“The Religious state is thus one way of experiencing a ‘more intimate’ consecration, rooted in Baptism, and dedicated totally to God. In the consecrated life, Christ’s faithful, moved by the Holy Spirit, propose to follow Christ more nearly, to give themselves to God who is loved above all and, pursuing the perfection of charity in the service of the Kingdom, to signify and proclaim in the Church the glory of the world to come.”     Catechism of the Catholic Church 916

SECULAR INSTITUTES

What is a Secular Institute?

The 1983 Code of Canon Law states: “A secular institute is an institute of consecrated life in which the Christian faithful living in the world strive for perfection of charity and work for the sanctification of the world especially from within” (Canon 710). Uncertainty of what secular consecration is and the difference between it and Religious life shows that it is not widely understood in the Church. God calls some people to a Religious Order where they profess poverty, chastity, and obedience in their Community, and others to live out that same consecration as a lay person seeking to make sacred the secular world in which they live and work. Both have given their lives to God in the service of his Church but distinct from one another by rule and application.
           
Today, about 160 secular institutes with some 60,000 members exist throughout the world. In the U.S. there are 27. There are institutes for single women and single men and for priests.
           
Learning about secular institutes has typically happened through personal contact with a member or upon encouragement from a spiritual director. Information is also available from the U.S. Conference of Secular Institutes at www.secularinstitutes.org.
           
A local example

The Secular Institute of the Missionaries of the Kingship of Christ (SIM) is established in the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis; one entity for women and another for men. The women’s SIM was founded in 1919 in Assisi by Armida Barelli and Fr. Agostino Gemelli, OFM.; Fr. Gemelli founded the men’s institute in 1928. The charism in SIM springs from a Franciscan spiritual tradition.
           
The members of SIM find the strength to live their vocation through a personal prayer life. To support this lifestyle they attend daily Mass, if possible, recite the Liturgy of the Hours, spend time in personal prayer and are asked to have a spiritual director. Community ideals are strengthened by attending a monthly day of renewal, an annual retreat, and a time of study with other missionaries as planned and directed by the institute.
           
The basic commitment of a woman SIM member is to live an exemplary Christian life in the ordinary circumstances of her life. She serves the Church and the world as “leaven in the dough.” This service is quiet, ordinary-looking, and almost unnoticeable. In order to be a genuine and effective influence on her environment, she uses discretion in identifying herself as a member of a secular institute.
           
When a woman is accepted for membership in SIM, she must go through a period of preparation and formation. This takes place where the candidate lives, and she retains her regular occupation. The formation and training take place during special meetings, retreats, and personal guidance sessions.
           
The SIM Web site is www.simkc.org. For local contact, call Barbara at 651-735-3001.