Charism: The soul of religious life

---

Religious in the Diocese of Corpus Christi represent a number of orders with distinct charisms. Those interested in religious life have ample examples to explore.

Mary Cottingham, South Texas Catholic

---

Religious Life can be shrouded in mystery, making the religious life seem almost like another-worldly state of being. And in some sense it is. This discussion of some important aspects of discerning the religious life will hopefully dispel some of the mists for clearer understanding and discernment.

One of the most important things to know about religious communities is that each one has a distinct charism. In a general sense, a charism is a gift from God that helps build up the Church. For religious communities a charism is the soul of the community, that which gives it purpose, motivation and animates its action. A community’s charism involves its history, traditions, rule of life, apostolate and spirituality, all of the heritage, which makes it what it is.

All of these elements of community heritage work together to help lead the members to holiness, to lead them to a close relationship with the Holy Trinity, and more generally, to help them be a sign of God’s presence and love in the world for the work of evangelization. The charism of a particular community is its distinctive manner provided for its members to live the evangelical counsels.

Let us look at four aspects of charism, which make good starting points to getting to know a religious community: spirituality; apostolate; rule of life and community, and active versus contemplative.

Spirituality
A religious community’s spirituality is the character of its prayer as a community, liturgical and devotional.

Spirituality includes traditions handed down by a founder or influential member of the community, or other practices which developed in their history. For example, members might stop every hour and take a moment to pray; they might make a daily examination of conscience according to a particular method; some communities make a monthly day of recollection.

For some communities, the manner in which they celebrate the liturgy is an essential part of their spirituality. Some orders even have liturgical texts and rubrics particularly adapted to their order; some celebrate the Mass in the Extraordinary Form as part of their spirituality; some chant or sing the Divine Office.

Spirituality often also includes devotional practices. For example, it may be devoted to the Immaculate Conception. They might have community prayers, which reflect this; they may choose to celebrate optional liturgies devoted to the Blessed Virgin; their apostolate could even be influenced by this devotion, for example, educating the faithful about Our Lady’s appearances at to St. Bernadette at Lourdes.

The spirituality of a religious community pervades its whole life–it is an essential part of the charism, which gives each its distinct character.

Apostolate
One of the most easily recognizable elements of a charism is the apostolate, or external work, that the community does. Quite often charism and apostolate are seen as the same, and though the apostolate is a necessary part of the charism, it is only a part. However, it does play quite an important role, and is one of the main things to consider when discerning religious life.

The apostolate is the mission, what it has been “sent” to do in the world. The apostolate may be some sort of work directly with people. It could be concerned with basic physical needs like food, shelter or healing. It could be more spiritual or intellectual, like teaching or preaching, counseling, spiritual direction or public prayer and liturgy. It could also be a hidden apostolate, such as prayer or penance for the conversion of the world.

In addition to the apostolate, some communities will have work that they do which is primarily for their livelihood. Religious have bills to pay, too. But even this is usually worked into their apostolate.

Rule of life and community
Every religious community has a rule, which helps to define what the community is and how it lives. The rule gives guidelines on every aspect of community life, from their habit, spirituality and apostolate to even such things as how meals should be taken.

A religious community is a family, and its life flows from living its charism. The manner in which its members live, together and as individuals, gives the community its distinctive family characteristic. As with any family, there are little things that make living in it a joy for its members. There are also quirks, and things that bother its members. No community is perfect.

But that is part of what helps the members to become holy, as they work out their differences and learn to forgive annoyances. St. Therese became a saint precisely because she endured a sister from her community splashing her face with dirty wash water. But she also became a saint by experiencing the joys of community life.

Active and contemplative
The question of an active versus a contemplative community touches on all aspects of the community’s charism. All religious communities will have a bit of both. Work must be done, and the foundation of the spiritual life is prayer. But a community is usually identified more with one or the other, and generally this is defined by its apostolate.
If the apostolate is some work in the world, the community is generally considered active; a contemplative community focuses on the interior life of prayer.

Discerning
The most important question for anyone discerning a religious vocation is this: Do I fit? This is admittedly a complex question. It necessitates a close look at one’s life: one’s experiences, gifts, personality, inclinations, and interests.

Just as a couple who is discerning marriage spends time together to get to know each other, and to determine whether their lives “fit” together, discerning the religious life requires that one “gets to know” some communities.

Start where you are attracted. Find out as much as you can about those communities, and contact them. Get to know them–visit, experience their spirituality, their community life, their apostolate. As you get to know a few communities, and with good spiritual direction, God will make it apparent whether, and where, he is calling you.