History of Community Life

Throughout the centuries, various forms of consecration for men have developed. They are still evolving today.

At first widows engaged in active ministry, while virgins lived in prayer and contemplation. In the third century St. Anthony of Egypt sold his belongings and drew apart to live alone in the desert as a hermit. People impressed with his holiness joined him and met for worship and instruction.

St. Pachomius in the fourth century began a religious group that lived in common and where guided by a rule. His sister became leader of the women's group.

In the same century St. Basil began a community of monks who did apostolic works. In other words, they did not live as hermits but went among people to serve.

Likewise, St. Eusebius began a monastery for priests. St. Benedict (480-543), called the father of Western monasticism, shaped religious life as it was known for centuries. He gathered men into a monastery under the governance of an abbot (spiritual father). His monks make vows of obedience and conversion of life (a willingness to renew their lives daily while observing poverty and chastity.) They also make a special vow of stability, promising to remain in the same house, or abbey, all their lives.

In the Medieval period a new form of religious life arose—the mendicant or begging orders. The Franciscans and Dominicans supported themselves by begging as they moved from place to place evangelizing. Then orders for priests who lived together but did little in common came into being.

One example of this is the Jesuits. St. Vincent de Paul (1580-1660) created a new type of religious life. His sisters, the Daughters of Charity, had no convent but went freely about their apostolic works.

The first community of brothers, the Brothers of Christian Schools, was formed by St. John Baptist de la Salle (1651-1719).