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God’sGiftof ReligiousLife inthe Roman Catholic Church
Jean-Marie HYACINTHE QUENUM1
,S.J.
Organizedreligiouslife hasbeenanunexpectedGod’sgifttothe Church.It appearedspontaneously
amongthe baptized asa call to follow passionately the poor,celibateandobedientChristwho
proclaimedthroughaconsecratedlife the reignof Godwithinthe contextof the Judaismof the Second
Temple.
Throughoutchurch’shistory,menandwomeninspiredbythe HolySpiritwere calledinto church’s
approved religiouscommunitiestoshare God’slove revealedinthe person andwork of JesusChrist.
Religiousmenandwomenimitate Jesusmore closelyandtheybindthemselvestohislifestyle bytaking
publicvows of religion.
Religious menandwomen professevangelical counselsof poverty,chastityandobedience asa
permanentstate of life recognizedbythe lawsof RomanCatholicChurch.
Independentfromthe structuresof the hierarchical ChurchandrootedinChurch‘slife andholiness,
organized andChurchapprovedreligiouslifecame fromGod’speople desiringtobe the livingand
fruitful memoryof the Gospel.
What are the motivationsof baptizedpeople calledtoshare the Spirit’sgiftof Churchapprovedreligious
communities?
What do we learnfromthe religiousexperience of the baptizedcalledtoconsecratedlife invarious
formsand families?
What isthe significantcontribution of religiouslifeintoday’sChurchandchangingcontemporary
global,multinationalanddiversified society?
We will addressthe issue of God’sgiftof religiouslife centeredinJesus inthe RomanCatholicChurch by
stressingthe factthat religiouscommunitiesare ecclesial communitieswithinthe frameworkof a
Gospel of love, communion andsolidarity.
By beingradicallyevangelical,religiouscommunities are meanttobe propheticsignsof the comingof
God’sreign of justand fraternal society.
Religiouscommunitiesintheiroriginal andfoundationaltraditionsshouldbringaboutanew way of
beingthe church intoday’sglobalizedworld.
Our reflectionwill be developedinthree parts.Inthe firstpart we will deal withthe historical
motivationsof religiouscommunities fromthe 4th
centuryto the 16th
century.Inthe secondpart,we will
assessthe resourcesof today’sreligiouscommunities inthe lightof post-VaticanIIchallenges.Andin
1 Jean-Marie HYACINTHE QUENUM is a Doctor in Theology and a Jesuit novices Master in BAFOUSSAM
(CAMEROON).

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the thirdpart, we will seektodrawthe new paradigmof beingreligiouscommunitieswithinthe new
wayof beingthe Church in a globalizedworld.
1. Motivationsfor organizedReligiousLife in the Roman CatholicChurch
The disciplesof JesusChristdidnotinventorganizedreligiouslife.
In 600 BC theywere Hinduhermitsdetachedfromthe worldandlivingingroups withoutobservingany
formof communal rule.
Some followers of MAHAVIRA calledJAINISTSinthe 6th
centuryBC in Indiawere organizedin
communitiesof monksandnuns.
Before the rise of the church, theywere inGreco-RomanworldandinHoly Land religiouspeople who
dedicatedincommunitiestheirlivesto highergoodssuchas God,the study and meditation of the
Scripture, the practice of the lawsof God and the pursuitof holiness.
In India,the disciplesof SIDDHARTA GAUTAMA calledthe Buddhaformedcommunities dedicatedtoa
serene life freeof worldlygoods andpossessive desire. Theymingledwithpeoplebeggingtheirdaily
foodand solicitingalmsfortheirmonasteries.
Organizedreligiouscommunities andpiousassociations were knownamongthe Essenes,the Pharisees
and various groupsof the main streamsof Judaism.
Piouspeople involvedinreligiousassociationsandcommunities designedformoral andspiritual
perfection were veryoftenmotivatedbythe desire toconsecrate theirlives toGod throughorganized
asceticpracticeslivedininitiationgroupsleadingtothe enjoymentof God’svalues.
In Holyland,God’speople were totallyconsecratedto the covenantGodof Israel. Samuel,Samson,
Elijah,Elisha, Johnthe Baptistwere consecrated andinspired leadersboundbyvowsof asceticlife.
Theywere intheirtimes, inspiringconsecratedpeople livinggodlylife amongGod’speople.
Duringthe firstthree centuriesof church’sexistence,the disciplesof Jesuswere severely persecutedby
Romanpublicpowers.
Livinginhostile environments,the disciplesof Jesusdeepenedtheirfaiththroughitinerantpreachers
whowere inmajority celibatesandledaustere life imitatingthe spiritof poverty andobedience of the
Gospel theywere announcing.
Christianwomenwhowere notmarriedexpressedtheir consecrationtoGodthroughtheirmystical
unionwithChristby theirstate of holy virginity livedinorganizedandchurchapprovedcommunities
underthe care of bishops2
.
2 Communities of consecrated virgins arefound in the second century AD.

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ChristianmartyrsconsecratedtheirlivestoGodand showedthe depthof theirfaithinthe midstof
persecutions.
But whenChristianitybecame astate religionin380 AD,the disciplesof Jesusfoundanew freedom to
respondtothe call of the Gospel byleadingasolitary life of prayerandmortification farfromcivilization
inthe desertof Egypt.
Early inthe 4th
century SaintAnthony 3
(270- 356) organizedthe hermitslivingnearbyinthe desertof
Egypt intoa sharedexistenceof worshipandcommunal meal once aweekonSundays.
The move to fully coenobiticmonasticismtookplace inEgyptwithPACHOMIUS (286-346) who
persuaded hermitstojoinhimunderacommonrule4
.
SaintMartin of Tours(316-397) broughtin WesternEurope the life of hermitsbyfoundingmonasteries
nearPoitiersandTours.Later fromthe 5th
centuryto 6th
century, ChristiansinGaul broughtto Ireland
monasticascetictraditionsrelatedtothe desertfathersinEgypt.
By the 6th
centuryIrishmonasteriesfoundedbycharismaticleaders suchas FINNIAN,CIARAN,
BRENDAN, COLUMBA and GALL carriedinFrance,in SwitzerlandandinItalythe Celticversionof
Christianity.
Early inthe 6th
century,SaintBenedict (480 -547), the most influential earlyWesternmonk, foundedhis
firstmonasteriesatSUBIACO.Laterhe wrote the rule for hismonks at MONTE CASSINO.Thisrule will
shape the communal life of monksandnunsinthe Roman CatholicEurope.
Benedict’srule differsfromthe ascetictraditionsof EgyptandIreland. Benedict’srule isbasicallya
collectionof preceptsfororganizedcontemplative religiouslife. Lesslegalisticandstressing common
sense inorganizingthe communal life of monksandnuns,Benedict’srule became bythe 9th
centurythe
basicguide forWesternmonasticism.
Spiritual code of Westernmonasticism,Benedict’srule appealstothe formationof the heartleadingto
the generousgiftof self toGod inpeace.It stresseshumility,peace andauthenticsearchof Godthrough
divine office andwork. Benedict’srule isaguide tounionwithGod infraternal love andindocilitytothe
shepherdof the monastery.
Amongthe great figuresof Westernmonasticismwe canmention,JohnCASSIAN5
( 360-435),
HONORATUSof Marseilles, 6
SaintPatrick, SaintBrigit7
, SaintAugustineof Canterbury,SaintBenedict,
SaintCOLUMBA andSaintBoniface.
3 SaintAthanasius spokeof himas an anchorite.
4 They worked, ate and worshipped in a shared spacecalled monastery.
5 About 410, John CASSIAN established two monasteries near Marseilles,onefor men and one for women. These
two monasteries attracted more than 5000 monks and nuns.
6 HONORATUS of Marseilles is thefounder of the monastery of LERINS, a center of monastic cultureand learning.
7 SaintBrigitwas the firstidentifiablefounder of a monastery in Ireland.

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Theywitnessedthe greatmutationsinEurope andtheyChristianizedthe continentthroughthe
expansionof monasteries.
Benedictines, TRAPPISTSandCisterciansobservethe rule of SaintBenedict. Forcenturies,monasteries
flourishedinWesternEurope.
Religiouslife inthe RomanCatholicChurch developed alsothroughthe rulesof SaintAugustine and
SaintFrancis.
The rule of SaintAugustine iswidelyusedbyreligiousordersandcongregationsof menandwomen.As
an instructiononthe religiouslife,the rule of SaintAugustinehasinspiredmany religious constitutions
inthe RomanCatholicChurch.
Religiouswithclerical status,canons,hermits,friarsof mendicantordersof the Middle Ages,Hospital
sisters, nunsandmonksand religiouswhocare forthose inneedhave foundinthe evangelical wisdom
of SaintAugustine goodmotivesforself-abnegation,mission,educationandhospitalwork.
The 13th
centurywiththe developmentof commerce andurbancentersinWesternEurope will give rise
to the mendicantmovement.Devoutpeoplewantedtoimitate the poorChristof the Gospel. Povertyis
seenasa virtue tobe practiced,not as an evil toeradicate.
Dominicans,Franciscans,Hermitsof SaintAugustine,Hermitsof MountCarmel andothernew religious
ordersof the RomanCatholicChurchwill promote the spiritualityof evangelical poverty againstthe
feudal type of Christianitygeneratedbyrichmonasteriesandthe abuses of the officials of the Church.
Withthe widespreadsuccessof the mendicantmovement,adyingreligiousfire burstsagainintoflames.
But unfortunately,the challengingsituationsof the GreatSchism(1378-1417), the bloodywars (1345-
1445) andthe blackplague stoppedthe developmentof religiouslife inEurope.
Monasteriesceasedtoflourishandnew mendicantreligiousordersappearedforthe comfortof the sick,
the poor and the pilgrim.
Devoutmodernpeople chose tolive evangelical life withoutthe traditional publicvowsof religion.
The renaissance movementbypromotingthe humanpersonasthe masterand centerof the worldhas
shiftedhumanconsciousnesstoward the abandonmentof the darkage of feudal society.
By the 16th
century,religiouslife wasnolongerimpressive andneededreform.
The Council of Trent will reformreligiouslifeunderthe directcontrol of Romanadministration.Rulesof
religiouslife mustbe approvedbythe HolySee andguidelineswere offeredtoregulate religiouslife in
the Roman CatholicChurch.
Religiouslife inthe Roman CatholicChurchappearedinearly4th
century. Men and womeninspiredby
the HolySpiritleft physicallythe worldof economy,powerandpleasurestoaffirmthe primacyof the
Gospel as a wayto witnesstoChristand to hiscomingKingdom.

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Monks andnuns livedininhospitable placesaroundwhichwere borncitiesthatlaunchedthe mendicant
movementgearedtowardthe renewalof evangelical povertythatreaffirmedthe importance of the
humanpersonover,money,powerandpleasures andthe needfora properdistributionof wealth.
Mendicantreligious,menandwomen of care and concern,witnessedtothe Gospel byhelping,the sick,
the poor, the marginalizedandthe dispossessedof all walksof life (Matthew 25,40).Mendicant
movementwassensitivetothe needsandfeelingsof poorpeoplehelpless victimsof feudal society.
WithRenaissance,the role of humanbeingsinthe universeisreassessedandnew religious orderswith
apostolicpurpose,chose nottoseparate physicallyfromthe worldasdidthe monksand nunsor morally
as didthe mendicantswhorejectedprivatepossession,buttoworkout a new humanismthat promotes
material,intellectual,moral andspiritual well-beingwithaninteriorknowledge of the Gospel opento
the search fora betterworld of justandfraternal society.
The Jesuitsand the daughtersof charity of SaintVincentde Paul incarnatedthe new spiritof religious
apostoliclife immersedinthe worldwithoutexternal distinctive signs.
The post-VaticanIIRomanCatholicChurchby updatingthe foundationalgiftsof religiouslifeclarified
the motivations of consecratedmenandwomen.
Consecratedmenandwomenare God’speople whohave the profoundexperience of the Godrevealed
by Jesus Christ.Theyare unitedtoJesusChristbypersonal love rootedinthe Gospel andnourishedby
contemplativeprayer.Guidedbythe HolySpirit,consecratedmenandwomenwitnesstothe coming
reignof God througha dedicatedlifeof poverty,chastityand obedience withinafraternal community
opento all formissionarywork.Theyare at the service of Churchand society.
Religiousmenandwomenare “the divinegiftsthatthe Churchhas receivedfromthe risenLord’s
Spirit.”8
The ReligiousExperience ofthe BaptizedCalledto ConsecratedLife inVarious Ecclesial Families
and their Unique Contributionto Church and Society
Baptizeddisciplesof Jesus Christwhoare calledtoconsecratedlifeinecclesial familiesapprovedbythe
Church have the missiontorenewthe life of the Churchthroughthe propheticpresence of the Holy
Spirittransformingtheirday- todaylivingintocompassionforthe world.
Theyare calledtoread the signsof the timesand to take care of the seeds of the Word of God growing
intheirlivesimpactingtheirsocio-cultural context.
8 Vatican II,LUMEN GENTIUM, n° 43.

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As a radical discipleship,consecratedlifeinvariousecclesial familiesprovidesspiritual means which
enkindleandignite the passion andzeal tomake the Gospel relevanttotoday’sworld.
The spiritual meansof consecratedlife are:prayerful readingof the Gospel incontextualizedsituations,
close relationshipwiththe risenLord incontemplativeprayer,supportivecommunityformissionary
work,a good religiousand effective leadership,dialogue asawayof beingdrawnto contemporary
people,opennesstothe poorand the marginalized, virtuouslife,spiritual guidance, ongoingspiritual
and theological formationandcritical attitudestowardreality.
As the numberof consecratedmenandwomenisdiminishing,there isaneedtoreformand to rethink
the institutionalstructuresof religiouslifetoaccommodate new partnershipswiththe wholepeople of
God withoutlosingthe special purpose of eachreligiousfamily.
Workingtogetherandhavingsharedmissionare the featuresof today’sworld more attuned to
networking.
What are thenreligiouslife resources available forthe renewalof Churchandsociety?
By livingdifferently inthe worldinspiredbythe Gospel values,religiouslife canmake a difference by
beingprophetic9
.
Beingpropheticconsistsinmakingthe Gospel message of love relevanttohumancritical situationsof
our time.In a rapidlychangingworld,religiousmenandwomenare calledtoslow downin ordertogain
incontemplative prayerdone atthe heart of the worldinsightsforpersonal andsocial growth. By
slowingdown,religiousmenandwomenexperience God’slove incontemplative prayer.
Contemplative attitudesallowthemtosee the worldaswonderfullymade byGod.Withwonder,joy
and awe,theyinhabitthe world,praisingGodandgivinghimthanks. The grateful heartof religiousmen
and womenleadsthemtocommitthemselvesforlife-givingvalues forthe praise,reverence andservice
of the giverof life andcreatorof all things.
To be prophetic,istogive glorytothe creatorof all things whochose religiousmenandwomentobear
fruitfor others(John15: 16).
Beingpropheticimpliesbeinginspiredbythe HolySpirit throughcontemplativeprayerandthrough
social criticismand social analysisof humansituations.
ContemplativeprayerallowsreligiousmenandwomentoexperienceJesus andtoknow himmore
intimately inhisunique ministryof the Kingdomof God.
The compassionate Jesushasdevotedhistimeandtalentsof healingandliberatingtopeople
encounteredduringhisministry.
9 Walter BRUEGGEMANN, Prophetic Imagination, Philadelphia:Fortress,1978,p.109-113.

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Religiousmenandwomenlongtoencounterthe risenJesusandtoexperience dailyhispowerof healing
that enablesthemtofollow himasliberatedpeople of God,fullyalive tobearfruitandto give God’slife
of love toothers.
Liberationoccurredincontemplative prayerdone infaith andlived atthe service of others.
Thispersonal experience of God’slove inJesusflowsintoministriesof compassion.
The compassionof Jesustowardthe poor andmarginalizedisthe source of ministriesforreligiousmen
and womenwhofindinJesusthe expressionof selflesslove forGod’speople(John10:10).Selflesslove
issensitive tothe needsof God’speople (Luke 10:29-37). Selflesslove iscompassionate,caringand
generous.ItisconcernedaboutGod’speople andtheirwelfare.
Thisselflesslove leadstothe preferential optionforthe poorlivedasa ministrywiththe poorandfor
the poor.
The sharedlife-style of religiousmenandwomenmayimpacttheireffectivenessinministries.Shared
life of prayerandmeals,communityeventsandbonding,senseof membershipandskillful leadership
withinthe communityare the mosteffective meansof communionforstrengtheningcommonpurpose
and mission.
ReligiousthroughtheirvariouscommitmentstowardChurchandsocietyare carriersof hope for a better
future leadingtoa justand fraternal world.
Today’sreligious,menandwomenare compassionate peopleof God whodo notgive up the message of
love of JesusChrist.Theystill have the courage toconfrontinjustice andidolatryof money,powerand
unrestraintpleasures. Theyare prophetsandevangelizerswholongtoputthe worldon fire of love.
Theirministriesare mainlydirectedtowardthe poorandmarginalizedof ourmulticulturaland
diversifiedworld. Theyreclaimandupdate the foundationalgiftsof theirvariousfamiliesfora better
witnesstothe comingKingdomof God. Encouragedby the profoundchangesof post-VaticanIIChurch,
religiouslife iscontributingtoecological issues,genderbalance,Justice andinterreligiousdialoguein
multicultural world.
2. ReligiousLife Contributionto a Life threatenedWorld
Religiouslife inaworldwhere lifeisthreatenedmustbe atthe service of a civilizationof life,love and
solidarity.The Justsocietyisthe one inwhichthe qualityof life ispromotedwiththe eradicationof all
formsof dehumanizingsituations.
Religiouslife mustfightforstructural change inculturesdesignedtodeteriorate the livingconditionsof
humanbeingscaughtup inpoverty,hunger,diseases,infantmortality,ignorance,genderimbalance and
degradationof environment.

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Religiouslife mustbe opentothe plightof migrants andrefugees.Insolidaritywiththe excluded,
religiouslife mustaimtocreate everywhere fraternalcommunitiesthatworkforfriendship,spiritual
diversityand reconciliation.
Religiouslife mustrise uptomeetthe challengesof ourtime.Brothersandsistersinconsecratedlife are
todaycalledto witnessGod’slove andmercyinwhateverdirectionthe HolySpiritisleadingthem.
To be religioustodayisa newwayof beingthe church, an ecclesial communitycalledtobe fruitful inthe
world.Religiouscommunitiesrequire fullyhumanbeings,fullyalive Christiansdedicatedtocommon
goodand carriersof hope fora betterworldof justice,fraternityandproperdistributionof the earth’s
wealth.
Conclusion:
Religiouslife isthe risenLord’sSpirit’sgifttothe Churchand society.Itisthe evangelizingleaventhat
fermentsnewecclesial communitiesforthe renewal of the Churchandsociety. Asa countercultural
wayof livingChristianvalues,religiouslifeisaministryof givinglife toadyingworldof money,power
and self-centeredpleasures. BychoosingJesusandhislife-givingvalues,religiousmenandwomen
respondtoGod’s love bybecomingusefulforthe comingKingdomof God. Theyare useful by offering
theirgiftsandtalentsforcommongood.By bringingjoy,peace andharmonyintothe livesof others,
religiousmenandwomen throughtheircompassionateministriesare livingdifferently,prophetically
and evangelicallyintoday’sworldmore concernedbypersonalsatisfaction. Bygoingbeyondthemselves
and bydoinggood,religiousmenandwomenare the enlightenedprophetsforthe hope fora better
worldof love,communionandsolidarity.
Religiouslife will keepflourishing aslongas those whoare called to thisstate of life upholdthe
greatnessof Jesusandthe powerof hisSpirit(Philippians2:11).