Theology of Religious Life: Conversation Topics

The seventh workshop in the formation program teaches discerners about the theology of religious life. This is our most intellectually intense workshop, and there are many ideas presented here that will likely be new to your mentee. As such, you’ll notice many of the tasks are less focused on applying the teachings to their lives and are more focused on checking their understanding of the material.

Prior to talking with you, your discerner will send you a copy of their task responses and you will be able to view the questions they are answering. If you would like to view the videos they watched, you can access the full discerner workshops by selecting the “Vocations Outreach Discerner Formation” track on your Catechetical Institute dashboard.

Workshop Overview

The main points of the workshop include:

  • A religious vocation is a prophetic vocation.

  • The evangelical counsels point to the life and teaching of Jesus Christ and are meant to lead a person to deeper freedom.

  • A religious vocation is theologically higher than a lay vocation because of the radical conformity to Christ. All states in life are still equal in their potential to bring someone to holiness.

  • Religious life has an eschatological nature because religious life symbolizes eternity to others.

  • Poverty is more than an ideology- it is a decision made out of love for Jesus Christ.

  • Chastity is not a repression of a person’s sexuality, as that desire for love and intimacy is still fulfilled but in a different way.

  • Chastity but is about giving all of one’s self to God and allows the religious to love God with an undivided heart.

  • A legitimate superior stands in the place of God when they give a legitimate command.

  • Obedience is due to religious superiors and the Magisterium of the Church.

  • Different kinds of consecrated life include: religious life, hermitage, secular institutes, consecrated virginity, and societies of apostolic life.

  • Religious communities each have their own charism, which is a gift given by the Holy Spirit.

 

Suggested Questions

These questions are meant to be a resource, but don’t feel limited to what is listed here. Always feel free to bring up additional questions or highlight different task responses. Discerners will also have a list of suggested questions to ask you.

  • Were there any points that especially stood out to you from the workshop?

  • Were there any tasks that were difficult for you to do?

  • Did you have any questions from the reading?

  • Had you ever heard about the eschatological nature of religious life prior to this workshop?

  • How did this workshop deepen your understanding of the vows?

  • Is there anything that you learned about the vows that you think you might like to incorporate into your life now?

  • Were you surprised to learn about the different kinds of consecrated life?

  • Did anything you learned in the workshop make religious life more attractive to you?