Why Not Profess Groups of Hermits Together?

[[ Sister, I wondered why we don't see little groups of three hermits when hermits are professed, for example. The trio you showed in your earlier post from the Diocese of Fort Wayne must be pretty unusual.  Why don't dioceses profess multiple hermits together? I guess there aren't that many, right?]]

Yes, hermits are a pretty rare phenomenon and for that reason alone we aren't going to see solitary (or diocesan) hermits professed together very often. But I think there are more significant reasons that have to do with the discernment and formation of solitary hermits. It takes time for individuals to discern such vocations and this is a really individual process. The same is true of formation and finding one's own stride in this calling. One person may have a background that allows her to move toward vows relatively quickly while another has a background that does not. Similarly, and even more importantly, the differences in strengths and weaknesses make it important to allow for a really individualized discernment and formation process that includes gaining enough experience to write a liveable Rule. Because this process is highly individualized, it will differ from one hermit candidate to another. 

Finally, c 603 is meant for solitary eremitical vocations; a c 603 hermit is required to live her life in the silence of solitude whether or not there is anyone else living this life alongside her. Too often lauras of hermits die out or are otherwise a failure. When this happens, the c 603 hermit is required to continue living her own Rule. This is quite unlike what happens when a community or congregation fails or is suppressed, for instance. In such cases, those professed as part of this congregation or community will cease to be bound by vows as soon as the institute ceases to be viable (unless other arrangements are made canonically).  With c 603 hermits, even those coming together in lauras, their individual Rules remain binding in law should the laura fail in some way. Thus, dioceses profess and consecrate c 603 hermits one at a time.

This solitary quality forever colors the hermit's life and reminds her and those to whom she witnesses or ministers of the ecclesial nature of c 603 life. At the same time, one piece of this life is the communal (diocesan, parish) context; the solitary profession of c 603 hermits tends to happen within such a context at a parish church or diocesan cathedral. The community is reminded then, that they too are partially responsible for the viability of this vocation. There may be other reasons I have not mentioned, but these are the main ones I can think of, so I hope this is helpful! Meanwhile, on this eve of the fourth Sunday of Advent, let me wish you all good wishes for a wonderful Christmas!