By Therese Ivers

All religious are called to be contemplative. Any apostolate which they engage in should be exercised as a fruit of their contemplation. That being said, we have what we call contemplative religious institutes and active religious institutes. The difference is that contemplative institutes are dedicated primarily to prayer and contemplation and do not engage in apostolates except perhaps on a very limited basis.   Active religious, on the other hand, are primarily contemplatives in action. They go out and engage in their apostolates fortified by their times of intense prayer and intimacy with the Lord.

If you are discerning a call to the religious life, one of the very basic questions you’ll have to ask is whether you are called to a contemplative or active institute. In both, prayerful communion with God is essential and the top priority.

Most contemplative communities have a greater separation from the world. Often, they will be fully cloistered, where almost no contact with others outside the community is made. They are more secluded in order to dedicate themselves totally to the work and joy of prayer so that they may secure God’s blessings upon themselves and the entire world. You could say that their main apostolate is prayer, prayer for the whole world.

The life of a contemplative religious is not easy.  If you read the Story of A Soul, you will find that the life can be excruciatingly difficult at times.  A contemplative does not have all the distractions an active religious might have.  Often there are few or no vacations.  The contemplative is always before the Lord and there is no room to hide.  It takes a strong and courageous soul to become a contemplative religious.

Contemplatives are often thought of as these good saints who do nothing but pray all day. It is true that their life is that dedicated to prayer. However, if you ask any religious what their biggest cross is, you’ll often hear that community life is the hardest. It’s not sacrifices or penances or the lifestyle, it’s dealing with your brothers or sisters in the community.  Personality clashes, frictions, and other things may develop and to strive for charity can be one of the most difficult aspects of religious life. This is especially apparent in contemplative communities.

Members of active communities believe that God is calling them to the particular apostolate for which their institute was founded.  Taking with them the fruits of their prayerful communion with the Lord, the members go forth into the world and mirror Christ in their activities.  Some institutes focus on teaching, social work, catechesis, or other works by which they serve God and their neighbor.

Active religious engage in a variety of apostolates.  You will find some who promote the dignity of life.  Others will teach catechism to the young. Still others will go out to help those in rural areas and assist them in building a strong faith community.  You will find active religious in hospitals around the world serving the sick.  All these things the religious try to do in the spirit of Christ, bringing the joy of Christ to others.

When discerning your vocation, be open to the possibility of either walk in life in a religious institute.  Surprisingly enough, often times it is the socialite who enters the cloister, and a more shy type of person who ends up being a missionary in a foreign country.  It is God who gives the call and it is up to you to see where He could be calling you.

As with marriage, a call to religious life is mysterious.  A person should visit different types of religious communities to get a feel for what kind of life God may be calling him to lead. It often happens that a certain community will draw a person in an indefinable way. It just “feels like home”. That could be a sign that this is the place to join.

In all things, especially in discernment, be sure to ask Our Lady for her intercession and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. May God bless you.

© 2007 by Therese Ivers and DoIHaveAVocation.com

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