Canon 603 as Normative of All Solitary Eremitical Vocations in the Church

[[Sister Laurel, if canon 603 is normative of all eremitical vocations, then does this mean all hermits HAVE to be canon 603. How can it be normative and at the same time allow for a non-canonical eremitical life.]]

Remember that the Canon has two sections, the first defining the main characteristics of the vocation (and, I argue, of any solitary eremitical vocation), and then a second part regarding what is required for one to live this life in the name of the Church, that is, canonically or "in law". The Canon reads: 

Can. 603 §1. In addition to 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 the salvation of the world through a stricter withdrawal from the world, the silence of solitude, and assiduous prayer and penance. 

§2. A hermit is recognized by law as one dedicated to God in consecrated life if he or she publicly professes in the hands of the diocesan bishop the three evangelical counsels, confirmed by vow or other sacred bond, and observes a proper program of living (Rule of Life) under his direction.

If one lives the first section of the canon, this makes them a hermit --- as the Church understand this term. One can do this as a clerical, lay, or consecrated person, that is, whether one is a lay person, a priest, or a consecrated person in the eyes of the Church, one will live these elements if one is truly a hermit even though the canon does not "deal with" non-canonical vocations per se**. It is the second section that defines the requirements for being canonical and, so too, for being a consecrated hermit as the Church defines this state of life. While a consecrated solitary hermit will live both parts of the canon, any genuine hermit will find him/herself treating Canon 603.1 as normative if they wish to live the life as the church understands it. Most importantly, one's life will need to be lived for the sake of others and the glorification of God; all the elements of the vocation will serve these goals; they are not ends in themselves.

Throughout the long history of the Church, all kinds of solitary ways of living passed for "eremitical," (mainly as the term hermit was commonly or self-applied) but not all of these were edifying. You can imagine ways of living alone that were simply selfish, sometimes motivated by woundedness, failure, fear, or even bitterness and hatred. Misanthropy, what Charlie Brown once identified as "loving humanity but hating people," was an issue, and so was radical individualism, which today has become something of an epidemic. Neither of these would qualify as eremitism today and the way the Church defines such a vocation in c 603 is part of the reason. Openness, self-sacrifice, and generosity are central to canon 603, where they are not typical of many of the lives in the Western Church that tried through the centuries to validate themselves as eremitical. Canon 603 served to correct the common misunderstanding of a hermit as one who is escaping society, despising the rest of God's good creation, or who simply cannot live with others or meet the demands of sociability and community. In doing so it drew on a radically incarnational theology where, paradoxically, God's deepest, eternal will is to be with us, and through us in Christ (Emmanuel), to bring about a new creation where heaven and earth thoroughly interpenetrate one another and God is all in all.

In other words, canon 603 serves as a norm for what is and what is not solitary eremitical life. Yes, the second part says [[If you want to live this life in the name of the Church, then take on these additional requirements and petition to be allowed to live this vocation as a living embodiment of the canon!]] Anyone seriously desiring this, can live the first part of the canon with the assistance of the Holy Spirit and the right intentions; they can do this with or without private vows, nor do they need anyone's permission for any of this precisely because their vocations are private ones. 

However, to accept the public rights and obligations of the entire canon, especially c 603.2, requires that one be canonically free to do so. If married and divorced, an annulment i.e., declaration of nullity) will generally be required. Also necessary is a mutual discernment process, additional formation (particularly in the area of the vows if one has no background in religious life, but also in terms of what it means to live an ecclesial vocation), time lived under relatively close supervision by chancery personnel, and a history of regular and ongoing spiritual direction along with regular participation in the Church's sacramental life. (Remember that the candidate for profession (i.e., public commitment to or embrace of the public rights and obligations of c 603) will need letters of recommendation from those who know her well, and this will include her spiritual director, her pastor, and others who have worked with her through the years. The diocese may also require psychological and medical evaluations, depending on what the chancery personnel suggest is appropriate, usually after meeting and interviewing the person.) 

Once approval for admission to profession looks likely, most dioceses will ask a candidate for canon 603 profession and consecration, to select a delegate who will help supervise ("Direct") the vocation on the bishop's behalf. None of these additional requirements in 603.2 need be met by non-canonical hermits desiring to remain such -- though such a hermit could benefit from and might well try their hand at writing a Rule of Life to assist them to grow in this life. They will definitely benefit from regular spiritual direction and might turn to others for mentoring as well. Still, these things are not required. I think you see the difference between those who meet the qualifications of 603.1 and are not "under the canon," and those who live those qualifications while also accepting the requirements associated with c 603.2. At the same time, despite the implicit distinction built into the canon, I hope you can see how it remains normative of (i.e., the standard by which the Church or individual hermits measure) the authenticity of solitary eremitical life, both canonical and non-canonical.

** From the Resource Material for the Discernment of Hermit Vocations According to canon 603 (Congregation of Institutes on Religious Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, now DICLSAL): [[Likewise, the canon does not deal with individuals who privately undertake a solitary way of life, but who do not seek this recognition by the Church.]]