The Rule of the OHR

The RULE of the OHR


This is the RULE of the
ORDER OF THE HOLY ROSE (OHR)

which is firmly based on the path of love and understanding of Our Lord and King Jesus Christ.

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

1. The Professed Brother or Sister is authorized to use the abbreviations Br or Sr before their name (Brothers or Sisters of the Order of the Holy Rose, OHR, after their name), and to use the term of Friar (male only), Brother, Sister (f.ex. Sr Eliora Anat, OHR).

2. We are an Anglican-Catholic Order open to lay-members and to clergy alike. We are following the Anglo-Catholic tradition and our bishop is Ralph Napierski.

Anyone can join us, whether married, single or divorced, whatever their former religious background, but who privately take up practices of austerity, recite some liturgical Office, and wear some symbol of their devotion.

3. Membership

There are three basic levels of membership:

* Outer circle: Members, who join the circle like a 'club' like on myspace, facebook and other online communities of the OHR and who help and take part in some projects.

* Middle circle: Members, who join the circle for a special time period.

* Inner circle: Members, who dedicate their life to the order.

*Middle Circle Membership : Members are discerning their calling to the Brothers and Sisters of the Order of the Holy Rose and will begin to implement the Rule of the Order in their daily lives, whatever their background. They will be in regular contact with the Mother Superior or the Director of Novices during this discernment process.

* Inner circle: Members, who dedicate their lives to the order. The members can decide to enter the vowed life with the Brothers and Sisters of the Order of the Holy Rose (OHR). During this time, the Brother or Sister will study more deeply the teachings of the Church, as well as the lives and ministries of saints. The Brother or Sister is also expected to live by the Rule of the Order. They will be living the Rule, and continue to study the faith. They will have implemented some form of ministry in their community or parish, and are expected to nurture a strong prayer life, as well as Bible study.

4. Purpose

The purpose of the Brothers and Sisters of the Order of the Holy Rose (OHR) is to make Our Lord and King Jesus Christ known and loved everywhere by following His example and that of our patron saints, as we live out our Christian journey and to lead an to live by example to prepare for His return unto us and to prepare the path for the heavenly kingdom on earth.

We serve our local community as well as in all ways that the Holy Spirit guides us towards. The Brothers and Sisters of the Order of the Holy Rose are a Catholic blended community of laity and clergy. We are bound together for the purpose of fellowship, prayer, support, encouragement, and spiritual growth and development. We have a shared desire to know more about religious life whatever our background, be it in marriage, as a single/divorced or single-parent and/or as a member of clergy. We explore together, how to live our spirituality in our daily lives in this world.
The Brothers and Sisters of the Order of the Holy Rose (OHR) seek to be faithful to the prayer of Jesus Christ in John 17, that 'they may all be one'. We seek to live a full Catholic spirituality, to love and to provide spiritual and social services to a hurting and troubled world. The care and education the Order of the Holy Rose gives to the public is open to those of any religious belief or none.

The Brothers and Sisters of the Order of the Holy Rose (OHR) seek those people called to serve God and His creation in a variety of ways. Since we do not live in a monastery, we live our chosen Catholic charisms in the daily life of the world. We have vocations as mothers, housewives, pensioners, artists, doctors, lawyers, musicians, scientists, authors, poets, hospice caregivers, and many other backgrounds. We each have active forms of ministry and exercise our spiritual gifts and talents for free as the Lord enables us to do so.

The Brothers and Sisters of the Order of the Holy Rose are open to all practicing Anglo-Catholics, whether married and single or divorced, male or female, lay person or clergy.

5. A Life of Spiritual Growth in Jesus Christ

Spiritual Growth in Jesus Christ is ongoing, putting on the mind of Jesus Christ to 'Turn away from sin and be faithful to the Gospel' (Mark 1:15).

6. Brothers and Sisters of the Order of the Holy Rose are to live converted to God, in a loving, Christ-like relationship with each other.

Unless communities of Brothers and Sisters are voluntarily formed, according to Church law and following this rule, the Brothers and Sisters of the Order of the Holy Rose (OHR) are living in their own settings. We try to simplify and sanctify our live, with the grace of the Holy Spirit, in the following of this rule.

7. Formation of Groups

After a vote has been taken, a letter of intention of a group formation will be sent to the Mother Superior. It will contain the Signature of the first two members that are still involved, certifying the vote results in the case of the Circle, or the signatures of the first six in the case of a community.

8. There are three types of groups formations:

- Isolated Members: One member

- Circle: Two to five members

- Community: Six or more members

9. Holiness

Christ calls of us to holiness. The Brothers and Sisters of the Order of the Holy Rose (OHR) put forth increased efforts in answering that call to the formation of greater holiness, as we travel Christ's path of spiritual discipline with our brothers and sisters.

10. The Bible

The Brothers and Sisters of the Order of the Holy Rose (OHR) aim to lead their lives as the living word of Jesus Christ.

11. Habit

Full habits are optional and only worn by members of the middle and inner circle.
The standard habit for these brothers and sisters will consist of the following:

* White tunic with or without hood (design will be provided)
* a small red rose embroidered on the tunic (desing/pattern will be provided)
* a red and a green cord with three knots: red for the Passion of Christ, the fire of Pentecost, the Sacred Heart, St Mary Magdalene; green: the colour of life and the triumph of life over death; three knots: representing the Holy Trinity; the cords are made and provided by the OHR only.
* Celtic Cross

(Note) Members can either make their own tunic by using the pattern provided or order it by providing the appropriate linnen. Please, contact us for more information.

Wearing of the habit is appropriate but optional at all functions of the Order of the Holy Rose, at your own church with the permission of the priest/pastor, at monastic meetings of any kind, working in ministry, and retreats - or at any time we are representing the Order of the Holy Rose in an official capacity. One may also choose to wear the habit at home.

12. Remember that the wearing of the habit is only OPTIONAL. As long as clothing is in good taste and the crucifix is being worn, the dress code of members will be entirely dependent on their professional life situation.

13. Brothers and Sisters should be moderate in eating and drinking.

14. The Brothers and Sisters of the Order of the Holy Rose (OHR) are strongly recommended to pay tithe to their local church. The tithe may be divided into portions, some to the church and some to its ministries and other to its projects.

15. 'Bring all the tithes into the stonehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do', says the LORD ALMIGHTY, 'I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let me prove it to y