by Fr. Gary Coulter, co-vicar for religious
Canon Law sometimes gets a bad rap, as many will say it is all about rules and legalism, and some even try to contrast the law as not being pastoral and loving. I beg to differ.
Law is necessary in order to have love, because you will never have a loving society unless you first have a just one. And not only that, but Canon Law can also be very beautiful.
Allow me to start with the first two canons from the section on Institutes of Consecrated Life:
Can. 573 §1. The life consecrated through the profession of the evangelical counsels is a stable form of living by which the faithful, following Christ more closely under the action of the Holy Spirit, are totally dedicated to God who is loved most of all, so that, having been dedicated by a new and special title to His honor, to the building up of the Church, and to the salvation of the world, they strive for the perfection of charity in the service of the kingdom of God and, having been made an outstanding sign in the Church, foretell the heavenly glory.
§2. The Christian faithful freely assume this form of living in institutes of consecrated life canonically erected by competent authority of the Church. Through vows or other sacred bonds according to the proper laws of the institutes, they profess the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience and, through the charity to which the counsels lead, are joined in a special way to the Church and its mystery.
Can. 574 §1. The state of those who profess the evangelical counsels in institutes of this type belongs to the life and holiness of the Church and must be fostered and promoted by all in the Church.
§2. Certain Christian faithful are specially called by God to this state so that they possess a special gift in the life of the Church and contribute to its salvific mission, according to the purpose and spirit of the institute.
I think you would agree how that is a wonderful description and deeply spiritual summary of religious life, not just legalese. There is a beauty to see religious living the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and the joy they have being part of a community (institute) which provides them stability, better formation, mutual help, and progress in charity.
And even more beautiful than the religious who are called by God to consecrate their lives to Him, are those who are given a further gift and call to join institutes of contemplative life, monastic communities of religious who live the vocation of complete dedication to prayer for the Church and the world.
Each year the Church celebrates the World Day of Cloistered Life on November 21, the memorial of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple. It is a day for Catholics worldwide to commemorate the hidden lives of contemplative religious in cloisters and monasteries; a chance to pray for and support those who, every single day, support us by their prayers.
In the Diocese of Lincoln, we are blessed to have two contemplative religious orders, the Pink Sisters and the Carmelites.
The Sister Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration in Lincoln, affectionately known as the Pink Sisters because of their bold pink habits, serve through the witness of contemplative life, perpetual adoration, prayer and sacrifice for priests, and intercessory prayer. The order was founded in Holland, in 1896 by Saint Arnold Janssen, who chose the rose-colored habits as symbolizing their glowing love for the Holy Spirit. They were the first community of cloistered nuns to take up residence in Lincoln, in 1973.
The Carmel of Jesus, Mary and Joseph is a monastery of cloistered Carmelite Sisters near Valparaiso, dedicated in 2001. The Discalced Carmelite order was established in 16th century Spain through the reform of the Carmelite Order by Saints Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross. Living in cloistered monasteries and following a completely contemplative life, they devote their lives to prayer for the world, strive to live a life hidden with Christ, and honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, particularly through the devotion of wearing the brown scapular.
Both cloistered communities are open daily, welcoming visitors to pray at their chapels and join them for daily Mass. They are glad to receive and pray for any intentions and prayer requests. Since they are supported solely by the generosity of donors, the parishes of the Diocese of Lincoln take up an annual collection for our two contemplative orders.
There are many different gifts in the Church, and a wondrous variety of religious communities, but some have been given the charism (gift) of an even deeper dedication to a life of prayer lived in cloister. Saint Theresa of the Child Jesus recognized so beautifully how the Body of Christ has a heart on fire with love, and that love is kindled and inflamed by the prayers of contemplatives like herself. As she said in her autobiography, “I knew that one love drove the members of the Church to action, that if this love were extinguished, the apostles would have proclaimed the Gospel no longer, the martyrs would have shed their blood no more.”
Contemplative orders, rather than engaging in outreach and activity like other religious, are principally dedicated to prayer. Besides their commitment to Eucharistic Adoration and the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours), what particularly sets cloistered religious apart from other communities is how they live in an enclosure, behind a grille and walls. Being strictly separated from the world is an additional act of penance, which also helps the members keep free from distraction and maintain an atmosphere of silence. Certainly, they engage in manual labor and take time for daily recreation, but prayer and praise of God is their primary “work” and service.
When a man or woman chooses to spend their whole life within the walls of an enclosed monastery, hidden from the world for the sake of intimacy with God, it is a powerful witness to the importance of prayer and the value of eternity. Within the walls of their monasteries and the solitude of their cells, immersed in scripture and adoration of the Eucharist, their lives boldly proclaim that God must be first and foremost in each of our lives.
Some might think that contemplative religious life is outdated, that such a life is on the decline because it is unsuited to the modern world, or even unnecessary in the Church’s work of evangelization today. I strongly disagree. Contemplative religious are undeniably part of the life and holiness of the Church. No matter what changes may come in society, no matter what blows might disturb the Church, consecrated life and contemplative life are here to stay.
The cloistered life reminds us of the benefits of prayer and solitude. Many people have experienced something similar through a silent retreat, such as those offered at Our Lady of Good Counsel Retreat House near Waverly. By removing many of the distractions and stepping away from the busyness of daily life, it is easier to pray and experience the presence of God. Cloistered religious choose to remain in such a privileged place of prayer, living this closeness to God found in solitude and silence, not just for a week or weekend but for their entire lives.
Yes, the Church most certainly needs, perhaps even more so today, those who seek, cultivate and give witness to God’s presence and intimacy through a life consecrated to Jesus Christ with the intention of praying for the sanctification of the world. Similarly, in the Church’s work of evangelization, reaching out to all to bring them light and life, we must not neglect the need for devotion, prayer and contemplation. Thus we can and must be grateful to the Holy Spirit who helps the Church to understand this by continually inspiring people to live a contemplative consecrated life through the evangelical counsels and the charisms he distributes so abundantly.
Please pray for the contemplative religious in our diocese and for cloistered religious orders throughout the world. May our prayers, encouragement, and material support help them to persevere and flourish. And please pray for vocations to the consecrated religious life, that many will be open to hearing God’s call to dedicate their lives completely to Him. Praised be Jesus Christ. May God reward you.
