What is Consecrated Life Presented by the Missionary
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 3
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.
What is a Charism? ➜ 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
How Did It Start? ➜ 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. 4 th Century C. E ➜ Communities: St. Basil the Great 4 th Century C. E. ➜ Two thousands years later there are hundreds of different forms of Consecrated Life
Forms of Religious Life ➜ 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.
Individual Charisms of Consecrated 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
Exploration ➜ 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.
Founder(s) Activity ➜ 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?
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