This week we will take a brief respite form “Resisting Happiness” to talk about the consecrated religious life. Why am I doing this? The answer is simple, this Sunday our Catholic Church prays for those women and men who have vowed and consecrated themselves to live as signs of God’s love in this special vocation.
We begin with this teaching from the Catechism of the Catholic Church when it states: “Religious life derives from the mystery of the Church. It is a gift she has received from her Lord, a gift she offers as a stable way of life to the faithful called by God to profess the counsels. Thus, the Church can both show forth Christ and acknowledge herself to be the Savior’s bride. Religious life in its various forms is called to signify the very charity of God in the language of our time.” (CCC926)
There is a lot to say about consecrated/religious life and there are many of us who have benefited greatly from the gift of religious sisters and brothers in our lives. They have formed us in faith and other gifts of life that are often to many to count.
I can begin with my experience of the Benedictine Sisters of St. Gertrude Monastery in Cottonwood Idaho with Sr. Monica and Sr. Leutfreda in 1st and 2nd grade. It continued throughout my teen years as the presence of the Sisters within the community formed us in generosity of spirit following the Rule of St. Benedict and the example of faith filled lives.
When I entered the St. Patrick’s Seminary I had the great blessing of knowing the Oblate Sisters of Jesus the Priest. They ministered at the seminary if a variety of ways. They prepared our meals for us, which many people, including us seminarians, would often mistake as their primary work. What was hidden behind the scenes was their prayer life, especially praying for us, who were studying for the priesthood. Each sister had a list of specific seminarians she would pray for throughout the day and the sisters would have one sister constantly praying for us infant of the Blessed Sacrament. I am so blessed as their prayers gave me and many the courage to preserver during many crisis, especially the abuse scandal in the early 2000’s.
Now as a priest I am blessed to be chaplain for the Eucharistic Missionaries of the Most Holy Trinity. (MESST) They act as my moral support, my prayer partners, my companions in ministry, my Spanish instructors and many other blessings. The sisters give life to me and so many other people they encounter.
The upshot is the need for our prayers for vocations to the consecrated religious life, both sisters and brothers, as a continuing sign of God’s love for each of us. Please take time to encourage young women and men in their call to serve God, to ask the simple question…where are you calling me to serve? And remind them and ourselves to not be afraid, to seek the face of God and give thanksgiving for the holy religious sisters and brothers who have sacrificed and given their lives in service of our brothers and sisters.
God Bless
Fr. Mark
(Two other quotes from the Catechism of the Catholic Church)
“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. “(CCC 918)
“As with other forms of consecrated life,” the order of virgins establishes the woman living in the world (or the nun) in prayer, penance, service of her brethren, and apostolic activity, according to the state of life and spiritual gifts given to her. Consecrated virgins can form themselves into associations to observe their commitment more faithfully.” (CCC 924)