Order of Mary the Theotokos

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Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

May the love of God the Father, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon you. Amen.

Welcome to the website of the Order of Mary Theotokos – a “monastery without walls”. We are a Catholic ecumenical religious order of the Ecumenical Catholic Church+USA. An order rooted in the tradition and theology of our Old Catholic heritage, we are first and foremost dedicated to promoting devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, under her special Orthodox Church title, the Theotokos. Theotokos in Greek means “God-bearer”. We honor Mary under that title and seek to live her example of the openness to the will of Almighty God and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We are dedicated to living our lives as mirrors of the extraordinary dedication, sacrifice, and faith modeled by our most beloved and dear Mother of God. The Order of Mary Theotokos, or OMT as it is often referred, is a religious community called to live and to share the good news of Jesus Christ through prayer, Eucharist, and service. OMT is a religious community comprised of men and women of all ages, married and single, clergy and laity, living and working in the world. Any baptized Christian whose faith and ministry perspective is truly both ecumenical (accepting of all who claim the Holy Name of Christ) and Catholic (universal) may make application to join.

The Order of Mary Theotokos represents a diverse expression of what it means to cultivate a spiritual life while living as a Monk, Tertiary, or Companion in the world, in the footsteps of the Holy Virgin Mary. We are a faith-filled family of believers integrating the fundamental principles of contemplative spirituality into our modern lives. Like the many different threads, which come together to form a magnificent tapestry, our religious order, while Catholic in the fullest sense, welcomes people from diverse liturgical, theological, denominational and jurisdictional affiliations, as well as cultural backgrounds and ages. The Order consists of three branches:

The First Order Monks (Ascetics) of the Order of Mary Theotokos consists of Brothers and Sisters living individually, in small groups, or with their families, serving God in the world, who profess the three traditional evangelical monastic vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience; while endeavoring to observe the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in accordance with the Order's Holy Rule of Life.

The Third Order Regular (Tertiaries) of the Order of Mary Theotokos consists of Brothers and Sisters committed to the ideal of expressing and living the religious vocation in their outer daily life of family, work, and service through the way of the Order's Holy Rule of Life as an extension of their Baptismal Covenant. By integrating their prayer and work, they manifest Christ's presence in society.

The Third Order Secular (Companions) of the Order of Mary Theotokos consists of those members who have associated themselves with the Order and wish to participate in some way in the spiritual life of the community in order to enrich their Christian way of life. Companions shape their lives and seek God by striving to become holy in their chosen way of life.

These various religious states are different ways of experiencing a more intimate consecration that has been rooted in Baptism and dedicated to God who is loved above all, following the pathway to complete holiness of life after the pattern of the Holy Theotokos. Working for the sanctification of the world, we commit ourselves to sacred bonds and observe among ourselves the communion and fellowship appropriate to our particular secular way of pursuing the "religious life". Each member of the Community, regardless of religious state, plays a vital part of the life, work, and vision of the Order.

The Order of Mary Theotokos is a small community of believers on a journey to seek spiritual growth and our place in the life of the Church. Many ask what our spirituality is. Are we Benedictines, Franciscans, Augustinians, or Dominicans? The spirituality of the Order of Mary Theotokos is without reservation Marian, totally consecrated to the Immaculate Virgin, yet also enriched by all these other traditions while at the same time being a trailblazer, establishing a new spirituality to meet the needs of men and women of the 21st Century.

Christ is among us, every day, in every way. Washed clean in the waters of baptism, we share in his life and love. It is he who calls to us, day in and day out, he who calls us to a closer walk with him. It is Christ who says to us: "Who is there who longs for life?" and also, "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden . . . for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." What could be sweeter to those of us who call ourselves Christians than the voice of our Lord calling to us? Each day many turn away from the Beloved, drawn from his embrace by the cares of this world.

Listen and listen closely to what the Lord is saying to you this day. This is an invitation from Christ to enter into a journey that will transform and renew those willing to be challenged. Religious life is not for everyone but for those who are called; it is a life that is unique beyond all others.

Religious life requires of you all that you hold dear. It will stretch you past your known limitations and give back little that the world considers valuable. Your joy, instead, will be in your struggle and in the knowledge that Christ stands firmly in the midst of that struggle, providing the solid Rock upon which your transformation can occur.

If you are called to a life of prayer, selflessness, discipline, obedience, stability, and conversion of life, then attend with the ear of your heart for you are the one to whom these words are addressed.

It is my prayer that you find the Order of Mary Theotokos to be a place where you can develop your spiritual potential to serve God, his Church, and your fellow human beings.

If, after exploring our web site, you are interested in pursuing a vocation with our extended faith-filled family, we would love to hear from you. We are here to help you in any way we can.

May the Blessed Mother of God, the Holy Virgin Mary, the Holy Theotokos, intercede for us before the Lord.

Your Servant in Christ,

Dom +Robert – Bishop-Abbot, OMT

The motto of the Order of Mary Theotokos,
~ Totus Tuus ~ It means, "Totally Yours" ___________________________________________

~ Totus Tuus ~ "Totally Yours"	Order of Mary Theotokos + OMT + An Ecumenical Catholic Religious Order dedicated to promoting devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, under her special Orthodox Church title, the Theotokos. Theotokos in Greek means "God-bearer". We honor Mary under that title and seek to live her example of openness to the will of Almighty God and the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
ABBOT'S WELCOME	Greetings Brothers and Sisters in Christ, May the love of God the Father, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon you. Amen. Welcome to the website of the Order of Mary Theotokos – a “monastery without walls”. We are a Catholic ecumenical religious order of the Ecumenical Catholic Church+USA. An order rooted in the tradition and theology of our Old Catholic heritage, we are first and foremost dedicated to promoting devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, under her special Orthodox Church title, the Theotokos. Theotokos in Greek means “God-bearer”. We honor Mary under that title and seek to live her example of the openness to the will of Almighty God and the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We are dedicated to living our lives as mirrors of the extraordinary dedication, sacrifice, and faith modeled by our most beloved and dear Mother of God. The Order of Mary Theotokos, or OMT as it is often referred, is a religious community called to live and to share the good news of Jesus Christ through prayer, Eucharist, and service. OMT is a religious community comprised of men and women of all ages, married and single, clergy and laity, living and working in the world. Any baptized Christian whose faith and ministry perspective is truly both ecumenical (accepting of all who claim the Holy Name of Christ) and Catholic (universal) may make application to join. The Order of Mary Theotokos represents a diverse expression of what it means to cultivate a spiritual life while living as a Monk, Tertiary, or Companion in the world, in the footsteps of the Holy Virgin Mary. We are a faith-filled family of believers integrating the fundamental principles of contemplative spirituality into our modern lives. Like the many different threads, which come together to form a magnificent tapestry, our religious order, while Catholic in the fullest sense, welcomes people from diverse liturgical, theological, denominational and jurisdictional affiliations, as well as cultural backgrounds and ages. The Order consists of three branches: The First Order Monks (Ascetics) of the Order of Mary Theotokos consists of Brothers and Sisters living individually, in small groups, or with their families, serving God in the world, who profess the three traditional evangelical monastic vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience; while endeavoring to observe the Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in accordance with the Order's Holy Rule of Life. The Third Order Regular (Tertiaries) of the Order of Mary Theotokos consists of Brothers and Sisters committed to the ideal of expressing and living the religious vocation in their outer daily life of family, work, and service through the way of the Order's Holy Rule of Life as an extension of their Baptismal Covenant. By integrating their prayer and work, they manifest Christ's presence in society. The Third Order Secular (Companions) of the Order of Mary Theotokos consists of those members who have associated themselves with the Order and wish to participate in some way in the spiritual life of the community in order to enrich their Christian way of life. Companions shape their lives and seek God by striving to become holy in their chosen way of life. These various religious states are different ways of experiencing a more intimate consecration that has been rooted in Baptism and dedicated to God who is loved above all, following the pathway to complete holiness of life after the pattern of the Holy Theotokos. Working for the sanctification of the world, we commit ourselves to sacred bonds and observe among ourselves the communion and fellowship appropriate to our particular secular way of pursuing the "religious life". Each member of the Community, regardless of religious state, plays a vital part of the life, work, and vision of the Order. The Order of Mary Theotokos is a small community of believers on a journey to seek spiritual growth and our place in the life of the Church. Many ask what our spirituality is. Are we Benedictines, Franciscans, Augustinians, or Dominicans? The spirituality of the Order of Mary Theotokos is without reservation Marian, totally consecrated to the Immaculate Virgin, yet also enriched by all these other traditions while at the same time being a trailblazer, establishing a new spirituality to meet the needs of men and women of the 21st Century. Christ is among us, every day, in every way. Washed clean in the waters of baptism, we share in his life and love. It is he who calls to us, day in and day out, he who calls us to a closer walk with him. It is Christ who says to us: "Who is there who longs for life?" and also, "Come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden . . . for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." What could be sweeter to those of us who call ourselves Christians than the voice of our Lord calling to us? Each day many turn away from the Beloved, drawn from his embrace by the cares of this world. Listen and listen closely to what the Lord is saying to you this day. This is an invitation from Christ to enter into a journey that will transform and renew those willing to be challenged. Religious life is not for everyone but for those who are called; it is a life that is unique beyond all others. Religious life requires of you all that you hold dear. It will stretch you past your known limitations and give back little that the world considers valuable. Your joy, instead, will be in your struggle and in the knowledge that Christ stands firmly in the midst of that struggle, providing the solid Rock upon which your transformation can occur. If you are called to a life of prayer, selflessness, discipline, obedience, stability, and conversion of life, then attend with the ear of your heart for you are the one to whom these words are addressed. It is my prayer that you find the Order of Mary Theotokos to be a place where you can develop your spiritual potential to serve God, his Church, and your fellow human beings. If, after exploring our web site, you are interested in pursuing a vocation with our extended faith-filled family, we would love to hear from you. We are here to help you in any way we can. May the Blessed Mother of God, the Holy Virgin Mary, the Holy Theotokos, intercede for us before the Lord. Your Servant in Christ, Dom +Robert – Bishop-Abbot, OMT The motto of the Order of Mary Theotokos, ~ Totus Tuus ~ It means, "Totally Yours" ___________________________________________
*INVITATION AND CONTACT INFORMATION*	This is an invitation to reflect upon the way you do live and to consider if you are being called to the Religious life in service to others as a Monk, Tertiary, or Companion in the Order of Mary Theotokos. We are here to help you in any way we can. Questions? For more information, or to apply for membership, send your email to: Order of Mary Theotokos Mary, the Theotokos, pray for us and lead us to do the Father's will for our lives.

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