This document provides an overview of Pope John Paul II's 1996 apostolic exhortation "Vita Consecrata", which outlines the mission of consecrated religious life. It emphasizes that consecrated life is a gift to the Church and world, and witnesses to the possibility of giving oneself completely to God and others. The exhortation explores how the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience reflect the love and self-gift seen within the Holy Trinity.

1. By Fr. Sunny

2. This presentation provides an overview of Pope John
Paul II's Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Vita
Consecrata," which outlines the mission of the
consecrated life in the church and in the world.
Understanding "Vita Consecrata"

3. Photo by Pixabay
What is "Vita Consecrata"?
- A 1996 Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation
written by Pope John Paul II.
- Outlines the mission of consecrated life in the
church and in the world.

4. Photo by Pixabay
What is a Post-Synodal
Apostolic Exhortation?
- A magisterial document written by the Pope.
- Encourages a particular virtue or activity.
- Issued following a Synod of Bishops, in which
case they are known as post-synodal apostolic
exhortations.

5. Photo by Pixabay
Overview of "Vita Consecrata"
- Contains 109 articles and covers every form of
consecrated life.
- Divided into three parts: "Mystery to be
Believed," "Mystery to be Celebrated," and
"Mystery to be Lived."
- Emphasizes the importance of the consecrated
life in the church and in the world.

6. Photo by Pixabay
Importance of the Consecrated Life
- Consecrated life is a gift to the Church and to the
world.
- Sign of the Kingdom of God and of the Transcendent.
- A witness to the possibility of giving oneself
completely to God and to others.

7. Photo by Pixabay
What is Consecrated Life?
- A gift of God to the Church through the Holy
Spirit, deeply rooted in the example and teaching
of Christ.
- Involves the profession of the evangelical
counsels of chastity, poverty, and obedience.
- Makes the characteristic features of Jesus
visible in the world.

8. Photo by Pixabay
History and Purpose of
Consecrated Life
- Practiced by men and women throughout history
who have been called to follow Christ with an
undivided heart.
- Like the Apostles, they leave everything behind
to be with Christ and serve God and others.
- By their spiritual and apostolic charisms, they
contribute to the renewal of society and the
mission of the Church.

9. Photo by Pixabay
The Significance of the
Evangelical Counsels
- By professing the counsels, consecrated
persons strive to reproduce the form of life that
Christ accepted when he entered the world.
- Chastity makes their love pure, proclaiming that
Christ is the Only-Begotten Son who is one with
the Father.
- Poverty imitates Christ's example of receiving
and giving everything back to the Father in love.

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The Role of Consecrated Life in
Society and the Church
- Through their commitment to the Evangelical
Counsels, consecrated persons bear witness to the
values of the Kingdom of God in the world.
- Their lives of service and prayer contribute to
the renewal of the Church and society.
- They offer a prophetic witness to the world by
standing in solidarity with the poor, marginalized
and oppressed.

11. This presentation explores the relationship between the Holy
Trinity and the evangelical counsels, as discussed in #21 of
Vita Consecrata.
The Trinity and the Evangelical
Counsels in Vita Consecrata

12. Photo by Pixabay
Chastity and the Trinity
- Celibacy and virginity as a manifestation of
dedication to God with an undivided heart.
- Reflection of the infinite love which links the
three Divine Persons in the life of the Trinity.

13. Photo by Pixabay
Poverty and the Trinity
- Poverty as a proclamation that God is man's only
real treasure.
- Example of Christ becoming poor as an
expression of total self-gift.

14. Photo by Pixabay
Obedience and the Trinity
- Obedience as a reflection of the loving harmony
between the three Divine Persons.
- Practice of obedience in imitation of Christ.

15. Photo by Sunny
Conclusion
- Call for the consecrated life to deepen the gift of
the evangelical counsels in the Trinitarian
dimension.
- Confession and sign of the Trinity in the
consecrated life.