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Frequently Asked Questions
As in the case of the Glossary, FAQ should always be considered a"work in progress." We thus welcome your questions about our way of life or words we use to describe it, and hope to answer them in one of the two above-mentioned sections. What is a religious community or congregation in the Catholic Church? A religious community or congregation in the Catholic Church is a group of men or women who are bound together in faith, and have publicly promised to serve God and his people though the imitation of Jesus Christ. They follow his way of life and carry out his mission of love to the world. While all Christians in a sense are called by Baptism to this same vocation of imitating Christ and serving others, religious do so by binding themselves through formal vows: traditionally these vows are poverty, chastity, and obedience. They lead a distinctive way of life sanctioned by the Church and governed by the Constitutions (laws) of the particular institute that they have freely chosen to join. Why are there so many different religious communities in the Catholic Church? Why are there Benedictines, Dominicans, Franciscans, Jesuits, Augustinians and countless other religious communities in the Church? Because of "the movement of the Spirit" and the circumstances of human history. From the beginnings of the Church individuals were inspired by the Gospel of Jesus to become his disciples. But discipleship can be expressed in different ways given the personality and unique circumstances of each person and the needs of the times. The founders of the great religious communities - Benedict, Francis of Assisi, Dominic, Ignatius Loyola, and Augustine - had a faith vision (charism) that was attractive and meaningful enough to draw others to them. Someone once compared religious communities to a bunch of flowers. These flowers, which represent the teachings of the Gospel, are the same for everyone. But each person, if given these flowers, would arrange them slightly differently, creating different patterns from the same basic materials. It is the same with religious communities. The differences in religious communities complement each other and enrich the Church. They fulfill different functions and needs in a way similar to St. Paul's analogy of the Body of Christ in which the different members all work for the common good, although doing so in varied ways. What are some of the principal difference between religious communities? One of the earliest distinctions among religious was between those who chose to live alone as hermits or "anchorites", and those who chose to live together, "cenobites". Throughout the history of the Church, the community or cenobitic form of religious life was the predominant one. Among religious living in communities the most significant distinction is between those who are more contemplative and those who are more active - the balance between prayer and ministry. Here, it is not a question of either/or: every community must be engaged in both prayer and ministry. Some communities, however, place more emphasis on one rather than the other. An example of a primarily contemplative community would be the Trappists, who live in a cloister (enclosure) and spend most of their time in contemplation and prayer. An example of a primarily active community would be the Jesuits, who have more open living arrangements and spend most of their time in some ministry such as teaching or missionary work. The Augustinian Recollects would fall somewhere in between these two different styles of religious life. They have both a strong life of prayer and a strong life of ministry. Pope Paul VI once aptly called the Augustinian Recollects "Contemplative Apostles" indicating that they incorporate both ends of the religious spectrum in their tradition. Whether a community is more contemplative or more active would influence other distinctive qualities of the group such as living arrangements, manner of dress, community obligations, and interaction with those outside the community. How is a religious community structured or put together? Most international religious communities function on three levels: international, regional, and local. The international level would represent the whole Order. At this level, authority rests with the Prior General, the supreme head of the Order, together with his council. The regional level would represent a regional division known as a province. At this level, authority rests with the Prior Provincial together with his council. The local level would represent the individual community ("house"). At this level, authority rests with the local Prior and his council. The community's laws, usually known as Constitutions, govern relations between these various divisions within the Order as well as the obligations and rights of the individual religious. The Vatican must approve the Constitutions of all international Orders. The Augustinian Recollects are an international Order and as such would exist on all of the levels mentioned above. This system of government renders the religious "exempt" from the authority of the local bishops, putting them under the authority of their own superiors and ultimately the Pope in Rome. Communities that are national or local (diocesan) in nature would omit one or more of these divisions. What is the difference between a diocesan priest and a religious? A diocesan priest (sometimes called a "secular" priest) is under the authority of a local (diocesan) bishop and works within a particular territory or diocese, such as New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles. A religious (sometimes called "regular" since he follows a religious "rule") is under a religious superior and is not confined to a particular territory; rather he can work wherever the religious Order carries out its mission. In the United States this would mean that a religious could be assigned to various states. If the Order is international (such as the Augustinian Recollects) this would mean that the religious could be assigned to various countries. While diocesan priests are often assigned to live together in a rectory (residence for priests working in a particular church or parish) they do not stress the importance of doing things together to the same degree as religious, who are usually called to work together as a team. This community spirit is especially strong among the Augustinian Recollects who are called to form a community as St. Augustine stated: "one in mind and heart on the way to God." Another difference between a diocesan priest and a religious is that the religious might be a priest, brother, or deacon. What is the difference between a priest, brother, and deacon for the Augustinian Recollects? Our principal commitment as Augustinian Recollects is to live the religious life as described in the Rule and other writings of St. Augustine. All Augustinian Recollects (whether destined to become priests, brothers, or deacons) share the same initial formation (training) in the postulancy and the novitiate. They study about the nature of religious life, the Rule and spiritual teachings of St. Augustine, and the Constitutions and history of the Order. Studies after the novitiate would orient and prepare the Augustinian Recollect for his future role as priest, brother, or deacon through specialized training. For Augustinian Recollects the terms "priest", "brother", and "deacon" refer more to what we do rather than who we are.
How long does it take to become an Augustinian Recollect? At least five years: 1 year of postulancy; 1 year of novitiate; and three years of temporary vows. Beyond that period would be the time necessary to fulfill the requirements to become a priest, brother, or deacon. To be ordained a priest requires 4 years of college study and 4 years of theology. This is determined not by the Order but by Church (Canon) Law. In many cases priesthood candidates enter the Order with a number of college credits already completed. Moreover, college studies are normally continued during the postulancy, and college and/or theological studies during temporary vows. Priesthood candidates might still require 8-10 years of preparation to qualify for ordination. Requirements for the brotherhood are more flexible than those for the priesthood and might be accomplished within the 5-year minimum. However, if a brother would go into some specialized field - teaching or accounting, for example - academic requirements might demand a longer period of preparation. Requirements for the diaconate, like the priesthood, are determined by Church Law. Most diaconate programs in the United States consist of 4-5 years of study. For all religious full membership in the Order is achieved with the profession of solemn (perpetual) vows Why are there fewer vocations to the religious life (and priesthood) these days? Nobody knows for sure, although there are many theories (some based on rather elaborate studies.) All agree that the first part of the 20th century was a time of extraordinary vocational abundance in the United States. Each year hundreds of young men and women flocked to religious novitiates and diocesan seminaries. Some seminaries, built to house as many as 200-300 seminarians were virtually filled during those years, with the result that there was seldom a problem of staffing parishes or other ministries such as parochial schools or hospital, military, and prison chaplaincies. All this changed in the early 1960s around the time of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65). Some, indeed, have blamed the Council, which brought about significant changes in the Church for the first time in some 400 years, for this drop-off in vocations. The actual reasons for the new scarcity of vocations were, without doubt, far more complex and have to do with changes not simply in the Church but within society and culture. It is important to remember that the changes that we mention here must be seen as proper, in many cases, to the United States and Western Europe. Many other parts of the world, including the so-called "developing countries," remained unaffected and so continued to produce abundant vocations, many of whom are now "evangelizing" us! In trying to understand the decline in religious and priestly vocations in recent years, many have pointed to the erosion of spiritual values and the materialism that seem to characterize our modern world. There is a "practical atheism" abroad in today's world that, if not specifically denying spiritual realities, remains indifferent to them in favor of such things as power, wealth, and status. In a society where self fulfillment, living the good life, and a pragmatic morality ("if it feels good, do it") predominate, there is a decided bias against those professions which formerly were valued but now have become "counter-cultural." Why become a priest or religious and "give up" all the modern world has to offer? The so-called "sexual revolution" has also affected attitudes toward religious life and priesthood, since both require a celibate (chaste) life-style, forbidding marriage or sexual relations for those who choose to embrace these vocations. If one feels he cannot be an authentic or fulfilled person without being sexually active, he will certainly not consider the celibacy requirements of the religious life or priesthood. Another consequence of the sexual revolution coupled with the advances in reproductive technology has been the decline in the number of children couples have, because of increased use of contraceptive devices including abortion. With smaller families there are fewer children available to fulfill the variety of family needs and expectations, including the "giving" of a family member for service to the Church. It is interesting that in societies that have preserved traditional spiritual and moral values, vocations are still abundant. Many vocations in the US are now coming from the children of immigrants from the various Latin American countries such as Mexico and Colombia, from Asiatic countries such as the Philippines and India, and from African countries such as Nigeria and Ghana. Vocations to religious communities of women (nuns and sisters) have, no doubt, been negatively affected by another development in the modern world: the gains women have recently made in the work place. Women religious in the past often enjoyed opportunities - in the areas of teaching, hospital work, administration, and other areas - that ordinary women did not, and so the sisterhood became a means of fulfilling women's professional as well as spiritual aspirations. Today, however, there are so many work-related possibilities for women that they might well ask: why limit myself by becoming a religious nun or sister when I can do all those things (and others) right now without the "limitations" of religious life? Thus, vocations to the religious life in women's communities have dropped even more sharply in recent years than those in men's communities. Finally, the Catholic Church has lost credibility with many of its traditional supporters. The reasons for this are varied. Some people disagree with the Church's moral teachings, which are still quite traditional and demanding. Others have fallen away because of aggressive evangelization efforts from Protestant denominations, which often appear more community and service-minded than Catholics. Most recently the loyalty of many Catholics has been shaken by the ongoing sexual abuse scandal among the clergy and religious in the US. This "drying up" of the traditional sources of priestly and religious vocations has had grave consequences for the Church in its evangelization and humanitarian efforts. With fewer young candidates entering the ranks, the clergy are aging; moreover, there are fewer to replace those who have died. There are thus fewer and fewer priests and religious to meet the spiritual needs of more and more people (the Catholic population has not stopped growing!). Jesus said in the Gospel: "Many are called but few are chosen!" From the beginning of Christianity, then, there was a need for more individuals to take up the challenge of a religious vocation. That need remains greater than ever today. Are religious affected by the sexual abuse scandal in the Church today? Absolutely. Virtually all religious Orders and congregations are taking steps to make sure that those who are entrusted to their spiritual care are not victimized, and that those who have been victimized in the past receive the help they need and deserve to be healed of this terrible form of abuse through various forms of pastoral assistance. Religious communities are working closely with the US bishops and with each other to carry forward the program outlined in Dallas, Texas, in June 2002, to stamp out sexual abuse by the clergy, particularly when this involves minors. The Augustinian Recollects have had an official policy on sexual misconduct in place since 1992 and are currently working to revise and strengthen that policy in the light of recent developments. Will religious ever be allowed to marry? No. One of the essential elements of religious life is the vow of chastity (along with poverty and obedience). The original meaning of the word "monk" (mono) was one alone. There was a spiritual meaning to this one-ness in that the monk was to be, as counseled by the Gospel beatitude, single-hearted or undivided in his intention to serve God. There was to be no other person or thing to compete for his loyalty or affection than God. One-ness however, also took on a physical reality that mirrored the spiritual reality. The monk lived as one alone in the sense that he had neither wife nor children and so witnessed to that spiritual condition which will be our common lot after death, when, as our Lord said: "they will neither give nor be given in marriage." The disciples themselves in the Gospel state that "this is a hard saying," and the Lord responded that it is only for those to whom it is given. Chastity, then, is a gift from God, but one that must be freely accepted. Diocesan clergy, unlike religious, may one day be allowed to marry, as, in fact they were in the early days of the Church and remain so even today in the Orthodox Church and in the Protestant tradition of Christianity. Can religious choose their work or where they will be assigned? Yes and no! The regional superior of the Order (Provincial) is the individual entrusted to make assignments in the name of the community. The individual may and, in fact, often does request a particular assignment. So there is often a dialogue between the individual religious and the Provincial about assignments. However, since the Provincial is responsible for the over-all well being of the whole community, he has the final word on assignments. Criteria for making assignments are not only the individual's expressed preferences but also his abilities and the needs of the Order and the Church.
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