SPONSA RECIS - A SPIRITUAL REVIEW FOR SISTERS - NUMBER 8 - VOLUME 36 - APRIL 1965

Sep 28, 2026

SPONSA RECIS is a monthly spiritual review issue for sisters, identified as Number 8, Volume 36, dated April 1965. The included featured article focuses on the Catholic Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen gentium), promulgated by Pope Paul VI, and examines its implications for religious life and the universal call to holiness. It discusses why the phrase “states of perfection” has disappeared, emphasizing one perfection rooted in the perfection of charity.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

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Pages44

Reading Time1 h 51 min

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SPONSA RECIS

A SPIRITUAL REVIEW FOR SISTERS

Religious and the Constitution De Ecclesia

Bulletin Board

Book Reviews

meene SPONSA RECIS TO HAVE T EVERYTHING ISNO MONOPOLY OF CHRISTIANS THE ORIGINALITY IS TO BE FOUND IN THE FOLLOWING OF CHRIST # SPONSA RECIS A SPIRITUAL REVIEW FOR SISTERS NUMBER 8 VOLUME 36 APRIL 1965 Religious and the Constitution De Ecclesia 227RICHARD A.HILL,S.J. Oneness in Worship 234SISTER MARIE THEODORINE,C.S.J. The Temporal Commitment of the Religious 237JORDAN BISHOP,O.P. Poem 245GERALD F.KEOHEN The Virgin:Sign of the Divine Indwelling 246THOMAS DUBAY,S.M. Bulletin Board 251 Book Reviews 254 NIHIL OBSTAT:Reinold Theisen,O.S.B.,Censor deput.IMPRIMATUR:函Peter W.Bartholome,D.D.,Episc.Sancti Clodoaldi. Published monthly by monks of Saint John's Abbey,Collegeville,Minnesota.Rev.Ronald Roloff,O.S.B.,Editor;Rev.Myron Kasprick,O.S.B.,ManagingEditor;Rev.Raymond Roseliep,Poetry Editor.Advisory Board:Rev.KilianMcDonnell,O.S.B.,Sister Ritamary Bradley,C.H.M.,Sister M.Rose Emman-uella Brennan,S.N.J.M.,Sister M.Emmanuel Collins,O.S.F.,Mother MaryRobert Falls,O.S.U.,Sister M.Jean Frances Fiffe,O.P.,Sister M.JeremyHall,O.S.B.,Sister M.Jerome Keeler,O.S.B.,Sister M.Teresa Francis McDade, B.V.M.,Sister Mary Virginia Micka,C.S.J.,Sister M.Charles BorromeoMuckerhirn,C.S.C.,Sister Mary Emil Penet,I.H.M.,Sister Mary James Walsh,S.N.D.,Sister Annette Walters,C.S.J.,Mother Mary Florence Wolff,S.L.,Sister M.Francine Zeller,O.S.F. Address all correspondence except poetry to Sponsa Regis,Saint John’s Abbey,Collegeville,Minnesota 56321(Checks payable to Sponsa Regis.)Poetryshould be sent to Rev.Raymond Roseliep,Loras College,Dubuque,Iowa 52003.1 year $2.50;2 years $4.00;single copy 25 cents.Sterling area(exceptAustralia):1 year 18s;2 years 29s;single copy 1s 11d.Australia:1 year 23s;2 years 37s;single copy 2s 3d.Agent for India:Asian Trading Corporation,Post Box No.1505,Bombay-1.Indexed in the Catholic Periodical Index.Printed by Sentinel Publishing Company,413 East Saint Germain Street,Saint Cloud,Minnesota.Second class postage paid at Saint Cloud,Minnesota.(Do not send mail to this address.) # Religious and the Constitution De Ecclesia RICHARD A.HILL,S.J. The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church(Lumen gentium),pro-mulgated by Pope Paul VI in the name of the Ecumenical Councilon November 21,1964,will certainly be the object of profoundstudy by theologians for many years to come.Its full import willbecome clear only after prolonged reflection and discussion withinthe Catholic Church itself and between Catholics and the theologiansof other Churches.It is a document whose importance can hardlybe exaggerated at this hour of history,and this is true for religiousand all who follow the counsels in canonical states of perfection.To make some contribution to the dialogue which will centeraround this Constitution,I would like to make some preliminaryobservations on certain themes in this document which particularlyconcern the states of perfection. The first observation must be the notable absence of the veryexpression just used,the"states of perfection."Since the famousApostolic Constitution,Provida Mater Ecclesia,of 1947,in whichPope Pius XII recognized the Secular Institutes as juridical statesin the Church,the expression,"states of perfection,"became normalin ecclesiastical documents to designate in a generic manner Reli-gious Institutes,Societies without Public Vows,and Secular In-stitutes.And in the preparatory documents of the Second VaticanCouncil this title was used as an accepted expression which desig-nated these three states.However,at the insistence of the Con-ciliar Fathers it has disappeared,and we may presume that it willnot normally be used in the future. It is not difficult to understand why this expression has beenallowed to fall into desuetude by this Constitution.Perhaps themost important doctrinal advance made in it is the clarification ofthe relationship between the religious life and the vocation of allmen to perfection,to which the baptized are already committed bytheir regenera

FAQs

What is the main focus of the article “Religious and the Constitution De Ecclesia” in this issue?

It analyzes the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church (Lumen gentium) and highlights how it clarifies the relationship between religious life and the universal vocation to holiness and the perfection of charity.

Why does the article say the expression “states of perfection” has fallen out of use?

It explains that the term became normal in ecclesiastical documents after earlier apostolic constitution usage, but the Second Vatican Council’s preparatory documents used it until it disappeared, suggesting it will not be normally used in the future.

According to the article, what is the “one kind of perfection” emphasized for the present dispensation of grace?

It states that there can be only one kind of perfection in the present dispensation of grace: the perfection of charity.

Sep 28, 2026

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