Vocations

1. Vocations Unit 6

2. Religious Life • Religious life is a vocation known and respected in the church from its beginnings in the Egyptian desert to the present moment when we find large concentrations of priests, sisters, and brothers in deserts. • The same call of Jesus to "come and follow me" grasps a person's whole being so that one leaves whatever would hinder a positive response.

3. Religious Life • Since Vatican II, the term consecrated life has been used for this call to give oneself totally to God and His people because it embraces all forms of this vocation. • There are two types of religious : enclosed congregations of contemplative religious and institutes of men and women engaged in active apostolates. • Consecrated life also includes members of secular institutes, consecrated virgins living in the world, hermits, widows and widowers.

4. Religious Life Women Religious • A woman religious is a lay person who commits herself to Christ and to the Church by vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. • She lives in a religious community that follows a constantly renewed tradition, patterned on the life and teaching of the founder / foundress of the community

5. Religious Life Women Religious • The work she generally does will depend upon the ministries of that community as influenced by the needs of the Church and its people in areas such as teaching, social work, administration, technical skills, nursing, etc. • The role of women in the Church is constantly developing and expanding. • Prayer and work are part of the tradition of all communities but they are accented differently so that some communities are primarily contemplative while others are more active.