Communities of Consecrated Women
Communities of Consecrated Women respond to God’s call to follow him completely by professing vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and live in community according to their rules of life. Having dedicated their life to Christ and the Church, they devote themselves to the sanctification of the world, particularly by working and evangelizing within the world through their specific charism and mission. Most Communities of Consecrated Women are part of a Lay Ecclesial Movement.
The process of joining a community of consecrated women actually takes some time and involves several stages. The first step would be to make contact with particular communities and to attend events and reflection days that they offer to learn the spirituality and charisms of the communities.
Local Communities of Consecrated Women
Apostles of the Interior Life
The Apostles of the Interior Life are consecrated women who dedicate their lives to God through the profession of the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience.
They live in community and have prayer at the center of their day. Their formation includes also philosophical and theological studies.
Their apostolate ranges from evangelization to spiritual formation, including spiritual direction. At the heart of their apostolate is the personal relationship, reaching out to people in their various environments and needs, with a particular care for the youth and young adults.
Focolare
The consecrated women of the Work of Mary, or Focolare Movement, live in small communities called focolare centers (houses): They strive to keep alive the “fire” of the love of God from which the name “focolare” derives - (hearth in Italian).
They feel drawn by God, and have given their lives to Him, firmly convinced of His love. They have left father, mother, family, and lands, to contribute to the realization of Jesus’ prayer: “That all be one” (Jn 17:21).
At present there are 2,522 consecrated women living in focolare centers in 86 countries. They can be found in universities, in hospitals, in the United Nations, beside the sick and the poor on the fringes of the great metropolises and in frontier territories, in skyscrapers and in slums, in villages and capital cities. They wish to make Jesus present according to the words of Scripture: “For where two or more gather in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Mt 18:20). This experience of unity, of God among us, is the force that leads them to build bridges of peace, to enkindle the light of hope in the midst of darkness, and to respond with love to violence.
Their vocation recalls something that Chiara Lubich once wrote:
“This is the great attraction of the modern world: To enter into the highest contemplation while remaining immersed in the crowd...”
Regnum Christi
Having personally experienced Christ’s love in our hearts, we respond to his call through our total consecration to him by professing private vows of poverty, chastity and obedience.
Our fraternal life is rooted in, and aspires to reflect the love of the Holy Trinity, and we live out our spirituality and mission in vibrant international communities. Our lay consecration means we seek to be “in the world but not of the world.”. We dedicate ourselves entirely to evangelization, accompanying and forming others to become apostles of Christ’s Kingdom, according to the Regnum Christi charism. We are an approved Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right founded in 1969, and we just celebrated 50 years since the first women made their vows as Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi.
Ways Women Can Respond to God’s Call
Religious Orders
Religious sisters dedicate their lives to God through vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Living in communities, they serve in various ministries like education, healthcare, and missionary work, bringing Christ’s love to those in need. Rooted in prayer and guided by their order’s unique charism, they witness the Gospel in a powerful, communal way.
Communities of Consecrated Women
Consecrated women in these communities live a life dedicated to Christ through prayer and commitment, but they may not take formal vows as in traditional religious orders. Instead, they live in smaller, intentional communities that focus on fellowship, spiritual growth, and service within the Church. Each community has a distinct mission, allowing members to serve others while deepening their relationship with God and each other through a shared calling.
Consecrated Virginity
Women called to consecrated virginity dedicate their lives to Christ without joining a formal religious community. Living in the world, they commit to perpetual chastity and a deep life of prayer, serving as a sign of Christ’s love. Consecrated virgins embody a unique vocation, witnessing to the kingdom of God through their faithful devotion and service.