medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
In general a redditus or reddita was a lay religious under somewhat more temporary commitment than either a professed monk/nun or a professed conversus/conversa. Donati/donatae would also fall into this general category. Often they were lay people who joined a monastic community under this category at a stage later in life than most monks/nuns or conversi/conversae entered and thus were less suited to being formed fully for long-term vows and for a life of choir service or the professed religious life of the conversi/ae. I do not know how other orders dealt with this, but the Carthusians would, for instance, make use of older donati or reddiiti who entered after a life as a knight to take care of business matters where their experience of the world suited them admirably. As with the conversi, this permitted the choir monks to devote themselves to the Office and to private prayer.
Others can undoubtedly give more clear explanations, including canonical status, but these, as far as I understand them, are the general parameters.
Dennis Martin
**********************************************************************
To join the list, send the message: join medieval-religion YOUR NAME
to: [log in to unmask]
To send a message to the list, address it to:
[log in to unmask]
To leave the list, send the message: leave medieval-religion
to: [log in to unmask]
In order to report problems or to contact the list's owners, write to:
[log in to unmask]
For further information, visit our web site:
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/medieval-religion.html
|