cilice and discipline

[Rhamiel]

Opus Dei still uses them in some capacity.

Direct from their website:

http://www.opusdei.us/sec.php?s=494

Do members of Opus Dei practice mortification?

Like other Catholics, members try to incorporate an element of sacrifice into their lives. In accord with its emphasis on finding God in everyday activities, Opus Dei encourages small sacrifices like carrying out one's duties conscientiously, putting others' needs before one's own, and finding a smile in annoying circumstances. In addition, as recommended by the Catholic Church, members practice small physical mortifications occasionally, such as giving up certain items of food or drink. Within this spirit, numeraries and associates (celibate members) sometimes practice traditional Catholic penances such as using the cilice and discipline. These are practices that Catholics have used for centuries and are commonplace in the lives of the saints, for example: St. Francis of Assisi, St. Thomas More, St. Therese of Lisieux, St. Padre Pio and Blessed Mother Teresa. The motivation for these voluntary penances is to imitate Christ and to join him in his redemptive sacrifice (cf. Matthew 16:24), and they can also be a way to suffer in solidarity with the many poor and deprived people in the world.

good information, but very few people preform this type of penance, and even then it is much less extream then it was in the past

 

[Secundulus]

I'm not one for physical disciplines or anything. But the things described here are tame compared to the practices of pre-schism monks I've heard about. I don't have sources so I cannot quote any, sorry. I just remember the stories.

Simeon Stylites sat on top of a pole for 37 years. He was one of the earliest and most famous. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simeon_Stylites

 

[Michie]

I read something about a group called the anchorites in medieval times that freaked me out.

While I don't discount the intention of these practices a lot of things I have read off & on says all this is misguided understanding of theology.

 

[Virgil the Roman]

Cilices cause some discomfort or a minor amount of bleeding: but from what Opus Dei says, they won't cause one to bleed profusely or at all for that matter.

They are an appropriate tool that is best utilized in combination with lots of prayer, and definitively with concord with one's priest/confessor/spiritual director.

 

[a.d.ivNonasNovembres]

I once read a book written in the late 18th or maybe early 19th century about an English boy who joined the Jesuits.
And I swear, it read just like the ODAN website except in a far more graceful style (it was trying to make itself out as relatively unbiased and its main criticism was that the Jesuits were more loyal to themselves than to God - mixed with the authors horror at the concept of obedience something he evidently found very difficult). On the issue of the discipline it said that it didn't hurt at all it just made them laugh at the futility of trying to hit themselves with such a weedy little thing. On the cilice it said it was a problem when you accidently bumped into something.

But it was a laugh because all through I was imagining in a couple of hundred years Opus Dei running around promoting their contemporary equivilent of Liberation Theology.

 

[InTheCloud]

it was trying to make itself out as relatively unbiased and its main criticism was that the Jesuits were more loyal to themselves than to God -

Well................................, seen some Jesuit Colleges it seems that might be true for some of them.

Cilices are meant to create some discomfort while praying, increasing the dept and concentration of the person while praying.
That was not unknown in Judaism. For example many Jews do tie a tight rough leather band over one of their arms that looks and is very uncomfortable while they pray. The Cilice work on the same principle and remember that Pauls recomended disciplines. Of course in the middle ages people were giving to the sin of pride and took those disciplines to masochistic levels.
Being uncomfortable while praying or meditation is not uncommon in all non protestant religions. Traditional Apostolic Christianity or Judaism but also Buddism and Yoga Hinduism do teach uncomfort while meditating to their more advanced students.

 

[Tonks]

good information, but very few people preform this type of penance, and even then it is much less extream then it was in the past

oh, i know. i find the practice questionable to say the least. merely answering the question whether or not it was ever used anymore.

the discipline is wool...the ciclice is metal. there are plenty of pictures available but i'd advise foregoing a search as it really doesn't add much to the discussion, i'm afraid.

 

[MoNiCa4316]

I don't see why it's questionable, it's just a part of the Catholic tradition, although obviously not for everyone... mostly it's for contemplative religious orders and such.

 

[Rois]

I find it quite disturbing. yikes !

yeah, I do too....