What is the difference between a monk and a canon

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Leah's Faith Journey " Kyle Jantzen Exploring history, faith, and academic life. Follow Following. Classically Christian Join other followers. Sign me up. Already have a WordPress. Log in now. Loading Comments Email Required Name Required Website. And the rule given by Chrodegang to this canons enjoined that a hospital should be near their house that they might tend the sick.

The Council of Aix-la-Chapelle Aachen also ordains the erection of a hospital for pilgrims over which a canon regular is to preside. The essential and characteristic habit of canons regular is the rochet. With regard to the other parts, their dress, as a general rule, is that of other clergy , although some have added a scapular.

By most the rochet is worn as part of their daily dress, though sometimes reduced to a small linen band hanging from the shoulders in front and behind. It is now so worn in Austria , on the Great St. Bernard, and at Aosta. As to the colour of the dress there is no fixed rule, the custom and traditions of the various Congregations may be observed.

The general colour seems to have been white as now worn by the Lateran Congregation. A question having been raised as to the proper habit of a canon regular, when named bishop , it was settled by a Brief of Leo X. A long dissertation on the dress of the canons regular was presented to the pope by jurisconsult, Zaccaria Ferreri, who maintained that, with the exception of the rochet , the canons regular, like the secular clergy , had no fixed dress.

It may be interesting to note that, in this dissertation on the authority of the "Most Reverend Lord Cardinal of England, and many other Prelates, and the English Ambassador", the author says, "in England the Canons Regular wore violet like the other clergy.

Origin Having thus explained what a canon regular is, and what the spirit and work of the canonical order are, it will be easier now to answer such questions as these: Who was the founder of the canons regular? Whence do they drive their origin? When and where were they first known? Various and contradictory opinions have been expressed to answer these and similar questions. There have been some writers who, like the famous Cistercian abbot , Joachim, Coriolanus, Marquez, and others held that the canonical order began about According to others the order dates from the time of Charlemagne , who expressed the wish that all the clergy should be either monks or canons living in common, as prescribed by the Council of Aix-la-Chapelle , in , and Mainz , in The great Bishop of Hippo is also regarded by some as the founder of the canonical institute.

All these opinions are set aside by many other writers, and especially by the historians of the order, who almost unanimously trace back the origin of the canons regular much farther in antiquity. Their institute, they maintain, was founded by Christ Himself, and dates from the time of the Apostles. These writers and historians begin by saying that, although it be true that there was a great revival, or general reformation and spreading of the order in the twelfth century, in France and elsewhere through the zeal of Ives , Bishop of Chartres , in Italy through the newly-founded congregation of Blessed Peter de Honestis, and elsewhere through the congregation of Sts.

History, in fact, tells us that about the eleventh century the regular or canonical life hitherto observed almost everywhere by the clergy was given up in many churches , and thus a distinction was made between the clerics who lived in separate houses and those who still preserved the old discipline, living under rule and having all things in common.

The former were called canonici saeculares , the latter canonici regulares , by which name they have been known ever since. It is also true that in the year Chrodegang, Bishop of Metz, assembled the clergy of his cathedral around him, led with them a community life, and gave them a rule taken from the statutes of ancient orders and canons, a discipline also recommended shortly after by the Councils of Aix-la-Chapelle and Mainz ; but in doing this he was only following the example of St.

Augustine , who had introduced among his own clergy the manner of life which he had seen practiced at Milan. And that is why the member so the canonical order regard St. Augustine not as their founder, but only as their reformer, or lawgiver; because to the clergy who lived with him he had given certain special regulations, which were in course of time adopted by almost all the canons regular, who were on that account called "Canons Regular of St.

There is abundant evidence, they say that Christ Himslef instituted a perfect religious state, and that it was embraced by the Apostles and many of their disciples from the very beginning of the Church. It is also certain that from the time of the Apostles there have always been in the Church clerics who, following the example of the primitive Christians , living "secundum regulam sub sanctis Apostolis constitutam" according to the Apostolic Rule , had all things in common.

Eusebius , the historian, relates that St. Mark, the disciple of St. Peter, established this discipline at Alexandria, as did St. Crescentius in Gaul , St. Saturninus in Spain , and St. Maternus in Germany. We know that St. Eusebius introduced it at Vercelli in Italy , and St. Amborse at Milan. Pope Urban I A. Augustine , Bishop of Hippo , only restored, or caused to reflourish, the order of canons regular, which was first instituted by the Apostles.

Antoninus, Vincent of Beauvais , Sigebert, Peter of Cluny, Fagnani , and many others tell us that the canonical order traces back its origin to the earliest ages of the Church.

After having stated that the Apostles taught by Christ Himslef formed the first order of clerics , and that the order did not perish with the Apostles, but was preserved by continuous succession in their disciples, as proved by letters of Pope St. Clement and urban I though these letters are Pseudo-Isidorian in character , the writer continues: We read in the Life of St. Augustine that when he was made priest , he instituted a monastery within the church and began to live with the servants of God according to the manner and rules constituted by the holy Apostles.

Augustine , but was either reformed by him or introduced by him into Africa and furnished with a special rule. There is no question as regards the continuance of this state from the time of St.

Augustine to this time, although with great variety as far as various institutes are concerned. To this we may add that when a controversy arose between the Benedictine monks and the canons regular with regard to precedence, the question was settled by Pius V in favour of the canons, on account of their Apostolic origin. We may then conclude with the words of Cardinal Pie, who, addressing the canons regular of the Lateran Congregation, whom he had established at Beauchene in his diocese , says: These that are clothed in white robes, who are they, and whence come they come, I will tell you.

Their origin is nothing else but the society and the common life of Jesus and His Apostles , the original model of community life between the bishop and his clergy. On that account they chiefly come from Hippo and from the home of Augustine , who has given them a Rule, which they still glory to observe. The name Austin or Augustinian Canons is commonly used instead of Canons Regular , and there are some who think that Austin Canons are so styled because they were instituted by St.

This is a wrong notion. Augustine did not found the order of canons regular, not even those who are called Austin Canons.

There were canons regular before St. The various authorities quoted in this article prove it. All St. Austin did was to induce his clergy to live secundum regulam sub sanctis Apostolis constitutam , which he had seen practised at Milan , adding to the Apostolic Rule hitherto observed by clerics living in common, some regulations, afterwards called the "Rule of St. II, c. These regulations which St. Austin had given to the clerics who lived with him soon spread and were adopted by other religious communities of canons regular in Italy , in France , and elsewhere.

When, in and after the eleventh century, the various congregations of canons regular were formed, and adopted the Rule of St. Augustine , they were usually called Canonici Regulares Ordinis S. Giraldus Cambrenisis mentions some in his day in England. In a word, canons regular may be considered as the genus, and Austin Canons as the species; or we may say that all Austin Canons are canons regular, but not all canons regular are Austin canons.

If further proofs of the Apostolic origin of the canonical order are desired, many may be found in the work of Abbot Ceasare Benvenuti see bibliography at end of this article , who century by century, from councils, Fathers, and other ecclesiastical sources, proves that from the first to the twelfth century there had always been clerics living in common according to the example of the Apostles. Eusebius introduced the severe discipline of the Oriental monks among his clergy both by word and example.

Before the gat of Milan was a cloister for monks under the protection of St. Augustine , when a priest , founded a cloister at Hippo , in which with other clerics he lived in humility and community of goods. When Bishop his episcopal residence was converted into a cloister for ecclesiastics. History , tr. Cox, II, The following words, taken from the Martyrologium for canons regular and approved by the Congregation of Sacred Rites, will suffice for the purpose: Ordo Canonicorum Regularium, qui in primaevis Ecclesiae saeculis Clerici nominabantur utque ait S.

Pius V. The order of canons regular, who in the early ages of the Church were called clerics , and who, as St.

Pius V says in the Bull Cum ex ordinum , , derived their origin from the Apostles, and who later were born anew to the world through a process of reformation, by their reformer, Augustine , being spread throughout the universe , are renowned for an army of innumerable saints. Development This rule, which, in the words of Giraldus Cambrensis , happily joins the canonical and clerical life together, was soon adopted by many prelates , not only in Africa , but elsewhere also.

After the death of the holy Doctor, it was carried into Italy and France by his disciples. One of them, Pope Gelasius, about the year , re-established the regular life in the Lateran Basilica. From St. John Lateran the Mother and Mistress of all Churches the reform spread till at length the Rule was universally adopted by almost all the canons regular. It was in the same Lateran Basilica, tradition tells us, that St. Patrick , the future Apostle of Ireland , professed the canonical institute which he afterwards introduced with the Christian Faith , into his own country.

At the voice of the great apostle the Irish nation not only embraced Christianity , but many also, following his example, embraced the canonical life. Augustine asserts that "all the monasteries founded in Ireland by St. Patrick , were for canons regular. Augustine were so early or considerable in Ireland before the general suppression of monasteries , that the number of houses they are said to have had seems incredible.

They alone possessed, or had been master of, as many houses as all the other orders together, and almost all the chapters of the cathedral and collegiate churches in Ireland consisted of canons regular. Butler, who, in his notes to the "Registrum Omnium Sanctorum", expressly affirms that the "old foundations in Ireland were exclusively for Canons.

Patrick was a canon regular, and that, having preached the Christian Faith in Ireland , he established there many monasteries of the canonical institute. After this no one will think that the same writer exaggerates when he appends to his work a catalogue of monasteries which at some time or other belonged to canons and canonesses regular.

The Irish clerics became the most learned scholars in Europe , Ireland's seats of learning, monasteries , nunneries , and charitable institutions were unsurpassed either in number or excellence by those of any nation in the world.

There seems very little doubt that the canonical institute was introduced into Scotland by St. This saint , called "monasteriorum pater et fundator," in reference to the numerous churches and monasteries built either by him or by his disciples in Ireland and Scotland , was formed to the religious life in the monastery of St.

The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, anno , relates that Columba, Masspreost Mass-Priest , "came to the Picts to convert them to Christ", or, as another manuscript says: "This year, , Columba the Messa-preost, came from the parts of the Scots Ireland to the Britons to teach the Picts, and built a monastery in the island of Hy. As we have already stated, St. Columba was the disciple of St. Finnian, who was a follower of St. Patrick ; both then had learned and embraced the regular life which the great Apostle had established in Ireland.

Moreover, such writers as Ware, de Burgo, Archdall, Cardinal Moran , Bower, expressly tell us that Columba built monasteries for canons regular in Ireland and Scotland. Columba built this monastery for Canons Regular in the year Patrick for Canons Regular.

Columba" where is the monastery of Black Canons which St. Columba founded. Speaking of the very monastery built by the saint at Hy , another historian, Gervase of Canterbury , in his "Mappa Mundi", informs us that the monastery belonged to the Black Canons. It may be here the place to mention the opinion of some writers who think that the monasteries established by St.

Columba in Scotland were for Culdees. It will be remembered that numerous opinions have been expressed concerning the origin and the institute of the Culdees, some calling them monks , some secular canons and hospitallers, and others going so far as to say that they were Independents, or Dissenters, nay even the forefathers of the modern Freemasons.

The present writer, on the other hand, is of opinion that the Culdees originally, and some even to the very end, were nothing else but clerics living in common just as those St. Buddhists seek to reach a state of nirvana, following the path of the Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, who went on a quest for Enlightenment around the sixth century BC. There is no belief in a personal god. Buddhists believe that nothing is fixed or permanent and that change is always possible.

Today in many monasteries in Tibet and India, Vajrayana practitioners will incorporate alcohol as part of their practice. Yes, Buddhists do drink coffee. This is mostly to steady alertness during meditation. Also, enhancing longer meditative hours. But, coffee is high in caffeine and a known stimulant. In Buddhism, being truthful goes beyond simply not telling lies.

It means speaking truthfully and honestly, yes. But it also means using speech to benefit others, and not to use it to benefit only ourselves. Generally yes.

The exception is the meritorious intentions outweight the sin of lying, by speaking the ambious speech said with wisdom. In other word, it is called benevolent deception!!

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A Trappist writer will turn his earnings over to his abbot or prior, for the benefit of the whole community. But monks and friars need not be priests. Some monks and friars discern their vocations as religious, content to simply be brothers within their order or community; they do not pursue the priesthood.

Saint Benedict of Nursia is considered the founder of Western Monasticism. Francis de Sales, aka Salesians of Don Bosco is fully a priest and will make the same vows of poverty, chastity and obedience to their religious superiors, just like friars and monks, but they are simply priests of their respective communities.

Make sure to check the slideshow below for a quick guide to recognizing the habits used by some monastic and religious orders. Public Domain Opnamedatum: