Vows
Members of religious orders take three vows when they complete their formation. The vows are:
- chastityCommonly refers to the decision not to have sex before marriage.
- povertyA state in which someone is poor, either relatively or absolutely.
- obedienceA vow to obey superiors and the rules in religous life.
Vow of chastity
By taking the vow of chastity, the individual agrees to remain celibateChoosing to not have sexual relationships. for the rest of their life, so that their life can be spent focusing fully on God and worshipping him. The belief is that by remaining celibate there is no distraction that will take them away from their work.
Vow of poverty
The vow of poverty means that they have only the possessions that they require. There is no need for luxurious lifestyles, and any money that may be earned is shared amongst the order equally. The belief is that humans cannot worship both God and material things, so removing unnecessary luxuries maintains focus on God.
Vow of obedience
When an individual takes a vow of obedience, they are promising to obey the rules, teachings and instructions set down by the Church, the hierarchyAny system of persons or things ranked one above another. and God.
Some orders will also have a focus on silence. Some stricter orders, such as TrappistA member of a Catholic religious order of cloistered monks who separated from the Cistercians. orders, may live in silence for the majority of the time. Silence is seen as time given over to listen to God and a time of private prayer and reflection. In many orders there will be times dedicated to silence, such as in the night and during prayers.