“Associates in some ways are helping to carry on the charism in a religious
institute through their prayer, daily lives, work and through connecting with
vowed members of the institute,” says Sr. Ellen O’Connell, SC, executive
co-director of the North American Conference of Associates and Religious
(NACAR). NACAR commissioned the study and collaborated with CARA in
completing the two part study.CARA Publishes Study of Associates-Vowed Religious Relationship
in the U.S. Catholic Church
Study at the CARA shows impact of associates in the Church
Washington, DC – A new study at the Center for Applied Research in the
Apostolate at Georgetown University released this week shows the important
role that lay associates play in the life of a religious institution, and the
impact that formation of associates has when conducted by vowed religious and
other associates. Associates are lay people who affiliate with a religious
institute and go through an official formation period to learn about the
institute’s charism and mission. Although associates do not take formal vows
as Religious do, they commit to living the mission and charism of the
religious institute within their independent, lay life style.
In Part I of the Study, published in 2000, entitled Partners in Mission: The
Associate-Vowed ReligiousRelationship in the United States, a total number of
25,500 lay associates was counted. Part II of the Study, released this week,
records attitudes of associates and vowed Religious to this newly emerging
form for living the mission and charism of a religious institute.
“Associates in some ways are helping to carry on the charism in a religious
institute through their prayer, daily lives, work and through connecting with
vowed members of the institute,” says Sr. Ellen O’Connell, SC, executive
co-director of the North American Conference of Associates and Religious
(NACAR). NACAR commissioned the study and collaborated with CARA in
completing the two part study.
Among the important findings of the study is the statistic that women
outnumber men among associates by about seven to one, and that about nine in
ten associates report that their institute has a formal formation or
orientation program for associates. Factors that attracted associates to the
religious institute with whom they are associating include a general desire
for a deeper spiritual life, as well as the institute’s spirituality, charism
and mission. 74% of women religious and 63% of men religious “very much”
support the idea of associate relationship. Associates also report that they
are encouraged to participate more often in the prayer life and social
activities of the institute than in institute committees, chapters or
financial meetings. As they gain familiarity with the religious institute,
90% of associates report a growing desire to serve others and to become
involved in various forms of ministry. The associate relationship is fostered
by regular contact with vowed religious and other associates, a formal
formation program and participation in the institute’s prayer and mission.
The relationship between associates and vowed religious changes with the age
of the vowed religious who responded to the study. Older vowed religious were
less likely to have relationships with associates in their institutes and to
be less familiar with the formation and orientation process for associates.
Although associates report that a desire to work with vowed members and a
sense of being called by God to this commitment “very much” attracts them to
the institute, vowed members are 15 to 16 percentage points less likely to
perceive these as being very attractive to associates. Younger vowed
religious are much more likely to interact with associates in prayer and
faith-sharing, and are aware of the commitment of associates to live the
charism and mission of the institute.
A copy of the completed study may be procured from Sr Ellen O’Connell, SC,
executive co- director of NACAR for $35.00 including postage. Contact her at
eocsc@aol.com or
718-918-9420 for more information.
