What is a Secular Institute ?
The CCSI?

What is a Secular Institute ?

Secular Institutes represent a new form of consecrated life within the Church. The men and women who belong to these groups choose to live the Gospel in the midst of our contemporary world by making lasting and formal commitments. By their presence and

their work, these members contribute to the transformation of the world from within in the manner of a leaven by translating the living strengths of the Gospel into daily deeds and gestures and by adopting the attitudes of Jesus as much as possible.

Most of them are laypersons, but there are also clergymen. They usually live alone or in small Christian communities and they carry out their profession or their trade according to their skills and aptitudes in milieus that are most diverse.

This type of commitment, often very discreet, has been recognized in the Catholic Church since 1947. Today there are approximately 180 secular institutes with a total of approximately 50,000 members spread throughout all the continents.

What is the CCSI?

Objectives of the CCSI

• To offer the Secular Institutes of Canada a place to exchange, share experiences, listen and do common research so that they may realize their specific mission.

• To make known the existence of secular institutes.

• To serve as liaison with the Canadian Episcopate and other Church authorities

• To promote the implementation of common projects.

Activities of the CCSI

On occasion, the CCSI organises congresses or days of renewal and it also holds annual general assemblies.

Furthermore, the Conference delegates members to ensure its presence in the midst of various organizations such as

Vocational ministry at the national level,
The Organisation Communications and Society (OSC) and
The annual forum with the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Canada (CCCB)