Today Major Problems for the Secular Institutes
Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you Mt 7: 7
The Background
The vocation of consecrated laity in the Secular Institutes who live and work in the world begin last century and was recognised by the Church as a gift from the Holy Spirit. It is within the norm that this vocation being a new and original concept, has taken some time to be understood and accepted by the Church and then to be actualised, in varying degrees, within the ordinary circumstances of life.
Today however, I believe that the members of the Secular Institutes need to think in terms of a new stage of development; another step on the road of change.
Why ?
The average age of the members within the present day Secular Institutes, at least in the west, is advanced and the trend is destined to rise. In view of this situation some feel that within a matter of years the Secular Institute will cease to exist.
My response to this is “no” that actually we are actually only at the beginning but that in order for the vocation to go forward with new life, there is need for a radical change and development, a new way of thinking and solution to the problem.
Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you Mt 7: 7
The Background
The vocation of consecrated laity in the Secular Institutes who live and work in the world begin last century and was recognised by the Church as a gift from the Holy Spirit. It is within the norm that this vocation being a new and original concept, has taken some time to be understood and accepted by the Church and then to be actualised, in varying degrees, within the ordinary circumstances of life.
Today however, I believe that the members of the Secular Institutes need to think in terms of a new stage of development; another step on the road of change.
Why ?
The average age of the members within the present day Secular Institutes, at least in the west, is advanced and the trend is destined to rise. In view of this situation some feel that within a matter of years the Secular Institute will cease to exist.
My response to this is “no” that actually we are actually only at the beginning but that in order for the vocation to go forward with new life, there is need for a radical change and development, a new way of thinking and solution to the problem.
The Solution
The first point to make is that there is no purpose in beginning yet another small Secular Institute.
What is urgently required is for several Institutes to join together making one Secular Institute, a body with its own charism, spirituality, theology, organisation, composed of a larger number of person.
This new United Secular Institute will have a distinct and independent charism, and be an entity in its own right; one not tied to any other charism, religious order, of movement - a new foundation a Secular Institute composed of consecrated laity in the world to become “the heart and soul of the laity”
The first point to make is that there is no purpose in beginning yet another small Secular Institute.
What is urgently required is for several Institutes to join together making one Secular Institute, a body with its own charism, spirituality, theology, organisation, composed of a larger number of person.
This new United Secular Institute will have a distinct and independent charism, and be an entity in its own right; one not tied to any other charism, religious order, of movement - a new foundation a Secular Institute composed of consecrated laity in the world to become “the heart and soul of the laity”
What has caused this stagnation of the Secular Institute vocation?
How will a united Secular Institute resolve these problems ?
The Secular Institute What is it ?
A significant problem is that the vocation is not well known, many lay faithful and priests have no idea what the
Secular Institutes are. This obscurity has an impact on propospective vocations as what is not know about cannot be considered.
A united Secular Insitute will become known as it is easier to promote one organisation than many smaller ones each with a diverse spirituality and the larger numbers involved will attrack others.
Related to this is that there are geographal areas without a Secular Institute presence.The greater number of persons resulting from an amalgamation of the Secular Institutes will lead to diffusion of the Institute in wider geographal areas than is at present the case.
Furthermore, in countries where there are few Institutes a united Secular Institute will remove the obstacle of having to choose a spirituality from a narrow range of options.
How will a united Secular Institute resolve these problems ?
The Secular Institute What is it ?
A significant problem is that the vocation is not well known, many lay faithful and priests have no idea what the
Secular Institutes are. This obscurity has an impact on propospective vocations as what is not know about cannot be considered.
A united Secular Insitute will become known as it is easier to promote one organisation than many smaller ones each with a diverse spirituality and the larger numbers involved will attrack others.
Related to this is that there are geographal areas without a Secular Institute presence.The greater number of persons resulting from an amalgamation of the Secular Institutes will lead to diffusion of the Institute in wider geographal areas than is at present the case.
Furthermore, in countries where there are few Institutes a united Secular Institute will remove the obstacle of having to choose a spirituality from a narrow range of options.
No agreeement on what the vocation is
Today the charism of the Secular Institutes is too wide.
Some Institutes are almost religious, (some with a distinctive dress ) others are secular.
No vocation can flourish in these circumstances.
A united Secular Institute will have a charism that is well defined and this will make it attractive to those who have the vocation as today identifying with a well defined group is important.
Another advantage is that those who do not have a Secular Institute calling will be enabled to take a different road, as the well defined Secular Institute charism will make choice easier and clearer; vocational mistakes will be less likely and this will be beneficial for the individual concerned and for the Church.
Today the charism of the Secular Institutes is too wide.
Some Institutes are almost religious, (some with a distinctive dress ) others are secular.
No vocation can flourish in these circumstances.
A united Secular Institute will have a charism that is well defined and this will make it attractive to those who have the vocation as today identifying with a well defined group is important.
Another advantage is that those who do not have a Secular Institute calling will be enabled to take a different road, as the well defined Secular Institute charism will make choice easier and clearer; vocational mistakes will be less likely and this will be beneficial for the individual concerned and for the Church.
Why should the Secular Institutes take Religous Order or other spirituality ?
Many of the Secular Institutes have taken religious order spirituality for example Franciscan, Carmelite, or the sprituality of various movements, and this has divided the Institutes, weakened the vocation and is unnecessary.
Why have Religious Spirituality ?
The Secular Institute has its own original charism and spirituality that of consecrated laity in the world. There is no need to be subordinate to a spirituality with a religious stamp as these are not appropriate for the new and original charism of the Secular Institute.
In the documents of Vatican 11 the spirituality of the laity is distinct from that of the religious. The new united Secular Institute will take full lay spirituality which will have the advantage of making it a strong influential corpus within the Church and world.
Many of the Secular Institutes have taken religious order spirituality for example Franciscan, Carmelite, or the sprituality of various movements, and this has divided the Institutes, weakened the vocation and is unnecessary.
Why have Religious Spirituality ?
The Secular Institute has its own original charism and spirituality that of consecrated laity in the world. There is no need to be subordinate to a spirituality with a religious stamp as these are not appropriate for the new and original charism of the Secular Institute.
In the documents of Vatican 11 the spirituality of the laity is distinct from that of the religious. The new united Secular Institute will take full lay spirituality which will have the advantage of making it a strong influential corpus within the Church and world.
Religious spiritulity is simply not adapted for the vocation of the Secular Institutes
Much of the religious spirituality was written well before the emergence of the consecrated laity in the secular and their spirituality and takes a ‘religious approach' to the spiritual life.
The secular laity lean towards different concepts or emphasis – to values that are relevant for lay life in the world of everyday work. In general the Secular Institutes have in many cases become an appendix to the religious orders with an ill fitting spirituality and an uncertain charism.
This situation is holding back the development of the Secular Institute vocation and this retardation has an impact on the laity – which leads to the next point.
Much of the religious spirituality was written well before the emergence of the consecrated laity in the secular and their spirituality and takes a ‘religious approach' to the spiritual life.
The secular laity lean towards different concepts or emphasis – to values that are relevant for lay life in the world of everyday work. In general the Secular Institutes have in many cases become an appendix to the religious orders with an ill fitting spirituality and an uncertain charism.
This situation is holding back the development of the Secular Institute vocation and this retardation has an impact on the laity – which leads to the next point.
An expanded role for the new united Secular Institute - The Secular Institute is not maximising its function within the Church
The new united Secular Institute will have two aspects:
1 The individual consecrated members who live and work within the normal course of everyday life
2 The public face of the united Institute which will represent the laity on lay questions and concerns to the heirarchy of the Church and perhaps beyond.
Note: Nowadays many Secular Institutes speak with one voice and it is not without significance that in some regions the various Institutes are meeting together, but this type of ‘togetherness’ will not resolve the problems of the vocation.
The solution is a united Secular Institute in the heart of the world with a strong well defined Charism and Spirituality. This venture will answer the problems raised above and many others.
So same old thing or something new ?
Something new which will open up new roads and possibilities for the consecrated laity in a united Secular Institute.
Are we up for it ?
Diana May Cockburn
7 February 2017
The new united Secular Institute will have two aspects:
1 The individual consecrated members who live and work within the normal course of everyday life
2 The public face of the united Institute which will represent the laity on lay questions and concerns to the heirarchy of the Church and perhaps beyond.
Note: Nowadays many Secular Institutes speak with one voice and it is not without significance that in some regions the various Institutes are meeting together, but this type of ‘togetherness’ will not resolve the problems of the vocation.
The solution is a united Secular Institute in the heart of the world with a strong well defined Charism and Spirituality. This venture will answer the problems raised above and many others.
So same old thing or something new ?
Something new which will open up new roads and possibilities for the consecrated laity in a united Secular Institute.
Are we up for it ?
Diana May Cockburn
7 February 2017
