Vocations Vocabulary

 Useful terms to understand, discuss, and discern a religious vocation

Apostolic Community

Some religious institutes are dedicated to serving the Church in active ministry, such as health care, education, social work, or direct service to the poor.

Bishop

Someone who is ordained and appointed by the pope to exercise authority and leadership of a arch/diocese.

Brother

This person is not ordained as a priest but lives in Community and serves in an active ministry. They pronounce vows.

Call

This term refers to being drawn to a particular vocational way of life, such as married, single, consecrated, or ordained life.

Candidate

This person is sometimes called a Postulant. This is the first stage after being officially admitted to a religious community.  This person learns more about the Community and about herself or himself.

Celibacy

The voluntarily abstaining from marriage and sexual relations.

Charism

A religious Community’s spirit, way of life, and focus.

Chastity

A virtue practice by all faithful Christians (married or not).  For members of a religious life, it is freely choosing sexual abstinence and giving oneself to God and God’s people wholeheartedly.

Consecrated Life

This is a state of life characterized by the profession of the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience.

Contemplative Life

As opposed to the apostolic life, this form of consecrated life stresses prayer and self-denial as way of growing in the knowledge and love of God.

Cloister

The part of a monastery or convent that is reserved for the private use of those who live there only.

Discernment

This is the process of discovering one’s particular vocation in life—whether God is calling someone to religious life, marriage, priesthood, the single life, or a particular ministry.

Divine Office

A group of psalms, hymns, prayers and biblical and spiritual readings formulated by the Church for chant and recitation at stated times during the day.

Formation

This is the period of preparation whereby a man or woman learns the customs, traditions, spirituality, and history of the vocation he or she is embracing.

Inquirer

Someone who is curious about religious life and wants to learn more about it in order to determine if that person is called to a certain way of life.

Lauds

Another name for Morning Prayer which is usually prayed in common/with others in the Community.

Major Superior

This is the person who is entrusted with the ultimate authority of a religious Community.

Ministry

The use of a person’s gifts and talents, time and energy in service to those in need.

Motherhouse

Headquarters of religious community from which members go out to minister to the People of God.

Novice

A person who is formally admitted to a religious institute to prepare for eventual religious profession.

Religious Community

An institute of men or women, at least some of whose members vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience.
 

Priest, Diocesan

A man who is ordained through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. He serves a specific geographical area and is under the authority of a (arch)bishop.

Priest, Religious

A man who is professes vows in a religious institute and is ordained through the Sacrament of Holy Orders. He is accountable to his major superior and the other men in his community for his religious life.

Professed

This is a general term used to refer to those men and women who have been admitted to the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Religious

This term refers to a man or woman who professes vows and is a member of a religious community.

Seminarian

A seminarian is a man who is in the formation process of becoming a priest.

Sister

A woman religious who takes vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience within an apostolic, religious community or order. Like a brother, she lives in a community and her life is dedicated to prayer and ministry within the Church and society.

Temporary Profession

A commitment made to God to practice poverty, chastity, obedience or some other virtue for a specified, shorter length in time.

Perpetual Profession

After several years of discernment, someone in formation will promise to live the vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience for the rest of his or her life.

Vespers

Another name for Evening Prayer which usually is prayed with others in Community.

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