Taking up the challenge

I’m not really sure how it happens myself, but we rejoice today that
it has happened and that you, Dina, Anna and Tracey are here
ready to take up:

 the challenge of living the Gospel with all your heart;

 the challenge of spending your whole life in the generous
service of all of creation;
 the challenge to further God’s Providence through works of
love, mercy and justice.

You will tell us in a few minutes that you are so resolved to do this.

And how will professing the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience
make a difference in how you take up those challenges?

I believe the vows can make all the difference — for your life surely,
but more importantly for the life of the world.

Obedience
To say out loud that you will be obedient in a world where power is
prized and individual achievement rewarded WILL be challenging.
Your profession today says you are willing to listen to the whispers
of God and those of your sisters, the larger community, the poor,
the wounded. Not what I want to do — what would Providence have
me do?

Our Constitutions say that obedience is a matter of ever greater

surrender to the creative action of love. Not what I want to do —
what does the community need me to do? What is the loving thing
to do? Until what I want to do is the loving thing to do.

Chastity
To profess publicly that you choose chastity, that because of your
single-hearted dedication to God, you will love all of God’s creation.
That this communion you seek with God will bring you into greater
communion with others. That you will, in fact, love whoever shows
up in your life. This WILL be challenging especially in a world where
violence and domination of others, especially women and children,
is part of the fabric of life.

As Benedictine Sister Joan Chittister has said, “The passionate

religious falls in love with soup kitchen people, and dirty kids. And
grieving widows, and dying AIDS patients and dull and dour
veterans of life who have been loved so little they themselves love
not at all.”

Our Constitutions say this kind of loving “brings about a

transformation … and I am able to proclaim: the life I live now is not
my own; Christ is living in me.” Not what I want to do — what would
Christ living in me have me do? Until what I want to do is the Christ
thing to do.

Poverty
To vow poverty in a world where amassment of wealth is a measure
of success and having our every need met is something we often
feel entitled to — well, you know where I am going by now —
vowing poverty is challenging. How will you let go and open
yourselves instead to what comes?

The words used in our Constitutions to define poverty are among

my favorite and the most difficult to live:

“Only those are truly free who confess a fundamental dependence

on God, who attest to eternal values by detachment from material
possessions and unreasonable adherence to personal opinions,
and who are self-giving in their use of time and energy.”

Not what I want — but what must I do to live in a way that enables
everyone to have enough? Until enoughness is what I want.

Obedience, chastity, poverty — listening, loving, letting go. These

are set before you today in a deeper way. And to return to the
scripture for today — God is with you every step of the way.
 Jeremiah proclaims, “God is with me, my persecutors will not
overcome me … because to God I have committed my cause.”

Jesus tells us to have no fear — even the hairs of your head are all
numbered. Everyone who acknowledges Jesus before others,
Jesus also will acknowledge before God.

Even, Paul in the letter to the Romans, in the midst of all that talk
about sin and death, reminds us of the free gift of grace that
abounds in Jesus Christ.

Another Source
“Hence it follows that the profession of the evangelical vows is a super-addition to
that consecration which is proper to Baptism. It is indeed a special consecration which
perfects the former one, inasmuch as by it, the follower of Christ totally commits and
dedicates himself to God, thereby making his entire life a service to God alone.” [1]

Vows are public promises. To nurture a closer relationship with Christ, religious model their
life on Christ’s example. His life had many, but three main characteristics:

 He lived without any possessions: “For you know the graciousness of our Lord Jesus
Christ – how, being rich, he became poor for your sakes, that by His poverty you
might become rich.” (2 Cor. 8:9)
 He lived the chastity of an unmarried person and he spoke about celibacy: “… and
there are eunuchs who have made themselves so for the sake of the Kingdom of
Heaven.” (Matt. 19:12)
 In all things, Jesus obeyed his Heavenly Father: “My food is to do the Will of Him
who sent me, to accomplish His work.” (Jn 4:34)

Most religious make three promises, called vows, pledging to imitate Jesus in these ways
for their whole life.

Obedience

“In professing obedience, religious offer the full surrender of their own will as a sacrifice 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 guidance 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 ransom 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).” [2]

By the vow of obedience, Religious make decisions in tune with God’s Will, which is often
mediated for them through the authority of their congregation.

Poverty

“Religious should diligently practice and if need be express also in new forms that voluntary
poverty which is recognized and highly esteemed especially today as an expression of the
following of Christ. By it they share in the poverty of Christ who for our sakes became 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 poverty 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).” [3]

By the vow of Poverty, Religious own everything in common, share possessions and live
simply.

Chastity

“The chastity "for the 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 a unique fashion
(cf. 1 Cor. 7:32-35) so that it may be more inflamed 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.” [4]

By the vow of celibacy / chastity, Religious give themselves in love to God in a way so total
that the pursuit of union with God makes it impossible for anything or anyone to be more
central. Their heart is free to love God above all and to love all men for the sake of God.
Celibacy is embraced not because marriage is not desired but because the union with God
and the work of God is more greatly desired.

“All men should take note that the profession of the evangelical counsels, though entailing
the renunciation of certain values which are to be undoubtedly esteemed, does not detract
from a genuine development of the human persons, but rather by its very nature is most
beneficial to that development. Indeed the counsels, voluntarily undertaken according to
each one's personal vocation, contribute a great deal to the purification of heart and spiritual
liberty. They continually stir up the fervor of charity. But especially they are able to more
fully mold the Christian man to that type of chaste and detached life, which Christ the Lord
chose for Himself and which His Mother also embraced. This is clearly proven by the
example of so many holy founders. Let no one think that religious have become strangers to
their fellowmen or useless citizens of this earthly city by their consecration. For even though
it sometimes happens that religious do not directly mingle with their contemporaries, yet in a
more profound sense these same religious are united with them in the heart of Christ and
spiritually cooperate with them. In this way the building up of the earthly city may have its
foundation in the Lord and may tend toward Him, lest perhaps those who build this city shall
have labored in vain.“

Summary reflection 3: understanding poverty, chastity and

obedience
 February 11, 2019  Dan Russo

The following is a summary reflection of the third talk given by Father Raniero Cantalamessa to the
US bishops during their 2019 retreat:

We begin by wanting to be with Jesus, and to be taught and formed by him, and then to imitate his
example.

One example to imitate is Jesus’ poverty, chastity, and obedience. These are traditionally called
evangelical counsels; they are invitations, not commandments.

A lot of people think that only religious live by these counsels, but some lay people make private
vows to live by them, and priests make promises at ordination to do so.

But all the baptized are invited by Jesus to imitate his poverty, chastity, and obedience. So, there has
to be an understanding of them that applies to all, even to married folk.

In this regard, I offer an opinion that poverty is about living a shared life, like Jesus and the apostles
who lived out of a common purse (Luke 8:1-3), not about being poor.
And chastity is about the gift of self to another, not necessarily about forsaking marriage and sex,
unless you are a dedicated single person, a religious, or a priest. So, even spouses imitate Jesus’
chastity when they give themselves to each other.

And obedience is not about doing what someone in authority tells you, but involves rather a shift
from me to thee, with a readiness to serve, no matter who, whether the other is deserving, asks nicely,
is aware of the cost, or is grateful.

In this particular talk, Father Cantalamessa focused on chastity, and particularly on the commitment
to celibate chastity made by those to be ordained priest.

Priests give themselves to God and to the people they are sent to serve, forsaking marriage and the
use of sexuality for the sake of the Reign of God (Matthew 19:12).
Celibate chastity is a broader love of all, compared to the deeper love of spouses. And it allows for a
more varied, expansive service of all people, anywhere, compared to the reserved service of spouses
for each other and their children.

Indeed, the broader love, and more varied and expansive service of people living celibate chastity has
resulted in a world enriched by their ministry: sharing the Gospel all over the world, studying and
teaching to advance understanding, leading others to a deeper union with God, and building schools,
hospitals, and charitable institutions.
These people even hasten the coming of the Kingdom (2 Peter 3:12) by inspiring others to move
beyond concern only for themselves, to be aware of the poor and to serve them, to work for justice,
and to find peace in communion with God.
True, some Priests have been unfaithful, but that doesn’t argue against celibate chastity, any more
than adultery or divorce argue against the permanence and fidelity of Holy Matrimony.

Who has taken hold of your heart? To whom do you give the gift of self out of love?

Religious Vows: Committing To Life And Love

Religious vows are sacred promises. They reflect a life orientation and profound loving
commitment. After a period of formation (click here to find out more about becoming a
religious) members of religious communities, Sisters, Brothers and those becoming
Religious Priests, publicly profess such vows of poverty, celibate chastity and obedience.
Religious vows joyfully free a person to live for God and through that first love to serve
others with love and to witness to God’s faithfulness, compassion and care for all.

POVERTY:
By their vow of poverty religious promise to live a simple life. They commit to share their
resources and their time and talents within their communities and with those in need. A
vowed member of a religious community does not have personal possessions but like the
early Christians they “place all things in common” (Acts 2: 44). This means that any money
earned or gifts received are for the good of the whole. But a vow of poverty today is so
much more. In our societies where consumerism is the norm, across our world where there
are huge disparities between rich and poor and where greed is destroying our Earth, a vow
of poverty stands as a witness to God’s gifts to be shared by all, the value of relationship
over possessions, respect and care for God’s good creation, concern for and solidarity with
the poor. To vow poverty in a religious community does not mean embracing the wrongs of
material poverty from which so many people suffer but it must be connected to that suffering
in our world. A vow of poverty must remind us that we are completely dependent on God’s
gifts, we are interconnected with all peoples and with the Earth and so a vow of poverty is in
many ways a “vow of gratitude”, gratitude that gives rise to solidarity, sharing and service.

CELIBATE CHASTITY:
A vow of celibate chastity seems counter-cultural and especially difficult in todays’ world
and yet it is a vow of deep loving commitment. Religious are not married and they do not
enter into sexual or exclusive relationships but they do have the gift of being “lovers of God
and lovers for the world”. They are heart-freed by their vow to be open, like Jesus, to loving
all to whom their lives call them. Freedom from exclusive relationships enables them to be
sent out for others, available, and to grow in their freedom of heart. A vow of chastity is not
“anti-marriage, anti sex or anti-family”! Rather it recognizes the gift and beauty of all of
these and so the loving value of letting these go for the sake of a different way of loving.
Professing a vow of celibate chastity, as Pope Benedict XV1 has so beautifully put it cannot
mean “remaining empty in love, but rather must mean allowing oneself to be overcome by
passion for God.” Or, as Sister Elaine Prevallet, S.L. has said: “The heart of the matter is a
desire to dedicate oneself and all one’s life-energies to God”. She adds: “the infallible sign
of the authenticity of celibate dedication will always be the presence of compassionate love
directed toward the needs of the neighbour and the world, as was Jesus’ own.” Making a
vow of celibate chastity does not isolate but is sustained healthily through entering deeply
into community, forming a wide and supportive circle of friendship and family and gifting
oneself in return.

OBEDIENCE:
In the Gospels we read that Jesus went away sometimes to quiet places to pray. That is, he
went away from the crowd to pray to know his “Father’s” will for him. Then, as we see from
his example, he responded in love by carrying out the will of God in his life. So obedience
has a lot to do with listening and responding. But it is hard to be still and listen in our noisy
world today. The vow of obedience that religious profess calls them to listen. Religious
through their vow of obedience are called to listen to God, that is, to pray. They are called to
listen for God’s will in all things. To do that, they are to listen to “the signs of the times”.
They are called to be attentive to the needs of the world in the here and now, faithful to the
charism of their particular community and to discern the work of the Holy Spirit in their
individual heart and at work in their communities. This means that they will enter into mutual
discernment with their community, offering their gifts in service for others. Obedience
honours both the personal gifts of the individual members and the commitments of the
community. Sister Elaine Prevallet, S.L. says: “Our fundamental task in obedience is to
become who we are, finding the appropriate niche where the potential that lies within us can
be placed at the service of Life. By the work of the Holy Spirit within us, we will as our lives
unfold, find our deepest happiness when we are just where we need to be, having our gifts
elicited, knowing ourselves playing a role as contributing members of the community, no
matter how insignificant that role may seem.”

OTHER VOWS:
All religious profess the vows of poverty, celibate chastity and obedience either directly by
these names or included in their profession of vows by differing names. Some communities
take additional vows that relate directly to their special charism or way of living out religious
life.

YouWhy do religious make vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience?

The vows are meant not only to be a sacrifice, but a full acceptance of a life dedicated to
God.

When men and women are accepted into a religious community, they will typically profess
three primary vows of poverty, chastity and obedience (also known as the “evangelical
counsels”).

Why is that?

The primary champion of these vows was St. Francis of Assisi, who wrote in his Rule, “The
rule and life of the lesser brothers is this: To observe the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ, living in obedience without anything of our own [poverty], and in chastity. Brother
Francis promises obedience and reverence to the Lord Pope Honorius and his canonically
elected successors, and to the Roman Church; and the rest of the brothers are obliged to
obey Francis and his successors.”

Ever since many other religious communities have followed suit and profess similar vows.
A perfect explanation behind these vows can be found in the Apostolic Exhortation, Vita
Consecrata, by St. John Paul II.

The three disciples caught up in ecstasy hear the Father’s call to listen to Christ, to place all
their trust in him, to make him the centre of their lives. The words from on high give new
depth to the invitation by which Jesus himself, at the beginning of his public life, called them
to follow him, to leave their ordinary lives behind and to enter into a close relationship to
him. It is precisely this special grace of intimacy which, in the consecrated life, makes
possible and even demands the total gift of self in the profession of the evangelical
counsels. The counsels, more than a simple renunciation, are a specific acceptance of the
mystery of Christ, lived within the Church…By professing the evangelical counsels,
consecrated persons not only make Christ the whole meaning of their lives but strive to
reproduce in themselves, as far as possible, “that form of life which he, as the Son of God,
accepted in entering this world.”

Poverty
By imitating Christ’s poverty, they profess that he is the Son who receives everything from
the Father, and gives everything back to the Father in love (cf. Jn 17:7, 10).

Chastity
By embracing chastity, they make their own the pure love of Christ and proclaim to the
world that he is the Only-Begotten Son who is one with the Father (cf. Jn 10:30, 14:11).

Obedience
By accepting, through the sacrifice of their own freedom, the mystery of Christ’s filial
obedience, they profess that he is infinitely beloved and loving, as the One who delights
only in the will of the Father (cf. Jn 4:34), to whom he is perfectly united and on whom he
depends for everything.

Practically speaking, these three counsels allow a religious man or woman a certain
freedom to follow Christ and proclaim him to the world. Without any possessions, a poor
religious can freely go about the world, detached from any worldly desires, and preach the
Gospel by their lives.

By professing a vow of chastity, a religious can dedicated their full attention to God, their
true “Spouse.” In this way they foreshadow Heaven, where there is no longer marriage, but
a profound union with God and each other (cf. Matthew 22:30).

Obedience is a vow that sees the will of God in the actions of the superior, who is called to
be an instrument of God’s providential care.

The evangelical counsels are a beautiful gift to religious, one that is designed to bring them
closer to God and help them be authentic witnesses to the Gospel.
Poverty
When I vowed poverty I committed to living simply and having no private possessions. This meant that I
would share all things in common with my community for the sake of the common good. Poverty is
material and spiritual; I remember daily that all things in my life are gifts from which I am called to be
detached. This vow includes ordinary items such as pens, books, and clothing and also insists that even
my talents are to be shared for God’s purposes.

My vow of poverty is a radical choice to keep God and community first in my life. Although I am able to
shop, I do not spend my own money. An approved and monitored budget influences me and prevents
me from splurging on things I once enjoyed: no more extra kitchen tools or nail polish. My choices are
limited by the structures of sharing, helping me to be mindful of my sisters with greater needs, as well as
the homeless mothers we serve.

Technically nothing I buy or use is my own; I must use all things in a way that leaves me unattached and
free to pass them onward when needed. Even if my community has made a certain car, for example, my
responsibility, I know it could be reassigned for another purpose at any time. This reality reminds me
that I am made to be interdependent; God and community provide for my needs and I am called to
contribute to our mission.

Honestly, I experience a lot of freedom from sharing property. Even so, it can be challenging to “make
do with what I have” while my friends update their wardrobes and gadgets. Without the latest fashions,
I sometimes feel like a misfit among my non-religious friends; my blouses come from our convent’s
“clothing exchange.” The simple living I choose as a sister, however, reminds me to stand in solidarity
with those whose poverty causes pain and deprivation.

Another aspect of the vow of poverty is that consuming less means being in a positive relationship with
Earth and being a good caretaker of God’s creation; we pollute less, decrease our carbon footprints, and
live as sustainably as our means allow. We honor our oneness with creation, God’s designs, through
these choices (Col. 1:16).

Chastity
When I vowed chastity I voluntarily dedicated my body to God and opened my heart to love more widely
for the sake of God’s reign. Like the vow of poverty, this vow has me living in a particular way—as an
unmarried woman—so I can love and serve beyond attachments and possessions. No one can refer to
me and say, she’s mine. I am all God’s.

In many ways, it makes absolutely no sense that I would renounce something as good as marriage and
motherhood. But, actually that’s the point. The vow of celibacy is prophetic because it doesn’t make
sense for this world. Just as the prophets of the Bible did strange things to make a point—like eating
scrolls (Ezek. 3:1-11) and burying underwear (Jer. 13:1-11), so too is a vow of chastity bizarre. Some
people are particularly called to this vow in order to make a point, or to point to God. It’s “heaven on
earth” stuff to say no to marriage, sex, and children and only a few of us are really called to it. That’s
what Jesus was talking about when he said that some have “renounced marriage for the sake of the
kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:21).

Through my consecrated chastity, I also direct my sexuality—the holy life-giving potential that God gave
us all—toward something beyond the nearest horizon. Through this vow my body is consecrated to God;
I live to point out another vision for the world wherein every human life is honored as sacred.

Through my consecrated chastity, I also renounce our culture’s obsession with unhealthy sexuality.
Through this vow, I cannot become complacent to the disorder of sexuality that the common culture
promotes. Namely, I reject any notion that love is strictly about possession, genital expression, or
power; I oppose sexual abuse, pornography, sex trafficking, and other violations of human dignity. With
my body vowed to God, I live to point out another vision for the world wherein every human life is
honored as sacred.

I will be the first to admit that giving up marriage, sex, and children is definitely easier said than done.
Just a few interactions with an adorable man can cause me to develop a crush and force me to carefully
establish boundaries. Plus, I am at the point in life wherein I crave daily interactions with children; I want
to care for them, to help foster their growth. I have found ways to feed this need by being involved in
the lives of young people whom I love, particularly my niece and nephew. It’s true that my body churns
with a longing to know the natural and sacred experience of union with another. But I said no to that
potential, and this made me available to say yes to sharing a wider and broader love: the love of God
and God’s people anywhere.

Obedience
When I vowed obedience, I pledged to live a life defined by God’s will and defined by the needs of my
religious community. I said yes to growing in humility, so I could submit my selfishness for the sake of
the common good.

Taking the vow of obedience terrified me the most. I am a very free-spirited person and I was afraid that
my personality would be squashed or I would have to give up my dreams and desires. It turned out,
though, that my vow of obedience has provided the perfect container wherein my free spirit can thrive,
so that rays of God’s light can illumine my God-given spunk. The sisters were eager to receive my talents
and gifts and have encouraged me to grow in ways beyond my imagination. Plus, community provides
accountability, structure, and in many ways, an ability to be free from the things that can become
distractions from serving God and God’s people. I’ve learned that when it comes to the future it is wisest
not to trust in myself alone, but rather to trust in the big picture that only God can see—and God speaks
through community.

I am a woman made up of hopes and dreams. I want to see the world, I want to experience adventure, I
want, I want, I want. Confronted by my selfishness and stubbornness, the vows help me to abandon
living for only me, me, me. Once, I was asked to give up a ministry I enjoyed so I could deepen my
community relationships. I resisted and struggled, but I obeyed—because that was my vow. This
seeming surrender ended up opening pathways to greater health and happiness. Saying yes to God’s will
means becoming a better disciple of Jesus. The vow of obedience has set me free.

Zealous living
A vowed religious is zealous for the reign of God. We believe our commitment to this countercultural
lifestyle heralds the coming of Christ’s reign. It takes a lot of dedication to constantly witness; it’s daily
work. I’ve heard many religious say that they must choose to live the vows each day. We can’t be
halfhearted in our discipleship or stagnant in our faith development.

There is a lot of variety among religious communities about how the vows are lived and even which
vows are taken. Some monastic communities take a vow of “stability,” meaning that the monastery will
remain their home. In some communities, the sisters and brothers may take a fourth vow such as
“hospitality” or “service to the poor.” Dominicans only vow obedience, implying with that vow their
acceptance of chastity and poverty. Each congregation has a distinct structure, constitution, way of
dress, and way of being in the world.

By our commitment and our unique lifestyle, we give our whole selves to God: body, wealth, and will.
This bold way of living means holding up signs of hope, bravely, to a discouraged and hurting world.
These are not just placards declaring GOD LOVES or protesting sin. Rather, through our lifestyle, with
zeal and gusto, we make visible what Christ established: Everything belongs to God, all bodies are
sacred, God’s will be done—a whole new world on its way. 

Religious Vows
Vows to lead you through your life
POVERTY - sharing one's life with others
Poverty is a difficult term for the Brothers in Germany to use: they are not forced to struggle with the
adversities of life and live on the bare minimum, as refugees or single parents have to. They have the
security of belonging to a strong community and being special members of the Church. Under such
conditions, how can you honestly speak of leading a life of poverty?

Approaches:
Being poor can mean leading a simple life and being aware of one's responsibility towards others,
making sure not to live at the others' expense. These 'others' may just as well be people in need, future
generations, or the environment.

Being poor can mean that I share all I have, whatever that is - time, talent, knowledge.…

Being poor can mean embracing my own neediness, helplessness and failings, and accepting those of
others too.

In principal, the same applies to the vow of poverty as to the vow of obedience: it rests on one's
personal faith in God, the faith that he shall give to me all I need in life through my own hand's labour
and through the hands of people.

But above all, it must be emphasised that poverty is not something that is lived for its own sake. The
purpose of living in poverty is to lend me the capacity for loving relationships with God and with people
by freeing me of the wrongful attachment to material values, to my own abilities and plans, sometimes
even to my relationships with people, if these relationships are obstructive to love. However, great care
must be taken with this vow: it is not God's will that people should starve, or be homeless, sick or lonely.
Our vow of poverty is there to alleviate these unwanted manifestations of poverty.

OBEDIENCE - Obeying the Word of God

The German word for obedience is "Gehorsam". The word for listening is "hoeren" - words that are
closely related in German. The biblical understanding of listening means listening carefully to God and to
his Word, which I encounter in the Holy Scriptures, but also in people, in living conditions and everyday
experiences. By no means does this mean unconditional obedience, nor does this obedience release me
from my own personal responsibility. God's calling, after all, does not disengage the person or the
person's mind, emotions or will - it engages them. And so I can face God openly and honestly, and this
includes the possibility that I may have questions or even disagree. In the end, the courage it takes to
obey God rests on my faith that he means well with me, even if God's plans for me oppose the ones I
have myself.

This was what Abraham experienced. Relying on God's Word, he left his home country to settle down in
the land that God would give to him and his descendants. This was also the hope of the people of Israel
when they followed Moses and left Egypt to cross the desert and settle in the Promised Land. The full
meaning of obedience in the Christian sense is ultimately visible in Jesus Christ. In his faith in God, he
proclaimed the Good News and finally took death on the cross on himself for the sake of mankind.

CHASTITY- for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven - giving myself to God for love
The Chastity practised by members of ecclesiastic congregations is more than just living in a community
of bachelors. The added words "for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven" indicate that this vow is another
one that can only be understood by taking God into your perspective. More precisely: chastity for the
sake of the Kingdom of Heaven is something you can only understand through Jesus and through having
a relationship with him. It means opening up to the love of God like Jesus did, devoting myself to this
love so fully that it will carry me through all my life. To follow this path, it is essential that I am called to
do so by Jesus.

But what is the attitude of mind that chastity? The best way of describing this is perhaps the slightly old-
fashioned term "chasteness". A person who is chaste will have respect and veneration for everything
that is created. Being chaste is a way of living one's manhood or womanhood and being open to God's
love at the same time, of becoming a truly loving person oneself. Because I experience what it feels like
to be loved, I am prepared to open myself to others and give myself to them. Married and unmarried
persons alike are called to this kind of chastity.

The purpose of living a life of chastity is to liberate myself from my self-focus so that God can act
through me - which does not mean that I should limit my own feelings and senses. Nor does chasteness
(or chastity for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven) devalue the body or sexuality in any way. If it is lived
in the proper way, it soon proves to be an essential part of every successful loving relationship among
people.