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[Sister Gloriamarie Amalfitano]

I am Sister Gloriamarie Amalfitano. I have to spell out Sister because I live in San Diego where the abbreviation "Sr" is taken to me "Senor" which causes a lot of giggles. I am very interested in monasticism without walls. I have been following the Rule of St Benedict for almost 3 decades in my own private life. For the last 5 or so years, I've been living under vows as an Episcopal Solitary. I run some special interest email lists that all are welcome to join.

http://knitternun.blogspot.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KnitternunMeditation
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SanDiegoFiberFolk
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EpiscopalSolitaries
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MereBenedictines

[Heidi Hileman]

What are the vows taken by an Episcopal Solitary and are there others like you in taking these vows?

[Sister Gloriamarie Amalfitano]

I have an email list called Epsicopal Solitaries which you are welcome to join and read all the info I have gathered in the files. I have posted the liturgy below to answer your question about vows, which you will see are the Evangelical Counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience. Yes, there are other Episcopal Solitaries. We even have a few sentences in a canon, which can be read on my email list in the Files on the website, in the Folder Canonocal Documents.

The URL for the list is: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EpiscopalSolitaries

Here's the Liturgy:

Setting Apart for a Special Vocation

Individual Christians, in response to God’s call, may wish to commit themselves to the religious life under vows made directly to the bishop of the diocese.

The order which follows is not intended to supplant forms in use for admitting members to religious communities.

Where life profession is intended, the process normally involves three stages: novitiate, temporary or annual vows, and life profession. In some instances, persons may choose not to proceed beyond the stage of annual vows.

The novitiate is a period of testing. Admission to the novitiate normally takes place at a weekday Daily Office, at the time of the hymn or anthem which follows the Collects. It involves a promise to accept and follow a specific and agreed-upon rule of life for a period of time prescribed by the bishop.

Temporary or annual vows are made at the satisfactory conclusion of the prescribed period of testing. At this time, the person takes vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience to the bishop, for a prescribed length of time. This stage involves the acceptance of the obligation to recite an approved form of the Daily Office. The rite takes place at a celebration of the Holy Eucharist, immediately after the Prayers of the People and
before the Peace. Appropriate clothing may be presented as a sign of dedication.

Final or life vows are made at a festal celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
At this time additional symbols of dedication may be given.

The order of the rite is identical for all three stages.

1. A request by the person to be admitted to the appropriate stage.

2. A sermon or homily, or an address to the person.

3. An examination by the bishop concerning the nature of the commitment and of the person’s desire for this special vocation.

4. The promises or vows appropriate to the stage of profession.

5. The appropriate prayer or blessing appended to this order, or some other similar form.

6. The presentation of clothing and other symbols of special vocation.


Appropriate Lessons and Psalms

Old Testament

Genesis 12:1-4a(4b-8) (The Call of Abraham)
1 Samuel 3:1-11 (The Call of Samuel)
1 Kings 19:16b,19-21 (The Call of Elisha)

Psalms

23 (The Lord is my shepherd)
24:1-6(7-10) (Who can ascend the hill of the Lord?)
27:1-11(12-18) (Your face, Lord, will I seek)
33:(1-11)12-22 (The eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him)
34:1-8(9-22) (I will bless the Lord at all times)
40:1-12 (I love to do your will, O my God)
63:1-12 (You are my God; eagerly I seek you)
100 (Serve the Lord with gladness)

New Testament

Acts 2:42-47 (The apostles’ teaching and fellowship)
Acts 4:32-35 (They had everything in common)
1 Corinthians 1:22-31 (God chose what was foolish)
Philippians 3:8-14 (That I may gain Christ)
Colossians 3:12-17 (Put on love, which binds everything together)
1 John 4:7-16 (He who abides in love abides in God)

The Gospel

Matthew 16:24-27 (Let him take up his cross and follow me)
Matthew 19:3-12 (Eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom)
Matthew 19:16-26 (Sell what you possess and give to the poor)
John 15:1-8 (I am the vine, you are the branches)


Prayer for a Novice
Look with favor, Almighty God, upon this your servant N., who, in response to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, desires to commit himself to you in a life of special vocation, and is undertaking to embrace the three-fold path of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Grant him the strength of your grace to persevere in his endeavor, and the guidance of the Spirit to find his true vocation. If it be your will that he continue in this way, reveal this to him, we pray, and bring him in due time to the taking of solemn vows; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Dedication of a Person Taking Temporary or Annual Vows
May God the Lord, who called Abraham to leave home and kindred to journey to an unknown destination, and who led the people of Israel by the hand of Moses his servant
through the desert to the promised land: Shepherd you in your pilgrimage, and lead you by safe pathways, for his Name’s sake. Amen.

May God the Son, who, in his earthly life, was often solitary but never alone, because the Father was with him: Be your constant companion in your withdrawals from the busyness
of the world, and support and strengthen you when you return refreshed to bear witness to the love and power of God. Amen.

May God the Holy Spirit, who helps us in our weakness, and intercedes for the saints in accordance with the Father’s will: Teach you to pray as you ought to pray; strengthen you in purity of faith, in holiness of life, and in perfectness of love; and bind you ever more and more closely to the Father through the Son. Amen.

And may Almighty God, the holy and undivided Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, guard your body, save your soul, and bring you safely to the heavenly country; where he
lives and reigns for ever and ever. Amen.


Dedication of a Person Taking Life Vows
Blessed are you, O Lord our God, for your great love in sending into the world your only-begotten Son, who for us and for our salvation, emptied himself of his divine estate,
and embraced a life apart from the consolations of family, having not even a place to lay his head. We bless your Name, also, that in every age and land you have called men and
women to imitate their Lord, by setting zeal for your kingdom and its righteousness ahead of all worldly considerations, the love of your little ones above the claims of flesh and blood, and obedience to your will in place of all personal ambitions.

Accept, we pray, the life profession of this your servant N. who, following the example of the Lord Jesus, of Anna the prophetess and holy Simeon, of the Lady Julian and Nicholas Ferrar [of __________ ], and of countless others of your saints, now offers himself for your service in a life of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Bestow upon him your Holy Spirit to dwell in him richly, to give him steadfastness of purpose, to sanctify him more and more fully, and to guide him surely into paths of service and of witness, to the honor and glory of your great Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.