I am Sr. Zenit, a Religious nun. My parents are aged and need someone to support. Since I am an only child, I do not wish to leave my Religious life only to look after my parents. Is there any possibility that canon law offers to be able to stay with them and serve them in their last days?
The essential elements of Religious life are public vows of three evangelical counsels and community life. Therefore both CIC (c.602) and CCEO (c.410) oblige the Religious to live in a canonically established house; it is natural, and inherent to their membership into particular Religious Congregation. However canon 665 of CIC gives a possibility of “absences”. The canon skillfully regulates this possibility by stating; “the major superior, with the consent of the council and for a just cause, can permit a member to live outside a house of the Institute, but not for more than a year, except for the purpose of caring for ill health, of studies, or of exercising an apostolate in the name of the institute”.
From this it is evident that the permission to be “absent” can only be extended in the cases of ill health, studies, or when the member is exercising an apostolate in the name of the Congregation. Otherwise, the extensions can only be granted by the Holy See. It can be given only up to one year, then if it may be further needed it can be granted after a period of her/his presence in a canonical house. Many of the canonists are of the opinion that ill health can be extended to the ill health of parents who have no one else to take care of them. Therefore, Sr. Zenit can request for a “leave of absence” that can be extended up to one year. Yet it must always be borne in mind that a “leave of absence” is a benevolence of the Superior; thus cannot be demanded for. This provision is for all Religious in CIC (Latin Church).
Sr Navya Thattil OSF
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