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The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life
Verbi Sponsa

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Relations with Institutes of men

26. Over the centuries the Holy Spirit has given rise in the Church to religious families made up of different branches, essentially united in the same spirituality but distinct from one another and often differing in their way of life.

Monasteries of nuns have had different kinds of bonds with the corresponding Institutes of men, bonds which in practice have been applied in different ways.

A relationship between monasteries and the corresponding Institute of men, as long as the discipline of enclosure is safeguarded, can favour growth in their common spirituality. In this light, the association of monasteries with the male Institute, while respecting the juridical autonomy proper to each, aims at preserving in the monasteries themselves the genuine spirit of the religious family with a view to its concrete expression in a solely contemplative dimension.

A monastery associated with an Institute of men retains its own rule of life and governance. (85) For this reason, the definition of reciprocal rights and obligations, aimed at the spiritual good, must safeguard the effective autonomy of the monastery.

In the new vision and perspective in which the Church today envisages the role and presence of women, it is necessary to overcome, wherever it may still exist, that form of juridical supervision by Orders of men and regular Superiors which de facto limits the autonomy of monasteries of nuns.

Men Superiors are to carry out their task in a spirit of cooperation and humble service, without creating improper submission to themselves, in order that the nuns may make decisions regarding all that concerns their religious life with freedom of spirit and a sense of responsibility.




85) Cf. Code of Canon Law, Canon 614.






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