Every consecrated religious and priest thinks that we’re set-apart, which is fair enough, but the question is, are we ready to become the heart and soul of God’s mind and mission? This is the high expectation that one owes to humanity as consecrated clergy and religious.
Today’s nuclear family plays a great role from where the priests and religious respond to the calling.
In the 21st century, we have seen communication skyrocketing from radio, to television, to internet, to the fast-moving e-world, with all its e-transaction, e-banking, with all its technological dimensions with which our present generation is growing up. Religious and priests are an integral part of this society. It has both positive and negative impact on the individual’s calling.
At the same time, the price one needs to pay for this is really frightening because the struggle is within: to bridge between values, spirituality and charism of their calling. Today’s people want to see in religious and priests, a real leader or a guru who is integrated in prayer, humility, kindness and service to all strata of the society.
According to Fr. Marie D.Philippe OP, “Authority is authority only when it seeks the truth…when power has replaced authority, we must be careful not to fall into powers’ clutches.”
In his revolutionary book, Religious Life: A Prophetic Vision, Fr. Diarmuid O’Murchu MSC, a social psychologist, claims that what Catholics still call the religious life, can no longer be contained within the framework of Christianity. We need to look beyond. If not, in his words, “the vowed life is doomed to stagnation and death”.
As lived today, religious and priestly life can seem fruitless, and even when we try to revive different approaches to religious life, they are often seen as incompatible with the cultural context of our society.
Today we need to re-visit our Gospel values and go back to the root of Jesus’ life. Fr. O’Murchu urges those living a consecrated life to learn from the creation-centered spirituality of Matthew Fox.
Sr Agnes Antony MSC
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