The Path to Vowed Religious Life

Church membership offers opportunities for a deeper prayer life, worship, fellowship, and engagement in ministries within and outside the church walls. Church members discern in community and with their priest how to live fully into the life of the church using their gifts and skills.

Some people, however, long for a more intentional, deeper commitment to Christian life. For some this may mean discerning a call to ordained ministry as a priest or deacon. Some may feel called as chaplains. Others may discern a deeper life of prayer, living in Christian community, or adhering to a rule of life. These people may be called to a religious order or religious community.

Everyone has a vocation to be someone,
but you must also know how to choose the path.
~ Thomas Merton

Characteristics of People Discerning Vowed Religious Life

Individuals discerning vowels religious life often have the following characteristics:

  • Longs for a deeper spirituality and commitment to the Christian way of life
  • Sees Christian faith as the core of their life
  • Seeks to serve God in all areas of their life
  • Active in congregational life and ministry
  • Desires to be more fully engaged in Christian community

The Difference between Religious Orders and Religious Communities

The Episcopal Church distinguishes between religious orders and religious communities. A religious order of The Episcopal Church is a society of Christians who voluntarily commit themselves for life, or a term of years, to holding their possessions in common or in trust; to a celibate life in community; and obedience to their Rule and Constitution. A Christian community of this Church is a society of Christians who voluntarily commit themselves for life, or a term of years, in obedience to their Rule and Constitution (from The Episcopal Church Canons, Title III, Canon 14, sections 1-2).

Learn about Religious Orders & Christian Communities in The Episcopal Church >

The Path of Discernment for Religious Orders and Christian Communities

Exploring Your Vocation gatherings are for seekers exploring a feeling of call to licensed lay ministry, ordained ministry, or vowed religious life. You will have the chance to hear from individuals living a vowed religious life and to ask questions. To learn more about upcoming Exploring Your Vocation events, click here.

Questions you may ask yourself include:

  • What interests me about the religious life? What draws me to it?
  • What repels me as I think about living in community? What frightens me?
  • Does the idea of entering the religious life keep coming back in unexpected ways?
  • What do I imagine that the religious life is like? (As you get answers to these questions, run them past people who are already living the religious life.)
  • How do I respond when finding out I’m wrong about something?
  • How do I cope with people who are very different from me in opinion, ways of doing things and so forth?
  • How do I open myself to loving people I don’t like very much?
  • Can I gently laugh at myself?

From Religious Orders and Christian Communities, The Episcopal Church in Colorado

If you are discerning a call to vowed religious life we recommend you begin meeting monthly with a spiritual director. Your spiritual director will help you understand God’s presence in your life and how you are being called. To find a spiritual director, visit the Spiritual Direction Colorado website.

Talking with people committed to vowed religious life can help you understand what drew them there, what challenges they had, and what they would like to say to others discerning the religious life. You might ask:

  • How were you drawn to vowed religious life?
  • What grounds you in this way of being?
  • What challenges have you faced?
  • Is there anything you wish you had known before you entered?
  • What illusions have you had to overcome?
  • What gives you joy in your life in community?
  • Do you have any reading suggestions?
  • What other questions should I be asking?

(Adapted from The Episcopal Church web page Religious Orders and Christian Communities)

If you are wondering if God is calling you to vowed religious life, we encourage you to begin exploring the established religious orders and Christian communities recognized by the Episcopal Church.

Ask questions. Write to them. Tell them your story. Ask for prayers and advice. Many have websites, but not all, so don’t limit yourself to the Internet. Go visit the ones that appeal most to you. Spend as much time as you can and visit as widely as you can.

Conference of Anglican Religious Orders in the Americas >

National Association for Episcopal Christian Communities >

If you have discerned a call to religious life, the next step is to apply to the community or order you are feeling called to. Each community and order will have its own process for applying and steps for becoming a vowed member. This process may take many months and go through multiple stages. It is an opportunity for ongoing discernment work.