February 2, 2013: 17th World Day for Consecrated Life
Monday, February 4, 2013Each year since 1997, on February 2, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, the Church invites us to celebrate the World Day for Consecrated Life. The purpose of this day is to help the entire Church esteem even more the witness of those who choose to follow Christ by observing the evangelical counsels.
“Consecrated life” refers to the status of men and women whom the Church recognizes as having consecrated their lives as members of a religious institute, a society of apostolic life, or a secular institute, as well as individual women whom a Bishop has solemnly recognized as living the life of virginity. Religious institutes and secular institutes involve a profession of the evangelical counsels. Members of societies of apostolic life do not take religious vows but live a common life in pursuit of the apostolic purpose proper to each society.