A Vowed Life
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A vowed life
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The consecrated religious life is a gift of God the Father to his Church through the Holy Spirit in order to follow Jesus Christ more closely, poor, chaste, and obedient. In freedom, we find ourselves receiving this gift with joy and gratitude.
This vocation is deeply and particularly rooted in the teaching and life of Jesus Christ. By the profession of the evangelical counsels – chastity, poverty, and obedience — the life of a priest/monk, Brother, Sister/nun points to the mystery of the Kingdom of God already at work in history even as we await its full realization in heaven.
In every age there have been men and women who, in response to the Father's call and to the prompting of the Spirit, have chosen this special way of following Christ in order to devote themselves to Him with an "undivided" heart" (cf. 1 Cor. 7:34).
Like the Apostles, they, too, have left everything behind in order to be with Christ and to put themselves, as He did, at the service of God and their brothers and sisters. In this way, through the many charisms of spiritual and apostolic life bestowed on them by the Holy Spirit, they have helped to make the mystery and mission of the Church shine forth, and in doing so, have contributed to the renewal of society. (cf: Pope St. John Paul II, Vita Consecrata, 1)
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Understanding it more:
Following Jesus Chaste, Poor, and Obedient
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Chastity Is both a gift and a virtue by which all persons are called to live with integrity their power of loving in an ordered, healthy, and joyful way. It is the successful integration of sexuality; it expresses the unity of the human person, body and soul. cf: Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2337
Poverty is lived both materially and spiritually in order to proclaim with one’s life that Jesus is Lord and the highest, ultimate Good. Living vowed poverty witnesses to one’s deep gratitude to God and trust in the One who is the Source of all good.
Obedience from the Latin ob-audire “to hear” or “listen to” in the context of religious life means first to attend to the will of God and as expressed through the particular Rule of Life or Constitutions of the community. In this way, obedience – like chastity and poverty – is both divine gift and human virtue for the strengthening of the person, the religious community, and the Church.
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Contact us
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Sister Theresa Lee, F.M.A.tleepatersondiocese.orgChancellor / Delegate for Religious -
Kerry Timonykerrypatersondiocese.orgChancery: Administrative Assistant to Delegate to Religious
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Resources
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- Abiding Together
- Aleteia
- Ascension Press
- Catholic News Agency
- Catholic Online
- CMSWR — Women Religious Communities and Orders
- Dynamic Catholic
- Formed
- Hallow
- Imagine Sisters
- Institute on Religious Life - Men and Women
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- LCWR — Women Religious Communities and Orders
- NRVC — Men and Women
- Relevant Radio
- Spiritual Direction
- St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology
- USCCB — United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
- Vatican News
- Vocation Networks — Vocation Match quiz
- Word on Fire
- Words of Wisdom from the Popes
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