Thai religious renew vows on Day for Consecrated Life

Last updated on: February 4, 2014 at 7:02 am by CNA Daily News

Thai religious renew vows on Day for Consecrated Life 2014-02-04T07:02:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, Feb 4, 2014 / 12:02 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Vowed religious in Thailand gathered to celebrate the World Day for Consecrated Life this weekend, fostering and encouraging religious life in the southeast Asian country.

Community and obedience make for a fruitful religious life, Bishop Joseph Sirisut of Nakhon Ratchasima preached in his homily at the Feb. 1 Mass, held at the city's Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes.

More than 500 religious gathered at the city, 160 miles northeast of Bangkok, to renew their vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience with lighted candles at the Mass.

Bishop Sirisut encouraged the religious to follow the example of birds which fly in V-formations. He reflected that the V-formation helps the birds to conserve energy, and maintain communication, factors also important in living in community.

He urged them to be “keen, vigilant observers,” modeling themselves in humility on the Virgin Mary. He also warned against the temptation to pride, encouraging them to discern and to draw strength from the Gospel.

The day's celebrations were also coupled with an anticipation of the cathedral's feast day, which is observed Feb. 11.

The World Day for Consecrated Life is held each year on the Feast of the Purification of Mary, and was instituted in 1997 by Bl. John Paul II, acknowledging the centrality of consecrated life in the Church's mission.

His 1996 apostolic exhortation “Vita Consecrata” compared the varied forms of religious life to the “many branches, which sinks its roots into the Gospel and brings forth abundant fruit in every season of the Church’s life.”

At his Angelus address Feb. 2, Pope Francis said, “every consecrated person is a gift for the People of God on a journey.”

“There is much need of their presence, that strengthens and renews the commitment to spread the gospel, to Christian education, to charity for the most needy, to contemplative prayer; the commitment to a human and spiritual formation of young people, of families; the commitment to justice and peace in the human family.”

He added that “consecrated persons are signs of God in diverse environments of life, they are leaven for the growth of a more just and fraternal society, prophecy of sharing with the little and the poor. As such understanding and experience, the consecrated life appears to us just as it really is: a gift of God.”

“What would happen if there were no sisters? Sisters in the hospitals, sisters in the missions, sisters in the schools… one can’t imagine it! They are the leaven that carry the people of God forward. The Church and the world have need of this testimony of the love and mercy of God.”

Asia - Pacific

Previous Post

February 4, 2014

The Church is not ours but Christ's, Austrian bishop stresses

Next Post

February 4, 2014 Broncos coat drive shows children 'are not forgotten'

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What bird did Noah release second from the ark?

Select your answer to see how you score.

An eagle A sparrow A dove A raven