Prayerful Support: The Year of Consecrated Life, Part I

By Fr. Christopher Foeckler, MJ •  St. Josaphat Formation Center • Phoenix, AZ

Pope Francis has declared a “Year of Consecrated Life” from the beginning of Advent until the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple on February 2nd, 2016. It is a time of special grace for those called to consecrated life: religious sisters, brothers and priests, monks, hermits and consecrated lay men and women as are the members of Miles Jesu. The pursuit of perfect charity through the profession of the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience is the common denominator that makes all these varied forms of living it out to be simply “Consecrated Life.” As the Holy Father says, the year is so consecrated people may give thanks for and examine the charism of each religious family, live and preach the Gospel with passion and joy, and strive with hope towards the future in communion with the whole Church.

It is also a time of special grace for the entire Church. As Pope Francis explained in his Letter to open the year, “Radical evangelical living is not only for religious: it is demanded of everyone.  But religious follow the Lord in a special way, in a prophetic way.”  This is the priority that is needed right now: “to be prophets who witness to how Jesus lived on this earth… a religious must never abandon prophecy.” The prophecy of Consecrated Life is like that of John the Baptist: a call by word, example and prayer to every single person all the way to the ends of the earth to open the way for Jesus Christ into their lives and hearts.  Let’s begin the year with prayerful support:

Prayer for the Year of Consecrated Life

O God, throughout the ages you have called women and men to pursue lives of perfect charity through the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience. During this Year of Consecrated Life, we give you thanks for these courageous witnesses of Faith and models of inspiration. Their pursuit of holy lives teaches us to make a more perfect offering of ourselves to you. Continue to enrich your Church by calling forth sons and daughters who, having found the pearl of great price, treasure the Kingdom of Heaven above all things. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen

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