Description

CONSECRATED LIFE REVISITED
This book is not only about religious but about all consecrated persons, that is to say, about religious, priests, members of Secular Institutes and the like. There is an observable lack of confidence in traditional forms of dedicated service to the People of God. The healthiest and most creative dedicated persons are seriously debating whether the styles of convent, monastery, or presbytery are any longer appropriate.
The consecrated person, is a professional lover of God and his people. If this is so, he/she is distinguished in the people of God first and foremost by interpersonal relations to the Lord and to his people. We diminish their personal dignity if we describe them primarily by their function. They are before all else lovers of God and other persons and drinkers of beauty. In other words, the consecrated person stands in deep and intimate interpersonal relationships to the Lord and to his people.
This book can serve as a travel brochure for consecrated persons. It may entice those who have never taken this particular route to come along. For those who have been on the road, it points out some of the high spots as well as the pitfalls.

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
PART ONE. N ATURE OF CONSECRATED LIFE
CHAPTER ONE
NATURE OF CONSECRATED LIFE IN GENERA!
1.1. Consecrated Life as the Life of Professional Lovers of God
1.1.1. Support from Scripture
1.1.2. Support from the Teaching of the Magisterium.
1. i .3. Support from Canon Law.
1.1.4. Support from the Opinion of Theologians.
1.1.5. Support from Theological Reasons.
Community, the Reason for Consecrated Life?
Apostolate. Not the Reason for Consecrated Life
Witness. Not the Primary Reason for Consecrated Life
Consecrated Life as Exclusive Commitment to God-Quest
Religious lite. Typified by Other Major Religions.
as Pursuit of God-Experience
Consecrated Life as a Life-Form Geared to
Making People Spiritual Geniuses :
Consecrated Life as a Contemplative State by Its Very Nature
All Consecrated Life as Monastic in the
Theological and Spiritual Sense
Celibate Solitude as the Root of Immediacy to God
Celibate Consecration as an Expression of Spousal Love for Christ
Consecrated Life as Communion with God and Humans
Consecrated Profession as Covenant with God.
Analogy between Consecrated Life and Married Life
Consecrated Life as Charism.
Consecrated Life as Prophetic Vocation.
Consecrated Life rrH Expectations of the Laity
Distinction between Seeing God in All Things and Seeing All Tilings in God
Consecrated Life as True Way to Freedom
Consecrated Life r.”. Separation from the World.
1.2. Consecrrted L; e as the Life of Professional Lovers of Humans
CHAPTER T’tVO
NATURE OF CONSECRATED LIFE >N PAKTICUIAR
2.1. Nature of Religious Life
Origin of Religious Life
Canonical Definition of Religious Life
Theological-Spirit al Meaning of Religious Life
Meaning of Religious Vows
2.2. Nature of Priestly Life
2.3. Nature of “Secrlar Institute” Life
PART TWo
LIVINGOFCONSECRATEDLIFE
CHAPTERTHREE
LIVING THE LIFE OF PROFESSIONAL LOVERS OF GOD
3.1. How Should Diocesan Priests Live the Life of
Professional Lovers of God?
3.2. How Shou Id Religious Live the Life of Professional Lovers of God? 142
3.3. How Should Members of Secular Institutes Live the Life of Professional Lovers of God?
CHAPTER FOUR
LIVING THE LIFE OF PROFESSIONAL LOVERS OF HUMANS
4.1. Greater Love for Enemies
4.2. Greater Love for the Loveless
4.3. Greater Love for Strangers
4.4. Greater Love for Acquaintances
4.5.Greater Love for One’s Family Members
4.6. C .eater Love for Celibate Friends
CHAPTER FIVE
PASTORAL CONSIDERATIONS
5.1. Religious Life in the New Millennium.
5.1.1. Does Religious Life Have a Future?
5.1.2. For New Models of Religious Life
5.1.3. For a New Approach to Formation.
5.1.4. For a Renewed Life of Contemplation
5.1.5. For^a Renewed Sense of Heterosexual Relationship.
5.1.6. For a Renewed Life of Poverty
5.1.7. For a Renewed Living of Asceticism.
5.2. Conscience and the Religious Rule.
5.2.1. Qualities of Good Constitutions
5.2.2. Unity in Variety
5.2.3. Respect for God’s Grace in Others
5.2.4. Keeping the Rules.
Rules of Two Kinds
Keeping Disciplinary Rules.
Following Spiritual Directives
Exception to the Rules
Breaking of Rules
The Spirit of Our Observance
5.3. Religious Habit and Ecclesiastical Dress
5.3.1. Value of Religious Habit and Ecclesiastical Dress
5.3.2. Arguments in Favour of Freedom
Positive Arguments
Answer to Objections
5.3.3. No Connection between Ugliness and the Service of the Lord
5.4. Consecrated Persons and Psychosexual Maturity.0
5.4.1. Nature of Psychosexual Maturity
5.4.2. Risks of Immaturity in Consecrated Life
5.4.3. Consecrated Person ; and Degree ofMaturity
5.4.4. Specialized Therapeutic Facility lor Priests and Religious 5.5. Consecrated Life in the Life of the Laity
WHAT CONSECRATED LIFE MEANS TO ME
6.1. What Priestly Life Means to Me
6.2. What Religious Life Means to Me