Has the Feast
of the Presentation of the Lord anything to do with Religious Congregations? -
5 things you need to know.
By:
Uwakwe Chibuike
1. In 1997, Pope John Paul II called for
the promotion of Consecrated Life throughout the universal Church by declaring
February 2 which is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, World Day for
Consecrated Life (WDCL). The observance of the World Day for Consecrated Life
thus becomes an opportunity to thank God for the gift of the Consecrated Life,
to reflect on the role of Consecrated persons within the Church and to pray for
an increase in vocation to the Consecrated Life.
2. The Code of Canon Law in Canon 573 § 1 describes the Consecrated Life as a stable form of Christian living by those faithful who feel called to follow Jesus in a more exacting way recognized by the Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) in No 944 describes this state of life as characterized by the public profession of the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience, in a stable state of life recognized by the Church. By the provisions of Canon 588 § 1, the consecrated life may be lived either in institutes or individually. Institutes of Consecrated life are either religious institutes or secular institutes. According to Canon 607, Religious Institutes take public vows and live in communities and examples are the male and female religious congregations we have around.
2. The Code of Canon Law in Canon 573 § 1 describes the Consecrated Life as a stable form of Christian living by those faithful who feel called to follow Jesus in a more exacting way recognized by the Church. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) in No 944 describes this state of life as characterized by the public profession of the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience, in a stable state of life recognized by the Church. By the provisions of Canon 588 § 1, the consecrated life may be lived either in institutes or individually. Institutes of Consecrated life are either religious institutes or secular institutes. According to Canon 607, Religious Institutes take public vows and live in communities and examples are the male and female religious congregations we have around.
