EREMITIC LIFE TODAY (Diocesan, Canonic)

According to Canon 603 of Canon Law

This form of eremitic life is currently experiencing a rebirth (on an official level). Those of us who have been called to follow this spiritual path do not have an easy time. The negative image we have had for so many years still hangs over us. We often find many obstacles and boulders in our way. The path has been neglected for so many centuries that it is now overgrown.

We are aware of this and we therefore ask for COMPANY and HELP from the Church as Canon Law tells us to.

We would not be able to go into the DESERT ALONE or “FREELY” because we would succumb to exhaustion, tiredness, hunger, thirst...

It is not possible to be alone in the DESERT. A Bedouin ( the desert dweller par excellence) knows that if he leaves his own tribe, he will have to join another one or he will perish. He cannot live alone in the desert.

Although the desert lives within us as an essential part of our vocation, diocesan hermits cannot walk alone through these parched, arid lands either. We have been accepted by the bishop and we are under his jurisdiction. In communion with the DIOCESAN CHURCH we are helped and supported by the local church and – as we have said – a bishop who, as the FATHER and SHEPHERD of all souls entrusted to him, accepts us into his diocese and protects and directs us.

We usually live alone, although this is not essential. More than one hermit may live together under the same roof, in the same house, although if this is the case they should be independent (in a positive way) of one another.

THE HERMIT – A PRIMITIVE FIGURE

Eremitism is a form of life which is deeply rooted in tradition, but our message and the work we work do is still fundamental today. I believe that prayer, an austere life, the worship and praising of GOD are our cornerstones. I also believe that the good, positive aspects of TRADITION should not be forgotten. That is why I believe that this return to the past in the desert is a GREAT STEP FORWARD and the Church should realise that hermits embody THE ESSENCE of the consecrated person – PRAYER, RETREAT, DIVINE PRAISE. If we forget this, life for consecrated people may go wrong spiritually. The Church would be anything but GOD'S Church, CHRIST'S Church.

Living in solitude (not to be confused with self-isolation) can be a wonderful life, if we accept the conditions of this life and wish to live it. This is especially true when we live it naturally and in response to and as a gift from GOD in communion with the Church.

Hermits, although solitary, ARE NOT ALONE IN THEIR CONSECRATION. They are spiritually linked to their local church and to their parish because otherwise it would be a negative experience. The Lord says "When two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them”. Hermits are always linked to others. OTHER PEOPLE along with GOD are EVERYTHING to them.

Before 1917 it was quite usual to find these consecrated people in different local churches. It was accepted and, as we have said, another charism of consecrated life. Hermits lived alone and usually separately from other people as this was inherent to their vocation, but they were spiritually and intrinsically linked to THE PEOPLE. Their solitude was understood and respected as they were DEVOTED TO PRAYER. They were there FOR and FOR THE BENEFIT OF the people, otherwise their existence would have been pointless.

If Diocesan churches (of course) but also local churches in areas where hermits live nowadays were willing to cooperate with and help these consecrated people, this would help hermits enormously in their work.

Help is needed to support hermits in their vocation. In exchange, hermits can provide spiritual help to churches by encouraging people to “LOOK” DEEPER, something which is so important in the frantic lives we lead TODAY.