What is the Consecrated Life?
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:
915 Christ proposes the evangelical counsels, in their great variety, to every disciple. The perfection of charity, to which all the faithful are called, entails for those who freely follow the call to consecrated life the obligation of practicing chastity in celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom, poverty and obedience. It is the profession of these counsels, within a permanent state of life recognized by the Church, that characterizes the life consecrated to God.
916 The state of consecrated life is thus one way of experiencing a “more intimate” consecration, rooted in Baptism and dedicated totally to God. In the consecrated life, Christ’s faithful, moved by the Holy Spirit, propose to follow Christ more nearly, to give themselves to God who is loved above all and, pursuing the perfection of charity in the service of the Kingdom, to signify and proclaim in the Church the glory of the world to come.
917 “From the God-given seed of the counsels a wonderful and wide-spreading tree has grown up in the field of the Lord, branching out into various forms of the religious life lived in solitude or in community. Different religious families have come into existence in which spiritual resources are multiplied for the progress in holiness of their members and for the good of the entire Body of Christ.”
918 From the very beginning of the Church there were men and women who set out to follow Christ with greater liberty, and to imitate him more closely, by practicing the evangelical counsels. They led lives dedicated to God, each in his own way. Many of them, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, became hermits or founded religious families. These the Church, by virtue of her authority, gladly accepted and approved.
An Invitation
Young women, have you considered becoming a religious sister? Do you know how to distinguish between the voice of God and the voice of the world? Don’t hesitate to contact the church office and schedule an appointment with a priest. We are here to help you discern your vocation in the Lord.
Also, Ms. Emily Savage, youth minister at St. Francis of Assisi, will also be happy to meet with you and connect you to local discernment opportunities within the diocese. The Fiat Ministries retreat, which occurs in December, is a great place to start.
Don’t wait to get started in learning how to discern. Go to FORMED and watch or listen to various teachings on this subject. Simply search the word discernment to find valuable resources.