Decree on the adaptation and renewal of religious life.


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Decree

on the

Adaptation

and

Renewal of

Religious Life



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Decree on the

Adaptation and Renewal

of Religious Life

This booklet is the text of an English translation relayed from Vatican

City to the Press Department of the National Catholic Welfare Con-

ference, Washington, D.C.

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BY OUR SUNDAY VISITOR INC.
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Decree on the

Adaptation and Renewal

of Religious Life

HOLLOWING is an English translation of the text of the
Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Adaptation and

Renewal of the Religious Life, proclaimed by Pope Paul VI
on Oct. 28, 1965.

1. The sacred synod has al-
ready shown in the Constitution
on the Church that the pursuit
of perfect charity through the
evangelical counsels draws its
origin from the doctrine and ex-
am.ple of the Divine Master and
reveals itself as a splendid sign
of the heavenly kingdom. Now
it intends to treat of the life and
discipline of those institutes

whose members make profession
of chastity, poverty and obed-
ience and to provide for their
needs in our time.

Indeed from the very begin-
ning of the Church men and
women have set about following
Christ with greater freedom and
imitating Him more closely
through the practice of the
evangelical counsels, each in his
own way leading a life ded-
icated to God. Many of them,
under the inspiration of the

Holy Spirit, lived as hermits or
founded religious families,
which the Church gladly wel-
comed and approved by her au-
thority. So it is that in accord-
ance with the Divine Plan a
wonderful variety of religious
communities has grown up
which has made it easier for the
Church not only to be equipped
for every good work (cf. Tim.
3:17) and ready for the work of
the ministry — the building up
of the Body of Christ (cf. Eph.
4:12) — but also to appear
adorned with the various gifts
of her children like a spouse
adorned for her husband (cf.
Apoc. 21:2) and for the mani-
fold Wisdom of God to be re-
vealed through her (cf. Eph.
3:10).

Despite such a great variety
of gifts, all those called by God
to the practice of the evangeli-

3



cal counsels and who, faithfully
responding to the call, under-
take to observe the same, bind
themselves to the Lord in a
special way, following Christ,
who chaste and poor (cf. Matt.
8:20; Luke 9:58) redeemed and
sanctified men through obed-
ience even to the death of the
Cross (cf. Phil. 2:8). Driven by
love with which the Holy Spirit
floods their hearts (cf. Rom.
5:5) they live more and more
for Christ and for His body
which is the Church (cf. Col.
1:24). The more fervently then
they are joined to Christ by this
total life-long gift of them-
selves, the richer the life of the

Church becomes and the more
lively and successful its apos-
tolate.

In order that the great value
of life consecrated by the pro-
fession of the counsels and its
necessary mission today may
yield greater good to the
Church, the sacred synod lays
down the following prescrip-
tions. They are meant to state
only the general principles of
the adaptation and renewal of
the life and discipline of Reli-
gious orders and also, without
prejudice to their special char-
acteristics, of societies of com-
mon life without vows and se-
secular institutes. Particular

norms for the proper explana-
tion and application of these
principles are to be determined
after the council by the author-
ity in question.

2. The adaptation and re-

newal of the religious life in-
cludes both the constant return
to the sources of all Christian
life and to the original spirit
of the institutes and their adap-
tation to the changed conditions
of our time. This renewal, under
the inspiration of the Holy Spir-
it and the guidance of the
Church, must be advanced ac-
cording to the following prin-
ciples:

a) Since the ultimate norm
of the religious life is the fol-

lowing of Christ set forth in the
Gospels, let this be held by all
institutes as the highest rule.

b) It redounds to the good of
the Church that institutes have
their own particular char-
acteristics and work. Therefore
let their founders’ spirit and
special aims they set before
them as well as their sound tra-
ditions — all of which make up
the patrimony of each institute
—be faithfully held in honor.

c) All institutes should
share in the life of the Church,
adapting as their own and im-
plementing in accordance with
their own characteristics, the
Church’s undertakings and aims
in matters biblical, liturgical,

dogmatic, pastoral, ecumenical,

missionary and social.
d) Institutes should promote

among their members an ade-
quate knowledge of the social
conditions of the times they live

in and of the needs of the
Church. In such a way, judging
current events wisely in the

light of faith and burning with

4



apostolic zeal, they may be able
to assist men more effectively.

e) The purpose of the reli-
gious life is to help the mem-
bers follow Christ and be united
to God through the profession
of the evangelical counsels. It

should be constantly kept in
mind, therefore, that even the
best adjustments made in ac-
cordance with the needs of our
age will be ineffectual unless
they are animated by a renewal
of Spirit. This must take pre-
cedence over even the active
ministry.

3. The manner of living,
praying and working should be
suitably adapted everywhere,
but especially in mission terri-
tories, to the modern physical
and psychological circumstances
of the members and also, as re-
quired by the nature of each in-
stitute, to the necessities of the

apostolate, the demands of cul-
ture, and social and economic
circumstances.

According to the same crite-
ria let the manner of governing
the institutes also be examined.

Therefore let constitutions,
directories, custom books, books
of prayers and ceremonies and
such like be suitably re-edited
and, obsolete laws being sup-
pressed, be adapted to the de-
crees of this sacred synod.

4. An effective renewal and
adaptation demands the cooper-
ation of all the members of the
institute.

However, to establish the

norms of adaptation and renew-
al, to embody it in legislation
as v/ell as to make allowance
for adequate and prudent ex-
perimentation belongs only to
the competent authorities, es-
pecially to general chapters. The
approbation of the Holy See or
of the local Ordinary must be
obtained where necessary ac-
cording to law. But superiors
should take counsel in an ap-
propriate way and hear the
members of the order in those
things which concern the future
well being of the whole insti-
tute.

For the adaptation and re-
newal of convents of nuns sug-
gestions and advice may be ob-
tained also from the meetings
of federations or from other as-
semblies lawfully convoked.

Nevertheless everyone should
keep in mind that the hope of
renewal lies more in the faith-
ful observance of the rules and
constitutions than in multiply-
ing laws.

5.

Members of each institute
should recall first of all that by
professing the evangelical coun-
sels they responded to a divine
call so that by being not only
dead to sin (cf. Rom. 6:11) but
also renouncing the world they
may live for God alone. They
have dedicated their entire lives
to His service. This constitutes

a special consecration, which is
deeply rooted in that of baptism
and expresses it more fully.

Since the Church has accepted
their surrender of self they

5



should realize they are also de-
dicated to its service.

This service of God ought to
inspire and foster in them the
exercise of the virtues, especial-

ly humility, obedience, fortitude

and chastity. In such a way they
share in Christ’s emptying of
Himself (cf. Phil. 2:7) and His
life in the spirit (cf. Rom. 8:1-
13).

Faithful to their profession

then, and leaving all things for
the sake of Christ (cf. Mark
10:28), Religious are to follow
him (cf. Matt. 19:21) as the one
thing necessary (cf. Luke
10:42) listening to His words
(cf. Luke 10:39) and solicitous
for the things that are His (cf.
1 Cor. 7:32).

It is necessary therefore that
the members of every commun-
ity, seeking God solely and be-
fore everything else, should join
contemplation, by which they
fix their minds and hearts on
Him, with apostolic love, by
which they strive to be associ-
ated with the work of redemp-
tion and to spread the kingdom
of God.

6. Let those who make pro-
fession of the evangelical coun-
sels seek and love above all else
God who has first loved us (cf.
1 John 4:10) and let them
strive to foster in all circum-
stances a life hidden with Christ
in God (cf. Col. 3:3). This love
of God both excites and ener-
gizes that love of one’s neigh-
bor which contributes to the
salvation of the world and the

building up of the Church. This
love, in addition, quickens and
directs the actual practice of
the evangelical counsels.
Drawing therefore upon the

authentic sources of Christian
spirituality, members of Reli-
gious communities should reso-
lutely cultivate both the spirit
and practice of prayer. In the
first place they should have
recourse daily to the Holy
Scriptures in order that by
reading and meditating on Holy
Writ, they may learn “the sur-
passing worth of knowing Jesus
Christ” (Phil. 3:8). They should
celebrate the sacred liturgy, es-
pecially the holy sacrifice of
the Mass, with both lips and
heart as the Church desires and
so nourish their spiritual life
from this richest of sources.

So refreshed at the table of
divine law and the sacred altar
of God, they will love Christ’s
members as brothers, honor and
love their pastors as sons should
do, and living and thinking
ever more in union with the
Church, dedicate themselves
wholly to its mission.

7. Communities which are
entirely dedicated to contem-
plation, so that their members
in solitude and silence, with
constant prayer and penance
willingly undertaken, occupy
themselves with God alone, re-
tain at all times, no matter how
pressing the needs of the active
apostolate may be, an honorable
place in the Mystical Body of
Christ, whose “members do not

6



all have the same function”
(Rom. 12:4). For these offer to
God a sacrifice of praise which
is outstanding. Moreover the
manifold results of their holi-
ness lends luster to the people
of God which is inspired by
their example and which gains
new members by their apostol-
ate which is as effective as it is
hidden. Thus they are revealed
to be a glory of the Church and
a well-spring of heavenly
graces. Nevertheless their man-
ner of living should be revised
according to the principles and
criteria of adaptation and re-
newal mentioned above. How-
ever their withdrawal from the
world and the exercises proper
to the contemplative life should
be preserved with the utmost
care.

8. There are in the Church
very many communities, both
clerical and lay, which devote
themselves to various apostolic
tasks. The gifts which these
communities possess differ ac-
cording to the grace which is
allotted to them. Administrators
have the gift of administration,
teachers that of teaching, the

gift of stirring speech is given
to preachers, liberality to those

who exercise charity and cheer-
fulness to those who help others
in distress (cf. Rom. 12:5-8).
“The gifts are varied, but the
Spirit is the same” (I Cor. 12:
4).

In these communities apostol-
ic and charitable activity be-
longs to the very nature of the

religious life, seeing that it is a

holy service and a work charac-
teristic of love, entrusted to
them by the Church to be car-
ried out in its name. Therefore,
the whole religious life of their
members should be inspired by
an apostolic spirit and all their
apostolic activity formed by the
spirit of religion. Therefore in
order that their members may
first correspond to their voca-
tion to follow Christ and serve
Him in His members, their
apostolic activity must spring
from intimate union with Him.
Thus love itself toward God and
the neighbor is fostered.
These communities then

should adjust their rules and
customs to fit the demands of
the apostolate to which they are
dedicated. The fact however
that apostolic religious life takes

on many forms requires that its
adaptation and renewal take ac-
count of this diversity and pro-
vide that the lives of Religious
dedicated to the service of
Christ in these various commun-
ities be sustained by special
provisions appropriate to each.

9. The monastic life, that
venerable institution which in
the course of a long history has
won for itself notable renown
in the Church and in human so-
ciety, should be preserved with
care and its authentic spirit
permitted to shine forth ever
more splendidly both in the
East and the West. The princi-
pal duty of monks is to offer
a service to the divine majesty

7



at once humble and noble with-
in the walls of the monastery,
whether they dedicate them-
selves entirely to divine wor-
ship in the contemplative life or
have legitimately undertaken
some apostolate or work of
Christian charity. Retaining
therefore the characteristics of

the way of life proper to them,
they should revive their ancient
traditions of service and so
adapt them to the needs of today
that monasteries will become
institutions dedicated to the ed-
ification of the Christian people.

Some religious communities
according to their rule or con-
stitutions closely join the apos-
tolic life to choir duty and mo-
nastic observances. These should
so adapt their manner of life to
the demands of the apostolate
appropriate to them that they
observe faithfully their way of
life, since it has been of great
service to the Church.

10.

The religious life, under-
taken by lay people, either men
or women, is a state for the pro-
fession of the evangelical coun-
sels which is complete in itself.
While holding in high esteem
therefore this way of life so use-
ful to the pastoral mission of

the Church in educating youth,
caring for the sick and carrying
out its other ministries, the sa-
cred synod confirms these Re-
ligious in their vocation and ur-
ges them to adjust their way of
life to modern needs.
The sacred synod declares

that there is nothing to prevent

some members of Religious
communities of Brothers being
admitted to holy orders by pro-
vision of their general chapter
in order to meet the need for
priestly ministrations in their

own houses, provided that the
lay character of the community
remains unchanged.

11. Secular Institutes al-
though not Religious institutes
involve a true and full profes-
sion of the evangelical counsels

in the world. This profession is
recognized by the Church and
consecrates to God men and
women, lay and clerical, who
live in the world. Hence they
should make a total dedication
of themselves to God in perfect
charity their chief aim, and the
institutes themselves should
preserve their own proper, i.e.,
secular character, so that they
may be able to carry out effec-
tively everywhere in and, as it
were, from the world the apos-
tolate for which they were
founded.

It may be taken for granted,
however, that so great a task
cannot be discharged unless the
members be thoroughly trained
in matters divine and human so
that they are truly a leaven in

the world for the strengthening
and growth of the body of
Christ. Superiors therefore

should give serious attention
especially to the spiritual train-

ing to be given members as well
as encourage their further for-
mation.

12. The chastity “for the

8



sake of the kingdom of heaven”
(Matt. 19:12) which Religious
profess should be counted an
outstanding gift of grace. It
frees the heart of man in an
unique fashion (cf. I Cor. 7:32-

35) so that it may be more in-
flamed with love for God and
for all men. Thus it not only
symbolizes in a singular way
the heavenly goods but also the
most suitable means by which
Religious dedicate themselves
with undivided heart to the
service of God and the works of
the apostolate. In this way they
recall to the minds of all the
faithful that wondrous marriage
decreed by God and which is to
be fully revealed in the future
age in which the Church takes
Christ as its only spouse.

Religious therefore who are
striving faithfully to observe
the chastity they have professed
must have faith in the words of
the Lord, and trusting in God’s
help not overestimate their own
strength but practice mortifica-
tion and custody of the senses.
Neither should they neglect the
natural means which promote
health of mind and body. As a
result they will not be influenc-
ed by those false doctrines
which scorn perfect continence
as being impossible or harmful
to human development and they
will repudiate by a certain spir-
itual instinct everything which
endangers chastity. In addition
let all, especially superiors, re-

member that chastity is guard-
ed more securely when true

brotherly love flourishes in the
common life of the communi-
ty.

Since the observance of per-
fect continence touches inti-
mately the deepest instincts of
human nature, candidates
should neither present them-
selves for nor be admitted to
the vow of chastity, unless they
have been previously tested suf-
ficiently and have been shown
to possess the required psycho-
logical and emotional maturity.
They should not only be warn-
ed about the dangers to chastity
which they may meet but they
should be so instructed as to be
able to undertake the celibacy
which binds them to God in a
way which will benefit their en-
tire personality.

13. Religious should dili-
gently practice and if need be
express also in new forms that
voluntary poverty which is rec-
ognized and highly esteemed
especially today as an expres-
sion of the following of Christ.
By it they share in the poverty
of Christ who for our sakes be-
came poor, even though He was
rich, so that by His poverty we
might become rich (cf. 2 Cor.
8:9; Matt. 8:20).
With regard to religious pov-

erty it is not enough to use
goods in a way subject to the
superior’s will but members
must be poor both in fact and in
spirit, their treasures being in
heaven (cf. Matt. 6:20).

Religious should consider
themselves in their own assign-

9



merits to be bound by the com-
mon law of labor, and while
they procure what is required
for their sustenance and works,
they should banish all undue so-
licitude and trust themselves to
be the provident care of their
Father in heaven (cf. Matt.
6:25).

Religious congregations by
their constitutions can permit
their members to renounce in-
heritances, both those which
have been acquired or may be
acquired.

Due regard being had for lo-
cal conditions. Religious com-
munities should readily offer a
quasi-collective witness to pov-
erty and gladly use their own
goods for other needs of the
Church and the support of the
poor whom all religious should
love after the example of Christ
(cf. Matt. 19:21; 25:34-46;

James 2: 15-16; John 3:17).
The several provinces and hous-
es of each community should
share their temporal goods with
one another, so that those who
have more help the others who
are in need.

Religious communities have
the right to possess whatever is
required for their temporal life
and work, unless this is forbid-
den by their rules and constitu-
tions. Nevertheless they should
avoid every appearance of lux-
ury, excessive wealth and the
accumulation of goods.

14. In professing obedience
Religious offer the full surren-

der of their own will as a sacri-
fice of themselves to God and
so are united permanently and
securely to God’s salvific will.

After the example of Jesus
Christ who came to do the will
of the Father (cf. John 4:34; 5:
30; Heb. 10:7; Ps. 39:9) and
“assuming the nature of a slave”
(Phil. 2:7) learned obedience
in the school of suffering (cf.

Heb. 5:8), Religious under the
motion of the Holy Spirit,
subject themselves in faith to
their superiors who hold the
place of God. Under their gui-
dance they are led to serve all
their brothers in Christ, just as

Christ Himself in obedience to
the Father served His brethren
and laid down His life as a ran-
som for many (cf. Matt. 20:28;
John 10:14-18). So they are
closely bound to the service of
the Church and strive to attain
the measure of the full manhood
of Christ (Eph. 4:13).

Religious therefore in the

spirit of faith and love for the
divine will should humbly obey
their superiors according to
their rules and constitutions.
Realizing that they are contrib-
uting to building up the body
of Christ according to God’s
plan, they should use both
the forces of their intellect

and will and the gifts of nature
and grace to execute the com-
mands and fulfill the duties en-
trusted to them. In this way re-
ligious obedience, far from les-
sening the dignity of the hu-
man person, by extending the

10



freedom of the sons of God,
leads it to maturity.

Superiors, as those who are
to give an account of the souls
entrusted to them (Heb. 13:17),
should fulfill their office in a
way responsive to God’s will.
They should exercise their au-
thority out of a spirit of service

to the brethren, expressing in

this way the love with which
God loves their subjects. They
should govern these as sons of
God, respecting their human
dignity. In this way they make
it easier for them to subordinate
their wills. They should be par-
ticularly careful to respect their

subjects’ liberty in the matters
of sacramental confession and
the direction of conscience. Sub-
jects should be brought to the
point where they will cooperate
with an active and responsible
obedience in undertaking new
tasks and in carrying those al-
ready undertaken. And so su-
periors should gladly listen to
their subjects and foster harmo-
ny among them for the good of
the community and the Church,
provided that thereby their own
authority to decide and com-
mand what has to be done is
not harmed.
Chapters and deliberative

bodies should faithfully dis-
charge the part in ruling en-
trusted to them and each should
in its own way express that
concern for the good of the en-
tire community which all its
members share.

15. Common life, fashioned

on the model of the early
Church where the body of be-
lievers was united in heart and
soul (cf. Acts 4:32), and given
new force by the teaching of
the Gospel, the sacred liturgy

and especially the Eucharist,
should continue to be lived
in prayer and the communion
of the same spirit. As members
of Christ living together as
brothers. Religious should give
pride of place in esteem to each
other (cf. Rom. 12:10) and bear
each other’s burdens (cf. Gal.
6:2). For the community, a
true family gathered together in
the name of the Lord by God’s
love which has flooded the
hearts of its members through
the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom. 5:5),
rejoices because He is present
among them (cf. Matt. 18:20).
Moreover love sums up the
whole law (cf. Rom. 13:10),
binds all together in perfect un-
ity (cf. Col. 3:14) and by it we
know that we have crossed over
from death to life (cf. 1 John
3:14). Furthermore the unity of
the brethren is a visible pledge
that Christ will return (cf. John
13:35; 17:21) and a source of
great apostolic energy.
That all the members be more

closely knit by the bond of
brotherly love, those who are
called lay-Brothers, assistants,

or some similar name should be
drawn closely in to the life and
work of the community. Unless
conditions really suggest some-
thing else, care should be taken
that there be only one class of

11



Sisters in communities of wom-
en. Only that distinction of per-
sons should be retained which
corresponds to the diversity of
works for which the Sisters are
destined, either by special vo-
cation from God or by reason
of special aptitude.

However monasteries of men
and communities which are not
exclusively lay can, according
to their nature and constitu-
tions, admit clerics and lay per-
sons on an equal footing and
with equal rights and obliga-
tions, excepting those which
flow from sacred orders.

16. Papal cloister should be
maintained in the case of nuns
engaged exclusively in the con-
templative life. However, it
must be adjusted to conditions
of time and place and obso-
lete practices suppressed. This

should be done after due consul-
tation with the monasteries in
question. But other nuns applied
by rule to apostolic work out-
side the convent should be ex-
empted from papal cloister in
order to enable them better to
fulfill the apostolic duties en-

trusted to them. Nevertheless
cloister is to be maintained ac-
cording to the prescriptions of

their constitutions.

17. The religious habit, an
outward mark of consecration
to God, should be simple and
modest, poor and at the same
time becoming. In additon it
must meet the requirements of
health and be suited to the cir-
cumstances of time and place

and to the needs of the ministry
involved. The habits of both
men and women Religious which
do not conform to these norms
must be changed.

18.

Adaptation and renewal
depend greatly on the education
of Religious. Consequently nei-
ther non-clerical Religious nor
Religious women should be as-
signed to apostolic works imme-
diately after the novitiate. Ra-
ther their religious and apos-
tolic formation, joined with in-
struction in arts and science di-
rected toward obtaining appro-
priate degrees, must be contin-
ued as needs require in houses
established for those purposes.

In order that the adaptation
of religious life to the needs of
our time may not be merely ex-
ternal and that those employed
by rule in the active apostolate
may be equal to their task. Re-
ligious must be given suitable
instruction, depending on their
intellectual capacity and person-
al talent, in the currents and at-
titudes of sentiment and
thought prevalent in social life
today. This education must
blend its elements together har-
moniously so that an integrated
life on the part of the Religious
concerned results.

Religious should strive dur-
ing the whole course of their
lives to perfect the culture they

have received in matters spiri-
tual and in arts and sciences.
Likewise superiors must, as far
as this is possible, obtain for

them the opportunity, equip-

12



ment and time to do this.
Superiors are also obliged to

see to it that directors, spiritual

fathers and professors are care-
fully chosen and thoroughly
trained.

19. When the question of
founding new Religious com-
munities arises, their necessity
or at least the many useful serv-
ices they promise must be seri-
ously weighed. Otherwise com-
munities may be needlessly
brought into being which are
useless or which lack sufficient
resources. Particularly in those

areas where churches have re-
cently been established, those
forms of religious life should be
promoted and developed which
take into account the genius
and way of life of the inhabi-
tants and the customs and con-
ditions of the region.

20. Religious communities
should continue to maintain and
fulfill the ministries proper to
them. In addition, after consid-
ering the needs of the Univer-
sal Church and individual dio-
ceses, they should adapt them
to the requirements of time and
place, employing appropriate
and even new programs and
abandoning those works which
today are less relevant to the
spirit and authentic nature of
the community.
The missionary spirit must

under all circumstances be pre-
served in religious communi-
ties. It should be adapted, ac-
cordingly as the nature of each
community permits, to modern

conditions so that the preaching
of the Gospel may be carried
out more effectively in every
nation.

21. There may be communi-
ties and monasteries which the
Holy See, after consulting the
interested local Ordinaries, will

judge not to possess reasonable
hope for further development.
These should be forbidden to re-
ceive novices in the future. If it

is possible these should be com-
bined with other more flourish-
ing communities and monaster-
ies whose scope and spirit is
similar.

22. Independent institutes
and monasteries should, when
opportune and the Holy See
permits, form federations if
they can be considered as be-
longing to the same religious
family. Others who have prac-
tically identical constitutions

and rules and a common spirit
should unite, particularly when
they have too few members. Fi-
nally those who share the same
or a very similar active aposto-
late should become associated,
one to the other.

23. This synod favors con-
ferences or councils of major su-
periors, established by the Holy
See. These can contribute very
much to achieve the purpose of
each institute; to encourage
more effective cooperation for
the welfare of the Church; to
ensure a more just distribution
of ministers of the Gospel in a
given area; and finally to con-
duct affairs of interest to all Re-

13



ligious. Suitable coordination

and cooperations with episcopal
conferences should be establish-
ed with regard to the exercise
of the apostolate.

Similar conferences should al-
so be established for secular in-
stitutes.

24. Priests and Christian
educators should make serious
efforts to foster religious voca-
tions, thereby increasing the
strength of the Church, corres-
ponding to its needs. These can-
didates should be suitably and
carefully chosen. In ordinary
preaching the life of the evan-
gelical counsels and the Reli-
gious state should be treated
more frequently. Parents, too,
should nurture and protect re-
ligious vocations in their chil-
dren by instilling Christian vir-
tue in their hearts.

Religious communities have
the right to make themselves
known in order to foster voca-
tions and seek candidates. In do-
ing this, however, they should
observe the norms laid down by
the Holy See and the local Ordi-
nary.

Religious should remember
there is no better way

than their own example to com-
mend their institutes and gain
candidates for the religious life.

25. Religious institutes, for

whom these norms of adapta-
tion and renewal have been
laid down, should respond gen-
erously to the specific vocation

God gave them as well as their
work in the Church today. The
sacred synod highly esteems
their way of life in poverty,
chastity and obedience, of which
Christ the Lord is Himself the
exemplar. Moreover, their apos-
tolate, most effective, whether
obscure or well known, offers
this synod great hope for the
future. Let all Religious there-
fore, rooted in faith and filled
with love for God and neigh-
bor, love of the cross and the
hope of future glory, spread the
good news of Christ throughout
the whole world so that their
witness may be seen by all and
our Father in heaven may be
glorified (Matt. 5:16). There-
fore, let them beseech the Vir-
gin Mary, the gentle Mother of
God, “whose life is a model for
all,” that their number may
daily increase and their salutary
work be more effective.

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