In Our Own Words: Religious Life in a Changing World ed. by Juliet Mousseau and Sarah Kohles

Abstract

Reviewed by: In Our Own Words: Religious Life in a Changing World ed. by Juliet Mousseau and Sarah Kohles Sr. John Mary Corbett, OP In Our Own Words: Religious Life in a Changing World. Juliet Mousseau, RSCJ and Sarah Kohles, OSF editors. Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2018. Pp. x + 238. $29.95. Thirteen consecrated women came together to pray and reflect on the meaning of religious vows and various issues touching the lives of religious sisters today. The fruit is this unique compilation of engaging essays by a diverse group of religious sisters around the themes of the vows, identity, and leadership into the future. This work intentionally contributes unique perspectives on the varied but intersecting experiences of religious women from a diverse group of institutes, including communities from both the Leadership Conference of Women Religious and Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious. Organized with an introduction, thirteen essays each written by a different religious sister, and concluding chapter entitled "Looking to the Future," this volume offers a unique glimpse into the lived experience of each sister's religious life in her own voice. In Our Own Words: Religious Life in a Changing World is a creative response to a felt need for more contemporary reflections on religious life by members of various apostolic institutes of women religious in North America. The genesis of this collaborative work is articulated in the introduction by the editors. Sr. Juliet Mousseau, RSCJ and Sr. Sarah Kohles, OSF, acknowledge the existence of a changing demographic which marked religious life from the 1990's through 2012. This shift includes a division within institutes of those members who have a first-hand memory of the Second Vatican Council and those who do not. The thirteen contributors of this volume are members of the latter group, representing the younger members of their respective institutes, [End Page 214] in their 20s to 40s at the time of the writing. Admittedly, these religious women note that while they have benefited over the years from many standard resources on religious life and the vows, most of these resources were written by religious prior to the Second Vatican Council or shortly thereafter. The desire to express the reality of religious life as it is lived today rather than what it was over fifty years ago for fellow religious and those currently in formation gave impetus to this volume (ix). What are some elements of this changing world discussed by the religious sisters? While the reflections center upon the vows, religious identity, and leadership, additional overlapping themes emerge in the essays. Several sisters reflect on the unique blessings and challenges which disparity of age pose within their communities. What is it like to be a young religious in a community of multiple generations? Two essays speak to the experience of new challenges for young religious in leadership roles who have been called to serve communities reflecting this unique demographic. The cultural diversity within communities and its consequences is also a common thread. The intersection of religious identity and charism with individual sister's unique cultural background is poignantly discussed by Sr. Mary Therese Perez, OP, and Sr. Christa Parra, IBVM, among others. As I read through the chapters, I was also struck by the emergence of familiar conciliar and post-conciliar themes of religious magisterial teaching in the context of the novel insights of these religious women reflecting on their own vocations. While this was done informally in a more personal, candid way, the sisters' voices effectively provide fresh insights on consecration, communion and mission in the context of religious life today. Readers will discover that both differences and commonalities characterize the lived experience of the cohort of religious women in this volume. The various sisters' love for their own vocations shine through in their testimonies. This book will be of interest to a wide audience of readers seeking a glimpse into the concerns and challenges of younger generations of religious sisters. Each essay can stand alone, but a perusal of the entire volume will illustrate the collaborative effort that inspired this undertaking. The reader will get a glimpse into a wide range of charisms and perspectives on religious life from...