Year Of Consecrated Life Underway

Washington, DC (USCCB)—Pope Francis has declared 2015 a Year of Consecrated Life, which will end on Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2016, the World Day of Consecrated Life.

The Year of Consecrated Life began the weekend of Nov. 29-30.

The year will also mark the 50 ^th anniversary of Perfectae Caritas, the Decree on the Adaptation and Renewal of Religious Life and Lumen Gentium, the Second Vatican Council’s constitution on the Church, Its purpose, as stated by the Vatican, is to “make a grateful remembrance of the recent past” while embracing “the future with hope.”

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations is promoting Days with Religious initiatives and resources to help families learn about the consecrated life of religious men and women. Activities will focus on sharing experiences of prayer, service and community life with those living a consecrated life.

“Our brothers and sisters in Christ living consecrated lives make great contributions to our society through a vast number of ministries,” said Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, president of the USCCB. “They teach in our schools, take care of the poor and the sick and bring compassion and the love of Christ to those shunned by society; others lead lives of prayers in contemplation for the world.

Religious congregations in the Diocese of Amarillo will be scheduling three major events in conjunction with The Year of Consecrated Life:

• Day of Prayer with Religious. Events will include vespers, rosary or holy hours in convents, monasteries, religious houses, parishes and churches;

• Day of Mission and Service with Religious. Events will include joining religious in their apostolates or special service projects, such as assisting the elderly, ministering to the poor and homeless and caring for the less fortunate; and,

• Religious Open House. Events will be coordinated to also celebrate the World Meeting of Families to take place in Philadelphia in September and will include tours, open houses, receptions, family activities and presentations on the history of religious communities at convents, abbeys, monasteries and religious houses.