Canon 603

I am an Episcopalian, but there is wisdom in what the Roman Catholic Church says about hermits in Canon 603.

§1 Besides institutes of consecrated life the Church recognizes the eremitic or anchoritic life by which the Christian faithful devote their life to the praise of God and salvation of the world through a stricter separation from the world, the silence of solitude and assiduous prayer and penance.

§2 A hermit is recognized in the law as one dedicated to God in a consecrated life if he or she publicly professes the three evangelical counsels [i.e. chastity, poverty and obedience], confirmed by a vow or other sacred bond, in the hands of the diocesan bishop and observes his or her own plan of life under his direction.

Breakdown

A hermit devotes their life to
1. The praise of God
2. The salvation of the world

Through
1. A stricter separation from the world
2. The silence
3. Of solitude and
4. Assiduous prayer
5. And penance.

A hermit is recognized if they publicly profess, by a vow or other sacred bond, the three evangelical counsels
1. Chastity
2. Poverty
3. Obedience

And so
1. Observes his or her own plan of life
2. Under diocesan bishop’s direction.

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Jay N. Forrest

Dr. Jay N Forrest is a Spiritual Teacher of the Anglican Middle Way, writing on Prayer, Meditation, and Mysticism. Jay became a Christian in 1983, attended Bible school, and eventually earned his Doctorate in Ministry. Jay served as a Protestant minister for 27 years, took catechism classes with the Orthodox Church of America, and spent about a decade practicing Buddhism. In 2005, Jay was baptized and confirmed into the Catholic Church, but has since joined the Episcopal Church.

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