The family, cradle of vocation

“In the modern world, so individualistic and divided, consecrated persons show that communal life is possible and that it does not limit, but it enriches,” said the Primate of Poland, Monsignor Wojciech Polak on on the occasion of the Day of Consecrated Life, celebrated on February 2. The pastoral letter that the Polish episcopate addressed to consecrated persons points out that “currently about 35 thousand people, men and women, are consecrated persons that attune their lives to the evangelical counsels.” The letter also notes that “only in some world countries consecrated persons from Poland are not present with their commitment.”The fountainhead of vocation. The message of the episcopate underlines “the unity of the family and of consecrated life,” noting that “the charisma of monastic life and of the family are not competitive but complement and reinforce each other”, because “both stem from the mystery of the Holy Family of Nazareth and the Holy Trinity.” The message recalls that the family “is the privileged place of religious vocation” and that “the experience of a healthy relationship of paternity, maternity and filiation based on living faith often become the grounds of a mature and generous consecrated life”. “Considering that many consecrated persons – continues the message – gather in prayer, and are devoted to the pastoral and apostolic service for the benefit of the family, religious consecration is closely interconnected with the consecration received in the sacrament of marriage.”Institutes present in the Country. For the president of the Commission for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life of the Polish episcopacy, Monsignor Kazimierz Gurda, “the situation of consecrated life in Poland is good. Some 19 thousand nuns live in 2.276 homes of woman congregations where they work as catechists, teachers and educators, doctors, nurses, social and parish workers; 380 women religious work freelance as psychologists, pedagogues and spiritual guides. In Poland the women religious administrate 375 schools at various levels, 55 orphanages, 10 healthcare centres for children and adults, 50 programs for the needy, 18 including hospitals, first aid stations, and rehabilitation centres along with several other centres such as 21 centres for the newborn, 90 after-school learning centers and 9 publishing houses. Moreover, 2100 Polish nuns work in various world Countries. Aid to the cloistered. Monsignor Gurda, speaking of women congregations highlighted the importance of the collecting of aims in favour of cloister nuns, traditionally organized in Poland on February 2. “Such form of support is very important, often critical to the sustenance of the women religious”, the prelate said. He remarked that “the kind of work to which the sisters were dedicated to has ceased to attract much interest because it is often carried out by private undertakings.” “They must be helped, especially since we all need the sisters, we need their prayers for us and for the whole Church.” In 83 contemplative monasteries in Poland live 1,320 nuns. Among them are the Carmelites of Sprecow and the Poor Clares of Szczytno in the region of Warmia Sunday whom, on Sunday February 1st, Archbishop Wojciech Ziemba asked to help. “The nuns living in convents are committed to sewing and embroidering liturgical vestments for their sustenance, but it’s not enough,” said the bishop calling upon the faithful to ensure that “the exchange of gifts become a sign of respect towards people who through fasting and prayer serve the Lord by following the example of Simeon and Anna.” Students and novices. In Poland there are also 61 male religious institutes that in 2014 have accepted 245 candidates. The highest number of new vocations has been registered in the Franciscans and Dominicans orders. 17 candidates to the priesthood began their novitiate in the Jesuits order. Currently, in the novitiates of various congregations there are 266 students, while in seminaries run by religious orders are studying 791 clerics, including 179 foreigners from all over the world. Secular institutions. More than one thousand people (1.209 in 2014) are part of secular institutes of consecrated life, while almost 450 people implement individual forms of evangelical life. There are 193 consecrated virgins, 239 widows, 1 consecrated widower, 5 hermits. The Archbishop of Warsaw-Prague, Monsignor Henryk Hoser, speaking recently to the widows and consecrated virgins highlighted the uniqueness of the “marriage with Jesus whose possibility is given to women only,” while “the relationship of the males with the Son of God is based on brotherhood and friendship.” “We need to see and experience this difference”, said the bishop in whose diocese today there are 11 virgins and 2 widows as well as a consecrated hermit.