Chapter — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology
Chapter I. On the Religious State
I. Notion. The religious state is "a stable manner of living in common by which the faithful, besides the common precepts, also undertake the evangelical counsels to be observed through vows of obedience, chastity, and poverty" (can. 487). It is said:
A stable manner of living. For a state involves a certain immobility or firmness, that is, a manner of living not easily changeable (St. Thomas 2-2, q. 183, article 1).
In common, that is, in a society. Hence eremitical life or a private profession of the counsels now does not suffice for the religious state. Nevertheless it is not required that life be spent in a community; for a bond with the other members and dependence upon a Superior suffices. Hence a religious bishop and an exclaustrated religious remain in the religious state (can. 627-629; 638 and 639).
The evangelical counsels, that is, the counsels of obedience, chastity, and poverty. Namely, the religious state is ordered to perfection, and not to common but to higher perfection; hence it ought to exclude the things which are an impediment to the said perfection, which are comprehended in these words: "All that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh and the concupiscence of the eyes and the pride of life."1 Now the concupiscence of the flesh is healed through chastity, the concupiscence of the eyes through poverty, and the pride of life through obedience. The aforesaid are called simply the evangelical counsels, because not only are they commended in the Gospel like many other things, but they are also universal means which by their nature remove all impediments to evangelical perfection.
To be observed through vows. For state and stability demand obligation; but there is required an obligation arising from a vow, that is, from a promise made to God, because an obligation of this kind corresponds to the nature of the religious state, by which someone devotes himself to God (St. Thomas 2-2, q. 186, article 6). There are required - which is understood rather than expressed by can. 487 - vows emitted in some religion, and therefore public vows accepted in the name of the Church (can. 488, 1st, and 572). For no one would admit that the Church recognizes as religious those who do not belong to some religion. But it is not required that the vows be solemn or perpetual; temporary vows suffice, though to be renewed after the time has elapsed (can. 488, 1st); in that case sufficient stability is had.
Moreover, in fact ecclesiastical approval is required for the religious state. For the religious state, as has been noted, is not had except in some religion; but every religion must be approved by ecclesiastical authority (can. 488, 1st). It is disputed, however, whether an approval of this kind is required from the nature of the thing, or from ecclesiastical law alone. Now it must be said that it is required from ecclesiastical law alone. For the religious state from the nature of the thing says only the profession of the evangelical counsels through vows; but ecclesiastical approval does not enter into this profession. The Church merely recognizes what already exists. But the approval of the Bishop according to the norm of can. 492, § 1, concerning which below, suffices. The reason is that these societies are indicated even by the Code itself (can. 488, 3rd) by the name of religion, and the members of these societies are called religious (can. 488, 7th); wherefore the canons, whenever they speak of religious, also understand the members of these societies, unless the contrary is expressly established.
II. The end of the religious state is Christian perfection (can. 488, 1st; St. Thomas 2-2, q. 186, article 2). But perfection consists:
Essentially in charity; for "each thing is said to be perfect insofar as it attains its proper end, which is the ultimate perfection of the thing. But charity is what unites us to God, who is the ultimate end of the human mind, because he who abides in charity abides in God and God in him, as is said in 1 John 4; and therefore according to charity especially is the perfection of the Christian life considered" (St. Thomas 2-2, q. 184, article 1). But perfection consists in charity "principally indeed according to love of God, but secondarily according to love of neighbor" (St. Thomas 2-2, q. 184, article 3).
Accidentally and instrumentally perfection consists in other virtues, or in the observance of the precepts of other virtues, and in the observance of the counsels, namely insofar as "precepts other than the precepts of charity are ordered to removing those things which are contrary to charity, with which, namely, charity cannot exist; but the counsels are ordered to removing impediments of the act of charity, which nevertheless are not contrary to charity, such as marriage, occupation with secular business, and other things of this kind" (St. Thomas, loc. cit.).
Corollary I. Bishops are said to be in the state of perfection because in a special way they have bound themselves to perfection, not indeed by emitting vows which correspond to the three evangelical counsels, but by assuming the pastoral office, by which they have entered a bond of itself perpetual with their church; for through this, says St. Thomas, they have publicly and perpetually bound themselves to obey that supreme counsel of charity, even of giving their life for their sheep (2-2, q. 184, articles 5 and 7). But they are said to be in the state of acquired perfection, or rather of perfection to be exercised, because of the excellent exercise of charity toward neighbor in the pastoral office. Religious are said to be in the state of perfection to be acquired according to these words of St. Thomas: "It is manifest, however, that for one who works toward an end, it is not of necessity fitting that he has already attained the end, but it is required that by some way he tend toward the end; and therefore he who assumes the state of religion is not bound to have perfect charity, but he is bound to tend to this and to devote effort so that he may have perfect charity" (2-2, q. 186, article 2).
Corollary II. Perfection, as is clear, can also be had without the state of perfection, for example among simple faithful; but a tepid religious, although he is in the state of perfection, is in no way perfect.
III. Institution. The religious state according to its substance was instituted immediately by Christ Himself, and thus it is deservedly said to be of divine law, not commanding, but counseling. And indeed Christ is deservedly said to have instituted religion immediately, if He exhorted to the three evangelical counsels and to their being confirmed by vow; for by these the substance of the religious state is constituted. But that this took place is clear: with regard to poverty, from Matt. XIX, 29; 16 sq., and Luke XIV, 26; with regard to chastity, from Matt. XIX, 12, and 1 Cor. VII, 25 sq.; with regard to the three counsels, from those words by which Christ invites to perfection the young man who until then had lived the state of common life: "If thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me." Namely, by these words poverty and obedience are directly commended, but chastity implicitly, because without it strict imitation of Christ would be impossible. Besides, Christ counsels a stable manner of acting;1 this demands obligation, and one founded on a vow (n. 1211). Therefore Christ implicitly also exhorted to vows.
1 Mark X, 17 sq.; Luke IX, 57 sq.; XVIII, 18 sq.
IV. The excellence of the religious state follows from what has been said, and is proved by the praises of the holy Fathers and of other doctors and holy men.
It should also be noted that, according to the common opinion of doctors, the religious state can never fully fail in the Church because of her mark of sanctity; wherefore not even the Roman Pontiff himself could totally suppress all religious families at once.
Therefore can. 487 deservedly declares that the religious state is to be held in honor by all.