Like most religious communities in the Catholic tradition, membership in the Humility community is made up of those who seek to live out their baptismal commitment through the three vows of religious life: poverty, chastity and obedience. Profession of vows is the means whereby members consecrate their gift of self to God.
Far from being restrictive, the vows outline the core values of the community. With these values in common, members are able to support, challenge and inspire one another so that all are better able to carry on the common task of transforming the world.
Poverty
Through the vow of poverty, the sister strives to live simply and without clutter, sharing spontaneously whatever she has with those in need. Rather than focus on what one can or cannot have, the vow of poverty is a challenge to be creative, to do more with less, to recycle, reuse and avoid waste, to give of one’s time and not be possessive about material things. “Take what is needed to live and hold the rest in common.”
Chastity
Through the vow of chastity, members seek to love as God loves – freely, deeply, broadly, and unpossessively. The vow does not diminish the power of human loving but enables one to reach out in love to a variety of people, especially the poor and those who, in the eyes of the world, seem unloveable. A life of celibacy also means making time to nurture oneself, to get rest and exercise, to spend quality time with family and friends, and, in community, to listen and share one’s dreams, struggles, successes and failures.
Obedience
In contemporary religious communities, obedience is more about listening than about telling someone what to do. The covenant nature of religious community means that members assume personal responsibility to listen -- to one another, to the leaders they have elected, to the cries of the poor, to God. Living the vow of obedience means seeking out wise counsel in important decisions and being open to the Spirit of God made visible in one’s personal gifts of talent and temperament, and “the events of life’s unfolding.” Above all, each member must develop, through prayer and study, an informed conscience and listen to it in all aspects of life.