Third Order of the Consoling Sisters of the Sacred Heart
A Lay Apostolate
When I was growing up, I read a book on the life of St. Catherine of Sienna, where it said, she was part of the Third Order of St. Dominic. The idea of the Third Order intrigued me, I went about asking priests and nuns about the Third Order, but they were just as clueless as I was about a Third Order.
According to Catholic Answers: “Third Orders signify in general lay members of religious orders, i.e. men and women who do not necessarily live in community and yet can claim to wear the habit and participate in the good works of some great order.”1
In December 2023, I got to know about a Third Order with a congregation of nuns that I love, they are the Consoling Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Their work consists of caring for the poor and orphans and by being in their Third Order, I get to share in their spiritual life.
The Following is from the leaflet for the Third Order of the Consoling Sisters of the Sacred Heart.
MILITIA OF THE SACRED HEART
The members of the Militia of the Sacred Heart are men and women, profoundly Catholic, who desire to unite themselves spiritually to the Congregation of the Consoling Sisters, through a true Christian and deeply spiritual life.
They seek, by binding themselves spiritually to this Religious Family, to live a more recollected life, united with God, consecrated to do everything for the love of God and the salvation of souls, with a deep spirit of charity.
GOAL The members of the Militia of the Sacred Heart have the same goals as the Consoling Sisters. They are mainly three, namely:
General goal: the Glory of God and personal sanctification;
Special goal:
To console the Sacred Heart, through a life of sacrifice, offered in reparation for the offenses to the Sacred Heart of Jesus;
To pray for Vocations and for the sanctification of Priests.
PATRONS The Patrons are the same as those of the congregation:
Principle Patron: the Sacred Heart of Jesus;
Co-Patrons: The Blessed Virgin Assumed into Heaven; Archangel St. Michael; the Great Patriarch St. Joseph;
The members of the Militia of the Sacred Heart will also have a special devotion to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque; St. Aloysius Gonzaga; St. Paul of the Cross; and St. Pius X.
AFFILIATION: Affiliation of the members of the Militia with the Congregation is achieved through a spiritual bond with the congregation, which is realized through acceptance and the entrance ceremony. Indeed, the members of the Militia of the Sacred Heart share in the spiritual graces of the congregation, obtained through the prayers, sacrifices and merits of all its members.
THE MEMBERS: The members of the Militia are Catholic men and women who desire to live according to the spirit of the Consoling Sisters and accept, therefore, the obligations proper to the Militia.
They are men and women who may be married or unmarried or widowed, living in their own homes, usually near a Community of the Consoling Sisters. For married persons, however, it is necessary to have the consent of the spouse, with respect to the commitments they make.
The minimum age required is at least 18 years.
THE SPIRIT AND IDEAL OF THE MILITIA: The spirit and ideal of the members of the Militia of the Sacred Heart is that of the Congregation of the Consoling Sisters of the Sacred Heart, which is none other than the same spirit of the Church, with all Her Traditions. It is expressed in a great love for the Holy Sacrifice of the Tridentine Mass and an unfailing attachment to the doctrine of all time.
The members of the Militia are especially committed to practicing and promoting devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It consists, principally, in the spirit of reparation, in order to console His Heart, wounded by so many outrages and offended by so many sins.
The spirit of atonement is put into practice, especially, in the spirit of sacrifice, through which one can live a true Christian life. It consists, therefore, in fidelity to one's duty of state, which manifests the Will of God, which asks each person to renounce their own will in order to conform to the Divine Will.
The motto that sums up the whole spirit of the congregation is, "Heart of Jesus, to love Thee and make Thee loved."
HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE MILITIA?
The candidate should apply in writing to the Superior General or Provincial, after having known the Congregation for at least one year and having followed the Ignatian exercises.
Then, for the duration of one year, the interested person will practice the spirit and obligations of the Militia.
Finally, having obtained the consent and acceptance of the Board of the Congregation of Consoling Sisters, the aspirants commit themselves before God to follow the obligations as stipulated in the ceremonial and will renew them annually.
Obligations
Spiritual Obligations:
Daily: morning and evening prayer; Holy Rosary; quarter-hour of meditation; participation at the Tridentine Mass wherever possible; recitation of the Sacred Heart Office and litanies of reparation;
Every 15 days: Sacrament of Penance (or, at least, once a month);
Every month: a spiritual retreat of at least half a day, with a conference;
Every one or two years: a week-long retreat.
Obligations in the Christian life
Sanctification on Sundays: attend, preferably, the sung Mass; participate, where possible, in Vespers and Eucharistic Benediction;
Fasting: on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday; every Friday of Lent and on the Ember days;
Abstinence: every Friday of the year and Ash Wednesday;
Means of communication: give up TV and limit internet use only to administrative needs and for correspondence. If not necessary: forgo the smartphone and use the phone in moderation to avoid wasting time;
Clothing (for women): dress modestly, not using pants, but skirts; keeping arms covered and using a veil in the Church.
Family obligations, for those who are married
To observe the law of Marriage in order to accept all the children God wants to give; renouncing all sinful practices in order not to have children;
To make your home a shrine consecrated to the Sacred Heart by solemnly enthroning Him in a prominent place;
Try to pray at least the Rosary together in the evening;
Sanctifying, especially, Sundays and other feasts, living in the liturgical spirit that characterizes the different times of the year;
To renounce anything that may offend the modesty and purity and, especially, the innocence of your children (e.g., indecent movies, books and magazines);
Choose truly Catholic schools, even at the cost of great sacrifice, for the sake of your children's souls; contributing to their foundation;
Prudence in choosing entertainments, which should always be honest and sober, and vacation places, with special attention to going to places where it is possible to attend Holy Mass, the center and summit of Christian life.
Obligations of formation:
Find time to be spiritually enriched through holy readings that help form an upright conscience and a firm grasp of Christian doctrine, which is so necessary in today's world that has forgotten the basics of Catholic life.
The following readings are recommended: Catechisms of Trent and St. Pius X; New Testament; Imitation of Christ; Introduction to the Devout Life; books on the Sacred Heart; lives of saints; encyclicals, etc.
THE APOSTOLATE
The apostolate is implemented, first of all, through the apostolate of prayer and penance (St. Pius X) and a deep life of prayer, which is its soul. Without it, any external and active apostolate will be devoid of true fruit.
To be defended, therefore, from all the dangers they will encounter, they will consecrate themselves to the Blessed Virgin through the "slavery of love", according to the teachings of St. Louis Grignon de Monfort (The Secret of Mary). It is, in fact, the easiest, most serene and surest way to bring back victory over the enemy.
The apostolate is implemented first by good example and the witness of a truly Christian and Catholic life lived.
The Members support and collaborate in the Sisters' apostolate for Christian formation in all its aspects, particularly giving attention to children and female youth, in its most diverse forms, such as teaching catechism and doctrinal formation, even through a good press; not forgetting missions, when Providence gives the opportunity.
They may be called to carry out their mission where the Sisters cannot reach.
The apostolate, however, is done only in collaboration with the Sisters or under the direction of the Priests, to combat the spirit of independence, typical of our age.
The Members will be able to engage themselves concretely in many ways, for example by cooperating with the Sisters in schools, camps, housework, sewing, computer work, administration, work of all kinds, etc., for the purpose of relieving the Sisters of commitments that may be obstacles to their life of prayer and recollection.
They have, finally, the task of making the Institute and its needs known.
In the face of so much rampant evil in the world, reparation is a powerful weapon in the hands of the "Militia" that comforts the Sacred Heart of Jesus by bringing Him many souls
References:
https://www.catholic.com/encyclopedia/third-orders