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Consecrated Religious Life: The Changing Paradigms

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I found it to be very upbeat with one's eyes on a hopeful future. It is good to see that there has to be a re-visiting of the main goal of the founder. It is good to see that he looks at the idea of changing models with the idea of keeping up with the times, which has chnged dramatically. I found it refreshing that one could not stay with the old but that there had to be shifts in looking at one's own Order, Society or Congregation. I enjoyed the idea of unburdening ourselves with the excess baggage of the old. I feel that we have been doing it in our congregaion, Salesians of St. John Bosco.
Brother Noel

Consecrated Religious Life The Changing Paradigm by Diarmuid O'Murchu was EXCELLENT! I recommend it to EVERY RELIGIOUS! I found it easy reading, theologically sound and challenging! Sister Rose Therese

Some may say the actual paradigms are those normative, not formative, essentials of Religious Life, that which never changes, including our vows of Poverty, Obedience and Celibacy, vows which Our Holy Father Saint Benedict descibed as Humility, Stability and the Conversion of Ways.

Here the Reverend Father Diarmuid O'Murchu, a long-time member of the Sacred Heart Missionary Congregation, examines those apparent paradigms which nevertheless are changing, evolving, and uncovering the bedrock of our immutable Religious Vocations. This book thus serves as excellent complement for his other well-received works which are available here upon the amazon, such as Poverty Celibacy & Obedience : A Radical Option for Life, Reframing Religious Life: An Expanded Vision for the Future,Catching Up with Jesus: A Gospel Story for Our Time, Quantum Theology, Revised Edition: Spiritual Implications of the New Physics, Evolutionary Faith: Rediscovering God in Our Great Story and Reclaiming Spirituality.

Father O'Murchu defines a paradigm in this way: "As a cultural concept a paradigm refers to a dominant model out of which we act and behave on a daily basis (p. 1)." He then presents a list of apparent paradigms whose on-going evolution he will discuss. Thus Father O'Murchu provides clarification of our vocation in all of its manifestations, rephrasing our vowed commitments in modern terms we may now more deeply understand and live.

Throughout Father O'Murchu writes with a prophetic and deeply cutting honesty and Truth which helps us examine most carefully this religious life to which we are called. Therefore, this book is highly recommended to Religious congregations undergoing modern transitions or feeling frozen in past practices. This book is also highly recommended to those believers encountering a discernment of vocation, and for individual religious wondering at what they have been called. The Reverend Father O'Murchu quotes Pope John Paul II's Vita Consecrata in several places, including "Consecrated persons therefore must keep themselves as intellectually open and adaptable as possible, so that the apostolate will be envisaged and carried out according to the needs of their own time, making use of the means provided by cultural progress (VC 17)." May this treatise by Father O'Murchu open our eyes and our hearts and lips to adapt as much as possible to the needs of our troubled and unjust and warrior time, through the most profound and prayerful discernment.

The doctrinal commission has issued a rejection of the views of the Irish priest Diarmuid O'Murchu.

While this book does not for the most part express the finalized views of the author, one will notice many really iffy things in it. In his later thought development, he believes religious should leave the church by becoming non-canonical. He has strange views of the religious vows of poverty, obedience and chastity. Please do research on O'Murchu before deciding to read his books.

Excellent overview and exploration of subject at an important time of transformation in Religious Life and the church.