The White Robed Monks of St. Benedict

Synopsis: Incardination/Licensure Program

General Offering:

1. To offer the People of God a specific spiritual context (i.e.. White Robed Monks of St. Benedict (WRMOSB), within which their marriage, baptism, etc. takes place evidenced by a WRMOSB Marriage Certificate and registering of their marriage (etc.) and providing pastoral leadership or guidance as the case may be.
   
   
2. To offer ordained Catholic clergy a spiritual (non-institutional) network within each may participate in its charism through incardination, insuring sacramental integrity of administrations flowing from the bishop-priest/deacon relationship. The WRMOSB acknowledge that a priest or deacon is empowered to function sacramentally through Ordination to the Presbyterate or Deaconate. The WRMOSB further acknowledge that a priest or deacon has the authority to function sacramentally only when in relationship with a bishop. (Bishops "enjoy the fullness of the sacrament of orders" and priests and deacons are "dependent upon the bishops in the exercise of authority." Decree on the Bishops' Pastoral Office in the Church, n.15). Priest/Deacon receives full incardination with appropriate faculties.
   
   
3. To offer ordained Catholic bishops serving either as a primus or auxiliary the opportunity to serve within jurisdiction of the White Robed Monks. If a bishop is requesting incardination for clerics (deacons or priests) current serving with him, then please complete an incardination form for each cleric and send along copies of each cleric's instruments of ordination. If serving as an auxiliary, then also please complete a brief note as requested under Procedures, Item No. 4.
   
   
4. To offer ordained Catholic clergy without a bishop serving in another public venue (such as Rent-a-Priest) in pectore or sub rosa incardination if regular public incardination with the WRMOSB might bring political or other type of difficulty to the petitioner. In pectore or sub rosa incardination is a spiritual matter only within the realm of intentionality and integrity. The Petitioner would not complete a Ministerial Services Agreement and would not receive Instruments of either Incardination or Faculties.
   • In Pectore Incardination: Petitioner's name and record are kept in the bishop's personal sealed file which would pass onto successors only. There would be absolutely no public acknowledgement. The petitioner would become an anonymous member of The Benedictine Network, a spiritual network of people, thereby benefiting from its charism. Petitioner would receive no correspondence (electronic or otherwise) from the WRMOSB. Petitioner would not receive access into the Cloistered web environment. Excardination would take place automatically upon petitioner receiving incardination from another bishop. (It would be hoped that the petitioner would inform the bishop of the WRMOSB that such incardination had taken place.) The purpose of this type of incardination is to insure the People of God sacramental integrity through the administrations of a priest/deacon.
     
     
   • Sub Rosa Incardination: Petitioner's name and record are kept in the bishop's personal sealed file which would pass onto successors only. There would be absolutely no public acknowledgement. The petitioner would complete a Network Affiliation Form be listed as a clerical affiliate of The Benedictine Network, a spiritual network of people, thereby benefiting from its charism. Petitioner would receive only a Certificate of Network Affiliation, common to affiliates. Petitioner would receive correspondence (electronic or otherwise) from the WRMOSB. Petitioner would receive access into the Cloistered web environment. Excardination would take place automatically upon petitioner receiving incardination from another bishop. (It would be hoped that the petitioner would inform the bishop of the WRB that such incardination had taken place.) The purpose of this level incardination is to offer the People of God sacramental integrity through the administrations of a priest/deacon.

Clerical Design Plan:

1. Incardination: Designed for clerics ordained in a Catholic (i.e., Dutch (Old), Roman, Orthodox, etc.) jurisdiction who are now without a bishop and who desire to administer to the People of God as a ministerial deacon, priest, or bishop within the context of the White Robed Monks of St. Benedict.
   
   
2. Licensure: Designed specifically for clerics ordained in a Catholic (i.e., Dutch (Old), Roman, Orthodox, etc.) jurisdiction who are now incardinated and who desire to administer to the People of God as a ministerial deacon, priest, or bishop within the context of the White Robed Monks of St. Benedict.
   
   
3. Incardination takes place without a promise/vow of obedience to the bishop, who simply requests that the cleric be responsible for one's own as a human being being human serving the People of God as a ministerial deacon, priest, or bishop within the context of the White Robed Monks of St. Benedict.
   
   
4. Specifically, the clergy incardinated with or licensed by the WRMOSB agree to serve the People of God in a spirit on compassion by practicing the general intentions and Mission Statement of the WRMOSB, and to serve the People rather than an institution. In this regard, in that the White Robed Monks of St. Benedict serve all without question, clerics receive implied faculties to celebrate liturgies in all Eastern and Western Rites.
   
   
5. To experience of sense of ministerial service expressed by currently incardinated and licensed clerics, please review Oral History/Clerics. To experience of sense of ministerial service requested by The People, please review Oral History/The People.
   
   
6. Incardinated Priests receive Oils and full faculties to administer Confirmation as needed/requested.

Procedure:

1. Complete, sign, and submit via the web Incardination Application Form.
2. E-mail to WRMOSB a brief resume noting education and pastoral and work experience and a statement as to general direction(s) one's ministry might advance.
3. Complete and submit via the web Network Application Form.
4. Mail to WRMOSB copy of Ordination Certificate or Instrument of Ordination. (White Robed Monks of St. Benedict; POB 27536; San Francisco CA 94127-0536, USA)
5. If requested, please have three people, who have known you for at least 5 years, mail to WRMOSB a Letter of Recommendation attesting to your rectitude, integrity, stability, and responsibility. In the first paragraph, please have the writer note how long the writer has known you and under which circumstance or in what context.(White Robed Monks of St. Benedict; POB 27536; San Francisco CA 94127-0536, USA)
6. If priest/deacon is not now incardinated, petitioner e-mails a brief description as to how this situation came to be. If priest/deacon is now incardinated, when we ask, petitioner sends by post a copy of the current bishop's Letter of Release (excardination) of petition from his jurisdiction
7. Receive and review, make minor edits upon receipt as may be needed, sign, and return Ministerial Services Agreement that sets forth the parameters of our serving relationship. (Please, DO NOT copy/paste/send by post or e-mail a copy of the MSA. The White Robed Monks of St. Benedict will draft and s-mail to you a proper copy as part of our vetting process in due course.) This relationship is between the White Robed Monks of St. Benedict through the aegis of the Bishop-Abbot and the individual cleric (and not that cleric's business enterprise or the like). In the Spirit of Compassion coupled with the practice of Prudence and Integrity, the Ministerial Services Agreement includes for petitioner's signature a Letter of Testament regarding any possible past and current felonious or misdemeanor (other than minor traffic violations) convictions and/or allegations regarding same (presence of which may not necessarily preclude incardination, given Forgiveness and Humility). Lastly, there will also be attached for signature as an individual (not a business) a IRS Form W-9 if petitioner is a citizen/resident in the USA.
8. A phone interview with Chancellor, Bishop or Bishop's designee to review materials, answer questions from either side, etc. When possible, a face-to-face meeting is requested.
9. Receipt of incardination and faculty certificates and materials.

Peace and Joy!.

The Bishop-Abbot, White Robed Monks of St. Benedict

Incardination Application Form
Incardination Program
Cleric-Abbot-Bishop Relationship: Presence and Service
Oral History/Clerics
The Network's Brochure
The Order's Brochure
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