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See Renovationis Causam
The Second Vatican Council more than once in its documents, expressly
dealt with religious and religious life. In two documents particularly,
religious are given special attention, both from the doctrinal aspect
and from the practical point of view of the life of the Church.
In the dogmatic constitution "Lumen Gentium" after long
discussions and special votings on. specific queries, the Council
Fathers reserved a separate chapter (chap. VI) for religious, with its
proper title, and more important still, gave a wonderful doctrinal
synthesis of the religious state in the life of the Church. The same
title, "religious", in the heading of chapter VI of
"Lumen Gentium", has assumed a theological
significance. In this chapter also are to found the elements of a true
theology of the religious state. The remainder of the chapter, as has
already been noted, is a guide to a correct vision of and a preparation
for the religious life. This formation constitutes the object of
the Instruction.
"Perfectate Caritatis"
The Council did not limit itself to highlighting the theology of the
religious state. In view of the general need for a healthy and necessary
renewal in the lives of all the members of the Church it could not
overlook the need for a similar renewal for members so qualified as
religious. For this purpose then, it proposed concrete general criteria,
especially in the decree Perfectae Caritatis, by which the
religious of today must seriously set about an appropriate renewal that
would lead them to a greater vitality and perfection in the life of the
Church.
In the same decree, the Council, among other things, clearly
cautioned that a healthy and opportune renewal of religious institutes
depends mostly on the training of their members (cf. Perfectae
Caritatis, n. 18). Consequently, the Congregation of. Religious and
Secular Institutes, guided by this conciliar principle was careful in
proposing and concretely determining the possibility, both from the
disciplinary and canonical point of view, of experimentation with new
methods of training for religious life. In this way the Sacred
Congregation placed itself at the service of the post-conciliar Church
which was anxious to find the most effective means for
stimulating the growth of religious life, beginning in the
obvious place, with candidates to the life of evangelical perfection,
themselves. From these, in fact, the Church awaits an ever more
conscious and generous response in their own specific vocation.
The Congregation of Religious and Secular Institutes was aware that a
renewal in formation could not be achieved without a solid doctrinal
basis nor without legitimate practical orientations. Guided
by the Council principles it has issued the present document, which, in
order to be well understood, has to be examined in the light of the
doctrinal and practical principles which the Second Vatican Council has
outlined.
Under the theologico-doctrinal aspect the Instruction Renovationis
Causam is guided by Lumen Gentium to which it often expressly
refers.
"Lumen Gentium"
It first of all recalls that the religious state "constituted by
the profession of the evangelical counsels, does not belong to the
hierarchical structure of the Church, nevertheless it belongs
inseparably to her life and holiness". This principle of Lumen
Gentium (n. 44) with which the Instruction is introduced, is
theologically relevant because it shows that the religious state,
as such, forms part of its holiness, also indeed, of the whole
life of the Church. This implies that the religious state can and must
enter, not only into some, but into all sectors of the Church's life.
For this reason also, Lumen Gentium reminds us of the hierarchy's
competence and duty of guiding religious by its directive norms and
precepts.
Likewise, the Instruction underlines theologically the principle, the
importance and the competence of the Hierarchy's interference.
Secondly, the Instruction, both in its first and second parts, brings
to light the various theological aspects of the religious state, which
were mentioned at the Council, namely: the theocentric, the
christocentric, the christoform, the ecclesiocentric, the apostolic, the
unitarian and multiform, the apologetic, missionary and eschatological
aspects of the religious state.
In harmony with Decrees
The theocentric aspect of formation for religious life is, in fact,
brought out where the Instruction dwells on the characteristics of
consecration, which the baptized accomplish in a very singular way with
the religious profession of vows.
When the Instruction, like Lumen Gentium, reaffirms
that there are other commitments similar to vows, it does so in order to
recall that, to be a religious in the theological sense, one must have
sacred, specific and direct links with God. Otherwise one could not be
considered religious, theologically. If the Instruction admits the
possibility of other commitments that are not linked directly with God,
it does so precisely to confirm the possibility of preparing oneself
with sufficient responsibility for that total and perfect consecration
which is acquired through perpetual vows. For that reason, the
Instruction again quotes Lumen Gentium, when it reaffirms that
consecration to God will be more perfect to the extent. that the vows
contracted are firm and stable (Lumen Gentium, n. 44). The firm
call to union with God in the unity of charity, in which the Instruction
wishes youth to be formed, is a clear indication of the necessity of
their being formed for a life that is ever more theocentric. The link,
therefore, with the virtue of religion constitutes the basis for the
sacred bonds by which a religious places himself at the total service of
God, as a holocaust which is realized in the vows, especially by means
of obedience, as expressly noted in the document.
The Instruction shows also the christoform aspect of religious
life and of formation for religious life, again expressly recalling the
doctrine of Lumen Gentium (n. 46), with a text substantially
changed from that of Mystici Corporis. The text is as follows:
"Religious should carefully consider that the Church, through them,
wishes to give an increasingly clearer revelation of Christ to believers
and non-believers alike. Through them Christ must be seen contemplating
on the mountain, announcing God's kingdom to the multitude, healing the
sick and the maimed, converting sinners to good, blessing children,
doing good to all and always obeying the will of the Father who sent
him".
The aim of the Instruction, then, is to have youth formed in the
imitation of Christ according to the specific aims of their own
institute, because the religious state, by its nature, "more faithfully
imitates and continually exemplifies the form of life which
the Son of God accepted in entering this world to do the will of his
Father and which he proposed that his disciples follow" (Lumen
Gentium, n. 44). The Instruction, therefore, recalls the object of
religious profession of the vows, which is constituted by the
evangelical counsels, and invites candidates to evangelical perfection
"to correspond in the first place with their vocation of following
Christ" (cf. Perfectae Caritatis, n. 8).
The religious life is likewise ecclesial, not alone in the
sense already mentioned, that the religious state belongs to the life
and holiness of the Church and remains under the
competence and the authority hierarchy, but also, in as much as the
religious as such is joined in a special way to the Church and
to her mystery (cf. Lumen Gentium, n. 44).
Therefore, "it is necessary that their spiritual life be
dedicated also to the whole Church" (Lumen Gentium, n. 44).
The Instruction insists on the formation of candidates in this ecclesial
sense of the religious life, in harmony with the decree Perfectae
Caritatis, and the Motu Proprio Ecclesiae Sanctae, and
requests that youth be trained to be religious not only for their own
benefit, but also for the benefit of the whole ecclesial society. In
other words, the Instruction requests a formation that will lead to a
higher perfection in the religious life and so to greater perfection,
above all, in the exercise of charity towards God and one's neighbour,
and in consequence, to an increase of holiness and vitality in the
Church. As Pope Pius XII once stated: "the religious state exists
and is of such importance because it adheres strictly to the aims proper
to the church itself, namely, of leading all men to holiness"
(Discourse Haud Mediocri, A.A.S., L [1958) p. 153).
It would, therefore, be a mistake to interpret the innovations which
the document has in mind for the formation of religious, as concessions
to make their life easier and mediocre, when, on the contrary, it is
seeking to open up new ways (and the experience will help to provide a
safe and definite judgment) for training religious ever more qualified
and fitted for their vocation.
In connection with these fundamental aspects, the religious life, as
also the formation of young people for it, must be apostolic, unitarian,
multiform and apologetic, as can be deduced from the Council's doctrine
(Lumen Gentium nn. 44, 46). For this reason the document
teaches that the religious state, even that given exclusively to
contemplation, is by its intrinsic nature apostolic; an aspect, as the
Council teaches, "in keeping with the nature of one's proper
vocation" (Lumen Gentium, n. 44), therefore, even without
the direct exercise of apostolic activities, so called.
The Instruction treats more widely of the method of educating those
who are to live in Institutes dedicated to apostolic works, in order
that young candidates may commence right from the first years to know
and to judge themselves, not only with regard to the general apostolate
in view, which is necessary for every religious and intrinsic to the
religious life itself, but also with a view to the different activities
and the external forms of the life to which they intend to dedicate
themselves. In harmony, then, with the Council the document purposely
avoids the use of expressions which might sound as having less
appreciation of and consideration for the formation for contemplative
life. On the other hand, the Instruction takes account of the great
number of Institutes for which, as the Council notes (Perfectae
Caritatis, n. 8), "the very nature of religious life requires
apostolic and charitable works". For these Institutes in
particular, the document opens up the possibility of new methods, even
with regard to formation during the novitiate period. Taking part right
from the start in various activities of the apostolate, so as to be more
perfect religious in relation to the external aims to so many
Institutes, is the motive for this opening to new methods and
experiments. But, at the same time, and also in harmony with the Council
(cf. Lumen Gentium, n. 44; Perfectae Caritatis, n.
8), the Instruction requires unity in variety. This unity must be found
in intimate union with God. Hence arises the necessity for Members of
such Institutes of alternating the times given to contemplation with
those given to apostolic works. This truth remains valid because, as the
Council teaches (Perfectae Caritatis, n. 8), "there
are many forms of religious life consecrated to the works of the
apostolate".
Deeper knowledge of Commitment
All this must prove itself with a formation that follows the
theological practical criteria which those concerned with the formation
of novices must follow. There is no need to say that such criteria
correspond fully with the doctrine and guidance that the Council has
given. Their purpose, in fact, is to lead towards a healthy and renewed
religious formation, capable of promoting greater perfection and
holiness in the Church "in this way it will happen that love for
God and neighbour will itself be nurtured and intensified" (Perfectae
Caritatis, n. 8).
The preparation for the taking of perpetual vows, with the
gradualness and the bonds with which the Instruction concerns itself,
should lead the young candidates to a deeper knowledge of the sacred
commitments that they are called to assume before God, before the Church
and before the world, in dedicating themselves to the religious life.
For this reason the document observes: "lastly, a religious
formation more based on stages and judiciously extended over the
different periods of the life of the young religious, should find its
culmination in a serious preparation for perpetual vows" (n. 9).
The religious and those who, in fact, are definitely preparing to be
religious must always keep in mind both the apologetical and
eschatological aspects of their life, in conformity with the Council
doctrine: "the profession of the evangelical counsels, then,
appears as a sign which can and ought to attract all the members of the
Church to an effective and prompt fulfilment of the duties of their
Christian vocation. The people of God has no lasting city here below,
but looks forward to one which is to come. This being so, the religious
state by giving its members greater freedom from earthly cares more
adequately manifests to all believers the presence of heavenly goods
already possessed here below. It witnesses to the fact of a new and
eternal life acquired by the redemption of Christ, and foretells the
resurrected state and the glory of the heavenly kingdom" (Lumen
Gentium, n. 44).
In this light it is necessary to study and really understand the
Instruction Renovationis Causam.
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