Four-way traffic on the spiritual path
Take our spirituality quiz and discover the four basic spiritual pathways and see how they apply to your own spiritual development—and vocation discernment.
Religious Life
Who you gonna love?
I don’t know why I’m fulfilled in this life of vowed chastity, and that alone is Mystery to me.
Living the good life in community
Communal life is an essential part of the Christian witness of religious communities, and it takes constant effort.
17 questions about church vocations
VISION provides answers to your questions about priests, sisters, brothers, vows, sexuality, community life, and more.
Vocations take many forms
Catholics have many ways to vibrantly live their faith commitment. Whether you are single or married, older or younger, you may find one of these paths suits you.
Major traditions in religious life: The basics of Benedictine spirituality
Benedictines emphasize a balance of work and prayer. And they are firm believers in rolling out the welcome mat to one and all.
Major traditions in religious life: Franciscan spirituality made simple
The beauty of Franciscan spirituality is that it remains open to experiencing God today in every situation.
Major traditions in religious life: What does it mean to be a Carmelite?
Carmelite spirituality enables God-seekers to discover new heights and depths in their own hearts and in the God who calls and loves them.
Find your spirituality type
Take a short quiz to find out your spirituality type.
Consecrated life through the ages (Religious Life Timeline)
From ancient desert monasticism to contemporary forms of religious life, a small band of Christian men and women in every generation choose to consecrate their lives to God with unique vows of love and service that give radical witness to the gospel.
Infographic: Who is answering the call to religious life?
Who is considering a vocation to consecrated life? How old are they? Where do they live? What kind of community interests them? Find out here.
Does chastity matter?
Our values assist us in making responsible choices, including how to use and not misuse the sexual energy that makes us the vital people we are.
Community: We're on your side and at your side
Saying your solemn "Yes!" in monastic vows means being welcomed into a community of believers who commit themselves to rooting for you and encouraging you all along your way.
Chastity is for everyone
Chastity is more than a list of don'ts. It's a way of harnessing our sexual energy for good, whatever our state of life: single, married, ordained, or vowed.
Follow your passion
At the time I wrote this poem, I had been a social worker in Newark, New Jersey for many years, working with families whose stories could keep you up at night. Then in the 1980s, in addition to poverty and addiction, these same families confronted a new struggle: HIV and AIDS.
Celibate chastity: One way to be a sexual person
Why did I choose a life and continue to choose a life that includes celibate chastity? Because of the deep sense of happiness I’ve found in this way of living.
Family matters
It’s good to get the support of your family when you choose a church vocation, but it doesn’t always happen—at least not at first.
Relaciones y vida religiosa: Respuestas a tus preguntas
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Vocation terms defined
It can seem like religious life has a language all its own. Here’s a guide to understanding terms you might hear while exploring the possibility of life in a religious community.
Vows set you free
The promises of poverty, celibacy, and obedience are less about giving things up than about living a full life.
11 myths about religious life
Don’t let common misunderstandings about sisters, brothers, and priests trip you up on your discernment journey. Here is the hard data on what’s really happening
in religious life today.
What are religious vows?
A young sister reveals how the age-old vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience give shape and meaning to her life.
Grants remove obstacle of student debt for religious life candidates
National Fund for Catholic Religious Vocations helps orders of priests, brothers, and sisters accept new members.
La familia es importante
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The passion of youth meets the wisdom of age
Young and even middle-aged people who enter a religious community often have fewer peers these days. The age gap can have challenges but not as many as most think.
What is charism?
Charism is the inspirational purpose that starts communities and keeps them going. It is community mission and spirit. It gives communities distinctive personalities and imbues their daily practice with meaning.
Religious life captured on film
Few people outside of religious communities see what life is like inside, compelling documentary filmmakers to explore this rich subject. Here are some must-sees.
NFCRV helps women become sisters
A new fund—aimed at tackling the problem of educational debt—is helping 10 young women to pursue their dream of becoming Catholic sisters.
9 things religious life has to offer
Sometimes people think religious life is mostly about giving things up. But there is much to be gained when your true vocation is to be a sister, brother, or priest.
I’m over 40. Can I still join religious life?
Not all religious communities accept candidates over the age of 40, but some do. Here are answers to questions that mature candidates often have.
Celibacy leads me to limitless love
Being boy-crazy as a teenager actually helped this Franciscan sister experience the call to Catholic sisterhood.
The creative spirit finds expression in religious ministries
Sometimes when religious see a need that fits their charism and speaks to their passions, it can lead to meaningful—albeit unconventional—work.
Five things that surprised me about religious life
One young Catholic learns that it takes more than a few viewings of Sister Act and The Trouble with Angels to gain a healthy understanding of what it means to be a religious sister, brother, or priest.
Instruments of God for the sake of the poor
The Daughters of Charity and De La Salle Christian Brothers bring hope and opportunity to a new generation through their commitment to education for all.
8 secrets to healthy celibacy
How good are you at setting limits and sticking to them or balancing quiet time with an active social life? These are just some of the questions you’ll need to ask yourself if you are seriously considering religious life.
¡Viva la diferencia! The colorful future of religious life
As religious communities become more culturally diverse, newer members share their thoughts on what individuals and communities can do to guide the process.
A Dominican’s day—timeless and timely
What is daily life like inside the church, office, and home of a religious order priest?
A long-time religious looks forward
A religious sister witnesses first-hand that the "call of the gospel remains large" in her community and throughout the country.
Stay tuned for the young and the religious
Religious life is a lot different today than it used to be, and there’s much more transformation in store. But change isn’t the only constant—so is commitment to community and charism.
Obstacles and options for older discerners
While some communities are willing and able to welcome candidates beyond the age of 40, others can’t. What are the reasons for age-limits and what choices for vowed life do older discerners have?
Can your career fit into religious life?
Becoming a sister, brother, or priest doesn’t have to mean giving up your professional path. Not only that, a religious vocation can reshape your career in surprising ways.
Breathing life into sacred stones
A community of Trappist monks in California have a unique relationship with a monastery that is an ocean of water—and time—away.
Meeting God in the city
A young man discovered his vocation by immersing himself in the pillars of Franciscan spirituality—starting with a sense of place in a beloved city.
Silent preachers amid nature’s song
A small group of Dominican nuns hope that the monastery they built in mountains of Western Canada will become the voice of Jesus to anyone who stops to listen.
Chastity in real life
Those vowed to celibacy can be true to their call, even when it gets, well, complicated.
There's no gap when it comes to these generations
Older and younger members of religious communities living together has its challenges, but the benefits are much greater.
How I satisfied my hunger to make a difference
Questions, decisions, and dreams fill young adulthood. Many of us have developed a social conscience and are looking for ways to live it out in the fullness of our lives.
Taking on new habits
In a long-established ritual, three men from different walks of life enter a monastery to live for a year among the monks and see if it is right for them and for the community.
An insider view of community
Someone once said that community is like shaking a jar of rough stones until they become smooth and beautiful. It’s easy to say “I love everyone” when you live alone. In community, you have a chance to prove it.
Love calls me to celibacy
A conversion experience led me to God. My promise of chastity as a religious sister, in turn, leads me to foster life and love in others
Stay on the right path
Practicing the vows of poverty and obedience—not perfectly but faithfully over time—keeps this brother from losing his way.
Sacred places: Where beauty and grace meet
A look at the spaces religious communities have renovated and adapted for modern worship and prayer.
More sacred places: Where beauty and grace meet
VISION 2010 featured a photo story on the spaces religious communities have renovated or built for worship and prayer (click to view the original story in either the online or digital edition version). Due to space constraints we could not feature in print all of the submissions we received. Here are some additional photos of the truly spectacular worship spaces religious communities enjoy.
Community is the key
In her first years as a Franciscan, Sister Gayle discovered that community is not only a lively and joyful way to live but also the means to many spiritual ends
But what if you fall in love?
I learned very early in my discernment process that just because you are a nun doesn’t mean that you are never going to fall in love.
Six myths (and some truth) about the gift of celibate chastity
Celibate chastity is not well understood in most societies. Everyone who has ever chosen life within a Catholic religious community has taken a vow of celibate chastity. So what exactly is it?
How is your family taking it?
“For my parents, being happy meant getting married, having good jobs, and a nice house,” she says. “I think my mother thought that the longer I waited, the more chance Mr. Right might come along!”
Trust God and hit the road
A 300-mile journey in the spirit of Saint Francis became a pilgrimage of trust—in God, one another, and the people encountered along the way.
Five reasons we need religious communities
Knowing and working with a number of men and women in religious communities, I have found that they enrich our world with five qualities that clearly demonstrate why we need them.
Thriving among the generations
Younger members of religious communities talk about living out their call in multigenerational settings.