Not A Religious Order, Then What?

[ThomasEugene]

Hi!

I was informed that Institutes of Concentrated Life are called religious orders. And Societies of Apostolic Life are not religious orders. What do you call Societies of Apostolic Life?

Thank you!

Thomas

 

[Eucharisted]

Associations of the lay faithful. Unless I’m mistaken.

 

[SerraSemper]

There are two institutes of consecrated life, religious and secular institutes. Societies of Apostolic Life are Societies of Apostolic life. Members of secular institutes and societies of apostolic life retain their original canonical status (lay remain lay and ordained remain ordained). Those who join religious institutes enter the consecrated state.

If you are wondering whether a group is a Society of Apostolic Life, you just have to ask their “canonical status”. Some groups call themselves “apostolic” but are in reality lay groups without canonical status as Societies of Apostolic Life. Apostolic is used in the sense of being out doing evangelization as opposed to depicting canonical status by some groups.

 

[ThomasEugene]

thank you for the answers!