Three Questions
Proposal
> The formation of a united Secular Institute with its own proper charism and lay spirituality in the heart of the world and Church.
> A serious review of the vocational position and placings of all the present day Secular Institutes
On Secular Institute Forum I am calling upon the Secular Institutes to leave behind today’s arrangement of their division into small institutes with diverse religious order spirituality or other such, in order to form a united Secular Institute with a well defined charism lay spirituality and a new organisation; a move which is of vital importance and urgently required.
> The formation of a united Secular Institute with its own proper charism and lay spirituality in the heart of the world and Church.
> A serious review of the vocational position and placings of all the present day Secular Institutes
On Secular Institute Forum I am calling upon the Secular Institutes to leave behind today’s arrangement of their division into small institutes with diverse religious order spirituality or other such, in order to form a united Secular Institute with a well defined charism lay spirituality and a new organisation; a move which is of vital importance and urgently required.
From this there arise three important questions
Will every member or group of today’s Institutes decide to join the united Secular Institute ?
The answer to this question is 'No'.
Not every member of today’s Institutes will join the united Secular Institute with its distinctive lay charism and spirituality. There is no question that there will be a ‘parting of the way’ for some groups or individuals in order that they may develop in a different direction than that which will be taken by the new refoundation. The reason for this is that not all those who would today define themselves as ‘Secular Institute’ have a secular charism, and indeed some pertain to other parts of the Church.
The criteria for these ‘partings’ will be the will of God for each person, which manifests itself in the particular bent of the individual. Without doubt within the consecrated vocations there is a
a good measure of confusion. This tangled situation will be largely resolved by:
Will every member or group of today’s Institutes decide to join the united Secular Institute ?
The answer to this question is 'No'.
Not every member of today’s Institutes will join the united Secular Institute with its distinctive lay charism and spirituality. There is no question that there will be a ‘parting of the way’ for some groups or individuals in order that they may develop in a different direction than that which will be taken by the new refoundation. The reason for this is that not all those who would today define themselves as ‘Secular Institute’ have a secular charism, and indeed some pertain to other parts of the Church.
The criteria for these ‘partings’ will be the will of God for each person, which manifests itself in the particular bent of the individual. Without doubt within the consecrated vocations there is a
a good measure of confusion. This tangled situation will be largely resolved by:
- the formation of a new united Secular Institute which will not only be a positive move in itself, but will also act as a catalist for a much needed reorganisation of the lay vocations.
- a general vocational review.
Personal History ?
Will membership of the united Secular Institute cancel personal history ?
The proposals for the united Institute will not cancel the personal history of the existing members.
The clarification and gereral revision of the vocations which will follow as a result of the new foundaton will result in some taking other paths, but even in these circumstances the change will not take away from these individuals the merit before God of a life lived with love for and in him.
Vocation ?
Will the vocation be deminished ?
Likewise, if an individual has an authentic vocation to the consecrated life the proposed changes will not take away anything from their calling. On the contary their vocation, in whatever direction it may eventually take, will be enhanced by being correctly designated.
Those persons who have a secular charism and were members of an Institute before the change can continue to be members after the reorganisation.
What I am proposing is not some form of ‘ego trip’ for myself as I have been called by the Lord to do this work. Consequently, there will be respect for and an exploration of the various possibilities for groups and individuals.
Summary A consequence of the formation of a united Secular Institute will be that there will be a general clarification of the vocations and an enhanced understanding and development of the lay callings with resultant benefit to the lay sector of the Church and to others.
The proposed reorganisation will be a big task so the sooner it is begun the better.
The benefit to the lay sector of the Church and indeed to others should not be underestimated.
But to arrive at the goal will require change and that on the whole is one of the hardest things humans can do. That is why it is difficult to reach sainthood as ‘to become a saint it is necessary to have changed many times’ to quote Cardinal Newman.
However leaving canonisation aside ! at least we could make a start … do you not think ?
The proposed reorganisation will be a big task so the sooner it is begun the better.
The benefit to the lay sector of the Church and indeed to others should not be underestimated.
But to arrive at the goal will require change and that on the whole is one of the hardest things humans can do. That is why it is difficult to reach sainthood as ‘to become a saint it is necessary to have changed many times’ to quote Cardinal Newman.
However leaving canonisation aside ! at least we could make a start … do you not think ?
Diana May Cockburn
2 August 2017
