What Exactly Is Active-contemplative?

[carmenchristi]

There is a lot of talk about active-contemplative communities on VS, and the recent thread made me consider sharing some of what I have learned through my experience and involvement in the re-assessment of a religious community.

The community I was with was considered active-contemplative until it reached a point of re-evaluation, at which time it was explained (by authoritative persons in the Church) that such a thing does not canonically exist.

Here's why:

[quote]
Can. 663 §1. The first and foremost duty of all religious is to be the contemplation of divine things and assiduous union with God in prayer.

[/quote]
And
[quote]
Can. 673 The apostolate of all religious consists first of all in the witness of their consecrated life, which they are bound to foster by prayer and penance.

Can. 674 Institutes which are entirely ordered to contemplation always hold a distinguished place in the mystical Body of Christ [...] members of these institutes cannot be summoned to furnish assistance in the various pastoral ministries however much the need of the active apostolate urges it.

Can. 675 §1. Apostolic action belongs to the very nature of institutes dedicated to works of the apostolate.
Accordingly, the whole life of the members is to be imbued with an apostolic spirit; indeed the whole apostolic action is to be informed by a religious spirit.

§2. Apostolic action is to proceed always from an intimate union with God and is to confirm and foster this union.

[/quote]
As you see, Canon Law defines two types of institutes: Contemplative and Apostolic. It also explains that members of ALL religious communities are called to a contemplative life and that some - members of institutes "entirely ordered to contemplation" - are called in such a strong way that they can never be summoned to an active apostolate.

Living a contemplative life is the main obligation of any religious. That may seem obvious, esp on VS, but it is the main point that clarifies both the distinction and relation between apostolic and contemplative communities.

Distinction: contemplatives are obliged to the point that they may not be involved in active apostolate.
Relation: all are obliged to hold the contemplation of divine things as the most important aspect of religious life.

Those communities that define themselves as active-contemplative are technically apostolic communities. They may have a particularly intense prayer life, but this doesn't alter their actual classification. You will most likely not find the expression "active-contemplative" in their constitutions for this very reason.

Anyway, I'd be interested to hear from those of you who are in contact with any "active-contemplative" communities how this idea is presented by the community?

Then, if anyone can answer, how do they balance their intense prayer life with apostolic works?

Or any other discussion on the topic... questions or corrections about what I have brought up are welcome.

[Egidio]

I heard the Franciscan religious once described as " contemplatives with an apostolate"(!)

According to Franciscan spirituality, (and St Bonaventure explains this well), the friar prays, studies and contemplates God, in order to be not just a conduit to others, but that he might be an overflowing vessel from which other souls may share of his abundance.

St Maximilian also expresses the same idea, "The value of a religious can be based only on his union with God through the Immaculate." In other words, it doesn't matter how much external work you do, if your internal life is miserable, you merit little, and the Glory given to God is limited. (here would be a good place to give a little treatise on grace, and the different forms of grace, but it will have to wait until i have more time.)

I am sure that "Cappie" would be able to expand on this, he has been a friar longer than I.

AVE MARIA!

[Annie12]

I probably don't know any more than you do, but from what I know active/contemplative communities are half of each component. They pray for about 4 hours a day and do their apostate about the same amount of time and then the rest of the time is spent with the community.

[Sr Mary Catharine OP]

carmenchristi, you are absolutely correct. It seems to be a way a community describes themselves that is "popular". And active communities like to call themselves "apostolic" which is incorrect as well. There is a distinct, canonical category called "Societies of Apostolic Life." Also, the original meaning of apostolic was that of the apostles gathered around Christ. The early monastic communities considered themselves as living the apostolic life.

From experience, communities that describe themselves as "contemplative-active" are compared to us VERY ACTIVE. Although they may have a full prayer life they are essential geared to the apostolate.

[cmaD2006]

[quote name='Sr. Mary Catharine' timestamp='1345504833' post='2470897']
From experience, communities that describe themselves as "contemplative-active" are compared to us VERY ACTIVE. Although they may have a full prayer life they are essential geared to the apostolate.
[/quote]

True ... this is completely true.

A community that describes itself as contemplative-active is not "cloistered" or "enclosed".

Contemplative-active is not a canonical term ... it is more of a description.

For example ... I visited one community that was an active community (and never described itself as active-contemplative). -- It was REALLY an active community. I had a hard time seeing where prayer fit in.

And again ... one community that described itself as contemplative-active lived such a contemplative lifestyle, that it was a few steps away from a cloister (it had a limited number of apostolates/activities outside of the convent, but it is not canonically considered cloistered or enclosed).

Even though it is not a canonical term, it is an important description to pay attention to (especially if called to an active community).

What I am not sure of is the use of the appropriate term -- I entered (as a postulant) two communities that were not enclosed nor were they cloistered -- but I don't remember them using the term "Society of Apostolic Life;" that's the only reason why I still used the terms "active vs cloistered/enclosed"

[mantellata]

I seem to remember posting in another thread that the term "active-contemplative" by some communities was a description preferred by members of those institutes in order to remind themselves and others that the first duty of all religious is assiduous union with God in prayer. ... And that they were not somehow a "middle ground" between active Sisters and contemplatives............

The above discussion on Canon law simply proves my earlier point. (I was hoping that those who felt called to the active life did not somehow feel they needed to avoid visiting communities using the term "active-contemplative" after all... they are active.)

Edited August 21, 2012 by mantellata

[maximillion]

I don't profess to know much about it but what I have observed ( from a distance) is that those who are described as aclive/contemplative place much more emphasis on prayer, be that communal or solitary, than those who are described as active/apostolic, in the main.

I think as others have noted, that the difference comes in the emphasis and time given to prayer/litergy vs 'works'.