ANSWER
What is a Third Order, and how many of them are there?
ATHIRD order is a branch of a religious order whose members, men and women, while rgmaining in the world and pursuing their ordinary work, seek to sanctify themselves and devote themselves to good works in the spirit of the parent order.
They go through a noviceship, usually of one year; they follow a rule which does not bind under pain of sin; they say office; they have a habit which, however, may not be worn in public without the permission of the Bishop of the diocese and the parent order.
Pope Benedict XIII in his Bull Pater/ter Sedis speaks of the third order as "a true and proper order, uniting in one seculars scattered all over the world and regular living in community."
The first third order was founded by St. Francis in 1221, after the second order, the Poor Clams. St. Dominic founded the Dominican third order. but in what year exactly is not known.
The Hermits of St. Augustine founded a third order at the beginninn of the 15th century, and from the 16th century other religious orders followed suit. Today there arc. apart from those already mentioned, third orders of Carmelites. Minims, Premonstratensians, Servites and Trinitarians.
A third order takes precedence over all confraternities, and no one may belong to more than one at the same time. Among the great tertiaries as the members of third orders are called—are counted St. Louis of France, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, St. Bridget of Sweden, St. Anne of Austria. St. Catherine of Sienna and St. Rose of Lima.
The question ought not to be left without mention of third orders regular. These are really religious under simple vows living in communities engaged in active work, teaching, nursing, missionary work. They arose from the desire of fervent tertiaries to settle and live in community and follow their rule under simple vows. Most third orders regular today there are very many of them are of women.
Why, if the sun behaved in such an unusual manner at Fatima, was it not observed or recorded In other parts of the world?
THE sun is often described as haying, on that occasion, "danced in space." which would probably have brought the whole solar system crashing about our ears.
The miracle, if there was one. would more likely he that so many persons. of such differing ages, occupations, degrees of learning, faith and piety should he sure that they saw the "sun dance" on that occasion. For such a miracle could consist of a supernaturally produced impression on the vision of the spectators rather than of an objective change in the movements of the sun.
Where can prayer books In Russian be obtained?
Pbooks in Russian may be 1obtained from: The Russian C'entre, Fordham University. New York City 58. New York, U.S.A. They are for the Roman rite, Gospodu P017101illt.iya: and for the Byzantine rite. Mirom Gospodu