Active and Contemplative Religious Sisters and Brothers

The working conditions of religious depend on their community's location and mission. Most religious can count on a pretty conventional life in the settings they have chosen, such as the hustle and bustle of an urban mission, the steady work of a suburban parish or school, or the serenity of a monastery. Still, sisters and brothers need to be ready and willing to serve wherever they are needed.

Religious tend to live in clean, sparsely furnished buildings, from convents and monasteries to large community houses, small homes, and apartments. The private room of a religious may consist of a simple bed, a desk, and a dresser. There is generally a common room for dining. They attend Mass with the rest of their community, usually in their own church or chapel, and they may also gather daily for recitation of the rosary or other common prayer.

Cloistered religious usually have "speak rooms" in their communities, where they meet with priests and other visitors who sit in the part of the room that is located outside the cloister boundary. It can be difficult to adapt to the physical restrictions of contemplative life (and cloistered life, in particular). Yet the life of obedience frees brothers and sisters from constant decision-making and anxiety over such mundane matters as when to eat, what to wear, and who is going to do the household chores.

Many active religious now have more contact with their family, friends, and other laypeople. Manner of dress has also gained certain latitude since Vatican II. Many active and contemplative orders wear modified habits; for example, a sister might wear a plain suit with a simple veil and a crucifix. Other active sisters and brothers dress exactly like lay people. Religious sisters and brothers seek humility, trying not to set themselves above or apart from the rest of their communities; the uniform dress of the habit can help them do this. Most religious do not receive the habit until after they have completed their postulants.

Active religious orders have members who serve the church in various ways. Some work in hospitals, colleges, universities, grammar schools, or high schools. Others work in parishes or church-run agencies, while some work in foreign missions, urban slums, or rural areas. As part of their commitment to obedience, they may be asked to serve in any location where their community is ministering. Contemplative religious orders are bound by their community's rule of life and how it is applied. It's important to note that there are variations between communities, so it's essential to find the mode of religious life that best suits you.