3 Religious Institutes

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1 Religious life asa consecration of the whole person,manifests in theChurch themarvelous marriage

established by Godas a sign of theworld to come

Thus religious bringto perfection their fullgift of themselves asa sacrifice offered toGod, so that theirwhole existence

becomes acontinuous worshipof God in charity.

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2  A religious institute is a society in which  members, according to proper law:

pronounce public vows either perpetual or temporary, which are to be renewed when they

 have lapsed and live a life in common as brothers or sisters

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  3 The public witness to be 

rendered by religious to Christ and to the Church entails a separation

from the world proper to the 

character and purpose of each 

institute.

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Did you know?• Secular Institutes were

established in 1947 by

Pius XII in his encyclical

Provida Mater Ecclesia,making it one of the

newest forms of 

consecrated life. There

are approximately60,000 members

belonging to 20 secular

institutes.

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Secular Institutes • A. Members of the secular institutes live out the evangelical counsels

in the midst of the secular world, hence, the name secular institutes.

• B. Their mission is to evangelize the secular, to bring the kingdom of God into the spheres of their respective professions, relationships,and lives.

• C. Members of secular Institutes are lay people with regular

professions and jobs. For example:

 – He or she could be the paramedic saving your life

 – your children’s teacher

 – the lawyer handling your case

 – the firefighter responding to an emergency

 – the bank teller handling your deposit

 – the mechanic fixing your car

 – the receptionist at the office where you work – the doctor performing your surgery

 – your next door neighbor or colleague.

• Members of secular institutes live alone in their homes orapartments or they may choose to share a residence with othermembers. They share fellowship through days or recollections,

retreats, conferences and social meetings with each others.

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Societies of Apostolic Life

• Societies of Apostolic life are not technicallya form of consecrated life although it sharesmany of the elements found in religiousinstitutes such as the commitment to theevangelical counsels and living in community .However, their members are not calledreligious.

• Members of Societies of Apostolic life do not  take religious vows. They can own property.Emphasis is given to the mission of the society. This mission could be : education, healthcare,missionary work etc. The society needs thepermission of the local bishop in order tooperate in a particular diocese.

•  Like religious institutes their members can beclerical or lay. The life of the society isregulated by constitutions approved by theChurch. An example of this type of societyare the Maryknoll missionaries. Maryknoll Sister

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 Thank you!