Rite and Reason: In a world "impaled on the twin spires of production and consumption", there is no end to the work of religious communities, writes Sister Elizabeth Maxwell.
People in religious life in Ireland don't look the way they used to. They don't wear the habits that used to mark them out from the rest. Some live in terraced houses in deprived communities. Has everything else changed?
I believe it has not. The core message of Christianity is the same as it ever was. But because the world is changing so fast, those who live the religious life must constantly renew the way in which they live their Christian vocation.
And so when leaders of religious orders and congregations gathered last week in Co Wexford for the annual general assembly of the Conference of the Religious in Ireland (CORI), the theme echoed Christ's message to the disciples: "Who do people say I am?"
"Who do we say we are?" the 130 delegates present, representing more than 10,000 women and men in religious life, asked themselves. Sister Ríonach Donlon, IBVM, outgoing CORI president, spoke of the need for religious to be clear about their identity. Referring to the Vatican document, Starting Afresh from Christ (2002), she quoted: "Religious life finds its identity in the call of the Lord, in following Christ, in unconditional service, which are capable of filling a life to the brim, giving it fullness of meaning."
Is there visible evidence of a response to the "call of the Lord" today in the lives of religious in Ireland? I suggest that there is. Reading the "signs of the times", analysing social and economic trends, recognising cultural shifts, religious continue to address the spiritual and physical hungers experienced by people in our society.
This week the eyes of the world are focused on the competitors in the Special Olympics. Religious provide over 65 per cent of the care to people with intellectual disabilities in this country.
Supplying day and residential services as well as respite care for children and adults, they strive, in partnership with statutory bodies, and co-operation of staff, to treat each individual with dignity.
They see in each person a creature of God while providing the highest-quality care, education, training, treatment and assistance according to need.
Recognising that deprivation wounds the whole community, and that the resultant hurt is often expressed in the serious disruption of personal lives and society, religious have developed a socially directed investment fund - Clann Credo - designed to contribute to inclusive prosperity. The consequent social capital benefits the whole community.
Acknowledged in the FF election manifesto (2002) as worthy of support, Clann Credo inspired the inclusion of a text in the new Social Partnership Agreement on the development of social finance. Since its inception in 1996, the fund has supported over 80 projects from Fairhead in Co Antrim to Scartaglin in Co Kerry. Clann Credo operates a loan system.
Other trusts set up by religious operate a grant system. Criteria for successful applications include the possibility of positive social change and the enablement of persons and communities.
The homelessness of so many in Ireland today has inspired congregations to contribute property, finance or expertise towards the development of affordable housing for people on low income with little or no prospect of local authority accommodation.
These housing projects go beyond the provision of a roof. Care is taken to provide for the development of a community within the housing project. Living testimonies to the capacity of religious to recognise unmet needs and address them, these housing initiatives aim at providing both long-term and transitional homes for families and single persons.
Local authority assessments for 2002 showed that 48,413 households needed improved housing. A further 7,700 were living in unfit and overcrowded accommodation. The Sophia Housing Association, set up by the Daughters of Wisdom and supported by eight other congregations, are developing nine housing projects currently.
Other housing associations founded by religious include Focus Housing, Respond and SHARE.
To quote from Brendan Kennelly's Begin, there is, in religious life, "Something that will not acknowledge conclusion" which calls on people in religious life to constantly respond to the call of the Lord to be of service in new and relevant ways.
CORI, established in 1960, was set up to promote, among other things, "the welfare of each institute of religious in Ireland" and to provide a common representation for religious with ecclesiastic and civil authorities. Through CORI, religious make their voice and concerns heard in the public arena to alert society to the needs of people who are disadvantaged.
The ministry of advocacy is effectively undertaken by the conference at national level and by the many congregations and orders at local level.
Working with CORI over the past five years has been enormously enriching and challenging. It provided opportunities to see, at first hand, the variety of gifts and talents put at the service of people by women and men of vision, of generosity, of deep faith.
The future holds many challenges. An important one is to hold high the values of a life of commitment to Christ, of self-transcendence, and simplicity of life style in a world impaled on the twin spires of production and consumption.
Sister Elizabeth Maxwell is concluding a five-year term as secretary general of CORI