In his address from this May, Pope Francis makes some very good points about religious life that correspond to the questions young people have! I have picked three of his quotes that relate to and can best answer the questions we find ourselves asking.
One of the biggest concerns I hear in regards to consecrated life, is that young, Catholic women want to be mothers! This is not a desire that is opposed to consecrated life, but something that we naturally want as women! In religious life, we receive the grace of spiritual motherhood for all of Christ's children! Did you know that Pope Francis spoke about the role of motherhood within religious life? He begins by speaking about the vow of chastity which we take, and continues,
"But, please, let it be a "fruitful" chastity which generates spiritual children in the Church. The consecrated woman is a mother, she must be a mother, not a "spinster"! Excuse me for speaking like this, but motherhood in the consecrated life is important, this fruitfulness!.. be mothers, as a figure of Mary, Mother, and of Mother Church. It is impossible to understand Mary without her motherhood; it is impossible to understand the Church apart from her motherhood and you are icons of Mary and the Church... What would the Church do without you? She would lack your motherhood, warmth, tenderness and motherly intuition!"
Perhaps in your discernment process, you have wondered if you are "holy enough" to live this lifestyle. Jesus does not make mistakes! If he is calling you, he intends to use your life to spread his glory. Further, the graces we receive allow us to live the life of adoration and service, which our Holy Father speaks of.
"Jesus, at the Last Supper, turns to the Apostles with these words: "You did not choose me, but I chose you" (Jn 15:16). They remind us all, not only us who are priests, that vocation is always an initiative of God. It is Christ who called you to follow him in the consecrated life and this means continuously making an "exodus" from yourselves in order to centre your life on Christ and on his Gospel, on the will of God, laying aside your own plans, in order to say with St. Paul: "It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me" (Gal 2:20). This "exodus" from ourselves means setting out on a path of adoration and service. The exodus leads us on a journey of adoring the Lord and of serving him in our brothers and sisters. To adore and to serve: two attitudes that cannot be separated, but must always go hand in hand."
I'm sure you have thought about the vow of poverty! Does that seem difficult for you? Fortunately it's not some meaningless, arbitrary restriction. Rather, it is an avenue which allows us to grow closer to Christ. Once we recognize it's purpose, it becomes less intimidating.
"Poverty as overcoming every kind of selfishness, in the logic of the Gospel which teaches us to trust in God's Providence. Poverty as a sign for the entire Church that it is not we who build the Kingdom of God. It is not human means that make it grow, but it is primarily the power and the grace of the Lord, working through our weakness. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness", the Apostle to the Gentiles tells us (2 Cor 12:9). A poverty teaches solidarity, sharing and charity, and is also expressed in moderation and joy in the essential, to put us on guard against material idols that obscure the real meaning of life."
The above quotes are taken from Pope Francis' address to the International Union of Superiors General.
Sr. Jeanette Marie
