World Day for Consecrated Life

Jan 29, 2016

Jubilee for Consecrated Life and the closing of the Year for Consecrated Life — February 2, 2016

In 1997, Pope Saint John Paul II instituted a day of prayer for women and men in consecrated life.

This celebration is attached to the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord on February 2. This Feast is also known as Candlemas Day, the day on which candles are blessed, symbolizing Christ who is the light of the world. So too, those in consecrated life are called to reflect the light of Jesus Christ to all peoples. The celebration of the World Day for Consecrated Life is transferred to the following Sunday in order to highlight the gift of consecrated persons for the whole Church.

Today, the Universal Church unites in prayer for all men and women in consecrated life and asks the Lord of the harvest to inspire and call our present generation of young Catholics to follow Jesus in religious life.

Prayers of the Faithful
For those consecrated to God by the vows of chastity,
poverty and obedience, that they
may seek to live their baptismal
promises more intensely and have the grace to
persevere in their commitment to the Lord and serve with
open hearts and willing spirits.

We pray to the Lord…
For those who have responded to the prompting of the
Holy Spirit to be a consecrated person that they may
experience the support of the Church as they continue their
growth in holiness. We pray to the Lord…

In 2013, Pope Francis declared that a Year of Consecrated Life (YCL) be celebrated throughout the world. YCL began on the First Sunday of Advent, November 30, 2014. It will close on the Jubilee for Consecrated Life and the closing of the Year for Consecrated Life on February 2, 2016 at St Peter’s Basilica, Rome.

Each one of us is called to be consecrated to God, as the call to Holiness is a universal call. Today, more than ever we are reminded of the state of our world, and how there is a great need for our world to become holy. The world will be holy when countries are holy, and countries will be holy when people are holy. So, let’s be encouraged by the invitation to become holy and joyful men and women.

In his message for the year of Consecrated Life, Pope Francis points out that it is through our lives that we point to the reality of God and that we can offer an alternative to the mirage of the various utopias that are presented by the world.

HOLINESS IS NOT SOMETHING WE CAN GET FOR OURSELVES, OR OBTAIN WITH OUR OWN TALENTS AND ABILITIES. Holiness is a gift from Jesus and we receive and rediscover holiness when we are in communion with God. Jesus desires that we come closer to Him so that He can make us holy.

Universal call to Holiness
Pope Francis also makes the point very clearly that consecrated life is not just reserved for a privileged few. To be consecrated is not only for the bishops, nuns, missionaries and priests. IT’S FOR EVERYONE. Being consecrated to God is a process of becoming holy; becoming more Godlike and striving to live out the values of the Gospel.

“Therefore, in the Church, everyone, whether belonging to the hierarchy, or being cared for by it, is called to holiness, according to the saying of the Apostle: “For this is the will of God, your sanctification” (1 Thes 4:3a). However, this holiness of the Church is unceasingly manifested, and must be manifested, in the fruits of grace which the Spirit produces in the faithful. It is expressed in many ways, in individuals who, in their walk of life, tend toward the perfection of charity, thus causing the edification of others. In a very special way, this (holiness) appears in the practice of the counsels, customarily called “evangelical.” (Vatican II’s Lumen Gentium, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church; 39.)

Each of us is called to be holy. What Jesus wants the most is that we come close to His heart, to draw close to Him and to learn from Him how we can become holier. Many times, we think that holiness is only for those who have time to pray, those who can devote themselves to prayer all day. But it’s not that way at all! Some people think that holiness is closing your eyes, bowing your head and putting on a really pious face. Holiness is something much greater and more profound than our external gestures.

Closing of the Year of Consecrated Life in Rome
As the Year of Consecrated Life draws to a close, some 4,000 consecrated men and women are expected in Rome for the closing ceremonies. The Congregation for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life announced the events relating to the conclusion of the Year. They will be held from January 28 to February 2.

There will be meetings, prayer vigils, and times for discussing the theme Consecrated life in communion. The common foundation in the variety of forms.

The aim of the meetings is to have a better knowledge of the great mosaic of consecrated life, to live in communion rediscovering the single call uniting the variety of forms (Ordo Virginum, monastic life, apostolic institutes, secular institutes, new institutes and new forms of consecrated life), of starting out together on the path of the great Jubilee of Mercy that once more gives all consecrated persons the specific mandate of their vocation and to be guided by the Father’s mercy, witnesses and builders of an authentically lived fraternity.

The first event will take place on Jan 28, a vigil in St Peter’s Basilica, presided by Archbishop Jose Rodriguez Carballo, secretary of the congregation, in which Cardinal Joao Braz De Aviz, prefect of the Congregation, will participate.

On Jan 29, consecrated persons will gather in Paul VI Hall, while on Jan 30 and 31, in five locations in Rome, representatives of each form of consecrated life will meet to explore, in greater depth, various specific aspects of their vocation. They will subsequently meet in Paul VI Hall again on Feb 1, for an audience with the Holy Father and the Oratory On the trail of beauty, directed by Msgr Marco Frisina.

The events will end on Feb 2 with the morning Jubilee pilgrimage and the Eucharistic celebration for the 20th World Day of Consecreted Life, celebrated by Pope Francis.(Zenit)

Celebrations in the Arch/Dioceses

KUALA LUMPUR ARCHDIOCESE
Mass will be held on Tuesday, Feb 2 at 8.30pm at the Church of the Divine Mercy. The main presider is His Grace, Archbishop Julian Leow.

In conjunction with the Closing of the Year of Consecrated Life, the KL Archdiocese Conference of Religious (KLACR) invites parishioners to the following formation talks on Spirituality of Mercy, by Fr Paul Cheong OFM Cap at St Philip Minh room, CDM.

The first session will be from 4.30pm - 5.15pm and the second session from 5.45pm - 6.30pm.

PENANG DIOCESE
Bishop Sebastian Francis will officiate the closing Mass at the Church of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, Ipoh on Tuesday, Feb 2 at 6.00pm.

In conjunction with the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, there will be the blessing of the candles after Mass.

After Mass, the congregration are invited for a fellowship.

MELAKA-JOHOR DIOCESE
The Association of Religious will be having an audience and hi-tea at 4.30pm with Bishop Bernard Paul at Sacred Heart Cathedral (SHC), Johor Bahru on Jan 30. This will be followed by Mass at 6.00pm at SHC for the “Closing of the Year for Consecrated Life”.

As for the “World Day for Consecrated Life” which falls on Tuesday, Feb 2, all the religious will join Bishop Bernard Paul for 6.45am Mass at St James Chapel, Majodi Centre, followed by breakfast together.

KOTA KINABALU ARCHDIOCESE
All religious communities will gather on Jan 30 for their recollection. Then the Closing Mass will be held at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart on Jan 31.

 The religious communities are doing their own programme within their congregations. There will be reflection, gathering and special prayers for all who choose to serve in the Lord’s vineyard.

SANDAKAN DIOCESE
There will be a fellowship at St Dominic, Lahad Datu. This is also in conjunction with Rev Stanley Matakim’s priestly ordination.

KUCHING ARCHDIOCESE
Archbishop John Ha will officiate the closing Mass at the Carmelite Chapel on Feb 2. After Mass, they will have fellowship at the chapel.

MIRI DIOCESE
The closing Mass will be at the Carmelite Monastery Chapel at 5.30pm, presided by Bishop Richard Ng on Feb 2.

SIBU DIOCESE
The closing Mass will be presided by Bishop Joseph Hii at St Mary’s Church on Feb 2 at 7.30pm.