Consecrated Life

The Christian is called to live his or her life as a witness to Christ who gave his life for us. It is through Baptism that the Christian is given rights within the church, such as receiving the sacraments, being nourished with the Word of God and sustained by the other spiritual helps of the Church. However, Baptism is the source of responsibilities and duties, such as serving others in the communion of the Church.

Each of us has received a vocation to service and there are many ways in which we can realize that vocation.

Consecrated Life is a vocation to conform one's life to Jesus Christ through living as he did in poverty, chastity and obedience, dedicating oneself to God for service to the Church and for the salvation of the world. Within that general description, there are many variations of specific ways it is lived, individually and communally.

Here is provided brief descriptions of the ordained and consecrated life.

Religious Sisters, Brothers and Priests

The most well-known form of consecrated life, and that which is the prototype for other forms is religious life. In this form, men and women pronounce publicly the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. They live in a community and share a common apostolate.

Within religious life, there are two general forms of living: active (or "apostolic") and contemplative. Women in these communities are called "sisters" and men are called either "brothers", and if ordained, their title is "father." While all religious have prayer as their first and foremost duty, apostolic institutes are actively involved in the works of the Church: education, health care, serving the poor, or assisting in various ways in parishes, chanceries, or other ecclesial organizations.

Contemplative religious, however, spend a major portion of their day in prayer, separating themselves from the world in order to offer their prayers and sacrifices for the needs of the Church and the world. They combine prayer with manual labor of various types, e.g., producing liturgical items, agriculture, or religious goods. Contemplative women are called "nuns" and contemplative men are called "monks."

Besides religious life there are two other forms which are often mistaken for religious life: secular institutes and societies of apostolic life. Each type of institute adopts some aspects of the components of religious life, while not practicing others.

Secular Institutes share with religious institutes the close following of Jesus through the profession of the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience. Members of secular institutes, unlike religious who publicly pronounce their vows, may make vows, but more likely make promises or some other form of commitment. Like religious, however, they make these promises temporarily during their formation and follow it with a permanent commitment.

In a manner distinct from religious, members of secular institutes usually do not live together or share an apostolate, although some do, but rather seek to make sacred the secular world in which they live and work. Priests who become members of secular institutes usually remain connected, or incardinated, in the diocese in which they live.

The other group of institutes which are like religious institutes, and are often mistaken for them is Societies of Apostolic Life. Among these are the Daughters of Charity, Maryknoll, Sulpicians, and Vincentians. Although technically not part of consecrated life, these societies share with religious institutes some aspects of their lives. Some, for example, live in community; others pronounce vows annually.

Consecrated Virgins and Hermits

In addition to these three types of institutes, there are some people who are individually consecrated to serve God through following the evangelical counsels. These include consecrated virgins and hermits. Consecrated virgins are consecrated by the diocesan bishop. They work in the secular world as before the consecration and seek to sanctify the world. The order of virgins is added to the forms of consecrated life. Through her consecration, a woman renews her resolve to live in perpetual virginity for God and is set aside as sacred, espoused to Christ and belonging to Him alone. They are consecrated to God, mystically espoused to Christ, and dedicated to the service of the Church.

Hermits publicly profess the evangelical counsels either by vow or other bond before the diocesan bishop, but separate themselves from the world and devote themselves to the silence of solitude, prayer, and penance in a manner similar to contemplative religious.

Evangelical Counsels: Poverty, Chastity, Obedience

Vow of Poverty means he or she will live simply, sharing with the community his or her talents, money, and material goods in order to better minister to others and support the community.

Vow of Chastity, or celibacy, means they choose to share love and friendship with all of God's people and not make a commitment to one particular person. This enables the religious to love everyone with the love of Jesus.

Vow of Obedience means the religious will listen to God's will as it is made known to them through prayer and their community, so as to serve the needs of all through the charism, or ministry, of the community.

Religious Sister

The Religious Sister is a woman who promises the same three vows as a sign of her commitment to Christ and the church. She generally lives in community with other Sisters who may share a common work. Each community has its own charism, or spirit. For some the charism is working among the poor, others may minister through education, or working in a health care setting. There are also contemplative communities who live in a cloister, an enclosed convent, and spend their days in quiet prayer and reflection.

Religious Priest

The Religious Priest is a man who shares both the Sacrament of Holy Orders and profession into a religious community. He chooses to live and work in a religious community of other priests and brothers. He vows poverty, chastity, and obedience, like those in consecrated life. He celebrates the sacraments like the diocesan priest, however he lives in community with others who share the same charism. A man entering the religious life is professed in a religious community before being ordained to the priesthood.

Religious Brother

The Religious Brother is a man who promises the 3 vows as a way to witness to Jesus Christ. He lives and prays in a community of other Brothers who may share a common work, for example teaching, hospital ministry, parish ministry, etc. Brothers can be found wherever the Church's needs are the greatest.