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2014 CATHOLIC PRESS ASSOCIATION BOOK AWARD WINNER!
“Those in and around religious life have known for decades that something new was coming, and we have strained the eyes of our hearts to catch a glimpse of what it might look like. We knew that this new development was beyond our imagination, but when it finally appeared, it would do honor to the heritage of religious life. The day is finally dawning and the new form is beginning to emerge in our spirits, imaginations and conversations. The reinvention of religious life for today involves renewed commitment to the choice of radical Christian community that inspired, attracted and sustained the religious of every age.”
This book explores the movements in religious life today and the currents that are emerging among the smaller cohorts of younger religious in mainstream communities of women religious. Hereford traces the history of religious life, including the impact of Vatican II, and examines some of the theological sources for the reinvention of religious life today. She explores the current situation of women religious, re-imagines the meaning of vows, community, and mission, and examines how the religious life will fit into an emerging church.
“Fresh and provocative.”
–Patricia Wittberg, SC
“Her view of the furture is offered through defining chracteristics that will be hallmarks of religious life in the 21st century.”
–Marlene Weisenbeck, FSPA
Amy Hereford is a Sister of St. Joseph of Carondelet from St. Louis. She works as an attorney and canonist, consulting with many religious institutes on a wide variety of legal matters. She has been in religious life for 25 years, part of a minority cohort of post-Vatican II women religious. She has graduate degrees in spirituality, communication, and civil and canon law.
