what is consecrated life? presented by the missionary childhood association for the year of...

What is Consecrated Life?Presented by the Missionary Childhood Association for the Year of Consecrated Life

Reflection Activity 1.1

➜ Describe what you see...

➜ What do they think is happening?

➜ What do you know about the people in the image?

A Jesuit Named Francis

➜ Our current Pope is a Jesuit…who took the name Francis

➜ What do you know about the Society of Jesus or the Franciscans?

➜ Holy Father has proclaimed this a Year of Consecrated Life for all the Church to become more aware of this way of life in the Church.

The Year of Consecrated Life The Missionary Childhood Association 4

What Does it Mean?

➜ Consecrate means to dedicate something to religious purpose.

➜ Consecrated men & women, also known as religious men & women, are persons who have chosen a way of life dedicated to religious purpose.

➜ It is a vocation in the Church.

➜ Religious hear and respond to a call to follow the way of Jesus in a specific and visible way.

➜ Charism signifies a gift of graces given to individual Christians for the good of others

➜ Consecrated Life is a gift in the Church. It is a gift of the Church. And it is a gift to the Church

➜ The general charism of consecrated life revolves around the vows and the way of life they form:

– Poverty

– Chastity

– Obedience

What is a Charism?

➜ There have always been some men and women called to seek God & follow Christ in a special way

➜ It began in the desert…

➜ Hermits: St. Anthony the Great & Amma Syncletica. 4th Century C.E

➜ Communities: St. Basil the Great 4th Century C.E.

➜ Two thousands years later there are hundreds of different forms of Consecrated Life

How Did It Start?

➜ Two major types:

– Contemplative

• Monks & Nuns separated from the world in monasteries

– Active/Apostolic

• Brothers, Sisters and Priests active in apostolic ministries

➜ These two forms share a common charism, and also express charisms unique to each community.

Forms of Religious Life

➜ For many orders and congregations living in community is an important to their charism

➜ Particular missions or ministries and the spirituality with which religious perform them express their unique gift

➜ Examples:

– Medical Ministries

– Education

– Mission

Individual Charisms of Consecrated Life

➜ The vocation of Consecrated life comes from the Holy Spirit Speaking in the hearts of men and women in response to the world around them.

➜ Let’s explore a few specific stories of that call and response from the Church’s history and present.

Exploration

➜ In small groups, take a look at these brief founding stories of some old and new communities of consecrated life and reflect on:

– What stands out to you?

– What was the situation that moved the founder(s) to action?

– What was the inspiration behind the founder(s) actions and choices?

– What is the mission of the community they founded?

Founder(s) Activity