Consecrated Virgin In The World - 50 Words Or Less

[God's Beloved]

I had written to the Congregation for Consecrated life in Rome several years ago :

 

Prot.n.SpR 862-4/2003

 

Question : The charism of cons.virgins is to be an eschatological image of the Heavenly Bride and the life to come when the Church will at last fully live her love for Christ the Bridegroom. The charism of Secular Inst. is to transfigure the world from within, acting like a leaven within the cultural , economic and political life. Hence it would be improper for a member of a Secular Inst. to wear clothing which would identify them as a consecrated person.However , Cons.virgins are called to be an image of the Church's love for Christ. Would it be proper if the local circumstances demand , to wear clothing which would idenitfy one as a consecrated person or be addressed as 'Sister' even though one does not live in  a religious community ?

 

Response :  The life of virginity lived in the world gives public witness in everyday life, in some self-supporting work and in her service to the Church. It is not quite the same as the style of a secular institute , because the virgin's consecration is public , yet it is secular in the sense that she is not a religious.

 

The use of the veil , provided for in the Rite , is decided on in the local circumstances with the Diocesan Bishop. the same would be true regarding any other identifying clothing and / or the use of the title Sister.

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

However , the Church's understanding about the vocation of CV is getting refined over the years.....so I still think it is worth it to continue discussion on these topics. I shall put some practical scenarios in the next post so readers can decide what the vocation of CV would demand.

[God's Beloved]

Scenario 1 :

 

The local church has  a practice of renewal of vows / commitment  by the extra-ordinary ministers of the Eucharist at a special Mass every year. During one such Mass , the lay ministers are asked to occupy reserved seats in the parish Church to increase visibility. There are two religious institutes in the parish ...so the religious Sisters are also asked to  occupy reserved seats for the same reason [ although they would not renew any commitment since EM is supposed to be part of their calling ]. the entire parish congregation prays for them .

 

Question :

Where do you think  a CV should sit .....among the parish congregation , or the lay ministers or among the religious sisters ?

 

[ This is a real life situation ]

[God's Beloved]

I plan to present many such real life scenarios for discussion.

 

I also shall share how a CV can give publicly visible witness to her identity and vocation .....WITHOUT wearing any distinctively identifying clothing or titles......

[oremus1]

I had written to the Congregation for Consecrated life in Rome several years ago :

 

Prot.n.SpR 862-4/2003

 

Question : The charism of cons.virgins is to be an eschatological image of the Heavenly Bride and the life to come when the Church will at last fully live her love for Christ the Bridegroom. The charism of Secular Inst. is to transfigure the world from within, acting like a leaven within the cultural , economic and political life. Hence it would be improper for a member of a Secular Inst. to wear clothing which would identify them as a consecrated person.However , Cons.virgins are called to be an image of the Church's love for Christ. Would it be proper if the local circumstances demand , to wear clothing which would idenitfy one as a consecrated person or be addressed as 'Sister' even though one does not live in  a religious community ?

 

Response :  The life of virginity lived in the world gives public witness in everyday life, in some self-supporting work and in her service to the Church. It is not quite the same as the style of a secular institute , because the virgin's consecration is public , yet it is secular in the sense that she is not a religious.

 

The use of the veil , provided for in the Rite , is decided on in the local circumstances with the Diocesan Bishop. the same would be true regarding any other identifying clothing and / or the use of the title Sister.

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

However , the Church's understanding about the vocation of CV is getting refined over the years.....so I still think it is worth it to continue discussion on these topics. I shall put some practical scenarios in the next post so readers can decide what the vocation of CV would demand.

 

 

This is so awesome that you did that. May I ask, how long did it take for you to get a response? and are those sort of responses collated and published anywhere acc essible to the public?

 

Scenario 1 :

 

The local church has  a practice of renewal of vows / commitment  by the extra-ordinary ministers of the Eucharist at a special Mass every year. During one such Mass , the lay ministers are asked to occupy reserved seats in the parish Church to increase visibility. There are two religious institutes in the parish ...so the religious Sisters are also asked to  occupy reserved seats for the same reason [ although they would not renew any commitment since EM is supposed to be part of their calling ]. the entire parish congregation prays for them .

 

Question :

Where do you think  a CV should sit .....among the parish congregation , or the lay ministers or among the religious sisters ?

 

[ This is a real life situation ]

 

if she is an EM, she should sit with the EMs.

 

ideally she should walk out of the church and pray for the Lord to have mercy on those who are EMs, and the grave abuses of EMs outlined in Redemptoris Sacramentum. In the words of the Lord to Barnabas Nwoye "It gives me great agony to see people recieving Communion in the hand". More so, one would assume, to see laypeople handing out Holy Communion to others. the CV should pray for an increase in the sacred priesthood, and have no part in this quasi protestant ceremony.

 

I plan to present many such real life scenarios for discussion.

 

I also shall share how a CV can give publicly visible witness to her identity and vocation .....WITHOUT wearing any distinctively identifying clothing or titles......

 

 

This would be really brilliant!!! :-)

[abrideofChrist]

This is so amesome that you did that. May I ask, how long did it take for you to get a response? and are those sort of responses collated and published anywhere acc essible to the public?

 

 

if she is an EM, she should sit with the EMs.

 

ideally she should walk out of the church and pray for the Lord to have mercy on those who are EMs, and the grave abuses of EMs outlined in Redemptoris Sacramentum. In the words of the Lord to Barnabas Nwoye "It gives me great agony to see people recieving Communion in the hand". More so, one would assume, to see laypeople handing out Holy Communion to others. the CV should pray for an increase in the sacred priesthood, and have no part in this quasi protestant ceremony.

 

 

 

This would be really brilliant!!! :-)

 

CVs are some of the most suitable for handling the Eucharist as extraordinary ministers.  Remember that for many centuries of the Church, hermits and others would carry the Eucharist upon their persons.  This was not considered an abuse.  Certainly in the absence of ordinary ministers, it is most fitting for CVs to bring Communion to the homebound and sick.

[God's Beloved]

I would like to have responses from many people in different states of life and vocations.

 

Questions to consider :

1. What would best express the identity and vocation of the CV ?

2. What will avoid causing misunderstanding about the Nature [ essence ] of the vocation of CV ?

3. Are there some problems with the situation itself ...where officially it has been announced before Mass that Lay ministers supposed to "renew their commitment"  should occupy particular pews and Religious sisters who do not have any renewal of commitment -should occupy another set of pews ?

 

The only categories used in the diocese  where this situation takes place are Clergy, Religious and Laity.

[God's Beloved]

I guess such a situation as described above -is uncommon in the West due to declining numbers of religious. The local circumstances differ from one diocese to another and that's the reason the Church has clearly defined the essentials of the charism and allowed pastoral flexibility regarding externals according to local circumstances.

 

This is how I would like to respond to Scenario 1

 

1. Supposing that the CV was consecrated by the bishop in the same parish church a few months ago, the parishioners are aware from the Rite of consecration that she is now living some kind of  new vocation ....that she is a bride of Christ and dedicated to the service of the church. The Rite clearly mentioned that . The Rite was the ONLY SOURCE for the lay people to get any idea what CV is about.

 

2. Since CV is a rare vocation , the church uses the older terminology to define categories -----clergy, religious, laity.

According to church history, CV were a Socio-liturgical category in the church. They had reserved seats in the church to avoid distraction and help to focus on prayer. This practice  has been continued by Religious institutes even today in many dioceses . This was originally the right of CV in church tradition. So it is clear that the CV should not sit among the parish congregation in this particular Scenario.

 

3. Since she is a CV and dedicated to serve the church with motherly love , she is also an EM . She does not have to annually renew any commitment to serve ...like the Lay ministers have to do. Also , she is no more a Lay person . So it is clear that she should not sit among the Lay Ministers in this particular Scenario.

 

 

The CV has only two options --either to be absent from the ceremony ----or occupy the pews reserved for religious who will not renew any commitment ...but will still be prayed over by the parishioners.

 

 

I had mentioned in the previous post :

Questions to consider

1. What would best express the identity and vocation of the CV ?

2. What will avoid causing misunderstanding about the Nature [ essence ] of the vocation of CV ?

 

 

I think if she occupies the pews reserved for religious , she is giving public witness to her consecrated status and dedication to the service of the church. If she does not sit among them , she will cause misunderstanding about he Nature [ essence ] of the vocation of CV to be virgin, bride , mother.

 

What does Church tradition say about the witness of CV in the world ?

a. there were CV in early church whose consecrated status was known only to the christian community but they observed discretion among the pagans.

b. there were CV who gave clearly visible public witness to their vocation in the early church , even embracing martyrdom for doing so among the pagans.

 

To me it seems the CV in today's world is allowed to live her vocation in discretion in the secular world. But in the church community her vocation needs to be clearly, visibly public. This does not mean that she should wear a habit or use a title Sister. If she does so , she will be identified as a religious.

 

A CV in today's world is called to publicly give witness to her identity and vocation as virgin, bride , mother. BUT  she is NOT called to publicly give visible "witness" of her " living in the world " to transform the "world" as a member of a Secular Inst . is " called " to do.

 

Her vocation as virgin, bride , mother is explicit ....she is called to give public witness to this identity.

 

Her 'living in the world' is in the sense that she does not live in a monastery or convent.....she is not called to explicitly stress or focus her attention on the world in which she lives... in the sense of focusing on transforming the political economic, temporal aspects.It is not a 'necessary' aspect of her vocation.....but as a citizen with civil rights and duties she has to respond to her existential situation in the world as an evangeliser. There cannot be universal rules imposed on CV to be obligated to do so like a member of a Secular Inst would be obligated to do so.

 

 

In the Scenario described above , the CV can give publicly visible witness to her vocation simply by occupying the pews reserved for religious.

She also gives public witness to the fact that she is a consecrated person but not a religious , by sitting among them but NOT wearing a habit.

 

 

 

[oremus1]

I guess such a situation as described above -is uncommon in the West due to declining numbers of religious. The local circumstances differ from one diocese to another and that's the reason the Church has clearly defined the essentials of the charism and allowed pastoral flexibility regarding externals according to local circumstances.

 

This is how I would like to respond to Scenario 1

 

1. Supposing that the CV was consecrated by the bishop in the same parish church a few months ago, the parishioners are aware from the Rite of consecration that she is now living some kind of  new vocation ....that she is a bride of Christ and dedicated to the service of the church. The Rite clearly mentioned that . The Rite was the ONLY SOURCE for the lay people to get any idea what CV is about.

 

2. Since CV is a rare vocation , the church uses the older terminology to define categories -----clergy, religious, laity.

According to church history, CV were a Socio-liturgical category in the church. They had reserved seats in the church to avoid distraction and help to focus on prayer. This practice  has been continued by Religious institutes even today in many dioceses . This was originally the right of CV in church tradition. So it is clear that the CV should not sit among the parish congregation in this particular Scenario.

 

3. Since she is a CV and dedicated to serve the church with motherly love , she is also an EM . She does not have to annually renew any commitment to serve ...like the Lay ministers have to do. Also , she is no more a Lay person . So it is clear that she should not sit among the Lay Ministers in this particular Scenario.

 

 

The CV has only two options --either to be absent from the ceremony ----or occupy the pews reserved for religious who will not renew any commitment ...but will still be prayed over by the parishioners.

 

 

I had mentioned in the previous post :

Questions to consider

1. What would best express the identity and vocation of the CV ?

2. What will avoid causing misunderstanding about the Nature [ essence ] of the vocation of CV ?

 

 

I think if she occupies the pews reserved for religious , she is giving public witness to her consecrated status and dedication to the service of the church. If she does not sit among them , she will cause misunderstanding about he Nature [ essence ] of the vocation of CV to be virgin, bride , mother.

 

What does Church tradition say about the witness of CV in the world ?

a. there were CV in early church whose consecrated status was known only to the christian community but they observed discretion among the pagans.

b. there were CV who gave clearly visible public witness to their vocation in the early church , even embracing martyrdom for doing so among the pagans.

 

To me it seems the CV in today's world is allowed to live her vocation in discretion in the secular world. But in the church community her vocation needs to be clearly, visibly public. This does not mean that she should wear a habit or use a title Sister. If she does so , she will be identified as a religious.

 

A CV in today's world is called to publicly give witness to her identity and vocation as virgin, bride , mother. BUT  she is NOT called to publicly give visible "witness" of her " living in the world " to transform the "world" as a member of a Secular Inst . is " called " to do.

 

Her vocation as virgin, bride , mother is explicit ....she is called to give public witness to this identity.

 

Her 'living in the world' is in the sense that she does not live in a monastery or convent.....she is not called to explicitly stress or focus her attention on the world in which she lives... in the sense of focusing on transforming the political economic, temporal aspects.It is not a 'necessary' aspect of her vocation.....but as a citizen with civil rights and duties she has to respond to her existential situation in the world as an evangeliser. There cannot be universal rules imposed on CV to be obligated to do so like a member of a Secular Inst would be obligated to do so.

 

 

In the Scenario described above , the CV can give publicly visible witness to her vocation simply by occupying the pews reserved for religious.

She also gives public witness to the fact that she is a consecrated person but not a religious , by sitting among them but NOT wearing a habit.

 

yeah actually i completely agree. by sitting with the religious yet nor being called Sr or wearing a habit etc, she is witnessing to her vocation and the fact she is not lay. i bet she gets asked to move though. i think she witnesses to her unquie charism BETTER without the habit or Sr or other trappings of religious life. because she is not a religous!!

 

you didnt like my suggestion then. ...

[Cecilia]

God’s Beloved, Blessings to you. Your inquiry to the Vatican I saw many years ago – you put it online on another website – it aided my understanding. It was the answer I sought -- to whether diocesan bishops could permit daily veils – it also matches Raymond Cardinal Burke’s comments -- that the consecrated virgin in the world is generally less like leaven – though he does not think daily veils are ideal and does not think consecrated virgins in the world should be visibly different as religious are. Of course also he does not deny the Vatican provides that women in secular institutes may receive the consecration.

[Cecilia]

God’s Beloved, Here is a side comment. Possibly it would be good if twice a year – the pastor would introduce the consecrated virgins and have her stand – so the parish can see her. It would aid the faithful to know who she is – that she is among them – to introduce her. Because the consecrated virgin does not look different – generally – a pew for her may be nice – but she would still need to be introduced. To address the ceremony you mention -- I think she should sit with religious sisters ideally – ideally the pastor is well educated – and he knows how to correctly teach the faithful who the consecrated virgin is – and why she and the sisters share a pew.

[Cecilia]

Sponsa Christi, Thank you for the effort you give to comment – however your answers bring questions yet. I do not understand how you prove your positions still. You quoted #944 in the Catechism – but you do not address the entire chapter it accompanies. #944 is one of the summary sentences – at the end of the long chapter on consecrated life.

 

If the entire chapter is read – it is evident that #944 is a summary sentence that applies to religious life – even though it says consecrated life in the sentence. It is evident the sentence uses <<consecrated life>> loosely. This is indisputable and based on a reading of the chapter as a whole – this entire chapter of the Catechism is devoted to teaching the faithful how forms of consecrated life vary – how the public profession of evangelical counsels is one way – among several – of how persons are consecrated. Indisputably all consecrated persons are called to live the spirit of the evangelical counsels – in different ways -- however not all are consecrated by means of publicly professing the counsels. Respectfully -- you cannot decide to use the sentence from #944 out of context and be reputable in your position – how do you answer the Church’s teaching in that chapter on consecrated life? I will put items from the Catechism below.

 

 

You quoted only this --

 

944   The life consecrated to God is characterized by the public profession of the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience, in a stable state of life recognized by the Church.

 

 

You did not quote any of this from the Catechism --

 

Consecrated virgins and widows

 

923   â€œVirgins who, committed to the holy plan of following Christ more closely, are consecrated to God by the diocesan bishop according to the approved liturgical rite, are betrothed mystically to Christ, the Son of God, and are dedicated to the service of the Church.”⁴⁶⁴By this solemn rite (Consecratio Virginum), the virgin is “constituted... a sacred person, a transcendent sign of the Church’s love for Christ, and an eschatological image of this heavenly Bride of Christ and of the life to come.”⁴⁶⁵ (1537, 1672)

 

Religious life

 

925   Religious life was born in the East during the first centuries of Christianity. Lived within institutes canonically erected by the Church, it is distinguished from other forms of consecrated life by its liturgical character, public profession of the evangelical counsels, fraternal life led in common, and witness given to the union of Christ with the Church.⁴⁶⁸ (1672)

 

Secular institutes

 

928   â€œA secular institute is an institute of consecrated life in which the Christian faithful living in the world strive for the perfection of charity and work for the sanctification of the world especially from within.”⁴⁷²

 

929   By a “life perfectly and entirely consecrated to [such] sanctification,” the members of these institutes share in the Church’s task of evangelization, “in the world and from within the world,” where their presence acts as “leaven in the world.”⁴⁷³ “Their witness of a Christian life” aims “to order temporal things according to God and inform the world with the power of the gospel.” They commit themselves to the evangelical counsels by sacred bonds and observe among themselves the communion and fellowship appropriate to their “particular secular way of life.”⁴⁷⁴ (901)

 

Various forms of sacramentals

 

1671    Among sacramentals blessings (of persons, meals, objects, and places) come first. Every blessing praises God and prays for his gifts. In Christ, Christians are blessed by God the Father “with every spiritual blessing.”¹⁷⁷ This is why the Church imparts blessings by invoking the name of Jesus, usually while making the holy sign of the cross of Christ. (1078)

 

1672    Certain blessings have a lasting importance because they consecrate persons to God, or reserve objects and places for liturgical use. Among those blessings which are intended for persons—not to be confused with sacramental ordination—are the blessing of the abbot or abbess of a monastery, the consecration of virgins and widows, the rite of religious profession and the blessing of certain ministries of the Church (readers, acolytes, catechists, etc.). The dedication or blessing of a church or an altar, the blessing of holy oils, vessels, and vestments, bells, etc., can be mentioned as examples of blessings that concern objects. (923, 925, 903)

 

 

I will put comments in another post – so it is not too long here.

[Cecilia]

Sponsa Christi, there is a logical problem with your positions still. If you decide to use #944 out of context – to decide that secular institutes are not completely <<consecrated life>> because the explicit commitment – given by members of secular institutes -- to the evangelical counsels is not public – then you must also decide – to be logical – that consecrated virgins are also not <<completely consecrated>>. Consecrated virgins become consecrated in a liturgy – a liturgy is public – and are consecrated by the Church. They are not consecrated by the public profession of the evangelical counsels.

 

If you want to use #944 in the Catechism as your only authority – and disregard the other Catechism teachings above – then you must conclude consecrated virgins are not really in the consecrated life. You want to say consecrated virgins <<implicitly>> vow the evangelical counsels publicly – however this is only the fruit of your own hopes and ideals. Respectfully – your position denies Church teaching on how a consecrated virgin is consecrated. Your position also denies Church teaching – from the Catechism above – that religious differ from all other forms of religious life in being consecrated by public vows – and that consecrated virgins are consecrated via a solemn liturgical right. Your position also denies Church teaching – from the Catechism above – that people in secular institutes are entirely consecrated – because they <<commit themselves to the evangelical counsels by sacred bonds>> -- that is the quote from the Catechism.

 

I do not understand why you refuse to consider what the Church teaches - each answer you give in this topic is more confusing. You comment with your hopes and ideals for this vocation – instead of what the Church teaches. I ask questions – trying to understand you – then you neglect to provide authoritative sources or else you disregard them – this is seen in the above where you quote a sentence – out of context – from the Catechism and disregard the teachings in the rest of it.  I do not understand this. Our vocation is superb. It does not need to be <<religious>> in order to signify.

 

One more – you say often that <<scholars>> do not agree on a point -- or <<some scholars think>> this or that – but you never provide scholars to support your hopes and ideals – why? Why do you use comments that <<scholars>> have various opinions – but you do not quote their scholarship to demonstrate this? There is no debate – as you say there is – in the Church – about whether secular institutes really belong to consecrated life. Canon law – and the Catechism – and other Magisterial documents often from Congregations devoted to these topics -- teach about them as part of consecrated life.

 

You say that <<theologians and canonists>> debate this – but you provide nothing to demonstrate it. You say <<secular institutes>> are too different from other forms of consecrated life to be fully consecrated – but you are using your own categories to decide this – you are not using the Church’s categories. There is nothing the Church teaches that says lay persons cannot be consecrated. By including secular institutes in her teaching on consecrated life – the Church teaches the opposite of what you are saying – that lay persons can be consecrated. How do you disregard the fact that the Church always places secular institutes within her categories of consecrated life?

 

The more you comment on your positions – the more confused I am. You want to say unless a member of a secular institute publicly commits to evangelical counsels – he or she is not really consecrated. You disregard the direct quotation from the Catechism – that the life of people in secular institutes is entirely consecrated. You want to say a consecrated virgin is consecrated by publicly vowing the evangelical counsels – in order to say this you have to say this is <<implied>> in the Rite – because it is not really there. How confusing. It is not really there – because the consecrated virgin in the world is not consecrated by public vows – she is consecrated by the solemn Rite. The Catechism teaches this. The Catechism teaches the religious is consecrated differently from all other consecrated persons – by publicly vowing the evangelical counsels. I do not understand why you ignore all of this. Blessings to you.

[Cecilia]

Sponsa Christi –Are you a consecrated virgin? I thought you are – however possibly I misread something.

[Cecilia]

I will put quotes from two Magisterial documents below -- to demonstrate the Church teaches members of secular institutes are lay people -- and they are also fully and really consecrated. The documents show there is no debate in the Church -- Sponsa Christi, as you have said there is -- about how members of secular institutes are understood.

 

 

[Cecilia]

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/rc_con_ccscrlife_profile_en.html

 

THE CONGREGATION FOR INSTITUTES OF CONSECRATED LIFE
AND SOCIETIES OF APOSTOLIC LIFE

… 

The Congregation is responsible for everything which concerns institutes of consecrated life (orders and religious congregations, both of men and of women, secular institutes) and societies of apostolic life regarding their government, discipline, studies, goods, rights, and privileges. It is competent also for matters regarding the eremetical life, consecrated virgins and their related associations, and new forms of consecrated life. Its competence extends to all aspects of consecrated life: Christian life, religious life, clerical life; …

 

INSTITUTES OF CONSECRATED LIFE
SOCIETIES OF APOSTOLIC LIFE

 

Religious institutes and secular institutes are the two main categories which constitute the state of consecrated life through profession of the evangelical counsels in the Church. Societies of apostolic life (can. 731.1) have canonical legislation which is in some respects similar to that governing institutes of consecrated life, though they form a separate category.

…

RELIGIOUS INSTITUTES

 

The religious state is a public and complete state of consecrated life. As well as the precepts which are to be observed by all, religious observe the three evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience. They bind themselves to observe these by means of vows, which are either perpetual or temporary but renewed when they expire (can. 607.2). These vows are always public vows, i.e. recognized as such by the Church (can. 1192.1). This religious state requires fraternal life in community and also a degree of separation from the world in conformity with the character and purpose of the individual institute (can. 607.2 and 607.3).

…

SECULAR INSTITUTES

…

Christians consecrated to God in Secular Institutes follow Christ by undertaking to observe the three evangelical counsels by means of a sacred commitment, and they dedicate their life to Christ and to the Church, by devoting themselves to the sanctification of the world, particularly by working within the world (can. 710).

 

The word "secular" is meant to underline the fact that the persons who make profession in this state of consecrated life do not change the status they have as in the world, and they continue to live and to work in the midst of the people of God in the normal conditions of their own social setting (can. 711; can. 713.2) according to the secular style of life which is proper to them.

…

[Cecilia]

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/rc_con_ccscrlife_doc_20020614_ripartire-da-cristo_en.html

 

CONGREGATION FOR INSTITUTES OF CONSECRATED LIFE
AND SOCIETIES OF APOSTOLIC LIFE

 

STARTING AFRESH FROM CHRIST:
A RENEWED COMMITMENT TO CONSECRATED LIFE
IN THE THIRD MILLENNIUM

 

Part One

CONSECRATED LIFE:
THE PRESENCE OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST
IN THE MIDST OF HUMANITY

 

...

 

5. Considering the presence and many commitments of consecrated men and women in all areas of ecclesial and social life, the members of the Plenary Session wanted to express to them their sincere appreciation, recognition, and solidarity.

 

…

 

Consecrated persons—monks and nuns, contemplatives, religious dedicated to the works of the apostolate, members of Secular Institutes and Societies of Apostolic life, hermits and consecrated virgins—truly deserve the gratitude of the ecclesial community. Their existence witnesses to their love for Christ as they walk the path proposed in the Gospel and with deep joy commit themselves to the same style of life which he chose for himself.¹⁹

 

^…

A Walk in Time

 

6. It is precisely in the simple day-to-day living that consecrated life progressively matures to become the proclamation of an alternative way of living to that of the world and the dominant culture. Given this style of life and the search for the Absolute, it suggests, as it were, a spiritual therapy for the evils of our time. Thus, it is a blessing and a reason for hope, in the heart of the Church, for human life and the very life of the Church.²¹

 

…

 

 For the Holiness of the Whole People of God

 

8. The call to follow Christ with a special consecration is a gift of the Trinity for Gods Chosen People. Recognizing in Baptism the common sacramental origin, consecrated men and women share a common vocation to holiness and to the apostolate with other members of the faithful. By being signs of this universal vocation they manifest the specific mission of consecrated life.²⁵

 

Consecrated women and men have received a call to a “new and special consecration”,²⁶ for the good of the Church, which impels them to live a life in imitation of Christ, the Virgin, and the Apostles with impassioned love.²⁷ In our world this lifestyle stresses the urgency of a prophetic witness which entails “the affirmation of the primacy of God and of eternal life, as evidenced in the following and imitation of the chaste, poor and obedient Christ, who was completely consecrated to the glory of God and to the love of his brethren”.²⁸

Consecrated persons extend a persuasive invitation to reflect upon the primacy of grace and to respond to it through a generous spiritual commitment.²⁹ Despite widespread secularization, there is a widespread demand for spirituality which is often expressed as a renewed need for prayer.³⁰ Life's events, even in their ordinariness, present themselves as challenges which should be seen in light of conversion. The dedication of consecrated persons to the service of an evangelical quality of life contributes to the keeping alive in many ways the spiritual practices among the Christian people. Religious communities increasingly seek to be places for hearing and sharing the Word, for liturgical celebration, for the teaching of prayer, and for accompaniment through spiritual direction. Thus, even without realizing it, this help given to others offers mutual advantages.³¹

 

…

 Open to the Spirit

 

10. This is a time when the Spirit is breaking forth, opening up new possibilities. The charismatic dimension of the diverse forms of consecrated life, while always in progress, is never finished. Cooperating with the Spirit, consecrated persons prepare in the Church for the coming of the One who must come, the One who is already the future of humanity in progress. Like Mary, the first consecrated woman, who in virtue of the Holy Spirit and her total self-giving brought Christ into the world to redeem it through a loving self-sacrifice, consecrated persons, remaining open to the Spirit are today called to stake everything on charity, “living the commandment of a practical and concrete love for every human being”.⁴⁰ There is a particular bond of life and dynamism between the Holy Spirit and consecrated life. For this reason, consecrated persons must remain open to the Creator Spirit who works in accord with the Father's will, praising the grace which has been given to them in the beloved Son. This same Spirit radiates the splendour of the mystery on all of existence, spent for the Kingdom of God and the needy and abandoned multitude. The future of consecrated life is therefore entrusted to the dynamism of the author and donor of ecclesial charisms which are placed at the service of the full knowledge and realization of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

 â€¦

 

Rediscovering the Meaning and Quality of Consecrated Life

 

The evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience, lived by Christ in the fullness of his human nature as the Son of God and embraced for the love of God, appear as a way for the full realization of persons opposed to dehumanization. They are a powerful antidote to the pollution of spirit, life and culture; they proclaim the liberty of the children of God and the joy of living according to the evangelical beatitudes.

 

…

 

If in some places consecrated persons become little flocks because of a decrease in numbers, this can be seen as a providential sign which invites them to recover their very essential tasks of being leaven, sign and prophecy. The greater the mass of dough to be raised, the greater the quality evangelical leaven called for, and the more exquisite the witness of life and charismatic service of consecrated persons.

 

The growing awareness of the universality of the call to holiness on the part of all Christians,⁴³ far from making the belonging to a state of life particularly adapted to the realization of evangelical perfection superfluous can become an added motive for joy for consecrated persons. They are now closer to the other members of the People of God with whom they share a common path in the following of Christ, in a more authentic communion, in mutual respect, without being superior or inferior. At the same time this awareness challenges them to understand the sign value of consecrated life in relation to the holiness of all the members of the Church.

 

If in fact it is true that all Christians are called “to the holiness and perfection of their particular state”⁴⁴ consecrated persons, thanks to a “new and special consecration”⁴⁵ have as their mission that of making Christ's way of life shine through the witness of the evangelical counsels, thereby supporting the faithfulness of the whole body of Christ. This is not a difficulty, it is rather a challenge to originality and to the specific contribution of the charisms of consecrated life, which are at the same time charisms of shared spirituality and of mission which fosters the holiness of the Church.

 

Clearly these challenges can constitute a powerful call to deepen the living of consecrated life itself whose witness is needed today more than ever. It is fitting to remember the ability of holy foundresses and founders to respond to the challenges and difficulties of their times with a genuine charismatic creativity.

  …

 

Prayer and Contemplation

…

 

Every vocation to consecrated life is born in contemplation, from moments of intense communion and from a deep relationship of friendship with Christ, from the beauty and light which was seen shining on his face. From there the desire to always be with the Lord—and to follow him—matures:“how good it is for us to be here” (Mt 17:4). Every vocation must constantly mature in this intimacy with Christ. “Your first task therefore”—John Paul reminds consecrated persons— “cannot not be in the line of contemplation. Every reality of consecrated life is born and is regenerated each day in the unending contemplation of the face of Christ”.⁷⁷

 

Monks and cloistered nuns like hermits dedicate more time to praise of God as well as to prolonged silent prayer. Members of Secular Institutes, like consecrated virgins in the world, offer to God the joys and sorrows, the hopes and petitions of all people and contemplate the face of Christ which they recognize in the faces of their brothers and sisters, in the historical events, in the apostolate and in everyday work. Religious men and women dedicated to teaching, to the care of the sick, to the poor, encounter the face of the Lord there. For missionaries and members of Societies of Apostolic Life the proclamation of the Gospel is lived according to the example of St. Paul, as authentic cult (cf. Rm1:6). The whole Church enjoys and benefits from the many forms of prayer and the variety of ways in which the one face of Christ is contemplated.

 

 ...

 

In this openness to the world which must be ordered to Christ in such a way that all realities find their true meaning in him, consecrated lay men and women who are members of Secular Institutes hold a privileged position. Sharing the common conditions of life, they effectively work for the Kingdom of God by participating in the political and social reality bringing to them a new value, in view of their following of Christ. Precisely through their consecration lived without external signs, as lay people among lay people, they can be salt and light even in those situations in which a visible sign of consecration would be rejected or serve as an impediment.

 

  …

 

On May 16, 2002 the Holy Father approved this Document of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

Rome, 19 May 2002, The Solemnity of Pentecost.

Eduardo Card. Martínez Somalo
Prefect

Piergiorgio Silvano Nesti, CP
Secretary

[oremus1]

Sponsa Christi –Are you a consecrated virgin? I thought you are – however possibly I misread something.

 

She definately is, she has a internationally famous blog!

 

I have found YOUR comments most informative and interesting. perhaps you can expand what you regard to be the distinctions between the call to becoming a CV and the call to a secular institute, since onein a secular institute theoretically could live alone in the world, consecrated to God, visually similar to the CV, and in their heart have a spousal and nuptial relationship with the Lord, and not be obliged to any particular apostolate.

[Cecilia]

Oreumus1, Thank you -- I am trying with all of us to learn and express what the Church teaches. I hope to meet with a woman who is in a secular institute next month -- she lives alone. Your question is timely. I want to talk with her. This will aid me in answering some questions -- how does her life differ? How does she understand her calling? I do not think I can answer your question until I meet with her -- because my understanding right now of secular institutes is from paper -- Church documents -- not members who live it.

[Cecilia]

Oremus1, Thank you for responding. Sponsa Christi, will you show me your blog?

[cmaD2006]

Sorry -- I use colour because my eyes are poor and I see letters better in colour -- but I can type in colour and change it to black before posting. That is fine -- it will look better with other posts. When I read comments I copy them -- and change the font and colour. I change colours because it is less tedious -- welcome to my rainbow thread. :)

 

:) Thanks.  I was really joking about the colors (I know -- a joke may not come across as one all the time especially in a written environment).  But it is much more legible to see black/while and maybe highlight particular txt in a color.  I was having a hard time dealing with the colors myself (and I love color!)

 

At least now we understand why one post was a color, the next was another, etc. :)