Chapter II. Entrance into Religion

Our Lord Jesus Christ proposed the counsels of perfection to all his followers in general: ‘‘ He who can take, let him take it’; “ If thou wilt be perfect.” When, however, we consider particular cases, we see that many are debarred as a matter of fact from embracing the religious state. Many find themselves in a fixed position in life with duties to be performed towards parents, relations, and others, which will not allow of their abandoning the world. Many more are unsuitable by character and temperament for the religious life. None of these can properly be said to have a divine call to the religious state, for when God gives a call he provides the necessary means for following it. There are others whom God calls in wonderful and different ways, making known his will to them sometimes in an extraordinary manner, more often by slowly developed inclinations and desires to forsake all and give themselves to him. The question arises whether such a divine vocation is a necessary condition for lawfully entering into religion, and whether one who felt himself called would sin if he neglected to follow the call.

Anyone who is free and who wishes to enter religion to be able to do more good, or to save his soul with greater security, is in fact called by God, for such desires are special graces given by God, and so they are signs of a divine vocation. So that all who have the aptitude, are free, and are led to religion by supernatural motives of some sort, are divinely called by God. One who entered religion from merely natural motives would probably soon find that he had made a mistake, and would return to the world. However, if such a one chose to rectify his intention and remained in religion to do good and to save his soul, he would not commit sin. He embraces a more perfect state of life, and if he does what in him lies, God will give him abundant grace to live a good religious life. Of course, sin is committed by one who enters religion from merely natural motives, and does not intend to fulfil the obligations of the state into which he has intruded himself. One who is called to religion and prefers to remain in the world acts very foolishly, throws away a great grace, and may expose his salvation to great danger. If such a one is persuaded that he cannot save his soul in the world, he commits grave sin by not taking the necessary means to secure his eternal salvation. If, however, he hopes with God’s grace (which will not be wanting to him) to lead a good life in the world, he will not commit sin by not following the divine call; for this is a counsel, not a command, and counsels do not bind under sin. Some divines disagree with the foregoing doctrine, but it is supported by the authority of St Thomas and many approved authors (cf. Can. 538).

As, therefore, the observance of the counsels is not only lawful but a more perfect state of life, anyone may enter into religion who is not prevented by some obstacle. Those who have not possession of their faculties, and children who have not arrived at the age of puberty, and are still subject to their parents, cannot enter into religion. In former times parents used occasionally to present their children to be brought up in monasteries with the intention of their becoming religious when they reached the proper age. This custom, however, has long been abandoned.

Besides safeguarding what the constitutions of each institute prescribe on the point, the Code declares that the following cannot be validly admitted to the novitiate: Those who have formally belonged to a non-Catholic sect.

Those who have not the age required for the novitiate.

Those who enter religion induced thereto by violence, grave fear, or deceit, or whom the superior receives from the same motives. A spouse while the marriage lasts.

Those who are bound or who have been bound by the bond of religious profession.

Those over whom hangs a penalty on account of committing some grave crime of which they have been or can be accused.

A Bishop, whether residential or titular, although only designated by the Roman Pontiff.

Clerics who, by an arrangement of the Holy See, are bound by an oath to work for the benefit of their diocese or mission, for the time during which the obligation of the oath lasts.

The following are admitted unlawfully but validly: Clerics in sacred orders without the local Ordinary being consulted, or against his will, because their departure would be to the great loss of souls, and this loss cannot otherwise be avoided.

Those in debt who are not solvent.

Those who are liable to render accounts or who are implicated in other secular business from which religion may have to fear lawsuits and troubles.

Children who ought to assist parents—that is, father, mother, grandfather, or grandmother—placed in grave necessity, and parents whose care is necessary for the support and education of children.

Those destined for the priesthood in religion, but who are debarred from it by irregularity or other canonical impediment (Can. 542).

Girls may not be admitted to the novitiate or be professed before they have completed their fifteenth year, and before doing so they must be examined by the bishop or by someone deputed by him as to whether they know the grave character of the step they are about to take, and whether they are acting of their own free and unfettered will (Can. 552).

Boys cannot be lawfully admitted into any order or congregation before the superiors thereof have received from the Ordinaries of their place of birth and of any place where they have lived for more than a year after attaining their fifteenth year testimonial letters bearing witness to their having the qualifications necessary for entering religion.¹ By the common law a full uninterrupted year of probation must be spent by the candidate for religion in the house of the novitiate. Although the novice has not yet taken the vows of religion, he is subject to the authority of the superiors of the order and is bound to obey them.

¹ S.C. super Stat. Reg., January 25, 1848; can. 544.