Wake Up the World: Pope Francis declares 2015 as year of consecrated life

Reflections on consecrated life from lived experiences 
Throughout the Year of Consecrated Life we’ll share sisters’ reflections in the hope that their words lead us to our own conversations about our lived realities—conversations that might be shared with women discerning consecrated life.

Sister Jolynn Brehm

Choosing to profess and live a consecrated life as a woman religious offers many opportunities to honor, nurture and fulfill three hungers of the human heart! These three are wholeness, belonging and life purpose. Choosing to live consecrated life brings a person into a community, connecting with others, engaging in common life and interests. It offers a very special belonging. Do I make a difference? Does my life matter? In choosing consecrated life, the intention is to experience countless opportunities to make a difference, to discover some life purpose and ultimately fulfill that reason to live. Women religious today are stretching the margins, nudging the edges and exploring the horizons of all the potential possibilities of fulfilling a life purpose. This and much more is my experience of living the consecrated life in our times and fulfilling these three longings in ways too numerous to tell.

Sister Julia Walsh
The word consecrated has a connotation that one is set apart, unique and special in the Kingdom of God. What does it mean to me to be living a consecrated life? It means, for a reason that remains mysterious to me, God has called me to this unusual vocation. It is no better than any other lifestyle; it is simply different for God’s purposes. By its nature religious life is prophetic and makes a statement about what is true in God’s Kingdom, for living the Gospel and sharing God’s peace and justice requires selfless generosity, devotion and prayerful service. By God’s grace, may God’s will be done in me through my “yes.”