Index

Introduction
I-Consecrated Life Today
–1-A presence in Church and World
–2-Present-Day Circumstances
–3-Diverse Situations in Various Areas
–4-Specific Question
–5-Renewed Theology
II-Consecrated Life in the Mystery of Christ and the Church
–1-In the Mystical Body
–2-Vocation, Imitation Consecration
–3-Communion, Mission and Witness Dimension
III-Consecrated Life in Ecclesial Communion
–1-Ecclesial Communion
–2-Communion in Universal and Local Churches
IV-Consecrated Life in Church’s Mission
–1-Future Challenges and Duties
–2-The New Evangelization
–3-Gospel Charisms for the World
Conclusion
Endnotes

Working Paper for October 1994 World Synod of Bishops

1. The consecrated life is a gift which the Father has given to the church by means of the Spirit so that, in faithfulness to the Gospel, the most characteristic traits of the life of his Son Jesus, the chaste, poor and obedient one (cf. Mt. 8:20; Phil. 2:8), and the unfathomable riches of his mystery (cf. Eph. 3:8), might be present in the world and might draw everyone toward the kingdom of God.[1] Therefore, the ninth ordinary general assembly of the Synod of Bishops, which has as its topic "the consecrated life and its role in the church and in the world" is a grace-filled moment for the entire people of God.

The leading characters in this event will be above all the bishops gathered in communion with the Holy Father John Paul II. As pastors and guides in perfection, and faithful to the charism of each institute,[2] they will listen to the Spirit and give attention to the desires and needs expressed by the church concerning the institutes of consecrated life and the societies of apostolic life. Their particular task is one of discernment and pastoral guidance. Present alongside the bishops will be some representatives of the superiors general for men.

Also present, as observers, will be some women and men religious, men and women members of institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life, priests, lay women and men, called by the Holy Father to express in this way the universality of the church and all her vocations, in a mutual listening to the experiences and desires of the whole people of God.

It is urgent that the whole church gather in prayer around the synod fathers and the other synod participants in order to implore the light of the Holy Spirit through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints, especially the saintly founders and foundresses. It is to the Holy Spirit, who stirs these charisms in the church, that prayer is raised in one voice, that he may guide the church toward a renewed outpouring of his gift of wisdom and grace for a new Pentecost in the consecrated life. He is "the life and strength of the people of God, the bond of its communion, the vigor of its mission, the source of its multiple gifts, the secret of its admirable unity, the radiance and beauty of its creative power and the fire of its love."[3]

2. The aim of the synod is to reflect on the consecrated life in the light of God's plan, returning to the sources of grace from which it arises, the great wealth of its historical expressions and the legacy of its saints. At the same time, however, the synod is intended to discern the challenges and expectations of the contemporary world, for which the Holy Spirit enriches the consecrated life with resources of grace, spirituality, manifold works and creativity in the apostolic life.

During recent decades, in the wake of the Second Vatican Council, the church has delved deeper into her nature and mission in the light of the ecclesiology of communion[4] in order to understand more deeply her mystery rooted in the Trinity, her nature as a sign and instrument of intimate union with God and of the unity of the human race.[5] In recent synods this vision has given us a better understanding of the vocation and mission of the laity (1987) and of the identity and mission of priests and their formation in the circumstances of the present day (1990), as can be clearly seen in the post-synodal apostolic exhortations <Christifideles Laici> and <Pastores Dabo Vobis.> The ecclesiology of communion must now contribute to a deeper reflection on the consecrated life in the church. It is impossible to have an adequate conception of the mystery, communion and mission of the church without an understanding of the consecrated life, just as the consecrated life cannot be understood and lived unless it is rooted in the church's mystery, communion and mission.

The framework for this reflection on the consecrated life is the new evangelization of today's world, characterized by the rise of new values and cultures which have a conditioning effect on the traditional view of the consecrated life. While this context presents significant challenges to its identity and mission, it also affords a providential opportunity, on the basis of the creativity of the charisms of the Spirit, to evoke courageous responses based on the Gospel. The hope-filled moment in which the church is living calls for such a reflection, as does the constant invitation coming from Christ and from the charism of the founders and foundresses, which continues in time.

John Paul II recalled the meaning of the coming synod in these words: "The successors of the apostles will meet to discuss your life and the contribution which your founders and foundresses—and your respective spiritual families with them—have given and still give to the mission of the church. They want to understand in all its breadth and depth the design of the Lord who sanctifies, enriches and also guides his people through the gifts and charisms of the communities of consecrated life and the societies of apostolic life. The bishops want to help you to be Gospel leaven and evangelizers of the cultures of the third millennium and of the social ordering of the peoples."[6]

In a recent address to superiors general, he affirmed: "Today the religious life is experiencing a particularly significant moment of its history because of the demanding and widespread renewal imposed by the changed socio-cultural conditions at the threshold of the third millennium of the Christian era.... In their day the founders and foundresses were able to incarnate the Gospel message with courage and holiness. It is necessary that, faithful to the breath of the Spirit, their spiritual daughters and sons continue this witness in time, imitating their creativity, with a mutual fidelity to the charism of their origins, and in constant listening to the demands of the present moment."[7]

3. Preparations for the coming synod are in progress throughout the church. This can be seen from the many initiatives of reflection, prayer and study. A widespread response has been given to the <lineamenta> which, following a well-established method, is intended to offer points of reference to promote reflection—even on negative aspects—and elicit responses, suggestions and evaluations.

A sign of the interest aroused by the synod is the quantity and quality of the official responses sent to the General Secretariat of the Synod by the episcopal conferences and the synods of the Oriental churches, the departments of the Roman Curia, the Union of Superiors General for Men and the International Union of Superiors General for Women and the World Conference of Secular Institutes.

In addition to these, many observations were sent by cardinals and bishops, national and international conferences of men and women religious, individual institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life, confederations and federations of monasteries as well as individual monasteries, priests, women and men religious, consecrated virgins and hermits, theologians and brethren from other churches and Christian communities. This is valuable material which offers assistance in coming to an understanding of the situation and the expectations of the consecrated life in the church and in the world today.

4. An attentive study of the responses and observations has pointed above all to questions of a general nature as well as to those proper to various nations and institutes concerning the present state of the consecrated life, its identity and role in ecclesial communion and some of the most urgent questions involving the present and future of consecrated life. The <instrumentum laboris> has taken all this material into account, with an eye toward the celebration of the synodal assembly.

Emerging from the responses is a general view of the topics and trends which, although having certain differences according to individual institutes, various nations and cultural and geographic areas, offers a substantial convergence of "lights and shadows," hopes and desires, and questions and obligations concerning the consecrated life in the church and in the world. According to some, this is a period of transformation or of profound change in the consecrated life, while others see it as one of renewal, revitalization and refoundation.

Furthermore, the responses give rise to a renewed evaluation of the consecrated life and the forms it has taken, especially in the following directions: an emphasis on its specific nature and variety of charisms; special attention to the diversity of geographical and cultural situations; a reflection on its relationship to the mystery, communion and mission of the church; a courageous statement of its identity and apostolic mission so that it may have the renewed impetus to be a prophetic witness today for the salvation of the world.

By its very nature the <instrumentum laboris> is intended to offer topics for the synod's discussion. It is meant to illustrate, pinpoint and delve deeper into these aspects in the light of the responses, bearing in mind the complexity of the consecrated life, its universal reality and the pastoral nature of the synod. At the same time, it must not fail to highlight some specific questions which many responses entrust to the synod's reflection. This synodal document takes its inspiration from the word of God and the church's tradition, and draws upon the teaching of Vatican II and the post-conciliar documents on the consecrated life.[8] In this way, as the majority of the responses have requested, it is meant to recall the church's teaching and open new paths to theological reflection on the consecrated life and its spiritual and apostolic spirit.

5. It seems essential to make an initial clarification on the topic of the synod so all might have a better understanding of the complexity and variety of individuals, communities and institutes to which it refers.

Historically speaking, the expression <consecrated life> has various meanings in the documents of Vatican II and in recent canonical legislation of the universal church. The dogmatic constitution <Lumen Gentium> and the decree <Perfectae Caritatis>[9] describe the rise of various forms of religious and consecrated life, that is, institutes devoted entirely to contemplation, institutes of monastic and conventual life, clerical institutes dedicated to various apostolic works, lay institutes and secular institutes.

The Code of Canon Law includes among the institutes of consecrated life religious institutes in general and secular institutes. In this category it also places the eremitical and anchoritic life. It also mentions that the order of virgins is similar (<accedit>) to the forms of consecrated life, as are societies of apostolic life as well (<accedunt>).[10]

The Code of Canons of the Oriental Churches speaks first of all of monks, among whom can be included hermits and religious.[11] It considers societies of common life such as (<ad instar>) religious[12] and secular institutes.[13] It also mentions the ascetics who imitate the eremitical life and the virgins and widows who, although living in the world, make a public profession of chastity.[14] Finally, it adds societies of apostolic life.[15]

Today there are approximately 1,423 institutes of women religious of pontifical right and 1,550 of diocesan right. Among the religious institutes for men there are 250 of pontifical right and 242 of diocesan right. There are approximately 165 secular institutes of pontifical or diocesan right, including those of priests, clerics or groups of lay women and men. There are also 39 societies of apostolic life of pontifical right. To these we must add a growing number of consecrated virgins, of consecrated widows and widowers, hermits and hermitesses and other groups that have initiated the process of canonical recognition.

The Synod of Bishops, being universal by nature, cannot overlook this broad and complex vision of the consecrated life.

6. As explicitly stated at the announcement of the topic of the ninth ordinary general assembly of the Synod of Bishops and at the presentation of the <lineamenta,> the object of synod discussion is the various forms of consecrated life, to which are added the societies of apostolic life.

The responses have indicated that the great variety of forms and traditions within the institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life presents some weighty problems.

The first of these problems is terminology. The responses point out that a great majority of people continue to use indiscriminately the terms <religious life> and <religious.> Although technically speaking these terms designate only institutes of religious life as such, instances of their misuse are common, even in some documents of the magisterium.

Although it is already present in Vatican II,[16] the term <consecrated life> seems rather new to many people. Some think the designation is not entirely appropriate and even discriminatory, as if to say through its use that other Christians are not "consecrated" in their baptism. The terms <consecration> and <consecrated life> are taken here in their precise theological meaning, indicating a life consecrated by means of the evangelical counsels and recognized as such by the church.[17] For obvious practical reasons the <instrumentum laboris> usually uses the term <consecrated life> as such or similar expressions. The widespread designation of this terminology must be taken in an analogical sense and according to the proper nature of the diverse forms of life which are included in it. At times a specific terminology is used so as to refer to each of the forms of consecrated life according to their nature.

Many responses express a desire for the specific treatment of each form of the consecrated life and for finding adequate solutions to problems, even local ones. Such specific attention to the matter is usually claimed above all because of the specific nature and mission of the secular institutes, which are seen as typically diverse because of the secular nature of their life and apostolate. A similar notion is voiced concerning the societies of apostolic life, consecrated virgins and hermits.

In accordance with the official title of the ninth ordinary general assembly, the <instrumentum laboris> treats the connotations, values, problems, demands and tasks of the institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life in the present-day circumstances of the church and the world, clarifying in some cases specific features regarding above all identity, communion, mission and major priorities for the immediate future. Each institute and form of consecrated life is distinguished because of its specific nature, mission and charism. In the synodal gathering the <instrumentum laboris> will permit an ample dialogue on all questions of a universal and pastoral nature.

7. The purpose of this document is the preparation of the synod discussion of the consecrated life and its role in the church and in the world. Based on the responses, it offers a broad-based exposition divided into four parts.

The first part, "the consecrated life today," presents the theological, spiritual and pastoral reality of the consecrated life (I), its situation in the circumstances of the present day (II) and according to geographic and cultural areas (III), questions concerning some specific forms (IV) and the request for a renewed theological synthesis (V).

The second part, "the consecrated life in the mystery of Christ and the church," offers a theological vision of the consecrated life within the mystery of the church (I), some common features about vocation, the following of Christ and consecration (II) in the dimension of communion, mission and witness (III).

The third part, "the consecrated life in ecclesial communion," is a continuation of the second part and treats more accurately the perspective of the ecclesiology of communion (I), in the universal church and the particular churches (II).

The fourth part, "the consecrated life in the church's mission for the world," studies the challenges and tasks of the consecrated life for the future (I), the call to the new evangelization (II), the response of its evangelical charisms for the world (III).

8. It is necessary to keep in mind the wealth and variety of forms of the consecrated life today in order to be aware of the reality and complexity of the synod's topic. Nevertheless, it is not easy to furnish a complete description. There is no such thing as consecrated life in the abstract; rather, it is expressed in diverse forms and institutes, incarnated in real persons—women and men—in diverse settings, situations, spiritualities and apostolates.

Its members constitute an important group in the church, comparable to the Gospel leaven (cf. Lk. 13:21). The members of the institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life number more than a million, but they are a minority within the people of God. In statistical terms they amount to only 0.12 percent of the members of the Catholic Church. Of this percentage group, women constitute 72.5 percent of consecrated persons, while 27.5 percent are men. With the majority of consecrated persons being women and lay brothers, the group is thus made up of 82.2 percent laity, leaving only 17.8 percent priests or deacons.

Though small in number, this group is "a radiant sign of the kingdom of heaven" for the church and for the world.[18] Concentrated in it is a variety of forms of life, spiritual traditions and apostolic works bearing witness to the manifold grace of Christ, the presence of the Spirit and the power of the Gospel.

The consecrated life is a <memoria> of the teachings and example of Christ and the Gospel values lived by the saints in the course of the pilgrimage of the people of God throughout the ages. It is a witness of commitment in the following of Christ and a prophecy of the eschatological destiny of history.

A common reality unifies consecrated persons—the call to total self-giving to God; love for Christ the teacher, Lord and bridegroom of the church, who is intimately followed and served above everything; and the decision to live according to the Spirit.

The consecrated life is a prophetic witness to the primacy of God and to the things that do not pass away. Indeed, its value lies more in "being"—from God and for God—than in "doing"—its mission—although there should be no dichotomy between being and doing.

9. In the Catholic Church the consecrated life expresses a yearning which is typical of the Gospel vocation. This can even be found today in some non-Catholic churches and communities. In fact, the eremitic and monastic life are held in great honor in the nonuniate Eastern churches, which have preserved the great spiritual, liturgical and apostolic tradition of their origins.[19] In some non-Catholic ecclesial communities forms of consecrated life have been preserved or new forms of consecrated life have arisen—similar to those of the Catholic tradition—especially in the Anglican church and more recently in the evangelical and Reformed communities. The common witness of commitment to Christ and the values of the evangelical life can be a valid element for promoting unity through the exercise of ecumenical dialogue and the spiritual ecumenism of conversion and prayer.

Analogous forms of personal dedication seen in the search for the divine, in meditation, prayer, asceticism and the witness to the transcendent values—often accompanied by compassionate service to one's neighbor—can be found in other non-Christian religions. The consecrated life can be the basis for a fruitful dialogue with them and offer a common witness to the values of the Spirit.[20]

The consecrated life, which is inspired by the Gospel, is a sharing in the consecration of Jesus, the Son of God and savior, the basis of consecration for all the baptized. However, in other religions we cannot fail to find the life-giving breath of the Spirit from whom comes all that is true, good, just and beautiful, as seeds of the word called to bear fruit in due season and as the renewing leaven of society. In this way the consecrated life, together with other forms of evangelical life and the search for the absolute in various religions, in taking on cherished spiritual values, exercises a critical symbolic and transforming role within society and interprets the transcendent hopes of humanity.

10. The consecrated life, though a minority in numbers, has a rich presence in the church and in the world through its wealth of communities and groups. It performs a genuine ministry in the praise of God and the salvation of the world in the celebration of the eucharist, liturgical prayer, asceticism and contemplation. It is active in evangelization and catechesis, in works of charity serving the victims of both old and new forms of poverty; in being close to the sick and marginalized, in the education of children and adolescents, in schools and universities, in the advancement of culture, in teaching the values of justice and peace, and in the means of social communications. Often the consecrated life is found in the front lines of the church's mission and dialogue with the world.

In all parts of the earth consecrated persons live the same events as the people of God in various geographical and cultural contexts. They share the joys and hopes and the sorrows and anguish of the men and women of today, especially of the poor and suffering, because nothing that is genuinely human fails to find an echo in the hearts of Christ's disciples.[21]

Scattered throughout all areas of the particular churches, consecrated persons are placed among the people as a sign of ecclesial communion and Christian fraternity. They are often found in the "desert" where there is no one, on the "margins of society" where they experience poverty and share the necessities of people, and on the "front lines" where they face the risks of proclaiming the Gospel in difficult situations.

After almost 20 yeas, Paul VI's words can be recalled describing the consecrated life's evangelizing presence in the church and in the world. He honors and stimulates the fidelity of the consecrated life to its vocation, consecration and mission when he says:

"By virtue of their consecration they are particularly free and willing to leave all things and go to the ends of the earth to preach the Gospel. They are always full of courage in their work, and their apostolate is often outstanding in its admirable resourcefulness and initiative. They are generous and are often to be found in the most remote mission stations, where they may have to endure great dangers to health and even to life. The church is undoubtedly greatly indebted to them."[22]

The consecrated life also has a hidden presence, that is, the great number of consecrated persons who, even in old age or illness continue to exercise a beneficial influence through the offering of their prayers, through their wisdom and through their faithfulness day by day. Nor should those be forgotten who in recent times—and even at this present moment in various nations—have suffered for their fidelity to Christ and the church.

11. A desire expressed in many of the responses is that the variety of forms in consecrated life not be reduced in perspective or stifled. This variety corresponds to the manifold grace of Christ, to the church's historical experience and bears witness to the "catholicity" of the evangelical values, which the Holy Spirit has raised up and preserves for the fullness of the Gospel of Christ.

Vatican II contemplates the spread of the consecrated life, rooted in the words and example of the Lord, from its origins to our day in the light of the parable of the Gospel seed (cf. Lk. 13:19): "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 religious life lived in solitude or in community. Different religious families have come into existence in which spiritual resources are multiplied for the advancement in holiness of their members and for the good of the entire body of Christ."[23]

Very much alive in the church's memory is the historic fact of the eremitic, monastic, religious and apostolic life, first born in the East with the consecration to God of Christian virgins, anchorites and cenobites. These persons exemplify the first forms of consecrated life which were guided by the teaching and the <apoftegmi> of the "fathers" and "mothers" of the desert, organized by the first monastic rules and recognized by the church with special rites such as the consecration of virgins and monastic profession. Continuing throughout history, with the creativity of the Spirit responding to the needs of the times, other forms arose, for example, the canons regular, the institutes of religious life, contemplative and apostolic groups of various kinds (mendicant orders, clerics regular, religious congregations, both 102 clerical and lay, missionary institutes...). More recently the church has recognized the form of a consecrated life in the world which is proper to secular institutes. Related to these forms are the societies of apostolic life, which are characterized by their specific apostolic and missionary purposes.

The diversity of forms of consecrated life depend on their nature and mission, that is, according to the relationship to the mystery and mission of Christ which each institute lives and proclaims according to the special nature of each family and which sets it apart with its own distinctive spirituality and specific apostolate. According to many responses, a great many people wish to highlight the distinctive charism as a universal key for interpreting one's whole experience, the practice of the evangelical counsels, one's own spirituality, apostolate, community life, formation and organization.

The wealth of the variety of forms of the consecrated life is also expressed in the multiplicity of liturgical rites within the one church of Christ.

12. As has been noted, consecrated women far outnumber others within the consecrated life, both in monastic life and in apostolic religious life, as well as in missionary service. They bring with them the power of their witness, the quality of life in communion and the unique potentiality of their mission. Among the men there are lay institutes composed of brothers alone. Other institutes are clerical in their foundation and charism; still others are both clerical and lay in that clerics and laymen belong to them on the basis of the same consecration and charism and participate in diverse ways in their life, administration and apostolate, depending on the nature of the institute.

On the basis of a prevalent orientation toward a life dedicated more to prayer and divine worship or to the explicit spread of the Gospel by word and work, a distinction is made in the church between institutes dedicated entirely to contemplation and those devoted to apostolic and missionary activity, even though the contemplative and apostolic dimension is common to each institute according to its own charism. Indeed, the institutes of contemplative life are eminently apostolic, while apostolic institutes order their life on the basis of their mission in the church so as to be contemplatives in action, in imitation of Christ.[24]

Certain attention is given to the institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life of diocesan right which are bound to the service of the local church. Today such institutes are particularly flourishing in the younger churches.

13. The responses make reference to the phenomenon of the flourishing of new and traditional forms of the consecrated life, offering great hope for the synod's work.

Consecrated virginity and the order of virgins are the original expression of a total dedication to Christ in the church since her beginning. Later, however, the institution of consecrated virgins was absorbed by women's monastic life and profession. Recently, among the fruits of renewal there is a renewed flourishing of vocations to virginity in the world through "consecrated virgins" who, alone or in association with others, dedicate themselves to Christ, their spouse, and to the service of the church.

In various areas we also see signs of a rebirth of the experience of hermits—priests and laymen—and also hermitesses, living in solitude or immersed in urban centers with a special vocation. They devote themselves to the praise of God and intercession for the salvation of the world. In some areas there can be noted the existence of "widows" or "widowers" who, either alone or with others, offer themselves to Christ and the service of the church.

Some responses note that it would be good to promote individual forms of consecration similar to those already recognized.

Today new forms of the consecrated life are being founded, forms which cannot be reduced to pre-existing categories. In addition to the profession of the consecrated life through the evangelical counsels, they ordinarily have some added characteristics such as the mixed nature of the group made up of both men and women; renewed forms of participation in the administration of the common life; flexible structures; and more dynamic organizational features in view of their mission.

Secular institutes, a form of the consecrated life which has arisen in our century, are characterized by their consecration in the world or a "consecrated secularity" lived in the midst of activities which are typical of lay people. Their manner of professing the evangelical counsels, their expressions of life in these associations and their apostolate—including evangelization and witness in the world—differ according to the nature of each institute. Then too, there are the diverse characteristics of members of secular institutes, depending on whether they belong to the clergy or laity.

Men's and women's societies of apostolic life, like those of the consecrated life, are characterized by their being associated for the sake of apostolic and missionary activity. Though of great merit in the work of evangelization and mission, they are oftentimes not sufficiently known.

In addition, mention should be made of the presence of groups and communities which are coming into being or in the process of recognition as institutes of consecrated life, new forms of consecrated life or societies of apostolic life.

14. The responses gave great importance to analyzing the situation of the church and of the world today in order to understand the present state of the consecrated life. Because of its active engagement in the church and its presence in the world, it has experienced profound changes which can be understood only in the light of what has happened in recent decades in the church and society. This period of rapid changes has had a significant effect on the identity of the consecrated life and its various approaches to apostolic activity.

First of all, one should note a better understanding of the nature of consecrated life. It was Vatican Council II which offered to the consecrated life a theological framework for understanding how it belongs to the church[25] and the principles for its renewal and adaptation "to the changed conditions of our time."[26]

The first thing that must be understood about the consecrated life is that it is a gift from God through the church in the service of humanity and that there is an urgent need to revitalize the charism at its origin.

Generally it was observed that the council's invitation to renew the spirit and goal of the foundresses and founders[27] met with a twofold response. On the one hand, there was a desire for spiritual renewal, with hearts and minds centered on God, the Blessed Trinity, who is loved above all things and in whose mystery we find the source of charity. On the other hand, this spiritual renewal was undertaken with eyes turned toward the women and men of our day who comprise the world God loved so much that he gave his only Son (cf. Jn. 3:16). Gazing upon humanity with faith sharpened the ability to "read the signs of the times and interpret them in the light of the Gospel"[28] in such a way as to enable the consecrated life to respond to the Lord's call in the necessities of our times.[29]

This twofold fidelity to God and humanity which must continue to guide the consecrated life shines forth in a unique way in the person, words and life of Jesus, the Son of the Father and Son of Man, and remains the way proposed by the council which will lead to the profound renewal and authentic <aggiornamento> of the consecrated life.

15. The journey marked by the council has been neither direct nor uniform. Nevertheless, some common elements of judgment deserve to be high lighted. It has been a fruitful but difficult process in which many efforts have been made. Renewal was undertaken with enthusiasm, courage and decisiveness, and not without a share of resistance and failure. The results seem to be still insufficient and not entirely refined and concentrated. Everyone expects the synod to offer encouragement on the path opened by Vatican II.

The consecrated life, engaged in the world as it is in the church, has been subject to the strong influence of the enormous social and cultural changes of our era, which have become a genuine challenge. Without the eyes of faith to look upon the present situation of the world and society, it would be difficult to understand the changes which have occurred as well as the positive results and the abiding difficulties. Indeed, one approach which has marked the consecrated life is that of remaining open to the challenges of humanity in our times.

As in other eras there were moments of fervor and decline, suppression and restoration, reform and new foundations; so too in our age. The eyes of faith allow us to keep not only from absolutizing the negative aspects in which a search for authenticity can often be seen, but also from extolling what is positive without properly discerning its defects. Only a Gospel discernment, with eyes focused on the Lord and with attentive listening to his word, will help to reject whatever is contrary to the good and to seek whatever opens hearts to salvation so that the will of the Father, who "wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth" (1 Tm. 2:4), may be fulfilled. As the responses insist, in the midst of this situation the consecrated life, because of its total dedication to God and his service, must have a prophetic presence which in a most profound way proclaims hope, voices the message of salvation, proclaims the love of God and denounces evil and infidelity to his covenant of love.

Men and women called to imitate the Master—the members of the institutes of the consecrated life and societies of apostolic life—know that they have been chosen from the world, but that they are not of the world (cf. Jn. 15:19), that is, they know they do not belong to this world, but to Christ, and have been sent into the world by him to proclaim the Father's love. This justifies the note made by many of the responses: The consecrated life is held in esteem for its "works," but its "being" is often not understood; it is often praised for its involvement in the world, but in some areas—especially as happens through the mass media—its image is betrayed to the point that people think it is meaningless. Like Christ, it becomes a sign of contradiction.

16. As the responses indicate, it is impossible today to understand the consecrated life, its tasks and its generous initiatives without taking a realistic look at the world in which we live.

What are the circumstances in today's world which exercise a positive or negative influence on the consecrated life and present a context where consecrated persons ought to live and bear witness to the Gospel?

In this final decade of the 20th century, society is marked by great technological and scientific progress, even if this is not witnessed everywhere. Such advances offer great opportunities in today's world. In some ways positivistic tendencies have been overcome; in other ways there has been the fall of rationalistic and totalitarian ideologies which limited the horizons of human existence and claimed to build a world based on the autonomy of reason or class struggle. However, these tendencies still present themselves in society, leaving no room for the transcendent.

Today material progress could offer the possibility to improve the condition of humanity regarding nutrition, education, health care and housing, and to make earning one's bread a more humane task. However, the poor continue to be poor and new forms of poverty emerge, while paradoxically it is the poor who often show a greater sensitivity to the human values which a secular society does not esteem. Negative symptoms such as extreme nationalism and increased violence are on the rise.

The means of communication and transportation, which technology now offers, allow us to think of humanity as one large family which, while respecting different ethnic identities and cultures, is tearing down the walls of separation and moving closer toward reconciliation under the gaze of the one Father of all. The opportunities offered to Catholicism today are great, responding to the deepest aspirations of the consecrated life. Today we can think of a world of solidarity where borders do not put people in opposition as enemies, where the interchange of goods, knowledge and services can assume global dimensions. A more universal culture—taking into consideration the relations mentioned above—will also allow all peoples to become actively involved in the affairs between nations, thereby overcoming a humiliating dependency, marginalizations of various types and the barriers between North and South, and rich and poor nations.

In this context—the responses observe—consecrated persons, who in their missionary activity have in the course of history actually blazed the trails of communion among peoples, find in today's world through the growing international character of their institutes a citizenship that is natural to them and witness the opening of new frontiers to their mission, to their contribution to the universality of the people of God, to the exchange of gifts among all people and to the universal reconciliation in Christ.[30]

17. Among the values acquired by society, at least at the theoretical level and with quite a few contradictions, we find an awareness of the dignity of the person, the value of human rights, especially the right to life and freedom, respect of conscience and the right to objective truth. These values, which reflect the influence of the Gospel of Jesus in human history, have also had repercussions within the consecrated life, in the manner of understanding its role and its communal life.

The human sciences such as psychology have given us a better knowledge of the human person and the ability to treat this human nature in its entirety, with its weaknesses and strengths.

However, in this humanity in which much hope can be found, sin is also present, seeking to destroy the Father's plan to make his sons and daughters authentically human in the light of Christ, the new man. Therefore, it is necessary that human culture be evangelized at its roots by those who intend to follow Christ and serve his plan of salvation. Indeed, poverty and injustice continue to be present in this world. There remains the domination of the few over the many, not only in some countries dominated by others, but also within a given society, where side by side we find luxury and poverty, fanaticism and violence, the scourge of drugs, the loneliness experienced by many people, disdain for life from the moment of conception, attacks against the family, and the deterioration of the environment and of creation.

The responses indicate that women and men religious, consecrated persons living in the world, are not indifferent to these challenges and that they are working to build a more human world in accord with God's plan.

18. The responses also insist on offering a realistic view of today's society which can help one to understand the most difficult challenges to the consecrated life, especially in the area of the great values at the basis of their involvement, and in a special way the threefold counsel and evangelical charism of chastity, poverty and obedience.

Profound cultural changes have corroded the authentic meaning of sexuality, the idea of the family and the value of virginity and celibacy. If on the one hand, a healthy view of human sexuality has contributed to a better appreciation of the corporal and spiritual integrity of the human person, other trends have banalized the understanding of it and disrupted its balance. The technological possibility of separating the unitive and procreative dimensions of sexuality create grave challenges to the authentic meaning of human life. In the plan of salvation, voluntary celibacy for the sake of the kingdom and Christian marriage, in the light of the mystery of Christ the bridegroom and of the church, by their complementary nature show the power of love which integrates, gives of itself and is committed. It is the alternative offered by the good news of love to a sexuality that in its hedonistic expressions confines man and woman to a fleeting experience, consigning them to loneliness. Fidelity to marriage and the commitment to celibacy for the sake of the kingdom of heaven are perhaps more difficult to assume today, but in their complementarity they have become a privileged sign which must be restored to the project of true love and be seen as a mutual example of fidelity. Celibacy in particular must be a prophecy of the future definitive kingdom (cf. Mt. 22:30). However, how can we teach today a commitment as demanding as that of celibacy?

A liberal economy without any corrective measures has led to the growing stratification in living conditions resulting in the abandonment of the weak and the poor, of ethnic minorities, and of the sick and elderly, as often happens in the poorest of countries. The profit motive in the free-market economy, claimed to be the only motive for existence and relationships, leads to a moral relativism, to a culture of efficiency which obscures the sense of a free act of generosity, of poverty and evangelical simplicity. The organization of civil life has often offered the bad example of those who seek their own advantage through the exercise of power. If a culture with these characteristics threatens the soul of Christian life and the consecrated life itself, it offers those persons committed to the imitation of the poor Christ the opportunity to live the Gospel of the Beatitudes and alleviate the suffering of so many people whose failure to share in progress has left them at the fringes of society. How can a more credible witness of poverty in today's world be achieved?

Today's insistence in culture on personal autonomy and on fulfillment, as understood by one's subjective conscience creates difficulties affecting obedience, the acceptance of traditions, the objective limitations created by law, sacrifice and the mortification of one's own will for the sake of the broader common good. Frequently the very idea of solidarity is debased by the prevalence of an individualistic logic, thus presenting new problems threatening the meaning of obedience and leading to risks of individualism. At the same time, through turning from individualism, the situation poses the possibility of rediscovering the genuine meaning of obedience for love of the Lord and his kingdom in order to come together in communion and mission, with eyes fixed on Christ, the Son and obedient servant, and on Mary, the handmaid of the Lord, called to collaborate in the mystery of salvation.

Today it is difficult for many people to make fundamental and lasting commitments. There is also a crisis in the idea of vocation and of giving oneself in a lifelong manner. Some ask if it is possible to consider the possibility of a consecrated life made for a temporary period of commitment with a view to more mature choices, as can be found in other forms of religion or other cultures. The choice of an absolute ideal, and an offering of self to God and the service of others, is a source of meaning which humanizes and is a gift of self to humanity. For this reason, persons consecrated to a single ideal, which does not pass away, are living signs of those transcendent values for which a person lives and even dies. In our day there is no lack of persons who have followed Christ to the point of sacrificing their life, rendering through their martyrdom a sign which is the supreme proof of love.

19. One characteristic of our times is a culture of images which has become widespread through the audiovisual media. On the one hand such a culture should be appreciated for its closeness to Christianity, which seeks to go from the visible to the invisible through the use of signs and liturgical symbols as instruments of salvation and elevates humanity through the goods of beauty and art. However, this culture of images is often turned into a culture of fleeting and superficial pleasure.

The world of communication also enters into the areas of the consecrated life. However, those who have chosen God cannot lose the interior quality of a life which is nourished by contemplation of what cannot be seen with human eyes. Consecrated persons, in love with God, the All-Beautiful, are called to bear witness to the beauty which can save the world in celebrating the liturgy, in harmonious relationships, in promoting what is true, beautiful, good and just. In the contemplative dimension they can bear witness to and promote the paths that lead to mystery, which is the origin of everything beautiful, and to the interiority which gives meaning to daily work.

Material progress often leads to a society in which consumerism becomes an end in itself. Abandoning the transcendent dimension, it ends up in religious indifferentism, relativism and secularism. In this case, it is urgently necessary to regain the true meaning of life and the world which, despite their beauty aspects, have lost their appeal and mystery.

20. "The awareness that women, because of their own gifts and tasks, have their own specific vocation has increased and been deepened in the years following the council and has found its fundamental inspiration in the Gospel and in the church's history."[31] This explains the development of a consciousness concerning consecrated women and their presence in recent decades in various areas, a phenomenon which coincides with a clarification of sociological and theological presuppositions, a greater involvement in interpreting the foundational charisms, a more decisive development in formation and the assumption of responsibility in the consecrated life. However, adherence to extreme present-day forms of the feminist movement has led to spiritual disorientation in the consecrated life in some countries.

Consecrated women in their personal lives and in their work in evangelization today find themselves at a crossroads of the signs of the times. They recognize the importance of their contribution to an understanding of the mystery of Christ and want to make resplendent the countenance of God, the source of new life. This femininity, which finds its archetype in Mary of Nazareth, is a clarion call to the whole church. Whenever we think of the mother of Jesus as the bearer of life and her action of embracing salvation, or of Mary Magdalene and the other women, the first "evangelists" of the Lord's resurrection, the role of women in the church can be more deeply understood. Indeed, "it is quite clear from the words and attitude of Christ, which are normative for the church, that no discrimination exists on the level of an individual's relation to Christ, in which 'there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus' (Gal. 3:28.)"[32]

Women—including consecrated women—in reciprocity and complementarity with men, ought to assume all their responsibilities in society and in the church with the contribution and wealth of their feminine nature. This is an urgent challenge presented by today's culture. Bishops are called to discern and offer guidance in all that concerns consecrated women. These confidently look to them for a helpful word.

21. This assortment of movements and transformations in culture—described above on the basis of the responses—has an effect on the meaning of consecrated life for today's men and women as well as for the young people of this era, who are faced with vocational choices for the future.

Many of the situations already described have had a refining influence on the consecrated life. Recent decades have witnessed many defections, notable crises and an acute decline in vocations in some countries. Today the consecrated life is faced with the task of reformulating the fundamental nature of its charismatic origins. At the same time, purified from the ambiguous motivations which in other eras could have had an influence on this choice, it offers the uncertainties of the human heart the free and generous response leading to the full realization of persons in their dedication to God through the evangelical counsels, in communion with the Master and following him, in which is found the seed of a new humanity, one with greater solidarity, fraternity and joy.

In an era of change such as ours it seems that many people are still uncertain about what concrete, renewed forms will give meaning to life and will have the capacity to survive. A whole generation can pass during the time of uncertainty and searching. However, as many responses affirm, today the consecrated life has the courage to give itself still to the profession of the evangelical counsels as a great plan of God offering Christ's faithful—the women and men of our age—a fullness of meaning and joy rooted in the word and example of Christ himself.

At a time when utopianism seems to be fading and pragmatism runs the risk of making society close in upon itself, all Christians—men and women religious, those who are consecrated in the world and everyone according to their vocation—remind others that today it is possible to live day by day with the power of hope and faith. For this very reason the poor, the sick, the little ones and those who have lost life's meaning can be evangelized and witness around them the rebirth of hope. Consecrated persons must also bear witness in today's world to that fullness of joy which Jesus promised his disciples (cf. Jn. 15: 11).

22. In the midst of this profound cultural change, following the call of the church, the consecrated life has traveled a path of renewal with lights and shadows. The responses are in relative agreement in describing positive and negative aspects as well as in offering signs of hope. A summary of points which enjoy a certain degree of unanimity will help give an awareness of the path which lies ahead.

There is sufficient agreement on the positive evaluation of the progress which has taken place in the theology of the consecrated life in the areas of Christology, pneumatology and ecclesiology and in the treatment of the consecrated life as a fruit of the Second Vatican Council in later documents of the magisterium and in theological discussion and research.

Many responses affirm that in harmony with the church's liturgical renewal in recent decades, new value has been given in all forms of the consecrated life to participation in the eucharist and the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours and the sacraments. The rites of religious profession themselves have been renewed. Men and women religious have made a great contribution to the work of liturgical renewal. Many communities, especially the monastic and contemplative ones, are points of reference for the celebration of the liturgy and the promotion of liturgical worship.

Forms of piety have been progressively updated and greater importance has been given to contemplative prayer. On many occasion today this takes on the form of shared prayer—shared also with the laity—for a mutual growth in experiencing God and uplifting each other.

In response to the council,[33] the word of God today is better known, read and meditated upon. It is found in the hands and hearts of consecrated persons in the form of <lectio divina,> contemplative meditation and sharing of the word as it is lived and meditated upon both within and outside the community. The biblical renewal has been shown to be of decisive value. In the light of the word there has been a rediscovery and actualization of the charism of the consecrated life, a better evaluation of its spirituality and a better knowledge of the centrality of the imitation of Christ in order to be his disciples and apostles.

The awareness of baptismal consecration as the root of self-giving to God through the evangelical counsels[34] has created an understanding of the ecclesiality of the consecrated life and of its proper vocation and mission, perceiving them with a renewed sense of communion with the other members of the people of God: bishops, priests, deacons and laity. As a consequence this has led to a more harmonious and greater engagement of the consecrated life in the particular churches and a generous participation in the evangelizing mission of the church.

23. Among the choicest fruits of the council we find a desire to return to the sources,[35] the rediscovery of charisms, a renewed love for the founders and foundresses, the study of their writings and of the spiritual tradition of one's own family, and, in light of charisms, a renewed inspiration of legislative texts. This re-evaluation of charisms has given in this age new vitality and vigor to the consecrated life. From this comes a better integration of spirituality and mission.

Among the results of renewal, the responses frequently highlight the evangelical option for the poor as a concrete form of sharing in the poverty of the disadvantaged and of expressing charity toward the little ones, a charity which was a privileged choice of many founders and foundresses. This has often allowed the consecrated life to become more actively involved in densely populated areas and had an influence on a more simple lifestyle and in the discernment and adaptation of apostolic works. This nearness to the people, frequently to the marginalized and abandoned, has brought about a growth of human and evangelical solidarity as well as of a commitment to justice and human advancement which today are seen as integral aspects of the new evangelization. Oftentimes, the poor themselves, with their profound sense of God, have evangelized the women and men religious living among them. Those who live the consecrated life have been invited by the poor to live a more incarnational spirituality and to be attentive to history and the signs of the times. This in turn has fostered an awareness of the dimensions of prophecy and martyrdom and prompted consecrated persons to take positions in the front lines, even to risking their lives.

A sign of renewal is the work done by all the institutes in adapting their proper legislation. This work has required years of reflection, study and dialogue and has had positive results in the regaining and making relevant values based on charisms and in making renewed proposals for the legislative framework which unites and commits all members of institutes.

Mutual esteem among the institutes, reciprocal help, collaboration and inter-congregational formation programs are also a positive result in recent decades.

We should value the efforts at renewal at work in the structures and methods of formation. There is an awareness of the necessity of formation, one that is spiritual, biblical, theological, pastoral and in some cases even professional. There is concern to pay greater attention to the person with a view to effective growth and maturation in all aspects. There is an awareness of the need for ongoing formation, of training formation personnel and of the role of the community in the formation process.

The post-conciliar period has also shed light on the necessity of profoundly renewing the apostolic mission of the institutes, taking into account their charisms, the needs of the times and concrete situations, and taking a new look at the works themselves, the style in which they are performed, the possibility of their continued existence and the places where they are carried out. We can, however, ask if some institutes' abandonment of certain works in the areas of the education of children and young people and in the care of the sick has not impoverished their presence in society and in the church's evangelizing activity.

The desire of the council, which invited religious and secular institutes to begin new foundations in the younger churches using a new style of adaptation to the religious values, culture and needs of people,[36] has developed a sense of inculturation and its urgency, especially in this moment of grace in which vocations are flourishing in the younger churches.

The continued attention and guidance of the church's magisterium in recent decades has been very positive as well as the contribution of some documents which have been produced by episcopal conferences. This celebration of the Synod of Bishops, the expressed wish of the Holy Father Pope John Paul II, is a sign of hope and encouragement for all and an occasion to help the seeds of hope to grow.

24. In efforts at renewal, community life has undergone significant changes in recent decades. The common life, seen from the perspective of poverty (uniformity in food, clothing and other goods) had led many religious institutes—and sometimes societies of apostolic life too—to live a rather conventual form of community life, at times even monastic, without due regard for differences among institutes by their very nature. The post-conciliar reflection has fostered an evolution in the understanding of the common life, centered on the dimension of mystery, based on the theological reality of a life of fraternal communion.

Many institutes of apostolic and missionary life have desired to rethink and make more flexible their manner of living and their community structures so as to respond better to their own nature and purpose.

A deeper understanding of the value of the person has been expressed in the search for more simple relationships among the members of the community, marked by greater mutual esteem and respect, while giving less emphasis to differences of a cultural or functional nature. Wherever this has occurred, it has been easier to create understanding among individuals and a more sincere dialogue with superiors. Various forms of participation in decision making have come into being regarding both the internal life of the community and apostolic activity.

In some places the lower number of vocations has created new problems in community life. On the one hand there are rather large numbers of elderly and infirm members in the community; on the other hand, the younger generations desire for a more immediate contact with the people and a special closeness to the poorest of the poor, has led to the disappearance of large-scale works and the formation of "small communities based on common interest" formed by people having the same image of religious life and the same goals for the apostolate. Although on the positive side this kind of small community has allowed the members to overcome the anonymity and individualism to which large communities can too easily contribute, it nevertheless causes a number of problems, in that it risks creating a type of "corporate individualism" with respect to the rest of the institute, causing harm to the unity of the institute.

In the light of the council's directives,[37] the exercise of authority has been renewed in many places and seen as a service to the spiritual, apostolic and fraternal revitalization of communities, allowing greater closeness between superiors and subjects. The responses positively evaluate the shift from a passive obedience to an obedience of greater dialogue and participation.

Nevertheless, individualism and authoritarianism are always a strong temptation and are destructive of the life of fraternal communion. The excessive dependence on former times has sometimes been replaced not by a balanced participation but by independence under the stimulus of democratic ideas which are not appropriate to the life of the church and consecrated life. The renewal of institutes cannot be based on sociology factors, but only on the rediscovery of the specific nature of the foundational charism. Only in the light of the theology of the consecrated life in general and of the religious life in particular can discernment be made as to the validity of the following experiences or suggestions: "small communities based on common interests" and so- called "inclusive communities," that is, those composed of people with vows and without vows, of different ages, cultures and including lay people—married or single—diocesan clergy, etc.; the dispersion of communities; communities composed also of members with temporary commitment; and more democratic methods of participating in administration.

25. This broad-based, positive renewal process described above must also be completed with the list of negative aspects also emerging in the responses. It is therefore essential to make an objective analysis of the negative phenomena, which must not always be attributed to the process of renewal. It is important to note that many of the difficulties have been faced and overcome at a time in which the consecrated life is advancing toward a new era in its 2,000-year history, and for which it awaits encouragement and a new thrust.

Many agree in stating that the changes in society and the church have caused disorientation, fears, insecurity and a lack of balance. There have been divisions within institutes. There has been a lack of formation toward legitimate pluralism and dialogue within communities and the church. Tensions have arisen within institutes and communities, tensions even with the ecclesiastical hierarchy. Lacking is a pedagogy of change which today has its effects on consecrated life—also on many social institutions—and has its roots not only in factors internal to the church, but in the profound cultural changes in our times.

There is need in these days for a great evangelical discernment in seeking the Lord's will. Apostolic works have been abandoned without mature deliberation, and changes were made with greater attention to the structures than to the spirit which should pervade them. It is not uncommon—the responses note that a certain type of traditionalism not open to dialogue has created resistance to the changes, holding as sacred and unchanging certain customs, forms and works which have come about over the course of time. Sometimes tensions have arisen because of mutually exclusive concepts, without taking account of the fact that different lifestyles and apostolic works can be complementary and that they can support and enrich one another, even within the same family.

The responses contain other negative evaluations. The openness to the signs of the times and even the option for the poor have generated in some an ideological and political choice which has even led to the loss of their own identity. In some cases the legitimate desire to respond to the signs of the times and a greater presence in the world has become merely an adaptation, which has led to the weakening and irrelevancy of the public witness of the consecrated life, and in extreme cases, to an indiscriminate imitation of the secularized, conventional culture. Some note to their regret that many men and women religious have abandoned the sign of the habit proper to their institute. Others mention that a certain search for comfort has banalized the more genuine motivation of the evangelical counsels and has weakened the missionary spirit. For some the fact that some institutes enjoy economic security and possess collective wealth, in contrast with the poor areas where they live, is seen also as a lack of an authentic witness of poverty.

Many deplore the lack of balance between prayer and action and the serious risk of activism. Others note that changes not in conformity with the church's discipline have been introduced into liturgical celebrations. Many formal structures of traditional observance which furnished support in the past have disappeared and have not been replaced by other values. For some people this has created the lack of a proper personal discipline necessary for confronting new situations. Many have noted a spiritual vacuum and a loss of the striving toward transcendent values. Some people hold that this is also due to questions raised in recent decades in the fields of exegesis, theology and morality, questions which ate not harmoniously integrated in one's personal search and the option of faith.

26. For many institutes the number of defections and the progressive decline in vocations has been—and still is—a trial, a genuine test of hope. There is fear for the survival of many communities and their works because of a lack of personnel in the near future. In some regions—many of the responses note—young men and women do not have an appreciation of a vocation to the consecrated life. But elsewhere there is the danger that in seeking the survival of apostolic works the necessary rigorous vocational discernment will not be respected. Some speak about cases of a frantic vocational recruitment of members from the younger churches, who are then uprooted from their cultural environment.

The responses present many difficulties at the level of formation. It has not been easy to find formation personnel capable of confronting significant cultural changes. Frequently, especially in the early moments of the crisis, those in charge of formation responded more from their own past experience than to the new needs and requests of young people. It has not been easy to foster formative processes capable of integrating elements coming, on the one hand, from a sound sociology and psychology and, on the other, from theology, spirituality or pastoral ministry. Such an integration is necessary for the formation of candidates. There was a lack of knowledge on how to combine an authentic sense of tradition with an openness to new values. Sometimes there was an excess of psychology or sociology. There was opposition between the urgent needs of the apostolate and the need for a solid intellectual formation. The overcoming of excessively formal structures has in some cases produced a crisis in institutions and forms of consecrated life where strength of character and conviction is lacking for confronting difficult periods. The exercise of freedom also requires training in prudence and affective maturity. Adequate means have not always been found, and the inadequate ones were often the cause of extremes and defections.

Others note that today's theological and pastoral appreciation of the laity, if improperly seen as being in opposition to consecrated life and not integrated into an ecclesiology of communion, leads to a doctrinal and affective devaluation of the consecrated life by young people. With this improper understanding the laity, especially those belonging to ecclesial organizations, are seen as having more opportunities today to express their commitment to the Gospel.

Many responses emphasize that the improved involvement of the consecrated life in the local churches has created problems regarding the just autonomy of institutes. Both parties—bishops and religious alike—note that mutual relations have not been properly achieved. Several episcopal conferences express their regret over difficulties in involving men and women religious in the diocesan apostolate because they are too frequently changed by their superiors. Others, however, mention that an excessive identification with such an apostolate, as happens in parishes entrusted to religious, can generate a loss of their own identity and fidelity to the spirituality and mission of their own institute.

27. The responses from the episcopal conferences reveal a situation which is diversified according to various cultural and geographical areas. In the countries of the Northern Hemisphere members of institutes of consecrated life are aging and decreasing in number. In the countries of the Southern Hemisphere the opposite is happening; they are becoming younger and more numerous. In geographic terms there is a shift from North to South and from West to East.

It is a question of a process which brings with it the following: a certain crisis in tradition and in openness to the new; the loss of uniformity and the growth of pluralism; the lessening of the significance of the consecrated life and the number of consecrated persons in some nations; a tendency toward processes of inculturation; and an increased engagement in local churches as well as the heightened involvement of members of institutes of consecrated life in those places where it is growing and becoming rejuvenated.

Such a phenomenon implies an effort to be faithful to the institute's proper identity and charism and a prudent plan of development, especially in those countries where it is in its initial stages, albeit very promising from the point of view of new forms, mission and spirituality.

An awareness of the variety of situations is important so as not to have too restrictive a vision of the reality of the consecrated life, which is such that it participates in the universality of the people of God through a presence expressing a strong sense of the church's catholicity. An important quality of the consecrated life is its ability to relativize differences and cultural expressions in a certain manner by highlighting the importance of the evangelical counsels, which assume and transcend individual values, directing them toward the one God, the author of all gifts.

28. In some Western countries, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, there is the great challenge presented by the aging of persons and the statistical projections that some institutes will find it difficult to survive. In these circumstances the number of vocations is insufficient for maintaining communities and their apostolic work. This situation involves a series of questions regarding the essential aspects of institutes and their traditional apostolates, and the dilemma between bold steps in mission or passive resignation. Some institutes are questioning the sense of their own identity and survival. In this regard what choices are to be made and what would be the approach in formation and the work of recruiting new vocations?

Formation in all its phases and forms (initial, ongoing, inter-congregational, etc.) must face unexpected problems created by a situation of change for which traditional presuppositions seem to be inadequate. Sometimes the continuation of apostolic works is not ensured and frequently they are turned over to the state. Communities which have grown smaller must resolve economic problems imposed by society and ensure a growing dedication to their own elderly and infirm members. For persons who do not have the same spiritual youth they once had, ongoing formation becomes the challenge of an authentic conversion. Living their own vocation means facing the present moment with enlightened responses.

In European nations the consecrated life is called to respond to questions posed by the new culture and to be active in reweaving the Christian fabric of society. This is to be done with a courageous presence and confidence in the spiritual resources of its charisms, which are communicated in wisdom and works so as to make the spiritual and apostolic witness more incisive and effective where the number of persons and works is in decline.

Some responses ask for a proper evaluation of the situation in some regions like North America where local conditions present challenges to the consecrated life in culture, society and the church. Equal opportunity for education for all has increased women's role in academic and administrative responsibilities, and consequently leads to a greater openness to their responsibility in the church and a positive appreciation of the traditions of freedom to speak, to express oneself and to act. Differences in the perception of the value of the structure and forms of consecrated life have made dialogue difficult and created a marked division between opposing tendencies in how to interpret renewal. Furthermore, the problems posed by immigration in recent decades do not seem to have received an adequate response of acceptance and mission within the consecrated life.

In the nations of Eastern Europe, especially in those which have only recently had a taste of freedom, vocations are flourishing. However, it is not easy to provide for a proper formation. Many women and men religious have lived alone for so long it is difficult for them to return to community living. For others who have been involved in parish ministry, it is important to make a return to their specific apostolate for the good of the particular churches. The consecrated life can perform important tasks in ecumenical dialogue and in the process of re-evangelization and of the promotion of culture in such a way as to reweave the anthropological and social fabric of society, which was so seriously damaged by the totalitarian regimes.

A courageous contribution is awaited on the part of consecrated persons to the new evangelization, a cultural reawakening and a spiritual renewal which can oppose the weakness of philosophical thought, moral permissiveness, dissatisfaction with consumerism and the dissolution of the Christian which can lead to an impersonal piety or recourse to the sects.

29. In some geographical areas of the Southern Hemisphere vocations abound and new religious institutes are flourishing. The younger churches are blessed with many vocations, although in some areas there is a certain decrease. It is not easy to ensure an adequate formation for a future different from that known to the missionaries who fostered the birth of the consecrated life in these nations. Some episcopal conferences ask that vocations not be uprooted from their cultural and ecclesial environment, at least not in the early years of formation.

In the responses greater emphasis was given to inculturation and dialogue with other religious traditions. Great importance was given, as a factor of unity, to the witness borne by consecrated persons of different nationalities who live and fulfill their mission together.

In Africa the consecrated life is asked to make better use of traditional elements such as respect for the elderly and ancestors, the importance of hospitality and the possibility of helping one's own family members. What is required is a capacity to be rooted in the wisdom of the peoples, in the pedagogical processes of initiation and personal growth, and in liturgical inculturation. Those who give themselves to God must live in harmony with the demands of asceticism, prayer and charity. Sometimes people cannot see the witness of poverty when consecrated persons live with a certain amount of security while the people around them suffer from need. The consecrated life should give an example of a simple life, a commitment in daily work, participation in processes for transforming society and a more harmonious involvement in small communities. There is a strong need to continue patiently in interreligious dialogue, especially between Christians and Muslims, even if significant difficulties are presented by the influence of sects, with whom dialogue is difficult.

Asia, with its nations of great size and population, is the cradle of some of the great religions of the world and the continent where Christianity still has relatively few followers. The responses highlight the role played in the past by institutes of consecrated life and many societies of apostolic life of missionary character and the importance of their presence in the future for proclamation and interreligious dialogue. Common witness to the values of the great religions is necessary so as to make interreligious dialogue progress with a simple and profound life, a shared spiritual outlook and compassion for all. In some nations vocations abound. Consecrated persons have the opportunity to encounter others through social institutions such as hospitals, schools and clinics which allow them to come in contact with many people who are not reached through parish activities. In some nations economic development is accompanied by organized groups which exploit women and force children to work and, unfortunately, to take part in vice. The consecrated life can do much to help the poor liberate themselves from some of these conditions which frequently reveal the loss of traditional values because of the spread of materialism. The presence of forms of contemplative consecrated life fosters a testimony on behalf of the Absolute and promotes interreligious dialogue. An important challenge to consecrated life for the immediate future is the assumption of positions of administration within institutes by native persons.

In the Middle East, the cradle of Christianity and of ancient monasticism, there are relatively few followers of the consecrated life. Nevertheless, these persons have a particular mission of presence, communion with other Christian churches, and the witness of prayer and charity toward non-Christians.

Men and women religious form an important part of the church in Latin America, where vocations are relatively numerous. Their role in evangelization has been decisive. In recent decades, attentiveness to people's suffering and closeness to those in processes of change have caused religious to be in the vanguard of the cause of justice on behalf of the poor, of indigenous peoples and of the marginalized. Many of them have paid for their involvement with their life. A well-understood theology of liberation and attention to the analysis of social structures from the point of view of a faith vision have helped—and continue to help—consecrated persons to hear the cry of the poor. In some circumstances there have been tensions between religious and bishops. The dialogue recently undertaken with greater vigor is promising. An important challenge is the presence and greater responsibility of native vocations to the consecrated life. Apostolic activity has been hampered by the sects, while the mass media have an enormous impact on the creation of a mass culture, which is quite different from the traditional human and religious mentality of the Latin American people. The magisterium of John Paul II and the meeting of the Latin American episcopate in Santo Domingo recently offered some valuable guidelines for the future of the consecrated life in Latin America.[38]

For some countries of Oceania and the Pacific the emergence of new nations is posing problems similar to those in Africa. The responses indicate that at such times the key is what form of inculturation to be proposed in the new evangelization. Other responses mention the need to promote forms of contemplative life which are closer to the people.

30. The majority of responses make reference to the state of the institutes of apostolic religious life—both for men and for women—already amply presented above. Yet many responses seem to ignore the existence of various forms of consecrated life and the specific problems related to them. A complete treatment of the consecrated life, however, demands that we take into account some specific problems concerning certain forms of the consecrated life—and forms assimilated to it—not in order to exclude other realities, but to look at some meritorious aspects in the context of a universal vision of the church which does not ignore forms of consecrated life that may be less significant in size but no less deserving of proper attention.

31. Numerous are the responses which concern the institutes of contemplative life. From them emerges the church's esteem for this type of life, which manifests with an apostolic fruitfulness the primacy of God, the dimension of prayer, asceticism and charity in fraternal communion. Many bishops express their gratitude for the gift of such oases of prayer; and many others would like to have them in their own dioceses. The contemplative life continues to flourish. In the future, expectations call for fidelity to its proper vocation according to the guidelines of the magisterium.[39]

The responses offer some specific questions coming directly from monasteries of women or proposed through episcopal conferences.

Some groups express their attachment to the traditional values of enclosure and ask that these be confirmed. Others ask that particular attention be given to the forms of contemplative life for women so that, while respecting individual charisms, suitable legislation be drawn up regarding enclosure to promote communication and to facilitate a proper formation.

Although many people still choose the contemplative life, the vocation to this type of life is frequently not understood, not even by priests and the faithful. In present-day circumstances insistence is placed on the need for a solid initial and ongoing formation following the church's directives.[40] This formation would be in Scripture, theology, liturgy and spirituality, in conformity with the kind of life to be led and according to the proper charism of the contemplative life.

Many monasteries demonstrate an openness to the needs of the universal and local churches and an active participation in the life of the diocese in which they are harmoniously engaged, as well as in their own spiritual family. However, some of them appear isolated and removed from authentic participation in the life of the church.

Many responses express the desire that through associations and federations a suitable balance might be achieved between promoting growth in communion and collaboration and respecting autonomy.

Many episcopal conferences express some of the following desires: that the contemplative life have a more visible presence in the local church; that it be a model of liturgical life and prayer; that it bear testimony to the primacy of God; and that it offers warm hospitality according to its proper tradition. In this way the monasteries can be spiritual oases where priests, seminarians, religious and lay people can restore their spirit and find spiritual energy. Their presence is particularly appreciated in the younger churches where they recall the council's invitation to adapt in proper fashion to the authentically religious traditions of diverse peoples.[41]

The monks and nuns of both East and West are asked, in fidelity to their liturgical and cultural traditions, to make their monasteries centers of spiritual outreach, of hospitality for the people of our day in the search for God and, according to their own traditions, true laboratories of thought and culture for today's world.

32. Particular attention is given to the vocation and mission of lay brothers in the lay institutes and in clerical institutes as well as in those which embrace clerics and lay brothers.

Many people overlook the fact that by its very nature the consecrated life is neither clerical nor lay, and that it was predominantly lay in its origin, especially in the East. They have the impression that the vocation of the lay brother is incomplete in that it lacks the priesthood.

The responses ask that, following the magisterium,[42] there be a reaffirmation of the value, fullness and importance of the lay religious life, both in lay institutes and in clerical and mixed ones. Indeed, such a form of consecrated life is a full expression of religious consecration and the common priesthood of the baptized. The presence of lay brothers in a community is an expression of fellowship in Christ. Furthermore, the various lay "ministries,"[43] both internal and external to the community, when exercised in accordance with the charism of each institute, are a participation in the ministerial nature of the church for the spread of the Gospel throughout the world. Above all, through consecrated chastity lay brothers are a sign of the presence of the kingdom and of the values which transcend all fleeting things.

It is desirable that lay brothers be given an integral formation: human, theological, pastoral and professional.

The synod is asked to resolve the question of the lay brothers' participation in the administration of clerical institutes and those with clerics and lay brothers in such a manner that this might be regulated by the particular legislation of individual institutes, with due respect for their nature and tradition.

It is hoped that, in communion and collaboration, the sharing of the spirituality of lay congregations with lay associates might be promoted without jeopardy to their identity.

33. By the profession of the evangelical counsels, members of secular institutes express and realize their consecration in apostolic activity and, like leaven, seek to permeate every reality with a Gospel spirit in order to strengthen the body of Christ and help it grow. Their specific character, following the documents <Provida Mater Ecclesia> and <Primo Feliciter> of Pius XI, is outlined by the Second Vatican Council, by canonical legislation, as well as by other magisterial interventions of Paul VI and John Paul II.[44] The responses emphasize the lasting value of these documents with regard to their identity and mission, and also in light of the new evangelization.

Combining a secular nature and consecration creates a new melding of the presence of the Gospel and of the church in society, providing a great ability in adapting to the new demands arising from social, cultural, political and economic life. Making Christ and the secular dimension of the church present in the world, the members of these institutes, inspired by a Gospel outlook, are an example to lay people in the workplaces, combining the faith and a life of consecration with a typically secular mission. The <consecratio mundi> should begin and find its desired fulfillment from within the very lives of the members of secular institutes, all through a spirituality characterized by their presence in secular structures.

There is no distinction of clerical members of secular institutes from other clerics, nor are the lay members distinct from other lay people in their external life. Their special nature lies in their profession of the evangelical counsels in the world done in a multiplicity of ways and exercised with a spiritual and apostolic emphasis proper to each institute's charism.

The responses emphasize the necessity of giving full value to this vocation which is in deep harmony with the situation of today's society. At the same time the responses mention that it should be clearly distinguished from the religious and lay vocations. They point out the necessity of defining a specific spirituality and fostering an adequate formation so that persons might be prepared to face the difficult pioneering tasks which are theirs. Where the lifestyle depends on each institute, the members should not be deprived of the support of a manner of living which can promote communion and vocational growth.

Many responses ask for a better explanation of the specific vocation of their members, which is different from that of religious and lay people, and their specific participation in the church's evangelizing mission. Others emphasize the great value of their apostolate in society and the church. Some note the great opportunities enjoyed by the consecrated laity in working in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, and in drawing near to those who have grown distant. Some exhibit some difficulty in acting as leaven within society through their witness and in becoming engaged in the diocesan or parish ministry because of the discrete and private nature of their vocation. Others ask for a clarification, according to the various charisms, of their direct participation in evangelization as a realization of the priestly, prophetic and kingly office of all the baptized.

Finally, some express the desire for a clarification of the nature of clerical secular institutes and their specific character in relation to lay secular institutes.

34. Various responses speak about consecrated virgins, pointing out that their number is growing in the church due to the special nature of their consecration, the simplicity and adaptability of their structure, and the flexibility of canon law regarding their members and associations.

Consecrated virgins are "sacred persons" with a particular emphasis on the mystical espousal with the Lord and manifest publicly Christ's union with the church. The Rite of Consecration of Virgins clearly expresses the meaning of their vocation in the light of tradition and the special circumstances of our times. Their charism implies a total gift of self to Christ and presupposes the observance of the evangelical counsels according to the various individual or associative forms of life[45] and through explicitly stated norms which take into account their specific ecclesial service.

The consecrated virgins' participation in the church's public prayer and the character of their spiritual makeup render them particularly suitable for performing service within the church. The church, while seeing to their proper formation, accepts their vocation and consecration, and counts on their mission. Depending on their vocation and preparation, they are called to work in the church's institutions and collaborate in the fields of culture and society, or participate in the church's mission in bearing witness and spreading the Gospel. Their model is Mary, the mother of Jesus, in her virginal consecration, her spiritual motherhood and her dedication to the service of the Lord and his church.

At present there is special need of criteria for developing more fully the specific norms for individual consecrated virgins and associations, and for maintaining their specific nature and better delineating their vocation and mission. The bishops, upon whom consecrated virgins depend, are also asked to make a realistic study of how to meet spiritual and temporal needs of these consecrated persons, especially of those who are not in associations with others.

Some responses ask if a similar type of personal consecration for men should not be encouraged.

Likewise, the church recognizes the status of widows who publicly profess chastity in the world.[46] Various responses refer to consecrated widows and to a special rite of blessing for widows and the existence of groups of consecrated widows. In all these cases it is a question of individuals who make a public consecration of their state in order to give new life to their baptismal vocation through the vow of perpetual chastity. In this way they express their desire to live in a spirit of poverty and obedience in order to be signs of the kingdom of God and to devote themselves to prayer and the service of the church.

The synod is asked to keep in mind the vocation of persons to the order of widows, as ancient as the church yet today undergoing a rebirth, so as to further clarify the diversity to be adopted in undertaking the evangelical counsels, the manner of preparing for public profession and the type of relationship to one's family.

35. The church acknowledges the existence of anchorites or hermits in both East and West, even though there is a difference in the idea behind their vocation.

In the Eastern churches the eremitical vocation is lived within monasteries and regulated by special norms and by dependence on a superior or on the bishop if the hermit lives outside the monastery. It is permitted, however, to constitute by particular law other types of ascetics who imitate the eremitical life, both within institutes of consecrated life or outside of them.[47] In the Latin church the hermit is recognized as being dedicated to God in the consecrated life if by vow or other sacred bond he publicly professes the three evangelical counsels in the presence of the diocesan bishop and observes his own norm of life under the bishop's guidance.[48]

The responses confirm a flourishing of this vocation and the existence of many hermits—both clerics and laymen, women and men—who live in solitude, in monasteries, in hermitages or even in the midst of people. Some religious institutes and monasteries admit the possibility of the eremitical life or the temporary choice of this experience. In this vocation many see a sign of the encounter between the cultures of the East and the West, a form of spiritual ecumenism and a new, concrete expression of total dedication to the praise of God and to penance for the salvation of the world.

In regard to hermits, there is an urgent need to clarify the conditions for accepting them, the process of discerning this vocation, and the necessary formation and spiritual guidance, as well as the way in which they become an active part of the particular churches. Possibilities should also be investigated to ensure their participation in the eucharist if they are not priests.

36. Societies of apostolic life, both of women and of men, are comparable (<accedunt>) to institutes of consecrated life but are different from them and from other forms of consecrated life in that the basis of their identity is not that of consecration through the profession of the evangelical counsels but the full realization of the grace of baptism, and in case of the priesthood through their proper apostolic ministry. They live their own style of fraternal life in community and tend to the perfection of charity through the observance of the constitutions approved by the Holy See or the bishop, as the case may be. There are, however, societies whose members assume the evangelical counsels by some special bond defined by the constitutions.[49] The Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches admits of the existence of societies of common life "<ad instar religiosorum.>"[50]

In the history of the church many societies of apostolic life have achieved renown due to their apostolic dedication, their contribution to the mission <ad gentes> and their founding of many younger churches which are flourishing today. The responses often note that they are not known well enough and that their specific identity is not clearly understood.

The societies of apostolic life are experiencing problems similar to those of the institutes of the consecrated life, especially in their confrontation with the secularization of traditions and the small numbers in vocations in certain countries. Nevertheless, the call to the new evangelization and the particular vocation to the mission <ad gentes> naturally dispose these societies to a generous contribution to the new springtime of the Gospel which the church is beginning today with great hope.[51]

37. Many responses express the need to offer some clarifications about the new forms of evangelical life which have been springing up and becoming established in various places in recent decades. The renewal of all the people of God is brought about by the Spirit through the reinvigorating of the forms of life that already exist and through raising up new ones in the course of history in response to the needs of the church.

The forms tested throughout history transmit the church's spiritual heritage to new forms, which through their birth and development communicate to them in turn a Gospel freshness and a missionary thrust.

A primary discernment is necessary, consisting in weighing whether or not the new forms are in continuity with what is essential to the consecrated life through the profession of the evangelical counsels. Another aspect to be clarified is whether or not it involves groups of evangelical life which fit into one of the existing canonical forms. If new groups fit into already sanctioned forms, according to the original inspiration of the founders, they are approved as such. It would then be a question not of new forms, but of new institutes or societies.

The problem arises concerning those groups which, although having a great variety of expressions, are marked by a lack of uniformity in their composition such as: groups of men and women; groups where some members profess the evangelical counsels, even perpetually, while others do not; groups in which some live in apostolic communities, others in communities of a monastic type and still others who live alone in a form of consecration in the world; and groups where some are admitted to sacred orders. In some of these groups there are also families, some of whom live together while others do not. They all depend on a single president or moderator, although as a whole the entity is expressed in various branches with different persons in authority. As to the style of evangelical life, they are often characterized by strong austerity, intense prayer, the restoration of sound forms of traditional devotion, the participation of all in domestic and manual labor, simple relationships and a limited number of members. The apostolate of such groups is for the most part the following: a missionary outreach to those who are "separated" and those who have never received the Gospel; involvement in the "new evangelization"; ecumenical openness; closeness to the poor and the marginalized of every kind; and active involvement in parish structures.

Although expressed in a variety of ways, the inspiration which unites them requires a unity which is not only spiritual but structural as well. Therefore it would be a restriction of their nature and charismatic newness if canonical approval as separate entities were to be given to the various branches or sectors in accordance with previously sanctioned juridical forms. It would be like dismembering a body. Thus the question must be clarified as to whether these groups want to be recognized as a new form of the consecrated life[52] or as associations of the faithful with the character of an ecclesial movement.

38. The Apostolic See alone can institute a new form of the consecrated life.[53] At this time it is necessary to examine if the experience of recent decades is sufficient to lead the Roman pontiff to institute new forms of consecrated life in the church so that such groups may have a clear discipline and the bishops can be helped in their discernment about them. It must be taken into consideration that only those who assume all three evangelical counsels can be considered members of an institute of consecrated life, while the others—married or single—who assume only a bond of obedience and share property and life in common can be considered associates with some degree of a bond as specified in the constitutions.

There exist similar associations, however, such as ecclesial movements, which do not want to be recognized as a form of the consecrated life, although they have members who assume the evangelical counsels by some form of bond, including a perpetual one. These can receive recognition as associations of the faithful, but with their own statutes, and under a form still to be specified, because the variety of their members requires the involvement of various dicasteries.[54]

In the forms of consecrated life which the church recognizes as such, the intervention of ecclesial authority determines and mediates the act of assuming the evangelical counsels and therefore their care and discipline.[55] From this it follows that these forms do not depend solely on the constitutions of the specific institute. In the other forms of "consecration of life," however, the discipline of the evangelical counsels is determined instead by the statutes of the association, with the church's intervention more or less decisive depending on whether the association is a private or public one.

Finally, some responses ask about the possibility, the opportuneness and the conditions for the church's specific recognition of a stable form of consecrated life for married people according to the evangelical counsels.

39. In the wake of Vatican II many responses ask for a confirmation of the doctrinal lines of the consecrated life in the light of the church's mystery, communion and mission, so as to highlight its characteristic Christological and ecclesial nature, the variety of charisms and its specific identity in relation to the hierarchy and the laity.

The theology of the consecrated life, following the observations of the fathers and authors both medieval and modern, has found in our era its best expression in the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church <Lumen Gentium> which, placing the mystery of communion at the center of the church's attention,[56] inserted in it the chapter on religious[57] and authoritatively taught as had never been done before that "the state of life which is constituted by the profession of the evangelical counsels—while not entering into the hierarchical structure of the church—belongs undeniably (<inconcusse>) to her life and holiness."[58] The consecrated life can be understood only in the light of the mystery of the church, and the church cannot be fully understood without the consecrated life.

Placing the consecrated life within the mystery of the church, the Second Vatican Council proposed anew the call to follow Christ according to the evangelical counsels[59] and delved deeper into the meaning of consecration in the light of baptism.[60] It stressed how it belongs totally to the mystery of the church in the one call to holiness and to the mission of the people of God, and is in communion with the hierarchy and the laity. It emphasized its charismatic sense and the multiplicity of forms which can be traced back to some of Jesus' actions, his teachings or aspects of his mystery and the church's mission.[61] It shed light on the eschatological meaning of religious profession as a radiant sign for the entire people of God,[62] recalled the humanizing value of the counsels because whoever follows Christ, the perfect man, becomes more human.[63] In an original synthesis Vatican II rediscovered the dimension of the founding charism and reminded institutes to return to the sources and adapt to the changed conditions of the times.[64]

40. Currently the theology of the consecrated life, in keeping with the documents of the magisterium, is shedding light on the following new evangelical values: evangelical realism in the imitation of Jesus of Nazareth; attention to the pneumatological dimension; the prophetic role of the consecrated life; the relationship to human advancement and justice; the specific presence and mission of the consecrated woman in society and the church, called to the new evangelization; and the challenge of inculturation.

While confirming the essential, sure and constant factors emphasized by the church's magisterium, a historical view of the theology of the consecrated life cannot fail to be open to the Spirit's many requests to renew the charisms and raise up new ones according to the necessities of salvation history, drawing from the inexhaustible wealth of the Gospel and the mystery of Christ, who is its foundation and ever living source.

Consecrated life is fully understood in the light of the church as mystery springing from the Trinity, in the church as communion with God and all of humanity, and in the church as mission which is the revelation and communication of the Trinity for the salvation of the world. Indeed, the consecrated life, which "is a special way of sharing in the sacramental nature of the people of God,"[65] is rooted in the vocation which comes from the Father, in the following of Christ and in adherence to his love in the consecration of the Spirit.

Its charisms and the life of its members are fully seen in the diverse, relational and complementary nature of the vocations and ministries which are proper to the ecclesiology of communion in the one body[66] and which are expressed in the "communion of saints" toward which they tend. Finally, the consecrated life is fully realized in the mission of the church, which extends through time and space the mission of Christ and of the Spirit for the total fulfillment of the kingdom of the Father. The charism of the consecrated life is like a reflection of the Trinitarian mystery, and the variety of its gifts tends to mutual communion and to mission. For this reason it belongs to the full catholicity of the people of God, and the exchange of gifts in that people of God is brought about in part by those who, "in tending to sanctity by the narrower way, stimulate their brothers by their example" and by their missionary presence help to draw together in Christ all of humanity and its resources.[67]

From this view flows the need for a comprehensive expression which includes the consecrated life in the mystery, communion and mission of the church. These three aspects are difficult to separate. Even if one tries to illustrate them in succession, one after the other, the distinction of one from the other would be inadequate.

41. The kingdom of God is a kingdom of grace whose law is charity and in which gratuitousness is the basis of justice and peace. Among the gifts of the kingdom of Christ the "first gift to those who believe" is the Holy Spirit, who makes us children of God and unites us in a single body (cf. Rom. 8: 15-17; Gal 4:47). The Holy Spirit has enriched the church from the very beginning with hierarchical and charismatic gifts to enable her to accomplish her mission in the world. Indeed, "it is not only through the sacraments and the ministrations of the church that the Holy Spirit sanctifies the people, leads them and enriches them with his virtues. Allotting his gifts according as he wills (cf. 1 Cor. 12:11), he also distributes special graces among the faithful of every rank. By these gifts he makes them fit and ready to undertake various tasks and offices for the renewal and upbuilding of the church."[68]

In the church "there are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there ate different forms of service, but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone" (1 Cor. 12:4-6). Paul explains this diversity as follows: "Some people God has designated in the church to be, first, apostles; second, prophets; third, teachers; then come mighty deeds; then gifts of healing, assistance, administration and varieties of tongues" (1 Cor. 12:28). Everything comes from Christ and all is oriented toward him: "And he (Christ) gave some as apostles, others as prophets, others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ" (Eph. 4:11-13).

In the body of Christ all the members—pastors, lay people and religious—participate each in their own way in the sacramental nature of the church, which has its roots in baptism and its summit in the eucharist. All are called to holiness and mission.[69]

The consecrated life has an essentially ecclesial dimension in relation to the hierarchy in that through the ministry of her pastors the church not only establishes this state, but also through her action she presents it as consecrated to God.[70] Moreover, it is the bishops, the members of the episcopal college in communion with the Roman pontiff, who wisely regulate in solidarity the practice of the evangelical counsels and authentically approve the rules which are proposed. The mission of institutes of the consecrated life and societies of apostolic life is nothing other than a participation in the church's mission performed in communion with her pastors and in fidelity to the spirit of the founders and foundresses.[71]

A proper ecclesiological approach could lead to a better understanding of the consecrated life in its evangelical and sacramental roots, in its organic communion and the unity of its mission.

42. When the New Testament texts speak of charisms (cf. 1 Cor. 12:8-10,2830; Rom. 12:6-8) we do not find the terminology which allows us an expression of the vocation and mission today recognized as the consecrated life. However, in them we find the roots of the charisms as they were lived at that time. Indeed, among the charisms virginity is proposed with special emphasis. According to the words of Jesus (cf. Mt. 19:11-12) and Paul (cf. 1 Cor. 7:7), it is a gift from on high and an eminent grace in the church. Other charisms of the apostolic community are gifts for serving the Lord and the brethren, which today are expressed in the life and mission of institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life.

The Second Vatican Council did not explicitly use the term charism to designate the consecrated life, but recognized in it the character of a gift which is attributed to celibacy and to the evangelical counsels. The consecrated life is the result of the action of the Spirit and belongs to the holiness, beauty and fertility of the church.[72]

Paul VI spoke explicitly of the "charism of the religious life ... (which) is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, who is always at work within the church" and specifically of the "charisms of your founders who were raised up by God" as well as the "charisms of the institutes."[73]

In the period following the Second Vatican Council, the consecrated life has been studied, understood and lived in this light in a particular manner. A considerable portion of the effort of spiritual and apostolic renewal has been made beginning with a return to the original charisms, in dialogue with the needs of our age, but without being conformed to the world (cf. Rom. 12:2). In this light the consecrated life is understood in its unity and diversity as well as in its communion and missionary dynamism. The diversity of charisms allows the expression of different styles of community life and apostolate in the one mission. It permits the witness of different spiritual traditions, styles of community and structures of government. Participation in a collective charism contributes to a better formation for its members, produces a greater cohesiveness in the community and shapes the identity of an institute and the sense of belonging to a spiritual family. It is a source of creativity and readiness to respond to new circumstances in the human family.

43. "The teaching and example of Christ provide the foundation for the evangelical counsels of chaste self-dedication to God, of poverty and of obedience. The apostles and fathers of the church commend them as an ideal of life, and so do her doctors and pastors. They therefore constitute a gift of God which the church has received from her Lord and which by his grace she always safeguards."[74] The consecrated life has its roots in the very mystery of Christ and in the Gospel.[75] It is not a question of a historic ecclesial experience only. In its sum total—even though specific individual expressions be lacking—the consecrated life is a reality rooted in revelation and belonging to the church, a precious gift from her bridegroom and savior.

The following of Christ according to the Gospel is the fundamental norm of the consecrated life.[76] It is the highest rule, according to the famous expressions of medieval tradition: "There is but one first and principal rule among the rules of faith and salvation from which all the others derive, like rivulets, from a single source, that is, the holy Gospel";[77] "to observe the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, living in obedience, without property and in chastity";[78] "to live in obedience to Jesus Christ and serve him with a pure heart and good conscience";[79] and "to be a soldier of Christ beneath the standard of the cross and serve the one Lord and his bride, the church."[80] Christ is the center of the consecrated life according to the admonition of the Benedictine Rule: "Put absolutely nothing before Christ."[81]

The Gospel of Christ and Christ himself, the living good news of the Father, is always the foundation of every life consecrated to God and the inexhaustible treasure from which, under the action of the Spirit, the founders and foundresses draw their inspiration and life. All their experiences are rooted in the words and example of the Master. The following of Christ is a commitment to be lived and proclaimed in such a way that in its totality and in the variety of vocations the Gospel of Jesus Christ shines forth in the world. In its every form the consecrated life seeks to live a message, an example and a mystery of the incarnate or glorious life as the whole in a fragment. However every charism is rooted in the following of Christ and every gift of self to him, just as every aspect of his life is inseparable from his person. The charisms of the consecrated life cannot be separated from the following of Christ and the gift of consecration.

Primitive monastic literature seems to be a reinterpretation of the experience in the light of the Gospel or a living exegesis of the Scriptures in the light of the experience of the monks, for example, the <Life of St. Anthony,> written by St. Athanasius.[82] The reading of the Gospel and then of the New and Old Testaments has always been the great inspiration, the first rule of life. Discipleship, which seeks to imitate Christ and to live out in a particular fashion some of his words, appeared gradually under the influence of the Holy Spirit like a Gospel manifested in time and space, a majestic Christ made present in the church through the charisms of the saints.

Illustrating the doctrine of the church as the mystical body of Christ, Pius XII first explained the ecclesial meaning of the variety of charisms: "Just as Jesus Christ wants the individual members to be like him, he wants the whole body of the church to be so.... When she embraces the evangelical counsels, the church reproduces in herself the poverty, obedience and virginity of the Redeemer. Through the multiple and diverse institutions adorning her like so many jewels, in a certain sense she shows forth Christ in contemplation on the mountain, preaching to the people, healing the sick and wounded, calling sinners back to the right way and doing good to all."[83] This text was later taken up by Vatican II. Through the charisms of the consecrated life the church sees to it that Christ is shown forth with ever-increasing clarity to believers and unbelievers alike, "Christ in contemplation on the mountain, or proclaiming the kingdom of God to the multitudes, or healing the sick and maimed and converting sinners to a good life, or blessing children and doing good to all, always in obedience to the will of the Father who sent him."[84]

44. The history of the consecrated life, in the unity of its inspiration, shows that throughout the centuries the emphasis has been placed on various aspects of the one Gospel of Christ, with particular reference to the needs and cultural conditions of the age. The primitive expressions are related to essential aspects of the Gospel such as following Christ, imitating him, remaining with him (cf. Mt. 19:16-26; Mk. 3:13), and total dedication to him in the assumption of virginity for the sake of the kingdom (cf. Mt. 19: 11). Other expressions are bound up with the reality of the Word and with participation in the paschal mystery of Christ, such as the evangelical "conversion" of mentality and behavior (<conversio morum>) (cf. Mk. 1:15), the call to live one's baptism fully as a (nuptial) covenant with God, and as a profession and covenant of faith with Christ (<pistis-foedis, homologhia pros Theon>).[85] It requires imitation and communion with his life, according to the evangelical counsels, obedience and service to Jesus Christ, the Lord and Master, adherence to his person with an undivided heart (cf. 1 Cor. 7:32-34), the determined choice to serve his kingdom (cf. Mt. 19:21 and 29) and the choice of the Gospel beatitudes as one's way of life.

New references from the Gospel progressively come to mind. For the virgins consecrated to God the ideal of life is the realization of the mystery of the church, which gives herself totally to Christ and makes the eschatological image of the bride present in the world. For the hermits of the early church it was a question of asceticism or spiritual combat and of flight from the world, in imitation of Jesus, who in the desert fasts, prays and struggles with the devil, or of the prophets like Elisha who lived in God's presence (cf. 1 Kgs 19:11-12) where God spoke to his heart (cf. Hos. 2:16). For cenobites the gift of self to Christ is explained by the desire to imitate the "apostolic life" according to the example of the community in Jerusalem, with Christ's abiding presence among those who are gathered in his name (cf. Mt. 18:20)[86] and with the inspiration of an insatiable longing which constantly reappears throughout history to live in a unity of heart and mind (cf. Acts 4:32).[87]

For others the monastic life is a substitute for the sacrifice of martyrdom, a realization of the church as a community of worship through perennial praise, the divine or angelic office and the offering (<prosphora>) of one's own life to God in fraternal communion. Others see in it the ideal of a return to the harmony of the innocence of paradise, the disciple and bride of Christ vigilantly waiting for his return, or an anticipation of heavenly life. Some give pre-eminence to the search for God (<quaerere Deum>) especially through diligence in the <lectio divina> of Scripture, in the <vacare Deo> of contemplation or in the divine human balance of the <ora et labora> of the Benedictine Rule.

The evangelizing monks of East and West fulfill the plan of the apostolic life following the example of the group of disciples who follow Jesus and are sent by him after Pentecost to preach the Gospel to all creatures (cf. Mk. 16:15; Mt. 28:19-20). Some preach the Gospel among their own people, while others continue the universal mission to all nations, building civilizations and spreading culture. Others, however—women and men alike—draw their inspiration from the example of Christ, who was sent to preach the good news to the poor (cf. Lk. 4:18), in the creative choice of many aspects of the missionary proclamation of the good news. Or they fulfill the Gospel through the works of mercy (cf. Mt. 25:35-36ff) on behalf of the little ones, with their witness of charity and their care of the poor, the sick and the needy, with particular attention to children and young people, in accord with new social and cultural necessities.

In our day others want to be a sign of Christ by their presence in society, in culture and in the economy, like light, salt and Gospel leaven in the heart of the secular city, so that the temporal realities may be ordered to God's plan and the world may receive life from the Gospel.[88]

45. Every charism has an essential reference to the Holy Spirit. This is how it is expressed in a well-known passage in <Mutuae Relationes,> which in turn refers to Paul VI's <Evangelica Testificatio:> "The 'charism of the founders' appears as an 'experience of the Spirit' transmitted to their followers to be lived by them, to be preserved, deepened and constantly developed in harmony with the body of Christ continually in a process of growth."[89]

The Holy Spirit works in a wonderful manner in the life of the church, bringing full understanding of the truth of Christ, actualizing his life in her members and preparing his kingdom. The Holy Spirit has the role of raising up, through truly "spiritual" men and women, charisms of spirituality and apostolic activity, with a creativity and opportuneness adapted to the needs of the time. He elicits within the church, the mystical body of Christ, a continual growth of new energies which are a living witness to the Gospel of Christ. From the viewpoint of Christology and an ecclesiology of the church as the body of Christ which grows continually through ministries and charisms (cf. Eph. 4:16), the consecrated life in all its forms acknowledges the Holy Spirit as its invisible creator and the source of its renewal.

The consecrated life is a call to holiness because of God's choice of a person, the gift of consecration through the ministry of the church and the commitment to imitate and serve Christ. Thus, in the churches of the East and West the charisms of the consecrated life are born from an experience of holiness. Many founders and foundresses were called to the highest degree of conformity to Christ in their life and service of the church. Many of them have been officially recognized as blessed or saints by the church. In such a way, religious families owing their origin to them are, as it were, their abiding presence and a continuation of their experience of grace.

Every charism points to the mystery of Christ and to charity, the greatest of charisms, the center and unity of them all. It does this with the freshness of a new synthesis of supernatural values and with a genuine and incisive exegesis of the Gospel. Every founder and foundress is like a word which in its depths bears the divine charity which enlivens and unites everything.

46. The consecrated life has its essential reference point in the church. It is an outflow of her mystery and expresses the richness of her charismatic nature and the manifold wisdom of God.[90]

The