www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall secular orders

I do not know if this is the right category place to ask this question, but oh well:

Are there any secular orders for laity in Eastern Orthodoxy or Byzantine Catholicism?

Just curious,
Walter

Not in Orthodoxy.

There are occasional brotherhoods, but they really don't resemble secular orders in any way.

I do not know for certain, but I have a suspicion that the Basilians of St. Josaphat may have a Secular Third Order...

Here are their websites:

In Ukrainian
http://www.osbm.in.ua/ukr

In English
http://www.stnicholaschurch.ca/content_pages/osbm/osbm.1.info.htm

This, from the Statutes of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma:


Al (a pilgrim)

I am a pledged member of a lay confraternity which, while not a Byzantine organization, is quite Eastern in many ways. PM me if you'd like more information.

The Sisters of St Basil started the "Associate" program I would guess about 10 years ago. These are lay members who participate in the ministry and worship with the nuns in Uniontown. New members are formally accepted into the community during Saturday Vespers at the Otpust.

I don't know if this is innovative or if there is Eastern precedence, but the program is established and appears to be successful. This could be a model for the monks as well.

Perhaps Bishop John Kudrick has this in mind (eventually) for Parma. With the modern American culture this may be the way to keep some form of monastic life alive. As well, it will cultivate a vibrancy which is sorely lacking currently.

Fr. Deacon Paul