Mary in the Life of Religious (3)

Mary, Model of Religious

Before we affirm Mary as the model of religious life, we should also be aware of the primacy of her being a model of the Church. Mary being a model of religious consecration should not be "plucked out", as it were, or detached and divorced, from the larger context of her being the model of the Church. Catholic faith and devotion throughout the centuries have always looked upon the Blessed Virgin Mary as a type and a model of the Church. That is to say, we see in her what the Church and we, its members should become. In her life, the nature of the Church, especially the nature of our Christian calling, is made visibly present. That is the reason why we look upon her as an ideal for all of us. [8]

Endnotes:


[8] Anthony Malaviaratchi, C.Ss.R., Initiation into Religious Life: A Catechesis for Formation, (Bangalore: Redemptorist Publications, 1985), p. 16.

Mary, Model of Religious: Consecration

The Blessed Virgin is a unique model to the Church. Some members of the Church are called to use the things of this world, in order to love and serve God (laity); and some are called to renounce all things for the sake of God (religious).

In Mary, our model and mother, we see both these ways of showing Christian consecration to God. She is the mother and model of those who use the things of this world as well as those who leave all things for the sake of the gospel. [9] It is from this larger context that we are to see Mary particularly as a model for religious.

The religious have Mary as their model, for she was also totally consecrated to God, being overshadowed by the Holy Spirit (cf. Lk 1:35), having the Lord with her (cf. Lk 1:28) and being totally in the service of God (cf. Lk 1:38, 48). To God's design Mary said "fiat" (cf. Lk 1:38) by her free and total response to God who calls. Vatican Council II says, the religious "live only for God" (PC 5), even as Mary lived. [10]

Mary's consecration freed her from all interior limitation of spirit and love, and prompted her to the exercise of charity soon after she said yes to God - so she went to help her cousin Elizabeth (cf Lk 1:39-56). Religious consecration too leads to the purification of the heart and to spiritual freedom, and promotes the exercise of charity and divine worship. [11] Thus, we can plainly see that Mary's consecration to God is a type and model of the religious' consecration.

John Paul II also speaks along this line in "Redemptionis Donum". He said, "Among the persons totally consecrated to God, Mary is the first. She - the Virgin of Nazareth - is also the one most fully consecrated to God, consecrated in the most perfect way...If Mary is taken as the first model of the Church at large, more so she is to be taken by you, persons and communities consecrated to God within the Church...Hence I invite you all to revive your religious consecration after the model of Mary, the woman totally consecrated to God." (RD 17)

Endnotes:

[9] Anthony Malaviaratchi, C.Ss.R., Initiation into
Religious Life: A Catechesis for Formation, (Bangalore:
Redemptorist Publications, 1985), p. 17.
[10] Kaitholil, Hail, Full of Grace, p. 104.
[11] Ibid., p. 105.

Mary in the Life of Religious (2)

Marian Dimension in Religious Life in General: Tradition and New Constitutions

The post-conciliar magisterium has continued to insist on the importance of the Marian dimension in religious life. One of the possible reasons it does so is because of the long tradition of Mary's presence in the life of religious. To give as examples, many congregations foster aspects of Marian spirituality and invoke Mary with appropriate and special titles. They develop the Marian cult, prayers, devotions, office in honor of Mary, rosary, litany, Via Matris Dolorosa, Saturday devotion, May devotion, scapular, habit, and others. Music and art are also filled with many Marian elements - many of which are attributed to religious. Furthermore, Mary is looked upon in many contemplative orders as the "Abbess" and "Mother General". [4]

Aside from those mentioned above, probably one of the more important contributions to the Marian element in religious life is the Consecration to Mary which many orders and congregations introduce. A man of the 17th century by the name of St. Louis-Marie de Montfort, founder of the Company of Mary, introduced a "Radical Consecration" (Slavery of Love) which is deepened in its theological, spiritual and pastoral aspect. The consecration he introduced is "radical" because it is the Perfect Consecration to Jesus through Mary - a perfect renewal of the baptismal vows. This consecration involves an interior attitude and an easy, sure, fast way to live responsibly our Christian life and to grow in Christ. By it, religious and also even laity (in the previous experiences of consecration, it is offered only to religious) are able to offer themselves totally and entirely to Jesus through the hands of Mary. [5]

We also have to look at the Constitutions of the various religious institutes to see how Mary plays an important role in their lives. The rules of many of these religious institutes present Mary as the model of perfection; they inculcate in the members imitation of Mary and filial love and service to her. [6]

Endnotes:

[4] L. de Candido, Vita Consacrata, in Nuovo Dizionario di Mariologia, (Torino: Edizioni Paoline, 1985), p. 1482-1512.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Kaitholil, Hail, Full of Grace, p. 110.

Marian Dimension in Religious Life in General: Marian Traits in Religious Life

Besides all that is said so far, we can also take a look at how Mary is an important dimension in the life of the various kinds of religious institutes through the Marian traits which they incarnate in their particular life. Monastic orders, which number around 50 and stress "fuga mundi" (flight from the world) and "sequela Christi" (Christ's discipleship) in their lives, highlight the Marian trait of contemplation; canons regular which number around 10 and stress "ministry" and the "Choral singing of the Divine Office" in their lives, highlight the Marian trait of praise; mendicant orders, which number around 16 and stress "itinerant life and preaching", "poverty", "fraternity", highlight the Marian trait of simplicity; institutes of apostolic life, which number about 150 (for men) and 1270 (for women) and stress "service" and "evangelization", emphasize the Marian trait of availability to service as cooperation with the mystery of salvation; secular institutes, which number about 130 and stress "domestic asceticism", incarnate the Marian trait of cooperation with Christ in their day-to-day life; and societies of apostolic life, which stress "apostolic life in common", incarnate the Marian trait of communion with the apostles both within and outside the cenacle. [7]

Although all of the aforementioned elements illustrate how Mary plays an important role in the life of religious in general, we still have to look at the deeper and more interior realities of both Mary's life and the life of religious to discover the parallelisms and similarities that would eventually lead us to affirm Mary as our model and ideal.

Through exploring the more intimate dimensions of Mary's life and the life of religious, we will truly know how religious life comes to understand itself most deeply in the person of Mary.

Endnotes:

[7] De Candido, Vita Consacrata, p. 1482-1512.

Mary in the Life of Religious (1)

Mary, in the Life of Religious: An Exposition and Reflection

A paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Mariology, Maryhill School of Theology, Quezon City, Philippines

Mariology was an elective offered to theology students. The class was originally intended to be a class on icons on Mary but as the course proceeded, the subject and themes of the lessons to include other expressions of devotion to Mary and its theology.

The class was taught by Sr. Angela Nijssen, scmm.

Bibliography

Beyer, Jean (compiler). John Paul II Speaks to Religious. Principal Allocutions from November 1978 to December 1980.

De Candido, L. Vita Consacrata, in Nuovo Dizionario di Mariologia. Edited by Stefano de Fiores and Salvatore Meo. Torino: Edizioni Paoline 1985.

Flannery, Austin (editor). Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents. 2 volumes. New York: Costello Publishing Company 1984.

Jegen, Carol Frances (editor). Mary According to Women. Kansas City: Sheed and Ward 1985.

Kaitholil, George. Hail, Full of Grace: An Encounter With Mary. Bandra-Bombay: St. Paul Publications 1987.

Malaviaratchi, Anthony. Initiation into Religious Life: A Catechesis for Formation. Bangalore: Redemptorist Publications India, no date.

Metz, Johannes B. Followers of Christ: The Religious Life and the Church. Translated by Thomas Linton. London: Burns & Oates 1978.

Union of Superiors General. Religious Life 20 Years After Vatican II: Evaluation and Prospective. 32nd Villa Cavalletti Meeting, May 28-31, 1986.

Abbreviations Used:

LG - Lumen Gentium
PC - Perfectae Caritatis
ET - Evangelica Testificatio
RD - Redemptionis Donum
Can - Canon Law
DV - Dei Verbum
MC - Marialis Cultus

Introduction

Since the 2nd Vatican Council, the central element of the theological identity of religious life has been the Christological element. According to the magisterium of the Church, this Christological dimension continues to be, also for the future, the most valid and fruitful dimension of the theology of religious life. What does this dimension mean? This means that religious life refers directly to the biblical figure of Christ: religious life is the ecclesial continuation of the life of Christ proposed by Christ himself to his disciples. [1] The following conciliar and post conciliar document texts point out these main affirmations clearly and explicitly:

"The teaching and example of Christ provide the
foundation for the evangelical counsels of chaste
self-dedication to God, of poverty and of obedience..."
(LG 43).

"Since the final norm of the religious life is the following
of Christ as it is put before us in the Gospel, this must
be taken by institutes as the supreme rule..."
(PC 3a).

"...the supreme rule of the religious life and its ultimate
norm is that of the following of Christ according to the
teaching of the Gospel" (ET 12).

Although the Christological dimension is the central point of the theology of religious life, there is another dimension also of importance - the Mariological dimension. This is the dimension which I wish to take up and study in this paper.

In this paper, I wish to explore the meaning of Mary in relation to religious life.

If we examine the exterior aspects and the historical and sociological aspects of the life of religious and that of Mary, we can conclude without any doubt that they are indeed different. However, if we look much more clearly at these same lives in their more intimate dimensions and in their profound reality, we will see that there are many resemblances: they are lives that are charismatically parallel. [2]

It is with sobriety and courage that the Council proposed Our Lady as the model of religious life. The Council knows that the personality of Mary is so rich, her spirituality so profound, and virtues so perfect, that religious can find in her an ideal to follow. Religious who dedicate themselves to live the Christian vocation in the most radical sense can find in Mary their mother and model. [3] The following texts support this theme explicitly:

"The beloved Mother of the Lord, at whose example
you have consecrated your life to God" (ET 17).


"...In this message, I address myself to you, to invite
you to revive your religious consecration, according to
the model of the consecration of the Mother of God."
(RD 17)

This theme also finds its place in the new Code of Canon Law:

"May they honor by a special worship...the Virgin
Mother of God, model and patroness of all consecrated
life." (Can 663, 4)

The abovementioned documents explicitly state that Mary plays a specific role in the life of religious: she is the model and example of the religious. What does this mean for the purpose of my study? I have especially chosen to deal and explore the said topic because it specifically has to do a lot with my vocation and call as a religious. Mary plays a significant role in my being a religious and I wish to undertake this study to expand and deepen my horizon of understanding as regards my vocation to the religious life.

In this paper, there is one particular point I wish to add and make clear so as not to mislead the readers - that Mary is not a religious in the sense and meaning that we understand it in history. Her life and the life of religious (from its inception up to today) are different from one another. But however, if we look deeper into the interior dimensions of the life of Mary and that of religious, we will discover quite a number of similarities. It is in this light that I intend to establish the parallels and explain in a more detailed manner why the Council proposed Mary as the model of religious life.

In my study, I will show that Mary is indeed such a model by the way she had responded to the call of God in her pilgrimage of faith. However, please bear in mind that due to the limitations surrounding my research, I will not tackle all the possible points that come up as they relate to my study.

Firstly, I would proceed with the study by giving a general idea of the mariological dimension of religious life as it was lived in tradition. The purpose of this is to show that Mary has already been in the past an element present in the life of religious. Secondly, I would establish the parallels between the life of Mary and that of religious by exploring the various elements that they have in common. It is by examining the more intimate dimensions of the two that we can discover why Mary is indeed a model for us religious. Thirdly (before I conclude), I would try to situate Mary's exemplary role within the context of religious life today - her being a Mother, help and guide to religious and her being a model of justice and of the option for the poor.

Endnotes:


[1] Union of Superiors General, "Religious Life 20 Years After Vatican II", 32nd Villa Cavalletti Meeting, May 28-31, 1986, p. 2.
[2] Ibid., p. 20.
[3] Dr. George Kaitholil, SSP, Hail, Full of Grace,
(Bandra-Bombay: St. Paul Publications, 1987), p. 103.