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Decree

on the

Adaptation

and

Renewal of

Religious Life



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Decree on the

Adaptation and Renewal

of Religious Life

This booklet is the text of an English translation relayed from Vatican

City to the Press Department of the National Catholic Welfare Con-

ference, Washington, D.C.

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
BY OUR SUNDAY VISITOR INC.
HUNTINGTON, INDIANA 46750

612



Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2016

https://archive.org/details/decreeonadaptativati



Decree on the

Adaptation and Renewal

of Religious Life

HOLLOWING is an English translation of the text of the
Second Vatican Council’s Decree on the Adaptation and

Renewal of the Religious Life, proclaimed by Pope Paul VI

on Oct. 28, 1965.

1. The sacred synod has al-

ready shown in the Constitution

on the Church that the pursuit

of perfect charity through the

evangelical counsels draws its

origin from the doctrine and ex-

am.ple of the Divine Master and

reveals itself as a splendid sign

of the heavenly kingdom. Now
it intends to treat of the life and

discipline of those institutes

whose members make profession

of chastity, poverty and obed-

ience and to provide for their

needs in our time.

Indeed from the very begin-

ning of the Church men and
women have set about following
Christ with greater freedom and

imitating Him more closely
through the practice of the

evangelical counsels, each in his

own way leading a life ded-
icated to God. Many of them,
under the inspiration of the

Holy Spirit, lived as hermits or

founded religious families,

which the Church gladly wel-

comed and approved by her au-

thority. So it is that in accord-

ance with the Divine Plan a

wonderful variety of religious

communities has grown up

which has made it easier for the

Church not only to be equipped

for every good work (cf. Tim.

3:17) and ready for the work of

the ministry — the building up
of the Body of Christ (cf. Eph.

4:12) — but also to appear
adorned with the various gifts

of her children like a spouse

adorned for her husband (cf.

Apoc. 21:2) and for the mani-

fold Wisdom of God to be re-

vealed through her (cf. Eph.

3:10).

Despite such a great variety

of gifts, all those called by God

to the practice of the evangeli-

3



cal counsels and who, faithfully

responding to the call, under-

take to observe the same, bind

themselves to the Lord in a

special way, following Christ,

who chaste and poor (cf. Matt.

8:20; Luke 9:58) redeemed and

sanctified men through obed-

ience even to the death of the

Cross (cf. Phil. 2:8). Driven by

love with which the Holy Spirit

floods their hearts (cf. Rom.

5:5) they live more and more

for Christ and for His body

which is the Church (cf. Col.

1:24). The more fervently then

they are joined to Christ by this

total life-long gift of them-

selves, the richer the life of the

Church becomes and the more

lively and successful its apos-

tolate.

In order that the great value

of life consecrated by the pro-

fession of the counsels and its

necessary mission today may

yield greater good to the

Church, the sacred synod lays

down the following prescrip-

tions. They are meant to state

only the general principles of

the adaptation and renewal of

the life and discipline of Reli-

gious orders and also, without

prejudice to their special char-

acteristics, of societies of com-

mon life without vows and se-

secular institutes. Particular

norms for the proper explana-

tion and application of these

principles are to be determined

after the council by the author-

ity in question.

2. The adaptation and re-

newal of the religious life in-

cludes both the constant return

to the sources of all Christian

life and to the original spirit

of the institutes and their adap-

tation to the changed conditions

of our time. This renewal, under

the inspiration of the Holy Spir-

it and the guidance of the

Church, must be advanced ac-

cording to the following prin-

ciples:

a) Since the ultimate norm

of the religious life is the fol-

lowing of Christ set forth in the

Gospels, let this be held by all

institutes as the highest rule.

b) It redounds to the good of

the Church that institutes have

their own particular char-

acteristics and work. Therefore

let their founders’ spirit and

special aims they set before

them as well as their sound tra-

ditions — all of which make up
the patrimony of each institute

—be faithfully held in honor.
c) All institutes should

share in the life of the Church,

adapting as their own and im-

plementing in accordance with

their own characteristics, the

Church’s undertakings and aims

in matters biblical, liturgical,

dogmatic, pastoral, ecumenical,

missionary and social.

d) Institutes should promote

among their members an ade-

quate knowledge of the social

conditions of the times they live

in and of the needs of the

Church. In such a way, judging

current events wisely in the

light of faith and burning with

4



apostolic zeal, they may be able

to assist men more effectively.

e) The purpose of the reli-

gious life is to help the mem-
bers follow Christ and be united

to God through the profession

of the evangelical counsels. It

should be constantly kept in

mind, therefore, that even the

best adjustments made in ac-

cordance with the needs of our

age will be ineffectual unless

they are animated by a renewal

of Spirit. This must take pre-

cedence over even the active

ministry.

3. The manner of living,

praying and working should be

suitably adapted everywhere,

but especially in mission terri-

tories, to the modern physical

and psychological circumstances

of the members and also, as re-

quired by the nature of each in-

stitute, to the necessities of the

apostolate, the demands of cul-

ture, and social and economic

circumstances.

According to the same crite-

ria let the manner of governing

the institutes also be examined.

Therefore let constitutions,

directories, custom books, books

of prayers and ceremonies and

such like be suitably re-edited

and, obsolete laws being sup-

pressed, be adapted to the de-

crees of this sacred synod.

4. An effective renewal and
adaptation demands the cooper-

ation of all the members of the

institute.

However, to establish the

norms of adaptation and renew-

al, to embody it in legislation

as v/ell as to make allowance

for adequate and prudent ex-

perimentation belongs only to

the competent authorities, es-

pecially to general chapters. The

approbation of the Holy See or

of the local Ordinary must be

obtained where necessary ac-

cording to law. But superiors

should take counsel in an ap-

propriate way and hear the

members of the order in those

things which concern the future

well being of the whole insti-

tute.

For the adaptation and re-

newal of convents of nuns sug-

gestions and advice may be ob-

tained also from the meetings

of federations or from other as-

semblies lawfully convoked.

Nevertheless everyone should

keep in mind that the hope of

renewal lies more in the faith-

ful observance of the rules and

constitutions than in multiply-

ing laws.

5.

Members of each institute

should recall first of all that by

professing the evangelical coun-

sels they responded to a divine

call so that by being not only

dead to sin (cf. Rom. 6:11) but

also renouncing the world they

may live for God alone. They

have dedicated their entire lives

to His service. This constitutes

a special consecration, which is

deeply rooted in that of baptism

and expresses it more fully.

Since the Church has accepted

their surrender of self they

5



should realize they are also de-

dicated to its service.

This service of God ought to

inspire and foster in them the

exercise of the virtues, especial-

ly humility, obedience, fortitude

and chastity. In such a way they

share in Christ’s emptying of

Himself (cf. Phil. 2:7) and His

life in the spirit (cf. Rom. 8:1-

13).

Faithful to their profession

then, and leaving all things for

the sake of Christ (cf. Mark

10:28), Religious are to follow

him (cf. Matt. 19:21) as the one

thing necessary (cf. Luke

10:42) listening to His words

(cf. Luke 10:39) and solicitous

for the things that are His (cf.

1 Cor. 7:32).

It is necessary therefore that

the members of every commun-

ity, seeking God solely and be-

fore everything else, should join

contemplation, by which they

fix their minds and hearts on

Him, with apostolic love, by

which they strive to be associ-

ated with the work of redemp-

tion and to spread the kingdom

of God.

6. Let those who make pro-

fession of the evangelical coun-

sels seek and love above all else

God who has first loved us (cf.

1 John 4:10) and let them

strive to foster in all circum-

stances a life hidden with Christ

in God (cf. Col. 3:3). This love

of God both excites and ener-

gizes that love of one’s neigh-

bor which contributes to the

salvation of the world and the

building up of the Church. This

love, in addition, quickens and

directs the actual practice of

the evangelical counsels.

Drawing therefore upon the

authentic sources of Christian

spirituality, members of Reli-

gious communities should reso-

lutely cultivate both the spirit

and practice of prayer. In the

first place they should have

recourse daily to the Holy

Scriptures in order that by

reading and meditating on Holy

Writ, they may learn “the sur-
passing worth of knowing Jesus

Christ” (Phil. 3:8). They should

celebrate the sacred liturgy, es-

pecially the holy sacrifice of

the Mass, with both lips and

heart as the Church desires and

so nourish their spiritual life

from this richest of sources.

So refreshed at the table of

divine law and the sacred altar

of God, they will love Christ’s

members as brothers, honor and

love their pastors as sons should

do, and living and thinking

ever more in union with the

Church, dedicate themselves

wholly to its mission.

7. Communities which are

entirely dedicated to contem-

plation, so that their members

in solitude and silence, with

constant prayer and penance

willingly undertaken, occupy

themselves with God alone, re-

tain at all times, no matter how

pressing the needs of the active

apostolate may be, an honorable

place in the Mystical Body of

Christ, whose “members do not

6



all have the same function”

(Rom. 12:4). For these offer to

God a sacrifice of praise which

is outstanding. Moreover the

manifold results of their holi-

ness lends luster to the people

of God which is inspired by

their example and which gains

new members by their apostol-

ate which is as effective as it is

hidden. Thus they are revealed

to be a glory of the Church and

a well-spring of heavenly

graces. Nevertheless their man-

ner of living should be revised

according to the principles and

criteria of adaptation and re-

newal mentioned above. How-

ever their withdrawal from the

world and the exercises proper

to the contemplative life should

be preserved with the utmost

care.

8. There are in the Church

very many communities, both

clerical and lay, which devote

themselves to various apostolic

tasks. The gifts which these

communities possess differ ac-

cording to the grace which is

allotted to them. Administrators

have the gift of administration,

teachers that of teaching, the

gift of stirring speech is given

to preachers, liberality to those

who exercise charity and cheer-

fulness to those who help others
in distress (cf. Rom. 12:5-8).

“The gifts are varied, but the

Spirit is the same” (I Cor. 12:

4).

In these communities apostol-

ic and charitable activity be-

longs to the very nature of the

religious life, seeing that it is a

holy service and a work charac-

teristic of love, entrusted to

them by the Church to be car-

ried out in its name. Therefore,

the whole religious life of their

members should be inspired by

an apostolic spirit and all their

apostolic activity formed by the

spirit of religion. Therefore in

order that their members may

first correspond to their voca-

tion to follow Christ and serve

Him in His members, their

apostolic activity must spring

from intimate union with Him.

Thus love itself toward God and

the neighbor is fostered.

These communities then

should adjust their rules and

customs to fit the demands of

the apostolate to which they are

dedicated. The fact however

that apostolic religious life takes

on many forms requires that its

adaptation and renewal take ac-

count of this diversity and pro-

vide that the lives of Religious

dedicated to the service of

Christ in these various commun-

ities be sustained by special

provisions appropriate to each.

9. The monastic life, that

venerable institution which in

the course of a long history has

won for itself notable renown

in the Church and in human so-

ciety, should be preserved with

care and its authentic spirit

permitted to shine forth ever

more splendidly both in the

East and the West. The princi-

pal duty of monks is to offer

a service to the divine majesty

7



at once humble and noble with-

in the walls of the monastery,

whether they dedicate them-

selves entirely to divine wor-

ship in the contemplative life or

have legitimately undertaken

some apostolate or work of

Christian charity. Retaining

therefore the characteristics of

the way of life proper to them,

they should revive their ancient

traditions of service and so

adapt them to the needs of today

that monasteries will become

institutions dedicated to the ed-

ification of the Christian people.

Some religious communities

according to their rule or con-

stitutions closely join the apos-

tolic life to choir duty and mo-

nastic observances. These should

so adapt their manner of life to

the demands of the apostolate

appropriate to them that they

observe faithfully their way of

life, since it has been of great

service to the Church.

10.

The religious life, under-

taken by lay people, either men

or women, is a state for the pro-

fession of the evangelical coun-

sels which is complete in itself.

While holding in high esteem

therefore this way of life so use-

ful to the pastoral mission of

the Church in educating youth,

caring for the sick and carrying

out its other ministries, the sa-

cred synod confirms these Re-

ligious in their vocation and ur-

ges them to adjust their way of

life to modern needs.

The sacred synod declares

that there is nothing to prevent

some members of Religious

communities of Brothers being

admitted to holy orders by pro-

vision of their general chapter

in order to meet the need for

priestly ministrations in their

own houses, provided that the

lay character of the community

remains unchanged.

11. Secular Institutes al-

though not Religious institutes

involve a true and full profes-

sion of the evangelical counsels

in the world. This profession is

recognized by the Church and

consecrates to God men and
women, lay and clerical, who

live in the world. Hence they

should make a total dedication

of themselves to God in perfect

charity their chief aim, and the

institutes themselves should

preserve their own proper, i.e.,

secular character, so that they

may be able to carry out effec-
tively everywhere in and, as it

were, from the world the apos-

tolate for which they were

founded.

It may be taken for granted,

however, that so great a task

cannot be discharged unless the

members be thoroughly trained

in matters divine and human so

that they are truly a leaven in

the world for the strengthening

and growth of the body of

Christ. Superiors therefore

should give serious attention

especially to the spiritual train-

ing to be given members as well

as encourage their further for-

mation.

12. The chastity “for the

8



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 an

unique fashion (cf. I Cor. 7:32-

35) so that it may be more in-

flamed 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.

Religious therefore who are

striving faithfully to observe

the chastity they have professed

must have faith in the words of

the Lord, and trusting in God’s

help not overestimate their own

strength but practice mortifica-

tion and custody of the senses.

Neither should they neglect the

natural means which promote

health of mind and body. As a

result they will not be influenc-

ed by those false doctrines

which scorn perfect continence

as being impossible or harmful

to human development and they

will repudiate by a certain spir-

itual instinct everything which

endangers chastity. In addition

let all, especially superiors, re-

member that chastity is guard-

ed more securely when true

brotherly love flourishes in the

common life of the communi-

ty.

Since the observance of per-

fect continence touches inti-

mately the deepest instincts of

human nature, candidates

should neither present them-

selves for nor be admitted to

the vow of chastity, unless they

have been previously tested suf-

ficiently and have been shown

to possess the required psycho-

logical and emotional maturity.

They should not only be warn-

ed about the dangers to chastity

which they may meet but they
should be so instructed as to be

able to undertake the celibacy

which binds them to God in a

way which will benefit their en-
tire personality.

13. Religious should dili-

gently practice and if need be

express also in new forms that

voluntary poverty which is rec-

ognized and highly esteemed

especially today as an expres-

sion of the following of Christ.

By it they share in the poverty

of Christ who for our sakes be-

came 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 pov-

erty 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).

Religious should consider

themselves in their own assign-

9



merits to be bound by the com-

mon law of labor, and while

they procure what is required

for their sustenance and works,

they should banish all undue so-

licitude and trust themselves to

be the provident care of their

Father in heaven (cf. Matt.

6:25).

Religious congregations by

their constitutions can permit

their members to renounce in-

heritances, both those which

have been acquired or may be

acquired.

Due regard being had for lo-

cal conditions. Religious com-

munities should readily offer a

quasi-collective witness to pov-

erty and gladly use their own

goods for other needs of the

Church and the support of the

poor whom all religious should
love after the example of Christ

(cf. Matt. 19:21; 25:34-46;

James 2: 15-16; John 3:17).

The several provinces and hous-

es of each community should

share their temporal goods with

one another, so that those who

have more help the others who

are in need.

Religious communities have

the right to possess whatever is

required for their temporal life

and work, unless this is forbid-

den by their rules and constitu-

tions. Nevertheless they should

avoid every appearance of lux-

ury, excessive wealth and the

accumulation of goods.

14. In professing obedience

Religious offer the full surren-

der of their own will as a sacri-

fice 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 gui-

dance 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 ran-

som 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).

Religious therefore in the

spirit of faith and love for the

divine will should humbly obey

their superiors according to

their rules and constitutions.

Realizing that they are contrib-

uting to building up the body

of Christ according to God’s

plan, they should use both

the forces of their intellect

and will and the gifts of nature

and grace to execute the com-

mands and fulfill the duties en-

trusted to them. In this way re-

ligious obedience, far from les-

sening the dignity of the hu-

man person, by extending the

10



freedom of the sons of God,

leads it to maturity.

Superiors, as those who are

to give an account of the souls

entrusted to them (Heb. 13:17),

should fulfill their office in a

way responsive to God’s will.

They should exercise their au-

thority out of a spirit of service

to the brethren, expressing in

this way the love with which

God loves their subjects. They

should govern these as sons of

God, respecting their human

dignity. In this way they make

it easier for them to subordinate

their wills. They should be par-

ticularly careful to respect their

subjects’ liberty in the matters

of sacramental confession and

the direction of conscience. Sub-

jects should be brought to the

point where they will cooperate

with an active and responsible

obedience in undertaking new

tasks and in carrying those al-

ready undertaken. And so su-

periors should gladly listen to

their subjects and foster harmo-

ny among them for the good of

the community and the Church,

provided that thereby their own

authority to decide and com-

mand what has to be done is

not harmed.

Chapters and deliberative

bodies should faithfully dis-

charge the part in ruling en-

trusted to them and each should

in its own way express that

concern for the good of the en-

tire community which all its

members share.

15. Common life, fashioned

on the model of the early

Church where the body of be-

lievers was united in heart and

soul (cf. Acts 4:32), and given

new force by the teaching of

the Gospel, the sacred liturgy

and especially the Eucharist,

should continue to be lived

in prayer and the communion

of the same spirit. As members

of Christ living together as

brothers. Religious should give

pride of place in esteem to each

other (cf. Rom. 12:10) and bear

each other’s burdens (cf. Gal.

6:2). For the community, a

true family gathered together in

the name of the Lord by God’s

love which has flooded the

hearts of its members through

the Holy Spirit (cf. Rom. 5:5),

rejoices because He is present

among them (cf. Matt. 18:20).

Moreover love sums up the

whole law (cf. Rom. 13:10),

binds all together in perfect un-

ity (cf. Col. 3:14) and by it we

know that we have crossed over

from death to life (cf. 1 John

3:14). Furthermore the unity of

the brethren is a visible pledge

that Christ will return (cf. John

13:35; 17:21) and a source of

great apostolic energy.

That all the members be more

closely knit by the bond of

brotherly love, those who are

called lay-Brothers, assistants,

or some similar name should be

drawn closely in to the life and

work of the community. Unless

conditions really suggest some-

thing else, care should be taken

that there be only one class of

11



Sisters in communities of wom-
en. Only that distinction of per-

sons should be retained which

corresponds to the diversity of

works for which the Sisters are

destined, either by special vo-

cation from God or by reason

of special aptitude.

However monasteries of men

and communities which are not

exclusively lay can, according

to their nature and constitu-

tions, admit clerics and lay per-

sons on an equal footing and

with equal rights and obliga-

tions, excepting those which

flow from sacred orders.

16. Papal cloister should be

maintained in the case of nuns

engaged exclusively in the con-

templative life. However, it

must be adjusted to conditions

of time and place and obso-

lete practices suppressed. This

should be done after due consul-

tation with the monasteries in

question. But other nuns applied

by rule to apostolic work out-

side the convent should be ex-

empted from papal cloister in

order to enable them better to

fulfill the apostolic duties en-

trusted to them. Nevertheless

cloister is to be maintained ac-

cording to the prescriptions of

their constitutions.

17. The religious habit, an

outward mark of consecration

to God, should be simple and

modest, poor and at the same

time becoming. In additon it

must meet the requirements of

health and be suited to the cir-

cumstances of time and place

and to the needs of the ministry

involved. The habits of both

men and women Religious which
do not conform to these norms

must be changed.

18.

Adaptation and renewal

depend greatly on the education

of Religious. Consequently nei-

ther non-clerical Religious nor

Religious women should be as-
signed to apostolic works imme-

diately after the novitiate. Ra-

ther their religious and apos-

tolic formation, joined with in-

struction in arts and science di-

rected toward obtaining appro-

priate degrees, must be contin-

ued as needs require in houses

established for those purposes.

In order that the adaptation

of religious life to the needs of

our time may not be merely ex-
ternal and that those employed

by rule in the active apostolate

may be equal to their task. Re-
ligious must be given suitable

instruction, depending on their

intellectual capacity and person-

al talent, in the currents and at-

titudes of sentiment and

thought prevalent in social life

today. This education must

blend its elements together har-

moniously so that an integrated

life on the part of the Religious

concerned results.

Religious should strive dur-

ing the whole course of their

lives to perfect the culture they

have received in matters spiri-

tual and in arts and sciences.

Likewise superiors must, as far

as this is possible, obtain for

them the opportunity, equip-

12



ment and time to do this.

Superiors are also obliged to

see to it that directors, spiritual

fathers and professors are care-

fully chosen and thoroughly

trained.

19. When the question of

founding new Religious com-

munities arises, their necessity

or at least the many useful serv-

ices they promise must be seri-

ously weighed. Otherwise com-

munities may be needlessly

brought into being which are

useless or which lack sufficient

resources. Particularly in those

areas where churches have re-

cently been established, those

forms of religious life should be

promoted and developed which

take into account the genius

and way of life of the inhabi-

tants and the customs and con-

ditions of the region.

20. Religious communities

should continue to maintain and

fulfill the ministries proper to

them. In addition, after consid-

ering the needs of the Univer-

sal Church and individual dio-

ceses, they should adapt them

to the requirements of time and

place, employing appropriate

and even new programs and

abandoning those works which

today are less relevant to the

spirit and authentic nature of

the community.

The missionary spirit must

under all circumstances be pre-

served in religious communi-

ties. It should be adapted, ac-

cordingly as the nature of each

community permits, to modern

conditions so that the preaching

of the Gospel may be carried

out more effectively in every

nation.

21. There may be communi-

ties and monasteries which the

Holy See, after consulting the

interested local Ordinaries, will

judge not to possess reasonable

hope for further development.

These should be forbidden to re-

ceive novices in the future. If it

is possible these should be com-

bined with other more flourish-

ing communities and monaster-

ies whose scope and spirit is

similar.

22. Independent institutes

and monasteries should, when

opportune and the Holy See

permits, form federations if

they can be considered as be-

longing to the same religious

family. Others who have prac-

tically identical constitutions

and rules and a common spirit

should unite, particularly when

they have too few members. Fi-

nally those who share the same

or a very similar active aposto-

late should become associated,

one to the other.

23. This synod favors con-

ferences or councils of major su-

periors, established by the Holy

See. These can contribute very

much to achieve the purpose of

each institute; to encourage

more effective cooperation for

the welfare of the Church; to

ensure a more just distribution

of ministers of the Gospel in a

given area; and finally to con-

duct affairs of interest to all Re-

13



ligious. Suitable coordination

and cooperations with episcopal

conferences should be establish-

ed with regard to the exercise

of the apostolate.

Similar conferences should al-

so be established for secular in-

stitutes.

24. Priests and Christian

educators should make serious

efforts to foster religious voca-

tions, thereby increasing the

strength of the Church, corres-

ponding to its needs. These can-

didates should be suitably and

carefully chosen. In ordinary

preaching the life of the evan-

gelical counsels and the Reli-

gious state should be treated

more frequently. Parents, too,

should nurture and protect re-

ligious vocations in their chil-

dren by instilling Christian vir-

tue in their hearts.

Religious communities have

the right to make themselves

known in order to foster voca-

tions and seek candidates. In do-

ing this, however, they should

observe the norms laid down by

the Holy See and the local Ordi-

nary.

Religious should remember

there is no better way

than their own example to com-

mend their institutes and gain

candidates for the religious life.

25. Religious institutes, for

whom these norms of adapta-
tion and renewal have been

laid down, should respond gen-

erously to the specific vocation

God gave them as well as their

work in the Church today. The

sacred synod highly esteems

their way of life in poverty,

chastity and obedience, of which

Christ the Lord is Himself the

exemplar. Moreover, their apos-

tolate, most effective, whether

obscure or well known, offers

this synod great hope for the

future. Let all Religious there-

fore, rooted in faith and filled

with love for God and neigh-

bor, love of the cross and the

hope of future glory, spread the

good news of Christ throughout

the whole world so that their

witness may be seen by all and
our Father in heaven may be
glorified (Matt. 5:16). There-

fore, let them beseech the Vir-

gin Mary, the gentle Mother of

God, “whose life is a model for

all,” that their number may

daily increase and their salutary

work be more effective.

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