Consecrated Life today is faced with the challenges of secularism, which involves individualism, loss of interiority, excessive democratization of authority, professionalization of vocation, work absorption, loneliness and restlessness, lack of community and resulting into a non-contemplative personality. These cultural realities can only be faced by returning to Chapter 6: De Religiosis of the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church (Lumen Gentium), which speaks of one of the most ancient theological traditions and the basis of consecrated life, the theology of the undivided heart. This course will involve both a discussion of this present-day effects of secularism on consecrated life and a re-visiting of Lumen Gentium through a detailed analysis of De Religiosis. In the Light of Pope Francis’ Teachings and Contemporary Trends
Since Pope Francis is the first Jesuit Pope and the first belonging to a religious institute since Gregory XVI (1831-1846), he has taught and spoken at length about religious life and its contemporary issues. The life of the consecrated must bear witness to joy and able to wake up the world. Part of his teaching will be re-visiting Lumen Gentium on the meaning of religious life and consecration. The course will also include an analysis of the findings of the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate, simply called CARA (Georgetown University) about current situation of religious life and vocations in general.
This course will also be relevant for lay people in terms of the meaning of commitment and knowing present trends in the Church.
