The Roman Catholic Church across the world, in our country, here in our archdiocese and in the parishes and especially in the local communities of consecrated life will be celebrating the gift of consecrated life to the whole Church.

Already programs and meetings are taking shape at Rome by invitation of the Holy Father, Pope Francis who reminds us as he inaugurates this special year that he himself is a member of such an institute the Society of Jesus. Plans for programs and celebrations on the national, diocesan and local levels are also underway.

The Pilot will be observing this year in two ways.

In this space, there will be a weekly column focusing on one specific expression of the consecrated life -- a religious congregation; a secular institute; or the hidden life of a hermit or consecrated virgin.

In early February 2015 there will be special issue of The Pilot dedicated to the Year of Consecrated Life. Both of these are combined efforts of The Pilot staff and Sister Marian Batho, CSJ, the delegate for religious in the archdiocese.

In his recent letter to those in consecrated life the Holy Father sets out three "aims" for the year:

1. Look to the past with gratitude...but don't rest on your laurels.

2. Live in the present with passion...don't slack off.

3. Embrace the future with hope...you can make a difference.

Likewise the letter reminds the whole Church to join with those in consecrated life during this year recalling that the women and men are gifts to the Church from God.

Interestingly he also adds an ecumenical and interreligious note reminding us that in the Orthodox Churches there are consecrated women and men, especially in their great monastic traditions; among those communities formed at the Reformation there are also communities and consecrated individuals; and even in non-Christian traditions there are such women and men -- one points to the nuns and monks of the Buddhists. This could be a time of fruitful dialogue with these women and men.

Further resources...

Pope Francis -- Apostolic Letter to all Consecrated People

w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/apost_letters/documents/papa-francesco_lettera-ap_20141121_lettera-consacrati.html

Pope Francis -- Annunciation of the Year of Consecrated Life

www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/documents/rc_con_ccscrlife_doc_20140202_rallegratevi-lettera-consacrati_en.html

Holy See -- www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/ccscrlife/index.htm

USCCB -- www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/consecrated-life/

CMSM -- www.cmsm.org/media-ycl.shtml

LCWR -- lcwr.org/year-consecrated-life

CMSWR -- cmswr.org/

USCSI -- www.secularinstitutes.org/secularinstitutes.htm

USACV -- consecratedvirgins.org/

Wake the World -- Hymn for the Year of Consecrated Life

On this page are downloadable mp3 audio; vfull score and melody editions of the hymn.

www.vocationnetwork.org/articles/show/455