Chastity, Poverty and Obedience: Recovering the Vision for the Renewal of Religious Life

Among the many topics addressed by the Second Vatican Council was the need for the renewal of religious life. Some forty years later, many religious orders of women are dying out, begging the question: Did the reforms of Vatican II help the religious orders become more fruitful, or did they plant the seeds of destruction?

In writing this work, Mother Mary Francis, P.C.C., carefully and prayerfully examined the decree on religious life promulgated by the Council Fathers and uncovered its noble meaning and purpose. With her penetrating eye and thoughtful reflection, Mother goes to the heart of the document, Perfectae Caritatis, and finds there the calling to pursue perfect love through the chastity, poverty and obedience that Christ himself extends to those disciples who would follow him more closely.

This book is a timely volume on this important topic for religious life in the Church. For Catholics who want to discover how the religious life can be restored, this is a fine place to start.

Mother Mary Francis, P.C.C., (1921-2006) was for more than forty years the abbess of the Poor Clare Monastery of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Roswell, New Mexico. She is recognized as an authoritative voice for contemplative spirituality, prayer and the renewal of religious life. She wrote many books, including A Right to Be Merry and Come, Lord Jesus, which is a collection of her reflections for Advent.