Discerning a Vocation
What is a Religious Profession & What Qualities do we Seek?
In short, an Augustinian religious profession is the voluntary gift of oneself to a community of friends who, through the grace of God and the practice of the evangelical counsels, seek to become "one" in their search for the Truth.
In CLW, a religious profession is much more than a legal contract or a set of prohibitions. It is an "external manifestation of an internal determination" to live in a community of love, seeking God together. While it involves the vows of the Evangelical Councils; poverty, chastity, and obedience, these are interpreted through St. Augustine’s unique emphasis on interiority, community, and friendship.
To "profess" as an Augustinian is to commit to a journey (peregrinatio) where the goal is not individual perfection in isolation, but a communal movement toward God.
In CLW, we pray for new brothers and sisters who seek to grow spiritually; ever drawing nearer to Christ, to live according to the Gospels, and to work in service to Christ and others.
In CLW, we take our vows seriously and hope those who pursue a religious vocation with CLW will do so also. We welcome anyone who feels called to religious life with open arms and a warm welcome. With that being said, CLW is not a community for those who are looking to cosplay as monastics with feigned humility and pretend holiness. We are also not a stop along one's way to ordination. A religious profession is a serious commitment to God and one's religious community and involves a life-long journey of self-reflection, accountability, and conversion.