Religious Life
In the consecrated life, Christ’s faithful, moved by the Holy Spirit, propose to follow Christ more nearly, to give themselves to God who is loved above all and, pursuing the perfection of charity in the service of the Kingdom, to signify and proclaim in the Church the glory of the world to come.”
(CCC 916)
In the Religious Life people are generally called to live in community. Within these communities one can find women (sisters or nuns) or men (brothers and priests) living together their professed vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. A religious sister or nun, brother, or priest commits his or her life to sharing in the life and mission of their religious community. Religious priest, brothers and sisters embrace the call to poverty, chastity, and obedience, and nurture their call through a life of celibacy, faith, prayer, and service.
There are many orders or communities associated with Religious Life. Franciscans, Dominicans, Benedictines, Jesuits, and Apostolic Movement of Schoenstatt are only a very small number of communities. The life and work of religious orders very greatly dependent on the charisms of the order. Some work in schools, some in hospitals, some live lives of prayer and remain secluded from society while other work directly with the people.
“Religious life in its various forms is called to signify the very charity of God in the language of our time.” (CCC 926)
Further Reading about the vocation of Religious Life
Imagine Sisters is an organization that exists to expose the beauty of the religious life. It is an online resource for young women discerning a vocation to religious life.
For a list of all religious communities in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee: communities for women
For a list of all religious communities in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee: communities for men
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee Vocation Page provides information about all four vocations