World day of Consecrated life –02 Feb, 2018

In 1997, Pope Saint John Paul II instituted a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life. This celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd. This Feast is also known as Candlemas Day; the day on which candles are blessed symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples. The celebration of World Day for Consecrated Life is transferred to the following Sunday in order to highlight the gift of consecrated persons for the whole Church

What do we need today?

Today we are talking about re-vitalisation, re-charging, re-energising, renewing, re-casting, re-founding, re-evangelising, re-visiting, re-structuring and re-imaging consecrated life, re-looking into important aspects like spirituality, contemplation, renunciation, etc., and re-visioning our mission, formation and life-style, and moving beyond. What has been relevant for one epoch seems to be no more meaningful and relevant.

The Vatican II Document Perfectae Caritatis mandated the Religious Congregations to “a constant return to the sources of their foundations and to adapt themselves to the changing signs of our times.” Pope Francis designated the “Year of Consecrated Life” from Nov-2014 to Feb-2016 for us to reflect once again, seriously, on the meaning and purpose of religious life and to change our old mindset, thought-pattern and ideology as they are old wine-skins which do not contain the solution for new challenges. 

In this light, CICLSAL (Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life – CICLSAL.) in the recent document, “New Wine in New Wineskins”, emphasizes the importance of the formation of new members, questioning if the formation process offered succeed in touching the person’s heart and really transforming it; if it helps “to live the mission generously and courageously, to dialogue with culture and to be inserted in society and the Church.”?

We Pray:

For all those who have committed themselves to live a Vowed Life – living chastity, poverty and obedience – to realize the dream of God for Oneness , may always be open to the Spirit’s movement in their own lives and in all the world reality, so that our daily prayer – “Your Kingdom come…” may be truly bear fruit through lives totally and generously given for God and God’s people and the whole community of Earth in Love, forgiveness and Compassion!