When those persons who have entered religious take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, they are publicly proclaiming, before God and the Church, that they will live no longer for themselves alone; they will also live for God and for others. Religious consecrate themselves to God and to the Church through the evangelical counsels, which are the ideals given by Jesus to those who would be his disciples, that is, to those who would lead lives in imitation of Jesus.

The vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience allow us to be faithful disciples and to witness to the Gospel life within the particular form of life we have chosen. The vows can easily seem to restrict what you can and can’t do, but they actually do away with whatever keeps you from being the person God wants me to be. In other words, they set you free. Because you are not bound by personal financial concerns, by exclusive relationships, or by your own will, you can be available to all people, and you can offer your life for others.