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This month’s question: What are the steps to entering religious life as a religious sister or brother?

are all commonly referred to as “religious orders” but there are many precise distinctions in terminology that distinguish congregations, religious orders, societies of apostolic life, and secular institutes. And each of these groups have a unique charism (i.e., what they contribute to the Church) as well as many things that are particular to their own way of living their vocation as religious sisters, brothers, or priests.

Normally someone who thinks that he or she might have a call to “religious life” begins by informally exploring different institutes that “fit” the specific call that that individual is discerning. This will involve visits to get to know the institute and for the institute to know better the individual and to evaluate his or her ability to live the life of the