Religious Orders Men/women / Both

[superblue]

Now I realize the Franciscans an other orders have orders for women,

 

But what I am curious about is, would the Church allow both genders to be living under the same roof in a religious order ?

 

If each are living in the proper vows etc shouldn't there not be a problem to allow both genders to live under the same roof in different dorms and to thusly pray together as a separate gender order would , or is there worry of emotional relationships forming ?

 

and then I guess flat out my question is why are there no co gender monasteries / etc.

[Luigi]

Even if the individuals (or both genders) living under the roof of one monastery avoided all hanky-panky, they would still be accused of hanky-panky by outsiders. 

 

The Church would much rather avoid that kind of scandal. 

[PhuturePriest]

Saint Teresa of Avila said you should put a wall up between men and women, because they will inevitably fall in love with each other.

[arfink]

Now I realize the Franciscans an other orders have orders for women,

 

But what I am curious about is, would the Church allow both genders to be living under the same roof in a religious order ?

 

If each are living in the proper vows etc shouldn't there not be a problem to allow both genders to live under the same roof in different dorms and to thusly pray together as a separate gender order would , or is there worry of emotional relationships forming ?

 

and then I guess flat out my question is why are there no co gender monasteries / etc.

 

The best I can figure is, if you want men and women to live holy lives while living together, why wouldn't you actively encourage the use of their sexuality? And in fact, the Church does already do this, through matrimony.

Edited June 26, 2014 by arfink

[mortify ii]

It's like coed dorms in College, and we all know how chaste and pure those places are

[AccountDeleted]

Saint Teresa of Avila said you should put a wall up between men and women, because they will inevitably fall in love with each other.

 

 

Do you have a source for this quote? She had some very close relationships with men (Father Gracian and St John of the Cross) and although she obviously had love for both men, I am not sure that she was 'in love' with either of them.

 

As for joint monasteries, there are communities that are mixed in terms of organization and apostolate, but the living arrangements are kept separate -- no need to be stupid about temptation after all. It's easy to mistake loving someone for being 'in love' with someone.

[brandelynmarie]

St. Brigid had both men & women in her monastery & I'm pretty sure I've read about some really early Benedictine abbesses who "ruled" over joint male & female monasteries...

...but I'm betting there were walls & doors & locks & grilles to prevent both temptation & scandal. :blush:

Edited June 26, 2014 by brandelynmarie

[PhuturePriest]

Do you have a source for this quote? She had some very close relationships with men (Father Gracian and St John of the Cross) and although she obviously had love for both men, I am not sure that she was 'in love' with either of them.

 

As for joint monasteries, there are communities that are mixed in terms of organization and apostolate, but the living arrangements are kept separate -- no need to be stupid about temptation after all. It's easy to mistake loving someone for being 'in love' with someone.

 

It was directed towards those in religious formation. I don't have a source for it, though, no.

[maximillion]

As nunsense says there are communities that have both men and women in them, but the sleeping accommodation is not in the same building.

[AccountDeleted]

It was directed towards those in religious formation. I don't have a source for it, though, no.

Doesn't sound like her, but if you find a source, I'd be interested in knowing where the attribution came from. Perhaps she was referring to the cloister walls in general? It would hardly apply to formation as her first communities were set up for 13 nuns only, and the first friars were set up 125kms away from Avila - hardly a recipe for falling in love with each other.

I wonder how many quotes that are attributed to saints were actually things said by them???

[Spem in alium]

Now I realize the Franciscans an other orders have orders for women,

 

But what I am curious about is, would the Church allow both genders to be living under the same roof in a religious order ?

 

If each are living in the proper vows etc shouldn't there not be a problem to allow both genders to live under the same roof in different dorms and to thusly pray together as a separate gender order would , or is there worry of emotional relationships forming ?

 

and then I guess flat out my question is why are there no co gender monasteries / etc.

 

I know a Benedictine sister who lives with monks (though I believe her home is separate from the monks' quarters). She and another sister prays with the monks each day, and they regularly eat together. She told me she feels like she is part of their community, and seems really happy, so I think it could work if prudence is applied. 

[superblue]

I know a Benedictine sister who lives with monks (though I believe her home is separate from the monks' quarters). She and another sister prays with the monks each day, and they regularly eat together. She told me she feels like she is part of their community, and seems really happy, so I think it could work if prudence is applied. 

Yes I think this is more towards what I intended to ask, I think it would make sense to expect the men an women to sleep in different homes or whatever , but to then come together in prayer and work,

 

I don't see a potential scandal to erupt from both genders living under the same roof in different wings of a building, not any more risk that we currently see already in the Church , but everyone takes their vows, and living under the same roof or not, temptation is all around, I would hope it would be less if everyone of the same faith, same religious vows were together sharing the same life in service to Christ.

 

But anyhow good answers ty for taking a stab at this peeps.

[CatherineM]

Madonna House Apostolate has both male and female under the same roof.

[Mary+Immaculate<3]

The Order of the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts of Jesus and Mary is a combined order. They share the same grounds, church, etc. However, their dormitories are two separate buildings, as seen in this picture.

 

To me the ethics of combined communities comes down to the individual. Some are more easily tempted than others and it is up to the community/individual/spiritual director to discern whether they're capable of living in a co-ed community.

[Benedictus]

There is a Benedictine House I visited before, Olivetans I think, that share grounds and a church for Mass. They come together because they were drastically small, and still are. Not sure if they share meals, but their work overlaps.  But they have different designated buildings and living areas. I know of an Anglican Benedictine House that has both nuns and monks living and sharing enclosure. But I think it's less usual in Catholic settings.

Edited June 28, 2014 by Benedictus