A society of apostolic life is a group of men or women within the Catholic Church who have come together for a specific purpose and live fraternally. It is regarded as a form of consecrated (or "religious") life.
This type of organization is defined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law under Canons 731–746. Under the 1917 Code of Canon Law, which preceded the current one, this manner of life was referred to as a society of common life.
Background
St. Philip Neri can be considered the father of societies of apostolic life.
Members of apostolic societies prioritize mission over community life.[1] According to the Vincentian priest Robert P. Maloney, community life should be strong enough to be supportive to those who have pledged to pursue the same apostolic purpose, and flexible enough to allow members to respond to the urgent needs of those they serve. In community, apostolic societies must maintain a balance between prayer and active works.[2]
Apostolic societies vary widely in their missions and areas of focus. Some emphasize preaching, teaching, healthcare, seminary formation, foreign missions, retreats, or advocacy for justice, among other goals. Most were founded in response to a specific need recognized by their founders. Today, many continue to center their work on one or more of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy.[2]
A number of apostolic societies, such as the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, profess vows or similar commitments defined in their constitutions to live out the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience. The Congregation of the Mission and the Daughters of Charity, both founded by St. Vincent de Paul, are part of a group of societies established in the 16th and 17th centuries in response to growing poverty in France.[3] Vincent de Paul chose not to establish the Daughters of Charity as a religious order because at that time women religious were "enclosed" (cloistered), and that state was "not compatible with the duties of their vocation."[2]
A community needs the written approval of a bishop to operate within his diocese. Clerics of a society of apostolic life usually are incardinated into the society and not a diocese, unless specified otherwise in its constitutions (for example, the Sulpicians, who are members of both their society and dioceses). Each community has a right to its own oratory.
Members of a society of apostolic life are allowed to own personal property, but normally must live in community together.[citation needed]
The diocesan bishop must consent to the "erection of a house and establishment of a local community", and must also be consulted concerning its suppression.[6]
↑ Holland IHM, Sharon L., "Societies of Apostolic Life. New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law (John P. Beal, James A. Coriden, and Thomas J Green, eds.), p. 892. Paulist Press, Mahwah, New Jersey]
↑ "Code of Canon Law - Book II - The People of God - Part II. (Cann. 731-746)". The Vatican. Retrieved June 25, 2021. Can. 733 §1. The competent authority of the society erects a house and establishes a local community with the previous written consent of the diocesan bishop, who must also be consulted concerning its suppression.
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