Promoting vocations during the Year of Consecrated Life

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Father Joseph Lopez, JCL, is vocations director for the Diocese of Corpus Christi.

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The Church is celebrating the Year of Consecrated Life, which began on the First Sunday of Advent, Nov. 30, until the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus on Feb. 2, 2016. In order to better understand how we can celebrate this year, let us look at the definition of Consecrated Life, and what the Holy Father is proposing to us.

What is consecrated life?

Jesus offered his followers a radical way to follow him, which the Church calls the evangelical counsels: chastity, poverty and obedience. All Christians are called to follow Christ in this way, even though the manner in which the counsels are lived will be different, depending on the individual's circumstances.

Consecrated life is simply defined as, "The state of life which is constituted by the profession of the evangelical counsels." Consecrated men and women publicly profess to live these counsels in order that they might more closely follow Christ, and be better able to transform the world through the perfection of charity. Though all of the faithful are called to do the same, those in consecrated life are called to it in a special, public way (CCC 914-5).

The Church currently recognizes four types of consecrated life (CCC 919-30): religious (brothers, sisters, monks, nuns); hermits; consecrated virgins (women who are attached to a diocese but are not part of an institute of consecrated life); and the secular institutes (those who live in the world and work to transform it from within).
How do we celebrate the Year of Consecrated Life?

In his letter opening the Year of Consecrated Life, Pope Francis explains that it is dedicated to the renewal of consecrated men and women and their communities. While this is obviously a great thing for consecrated members of the Church, how can or should this affect the rest of the Church?

The Holy Father reiterates in his letter what the Church has continually taught regarding radical Gospel living. "Radical evangelical living is not only for religious: it is demanded of everyone. But religious follow the Lord in a special way, in a prophetic way," Pope Francis wrote.

So essentially, he is saying that the Church always looks to consecrated men and women and their communities as prime examples of living the Gospel in the radical way to which we are all called. Because of this, there is a very real connection between consecrated men and women and the rest of the Church, even if it is not always obvious to all her members.

Later in the letter, the Holy Father directly addresses the entire Church, urging everyone to participate wholeheartedly in the Year for Consecrated Life in several ways.

First, by recognizing the good that religious institutes have done in the past and continue to do. The sanctity and fidelity of the founders and members of these institutes have provided for the continual growth of the Church, and their example and good works have positively affected every member. We should acknowledge this blessing in a special and public way during this year.

By offering thanksgiving to God for the gift of consecrated life. Having recognized the goodness and beauty of consecrated life, we should offer thanks to God, whose wisdom has provided the charisms of these communities at the proper times and places for the good of all men and women.

We can draw closer to them, celebrating with them, growing with them, working with them. The Holy Father encourages us to become more closely connected with our consecrated brothers and sisters, to show them gratitude for their sacrifice and work, to rejoice with them and to be open to the ways that the Holy Spirit wants to work in forming a closer community between all of the Church's members so that we can be a more fruitful instrument for his work of redemption in the world.

We can also become more aware of and connected to the many forms and institutions of consecrated life, which will allow for "mutual enrichment and support" in living the Gospel.

Promoting vocations during this year

If all members of the Church were to openly embrace the Year of Consecrated Life and follow the Holy Father's suggestions, we would see a flowering of many religious vocations.

Here are some of the more concrete ways we can use this Year as an opportunity to promote vocations with youth, at the family and parish level.

Encourage youth to have good contact with and participation in the life and work of religious institutions. For example, this could be a simple visit to a religious order, participation in a come-and-see weekend or discernment retreat or regular volunteer work with a local apostolate run by consecrated men or women.

Provide opportunity for youth to learn about the great saints–well known and lesser known–who have founded or lived as part of a religious institution.

Take the opportunity during religious education to delve in-depth into the principles and various forms consecrated life.

Watch the vocations Web site ccpriest.org for events, which can help youth to discern a vocation to consecrated life.

Let us work together to celebrate this Year of Consecrated Life, taking to heart our Holy Father's recommendations, and listening to what the Holy Spirit is prompting us to do for the good of the Church and for the flowering of many holy vocations.