How Religious Life Evolved in the Course of History

Profile of Religious Life as it Evolved in the Course of Time

Introduction

The Christian state of life known as religious life started when certain individuals began to "separate" themselves from the world, either by living in the desert or in mountain caves. These individuals made a choice to follow the gospel's counsels more intensely and radically - taking a way of life that was more ascetic, detached from people, and involved more prayer, fasting, repentance, and union with God in contemplation. This way of life involved a process of organization that evolved in the course of many centuries.

Organization of separation from the urbanized world: 1st-5th c.

Those individuals who started to separate themselves from urban life undertook an individualistic project and were commonly known as hermits or eremites. They viewed their retirement from the world and its life as a way of perfection - a way of life following the teaching of Jesus more radically and intensely. During these early centuries, individuals fled to the desert, lived in the caves of mountains or chose isolated places where they can separate themselves totally from the busyness and noise of the world. As time went on, these individuals who began this movement soon obtained followers, who all followed the hermit's system of life. [example: St. Anthony of the Desert]

Organization of a Common Way of Life: 6th-12th c.

As this way of life increased, many of the followers who gathered around a hermit-leader agreed to organize a common life among themselves. Now, instead of an individualistic project, the way of life became a collective project. What was created from this collective project were communities who organized their life and work into a more stable and systematized way of life and prayer. There are two types of this new way of life: the monks in their abbeys and monasteries, and the regular canons in their local church. The monks take vows, and live a sedentary life in silence and monastic cloister doing community work. The regular canons on the other hand, have a frame for common life, are bound together under a bishop, and live a sedentary life bonded to a local church where they perform ministerial services.

Organization of the mission: 13th-15th c.

As the 13th century approached, the monastic common life opened itself to an "external" apostolic activity with poverty as the sign of its way of life. This paved the way for the creation of mendicant orders who organized themselves for the missionary purpose of preaching the gospel. Members of such orders are bound together under a religious superior who takes responsibility for the growth of the order and the expansion of their mission to different lands. This religious superior also makes certain that all the members of his order dedicate themselves foremost to the spirit of the gospel

The mission conditioning the organization: 16th-18th c.

If in the mendicant orders, dedication to the gospel and living poverty is paramount for the condition of working in the missions, at the beginning the 16th century, it is the missions which condition the organization of orders, congregations, and religious communities. The latter are more dedicated to action and mission. The missionary action of these missionary institutes is the one that regulates the life and work of those who live together in community. Their members are regular clerics who are bound to undertake a specific mission. There is no more monastic cloister among them: they are a community of action and dispersion in the public place with mission as the main element of their common life.

Primacy of insertion into the world over organization: 19th-21st c.

As the 19th century approached, the organization of the religious state of life has evolved even further. If in the previous centuries, religious life was markedly a sign of separation from the world, in more modern times, insertion into the world has become more and more paramount. Members of these communities are organized into what is known as secular institutes: an organization where there is a common spirit, a common rule, spiritual bonds, and the professional freedom to do a variety of tasks.

Summary:

As the profile of religious life is reviewed through the centuries, one will discover that at the beginning, it started as movement that separates itself from the world, to live a life that is closer to the spirit of the gospel. When it evolved throughout the centuries, there is a gradual pattern for their way of life to progress towards a greater re-insertion into the life of the world.

Related resources:

• A Spirit of Reform in Monasticism in the 10th Century
• A History of the Catholic Church
• Popular Saints and Leaders of the Reformation
• Centers of Learning: From Monasteries to Universities

Memorial of Saints (November 28)

St. Catherine Labouré joined the Sisters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in 1830 A.D., and was then sent to the Rue de Bac Convent in Paris. It was in this Convent that she experienced visions of Mary as the Immaculate Conception. The result of these apparitions was the minting and distribution of the popular "Miraculous Medals" all over the world (died ca. 1876 A.D.).

St. James of the March joined the Franciscans at Assisi in 1416 A.D. James was ordained and became a missionary to the northern, central and eastern parts of Europe. Then he became part of the Inquisition in 1426 A.D. The last three years of his life was spent at Naples, Italy (died ca. 1476 A.D.).

St. Stephen the Younger entered St. Auxentius Monastery and eventually became abbot. He soon resigned this post to live as a hermit. At the time, Emperor Constantine engaged in iconoclastic activities. Stephen was against this and as a result was arrested. When he continued to insist on the veneration of holy relics, Stephen was scourged, dragged through the streets, and killed (died ca. 764 A.D.).

St. Simeon Metaphrastes compiled a 'Menology' of legends and stories of the Byzantine saints. This work is one of the popular medieval Greek collections. Aside from his Menology, Simeon also wrote a chronicle, prayers, letters, and a collection of maxims from St. Basil and Macarius of Egypt (died ca. 1000 A.D.).

Memorial of Saints (November 27)

St. Maximus of Riez became a monk at Lérins (off the coast of Cannes, France) under St. Honoratus. When Honoratus was named bishop of Arles, Maximus was named abbot. St. Maximus attracted many to the monastery because of its reputation for holiness. When he was offered the see of Fréjus (in modern southeastern France), he refused; but he reluctantly had to accede to be bishop of Riez. Maximus was a good and holy administrator who worked in his see till his last years (died ca. 460 A.D.).

St. Virgil was an Irish monk who went on pilgrimage to the Holy Land in ca. 743 A.D. He spent two years in France, went to Bavaria, and then was appointed bishop of Salzburg, Austria, in ca. 765 A.D. Virgil rebuilt the cathedral at Salzburg and sent missionaries to Carinthia - the southern state of Austria which borders Italy and Slovenia. Because of his good missionary works, St. Virgil is venerated to this day as the apostle of the Slovenes (died ca. 784 A.D.).

St. James the Persian was the friend of the pagan king of Persia. Tradition says that he wanted to abandon his Christian faith when the local bishop provoked the anger of the King against his Christian community. James' apostasy distressed his wife and his mother. But when his friend the king died, the entreaties of his wife and mother moved James to return to the faith. The new king however who replaced James' friend summoned James, and condemned him to death. St. James suffered a most gruesome martyrdom; but, witnesses say he miraculously remained calm and cheerful throughout the execution (died ca. 421 A.D.).

St. Secundinus was sent to assist St. Patrick in the mission at Ireland. He became the first bishop of Dunslaughlin in Meath, and then auxiliary bishop of Armagh. Secundinus wrote several hymns - composing one in honor of St. Patrick (Audites, omnes amantes) and Sancti, venite, Christi corpus sumite (died ca. 447 A.D.).

St. Cungar became a monk and then founded a monastery near Yatton, Somerset. When the Saxons invaded his land, he fled to South Wales and founded a church near Cardiff. Cungar then accompanied St. Cybi to Ireland, and later to Anglesey (an island off the northwestern tip of Wales) where he founded a church at Llangefni (died ca. 6th century A.D.).

St. Fergus went to Scotland as a missionary and settled at Strathearn, Perthshire. Founding several churches there, he became a bishop of the Scots and attended a synod in Rome in 721 A.D. (died ca. 8th century A.D.).