and Clergy of our Order must sign and agree to comply with the Code
of Conduct and the Policy on Sexual Misconduct of the Trinitarian Catholic
Church as required in the Church Canons. We believe that our position is
clear, however if any inquirer is unsure of the meaning of these statements
you may write us for a further clarification.
If you plan to continue membership with another Church, and also wish to
join the FDP, we strongly advise you to first consult with your pastor or
other member of your Church's clergy to inquire as to whether your Church
or its hierarchy might disapprove of your becoming a Lay Member of an
independent, Catholic, Franciscan religious Order. We do not require that
you do this, however, we know of some instances whereby former members of
our Order faced threats and harsh treatment from pastors and bishops of
other churches when they made their FDP membership known to them.
Would a person's sexual orientation be grounds for exclusion?
Since this
question has frequently been unfairly linked to the clergy abuse issues in
the Roman Church that have been very much in the public's eye over the last
several years, it requires a more expansive answer.
Because we
firmly believe that "the Spirit of God breathes
where It will and uses the weak things of the world", we accept
qualified candidates without discrimination and regardless of one's sexual
orientation. We feel that all people who feel duly called to love and serve
the Lord and who meet our requirements should be given the opportunity to
do so.
We want to
be abundantly clear that we are neither a "Gay" Order nor a "Straight"
Order, but rather, we are an inclusive, "open,
affirming and welcoming" Christian Order of independent Catholics
from all walks of life who strive to live as modern day Franciscans in the
midst of an increasingly secular world.
It should be
further stated that we do not agree with the position of the Church of Rome
or any other Church that brands homosexual persons as unsuitable to enter
the Clergy or the religious life. Any Catholic man or woman of good moral
standing whom God Himself has called to the religious life or to the state
of Holy Orders who satisfactorily meets the requirements of our Church,
regardless of his/her sexual orientation, will be given equal and fair
consideration toward membership and ordination.
The solution
to the systemic child abuse problems that appear to exist within some other
Churches have been unfairly attributed almost exclusively to homosexual
persons among their Church's clergy. In our humble opinion, instituting the
modern equivalent of a "witch hunt" to root out and remove seminarians and
members of the Clergy who may or may only be "perceived to be" homosexual
is extremely sad, inappropriate and unarguably un-Christian.
We neither
accept nor support the extreme, ultra-conservative and archaic paranoia of
some, that believes that people of homosexual orientation are by their
"nature" somehow deviant. Deviation from the "norm", whatever that really
means within any given society, may be an attribute, proclivity or
condition of any kind which is not considered "acceptable" by the majority
of the people within a given society. We should never confuse a person's
God given sexual or affectional orientation with what different societies
call "deviant" behavior. Truly deviant human behavior is manifested in many
different forms and is certainly not the exclusive domain of persons of any
particular sexual orientation. That truth ought to be clear.
For
Christians, breaking Christ's commandments - to love one's neighbor
as you love yourself and to treat everyone with charity, compassion and
forgiveness as does the Father - could certainly be viewed as "deviant"
behavior in a Christian context. Extreme behaviors which societies deem to
be universally unacceptable may clearly be acted out by any person
of any sexual orientation. Among the most serious of these would
certainly have to include people of any orientation who beat and
abuse their parents, their spouse, their children, their neighbor or who
take up weapons to wage war or to commit a violent act against another
human being. Our prisons and psychiatric hospitals are full of people who
have committed such "deviant" behaviors. Interestingly, it cannot be
ignored that the vast majority of these deviant people are neither Gay nor
Lesbian.
Our Church
and our religious Order are not about to accept today's "popular" but very
misguided wave of opinion
espoused by certain politicians seeking office, so-called "religious"
leaders or Churches that seek to lay the blame for their internal
shortcomings on the heads of a small segment of the human family who,
created in God's own image and likeness, may happen to be homosexual. The
root cause of many of the problems that exist within our society and within
the Universal Church today can be traced back to our irrational need to
reject, exclude and oppress everyone and everything that is not like
"us" that exists on our planet. How very
sad that 2000 years after his birth, many of us still don't
comprehend or live by the Gospel message of love and inclusivity that Jesus
and His disciples brought to the world. In our Church, we happen to believe
that every person is a gift from God. No matter how different we look or
how different we may have been fashioned, one from another, we are
ALL living creations and reflections of
the One, same Creator. The learned philosopher, Cicero once said that
nothing that exists in nature can be unnatural. He said that even if
something exists in an unusual form, if it exists in nature, then it must
necessarily be natural. We think these words reveal a wisdom that has
somehow eluded modern generations and the Church as a whole.
It seems to
us morally incomprehensible and a true abomination of the spirit and
teachings of Jesus Christ that any person, civil authority or church
institution would support, implement or participate in the hysteria of
exclusion, oppression and denial of fundamental human rights, based upon
irrational fears and age-old phobias, toward another human being because of
his/her real or perceived sexual orientation, race, national origin, gender
identity or any other reason that dehumanizes and diminishes a child of God
in any way.
It is
therefore the position and the policy of the Trinitarian Catholic Church
and the Franciscans of Divine Providence that any person who willfully and knowingly participates in such discriminatory
activities must necessarily be in a state of mortal sin and should
immediately plead for God's forgiveness.
We believe that any person who professes to belong to any Christian church,
from any level of society, civil government or Church hierarchy cannot
rightly call themselves Christians, who supports or condones discriminatory
actions or the denial of the fundamental human and civil rights of any
other human being while hiding behind the defense of their personal or
political reasons, prejudices, institutional practices, "traditional"
beliefs or misguided religious beliefs.
In specific
response to the hysteria and the anti-Gay stance that exist within our
society and within some Churches today, we expressly wish to extend a
sincere welcome to anyone who has been or may wrongly be "purged or
expelled" from the seminary, the priesthood, the religious life or the
"Church" herself solely based upon his/her real or perceived sexual
orientation. The Franciscans of Divine Providence is a Canonical Religious
Order to The Trinitarian Catholic Church which is an independent, Catholic
Jurisdiction. We have valid apostolic succession, but we are not in union
with the Holy See in Rome. Our ministry is ecumenical. We are inclusive and
will always be open, welcoming
and affirming to all
of God's people.
If you have
been in the seminary or the clergy and have been forced to leave your
vocation solely for being classified as "unsuitable" due to your real or
perceived sexual orientation, or for any other reason not involving any
criminal behavior or actions, please consider talking to us. We are always
glad to speak to dedicated men and women from any Catholic tradition who
are seeking to live out their calling to the lay religious life or to the
secular or religious priesthood. We ask any person who might consider
joining us to carefully read the contents of this web site before
downloading the application for admission. We believe that we have a fair,
well defined and unambiguous anti-discrimination policy with regards to
admission. If you have doubts or questions as to our admissions policy, as
it may pertain to you, please write to us with your concerns.
All Lay members and Clergy of our Order as well as all Clergy of our Church
must sign and agree to be held in compliance with the Code of Conduct and
the Policy on Sexual Misconduct of the Trinitarian Catholic Church as
required in the Church Canons.
Once again, if you plan to continue membership with another Church, and
also wish to join the FDP, we strongly advise you to first consult with
your pastor or other member of your Church's clergy to inquire as to
whether your Church or its hierarchy might disapprove of your becoming a
Lay Member of an independent, Catholic, Franciscan religious Order. We do
not require that you do this, however, we know of some instances whereby
former members of our Order faced threats and harsh treatment from pastors
and bishops of other churches when they made their FDP membership known to
them.
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Can women join the Order?
In the
beginning, our Order was founded as a Religious Order for Catholic men so
that we might share the unique gifts and
spirit which grows from
Christian, male fellowship. This was an outgrowth of the tradition which
began with the first Brothers Minor. Beginning in 2003, we decided to
change that practice so as to include women. Since we support women and
women's issues, it seemed most appropriate to open our doors so-to-speak to
admit women to our Franciscan family. It was, after all, never in our
hearts to exclude any qualified candidate based upon gender.
We seek
women who understand and embrace our form of religious life and who are
willing to work together with the Brothers to create a welcoming place
for women and men to grow in the service of Christ. We trust that women
understand women's spirituality much better than men do, therefore we
are seeking experienced, qualified and dedicated women to work with us
to guide and direct women candidates who come to our Order. It is
important to us that women have full participation in the life of the
Church and our Order, especially as it pertains to women's spirituality
and religious life development. We are very interested in hearing from
women who are interested in following our Franciscan way of life. We
encourage you to contact us. We do not have a separate Order for men and
another for women. Our goal is to have complete gender equality in our
Order. That this is the policy and the rule in our Church.
It is
especially important to note that our Order and our Church are still
basically in their infancy stages when compared to the larger and older
Orders and Churches. It takes a special person to embrace our form of
religious life and clearly, it isn't for everyone. If you have a pioneering
spirit and a desire to work with others, sometimes from a distance, to
plant the seeds to grow our Order and you have the discipline to study,
pray and work to fulfill your vocation, then you really ought to contact
us. We are still a small group, and so far we haven't heard from many women
aspirants. If you feel a calling to join us, we'd really like to hear from
you.
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Do you wear traditional, religious Habits?
Yes, our
Professed members and clergy do wear traditional Franciscan Habits. Our
traditional Habit is comprised of a dark Brown, monastic-style tunic, a
dark Brown Scapular worn over the tunic, a dark Brown Capuche with a
cowl/hood worn over the scapular, a rope cincture tied with 3 knots
representing the Vows of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience and sandals for
our footwear. White Habits may be worn only with permission, depending upon
the tropical climate in which a member lives. Only Professed Lay members
and FDP Clergy are permitted to wear the Habit, which they must personally
purchase. At the present time, we know of a reliable, professional Habit
maker who would be willing to make Habits for us at a reasonable price.
General
street attire for our Priests, Deacons, Professed Members is the
traditional "Roman-style" tab-collared clerical shirt for public occasions
when representing the Order. Clerical shirts come in a variety of colors,
but our Lay Novices and Lay Professed Members wear a Tan clerical shirt.
Brown clerical shirts would be permitted, if we find a company who makes
them. The traditional Black clerical shirt is worn only by Priests and
Deacons. With permission, in limited circumstances, a Professed Member may
be given permission to wear Black, but only with the approval of the
Provincial Guardian or the Metropolitan. In many instances, a more casual,
Polo-style clerical shirt is preferable. One such shirt is sold by the
Autom Company (Arizona - USA) and may be worn in public by
Novice and Professed members.
We all wear
appropriate secular clothing while at our places of regular employment as
that this is more customary in the United States and in most other
countries. The Habit may be worn in the exercise of one's ministry,
however, as a general rule, it is not worn when we are working in a
paid secular employment or other non-ministry related work. Most employers
would very likely be uncomfortable with us wearing a Habit to work and we
must be aware that to do so would create a "singularity" which would not be
in the Franciscan spirit.
We must
remember that what we refer to as the "traditional" Habit is actually the
modern-day representation of the ragged clothing worn by poor people in the
time of St. Francis and adopted as the form of attire by Francis and his
early followers. As an external sign, we encourage our members to wear
either a small "Tau" cross or a
San Damiano cross on or over their street clothes.
The Habit is
worn by Professed Members for liturgical purposes, parish activities,
visiting other Churches, during gatherings of the Order, while on retreats
or other significant occasions and apostolic works where it is appropriate
and acceptable. Whether we wear a traditional Habit or not, the sign of a
real Franciscan should always be manifested through one's interior life and
spirituality as opposed to an external sign or a form of attire. For a
Franciscan, the Habit is first and foremost our acceptance of the mantle of
the poverty of our Lord, Jesus Christ which ought to always be visible
though our lives of prayer, service and love of God and our neighbor and
through our commitment to live according to the virtues of the Evangelical
Councils.
Because
there is a personal cost involved in obtaining a Habit, we do not require
any member to purchase one. The Order does not provide any Professed Member
with a Habit, nor with clerical clothing or other necessary vestments. Such
items must be purchased by each Lay Professed Member or clergyperson
according to his/her needs and financial ability.
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Is the Order ecumenical in its ministry?
The
Franciscans of Divine Providence is a Canonical religious Order of the
Trinitarian Catholic Church which is dedicated to serving the
whole Church. We are
committed to performing ecumenical ministries in union with other "open,
affirming and welcoming" Christian denominations which make up the
Universal Church. We do this with love and total respect for the traditions
and ministries of other Churches and religious bodies. Our intent is
never to cause division, but rather to build bridges among people of
faith of various denominations and Churches. We offer our time and service
to existing ministries wherever we are permitted to do so.
One such
ministry is called the "Joshua Ministry", which was inspired by the
writings of Father Joseph Girzone in his book, "The Shepherd", which is
part of his Joshua series. We highly recommend this book to anyone who is
interested in ecumenism. "The Shepherd" is one of the required readings for
all of our members in training.
We do not
prostyletize while working with others in ecumenical ministries, nor do we
ever endeavor to sway the members of any Church away from their Church.
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Does your Order have a hierarchy?
The simple
answer is "yes" and "no". There is a simple hierarchy, but our Order does
not have what traditional Orders call "Superiors". The Presiding Bishop of
the TRINITARIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, according to our Canon Law, has Episcopal
authority over the Order. Our Guardian General who serves as our principle,
spiritual and temporal leader in terms of the mission, direction and spirit
of the Order. His office is defined in our Constitution. Provincial and
Local Guardians are appointed or elected to be responsible for the
spiritual direction and guidance of the Brothers or Sisters who live within
specified geographic areas or provinces.
Every
Brother and Sister is bound to live by the spirit of the Holy Gospels, our
Rule and Constitutions and must observe or respect the Canon Laws of the
TRINITARIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, regardless of one's Church affiliation. Every
member has a voice in the direction of the Order, by way of his/her
participation in regular, local Chapter meetings and General Chapter
meetings. Only Professed Members, however, are allowed to vote on major
agenda items during a Chapter Meeting or to cast votes to elect another
Professed Member to a position of leadership responsibility, in accordance
with our Rule and Constitution. Due voice is given, however, to the
non-professed members in all decision making.
Provincial
and Local Guardians must be respected not because they are members with
more authority, but rather because they are members with more
responsibilities. We all must live our lives as "servants to servants".
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Can I help the Order through a donation or a charitable gift?
The Order
was founded with the intentions of its members "giving", rather than
"receiving" so we did not give much thought to accepting donations or
charitable gifts. From time to time, generous people have given us
donations of money. If they insist that we take it, we did so only if we
may use it for the poor or in the service of others and not for personal
gain.
When the
need arises, we will establish a corporate bank account in order to accept
charitable monetary donations which we will use only for the purpose of our
ministry. Our Franciscan concept of Poverty is the same for our individual
members, but we have come to realize that we do need to beg for alms in
order to further the work of Jesus Christ in our world. There is too much
work to be done and too few laborers in the field to continue to expect our
members to personally fund every aspect of their ministries from their own
limited resources.
Anyone who
would like to make a monetary donation to our Order is asked to contact the
Provincial Guardian or our Metropolitan Bishop.
We further
realize that it would be greatly beneficial to the future of our Order if
we had a physical dwelling (or dwellings) to care for and operate which
might serve as a Church/Provincial Center, Friary/Convent and an Ecumenical
Retreat Center in Connecticut or in the Northeast where our Brothers and
Sisters reside. If generous benefactors were to want to donate such
suitable living spaces to us, we would gladly accept such a great blessing
with open arms. If you are such a person, we ask you to please contact us.
If you would
like to make a monetary contribution and have questions as to how to do so,
please contact the
Bishop in Connecticut.
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I believe God may be calling me to join your Order.
So, where do I begin?
Stated below are the
present requirements for admission into the Franciscans of Divine
Providence as of January 2010. Changes to the application process may be
made from time to time. What is provided
here are the general requirements for admission that are presently in
effect.
To apply for membership in the Franciscans of Divine Providence,
we first ask that you carefully read all the information contained within
this web site, including the Frequently Asked Questions page. All those who
seek admission to our Order should download the Application for Admission
found on the Vocations page.
Read the application carefully, then fill it out and mail it to us along
with copies of your
Birth Certificate,
Record of Baptism,
Record of Confirmation,
Certificate of Marriage or Civil Union (if applicable),
Diplomas,
Degrees,
Certifications and/or Transcripts of Courses taken and
a recent photograph of yourself.
Send one complete set of your paperwork to the Director of Vocations or to
the Guardian General.
The mailing address for the
Province of Our Lady of Divine Providence
is listed below.
We also require a letter of reference from at least three people who know
you well. These letters must be mailed directly to us by the person who
writes each letter.
Those who are seeking Holy Orders or who wish to be incardinated into
either our Order or the Church must also agree to submit a criminal
background check and a psychological report at your own expense.
Applicants
who live in New England, New York and New Jersey should arrange to
interview in person with the Guardian General and the Provincial Guardian
in Connecticut. If you do not live close enough to be interviewed in
person, we require one or more phone conferences with you as a part of your
admission process.
Please note that we allow our lay Brothers or Sisters to maintain dual
Church membership. Dual Church membership is not permitted for our ordained
TCC clergy or for those who are seeking incardination into our Church. All
FDP and TCC Clergy must be full members of only the
Trinitarian Catholic Church.
It is also important to note that while our lay Members are not required to
belong to the Trinitarian Catholic Church, our Order is a Canonical Order
of the Church and therefore, all lay members as well as clergy are subject
to its Canons and Statutes as well as the Code of Conduct and Policy on
Sexual Misconduct of the Trinitarian Catholic Church.
One copy of your application and documents should be mailed to the
Provincial Guardian or to the local Guardian for the area in which you
reside, if a local FDP community is nearby.
Once we have had an opportunity to review your application and additional
documents and have either meet with you or conversed with you by phone, a
decision will be made and you will be notified of our decision to admit you
as a Novice member of the Order.
All new members of the Order will spend one Canonical year in study and
training, prior to profession of a vowed commitment.
If you have any specific questions, related to admission, please e-mail
them to us.
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I have other questions that were not answered here.
What should I do?
We've done
our best to provide you with as much information about our Order on the web
site as we can. It's not always possible to answer every question on a web
site. If you live within driving distance of our Mission in Connecticut,
write to us and we will set up a time to meet with you or chat with you by
phone.
Specific
questions related to Admission to the Franciscans of Divine Providence may
be E-mailed to the Local Guardian for the geographic are in which you live
(see previous pages for this information), or you may write to:
RevTimFDP @ hotmail.com
Admission to
our Order is decided only after careful examination of each applicant by
our Metropolitan, the Provincial Guardian and the Vocations office.
Any member
of the Order may provide you with information or will be happy to answer
questions.
See the main
VOCATIONS
page for information.
Please be
patient with us. We receive a great deal of mail, but we do answer every
one as quickly as we can.
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Is your Order under the authority of a Church?
The
episcopal protection extended to our Order by the Free Catholic Christian
Orthodox Church was relinquished to our Bishop on the day of his
consecration to the episcopacy. We are now under the authority of his
Jurisdiction,
The TRINITARIAN
CATHOLIC CHURCH. This was officially established on May 23,
2004.
The
Franciscans of Divine Providence and all future Orders we may accept or
establish within our Church,
come under the jurisdiction of the presiding Bishop. Bishop Coates
presently presides over the Church.
The TRINITARIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH is an inclusive, ecclesial
body; a "Church without walls", in Apostolic Succession. It is
Autocephalous, Catholic, Ecumenical and open, affirming and welcoming.
Check our web site frequently for additional information.
Ecumenical
outreach is a fundamental aspect of our Order. Except for those in Holy
Orders to our Jurisdiction, our religious Brothers and Sisters have the
option to hold dual Church memberships, if they so desire. A Priest,
Brother or a Sister, who is presently under vows to another religious Order
or to another Bishop must make this fact known to us. Such circumstances
open the door for problematic issues related to Canon Law, Episcopal
jurisdiction and filial obedience and must be reviewed on a case by case
basis.
Anyone who joins our Order but later enters into Holy Orders with another
Jurisdiction with Apostolic Succession could not simultaneously hold valid
Holy Orders in our Jurisdiction nor be given priestly authority (faculties)
as a representative of our Church or the Franciscans of Divine Providence.
In the Catholic tradition, valid priestly faculties can only be extended to
a priest or a Deacon from one Bishop of a particular Jurisdiction at any
given time. The Church will ordain qualified women and men to Holy Orders
for both the religious life and for the secular priesthood.
We do not
have any serious issues with the practice of dual membership for our lay
members, however, your present denomination may, so you should keep this in
mind. Most Churches have no restrictions on lay members who wish to join
ecclesial organizations or religious groups. Real issues may occur if and
when you decide to apply for Holy Orders outside of your Church or
religious Order.
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Can people from another Church or Jurisdiction join
your Order?
We
frequently get requests from clerics and lay people who belong to other
denominations who wish to join our Order as Brothers and Sisters.
The simple
answer to the question is yes, as far as we're concerned, when the
question relates to lay status. However, your particular Church,
pastor or Bishop and the Canons of your denomination or Jurisdiction must
always be consulted first, especially if you are presently in Holy Orders
with valid faculties from another Bishop.
If you plan to continue membership with another Church, and also wish to
join the FDP, we strongly advise you to first consult with your pastor or
other member of your Church's clergy to inquire as to whether your Church
or its hierarchy might disapprove of your becoming a Lay Member of an
independent, Catholic, Franciscan religious Order. We do not require that
you do this, however, we know of some instances whereby former members of
our Order faced threats and harsh treatment from pastors and bishops of
other churches when they made their FDP membership known to them.
From the
standpoint of our Canon Law, a person who is under Holy Orders
and valid faculties from another Bishop may not
serve or represent more than one Bishop, religious Order or Jurisdiction
simultaneously. This is due to the fact that the faculties associated with
Holy Orders are always extended to a priest or Deacon from a particular
Bishop/Ordinary to whom he/she pledges, vows or promises his/her filial
obedience and allegiance, etc.
These Faculties include the right to perform the sacramental duties of the
priesthood or Diaconate within a particular Bishop's Jurisdiction, according to that
Bishop's wishes. The traditional practice is that a Bishop, who has been
consecrated to the full priesthood, grants particular faculties to the
priests and Deacons within his/her Diocese or Jurisdiction so that they may
share in the Bishop's sacramental duties in very specific ways.
For a person
to become a Diocesan priest or Deacon, or a Franciscan priest or Deacon to our Order,
he/she must receive valid Holy Orders from our Bishop(s) either through
ordination or incardination from our Metropolitan Bishop in order to serve our Jurisdiction.
Once this has been done, the Metropolitan will issue faculties to the
priest or Deacon that define his or her sacramental responsibilities and
duties. Faculties may be modified, or removed at any time by the
Metropolitan.
A priest of Deacon who does not have valid faculties may not legally
dispense the sacraments of the Church according to Canon Law.
Any person who has been ordained through another church and who wishes to
join our Church or any religious Order of the TCC, must first resign from
his/her church in writing. You would then mail a copy of your letter of
resignation and a copy of the letter from your former bishop accepting your
resignation to the Metropolitan Bishop of the TCC. The letter from your
former bishop must indicate that he/she has removed your faculties as well
as accepted your resignation. We reserve the right to contact your former
bishop to confirm that you were in good standing with him/her and your
former church.
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Return to our Main Page
Daily Prayer
TRINITARIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
FDP/TCC Official Web Site
Copyright © 1995-2010 F.D.P., 2005-2010 T.C.C.
All Rights Reserved.
No part of the electronic, intellectual or proprietary content of this web site
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic, mechanical, recording or otherwise,
without the written or expressed permission
of the Presiding Bishop of the Trinitarian Catholic Church.
For permission to use materials found on this web site, please contact us by mail.
[Franciscans of Divine Providence]
1995-2010
Franciscans of Divine Providence
Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire,
Maine, New York and New Jersey
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