The founding of a Third Order for the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer is provided for in our Constitutions. Until such a time as there are a sufficient number of committed individuals to warrant the creation of such a Third Order, we have thought it well to establish individual Associated Members of the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer. Members are associated with the Congregation on a one-to-one basis.
The Associated Members will be the pioneers of the future Third Order foreseen in our Constitutions. The Associated Members have a special recognised place in our Congregation and already as Associated Members they will live a Spiritual Rule that we hope would become part of the Constitutions of the future Third Order. Becoming an Associated Member takes the form of a commitment to the Spiritual Rule.
Saint Alphonsus Maria de Liguori
Associated Members must be Catholics over the age of 18 years, they must apply in writing to become Associated Members and be received by the Rector Major into the Book of the Associated Members of the Congregation.
RULES OF THE ASSOCIATED MEMBERS
1. Following St Alphonsus, they make the Three Hail Mary’s in the morning upon rising, and in the evening before retiring, together with the Alphonsian prayer: Most Holy Immaculate to which they add an Our Father and a Hail Mary in honour of their patron for the year.
2. They begin each year by reading the Eternal Maxims of St Alphonsus for meditation taking one point a day. When these have been read they take up, in the same way, other works of the holy Doctor (The Passion and Death of Jesus Christ, The Holy Eucharist, The Way of Salvation etc). Every day they also read a short extract from his Glories of Mary.
3. According to their possibilities, they pray the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, assuring this Office, in Latin or English to help complete the prayer of the Congregation.
4. Once a week they also pray, or replace the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin, with the Office for the Dead.
5. They faithfully receive Holy Communion only on the tongue.
6. Women Members also continue the Apostolic tradition of covering their heads in Church.
7. They keep the image of Our Mother of Perpetual Succour in a place of honour in their homes. Following the example of St Alphonsus they wear the scapular of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
8. Following St Alphonsus and the Redemptorist saints, they are lovers of ejaculatory prayer.
9. They write an email or letter to the Rector Major every month to keep contact with the Congregation.
10. They offer a decade of the Holy Rosary every day for the intentions of the Congregation and for the salvation of the most abandoned souls.
11. The Associated Members make their commitment for one year at a time. After five years it may become permanent or continue on an annual basis. An Associated Member may freely terminate his or her Associated Membership by a letter to the Rector Major. Likewise, the Rector Major may freely terminate an Associated Member’s Membership by writing a letter to him or her.
12. The Associated Members as private individuals do not undertake any projects or works in the name of the Congregation. If a group of Associated Members is formed it remains on the level of the fraternal support and friendships of the individual Associated Members; it does not become a moral body and may not engage in any works in the name of the Congregation or in the name of a group of Associate Members.
Members of the Congregation of the Sons of the Most Holy Redeemer.
Golgotha Monastery Island, Papa Stronsay.
