The Vocation of the Lay Consecrated Men in Regnum Christi: A Path of Surrender and Evangelization
In the Church, various expressions of consecrated life enrich communion with their different nuances, sharing intimate devotion to Christ and spiritual union with him. Within Regnum Christi, we have three forms of consecrated life: the Legionaries of Christ, the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi, and the Lay Consecrated Men of Regnum Christi.
January 25, 1972 marked the beginning of the lay consecrated vocation for men in Regnum Christi, when two young Spaniards joined what was then called the “third degree” of Regnum Christi. That same year, eight other young men were consecrated in Regnum Christi. Established first in Madrid, within a few years new members also joined the Lay Consecrated Men in Dublin and Mexico. These men, in response to a call of total surrender to God, commit to radiating the presence of Christ, immersing themselves in the world with the intention of turning it into a place conducive to the encounter with God.
Since 2018, the Lay Consecrated Men of Regnum Christi, recognized as a Society of Apostolic Life of pontifical right, have joined with the Legionaries of Christ, the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi, and the lay members of Regnum Christi in the Regnum Christi Federation. Together, they seek to make present the mystery of Christ, revealing his love to people, forming them as apostles and Christian leaders, sending them out and accompanying them on the mission of evangelizing both people and society. They seek to serve the Church in the here and now, making Christ present in today’s world.
Hear about this unique vocation from some of the Lay Consecrated Men:
“ To see in the light of Christ, see as he sees, and so, as Jesus saw in each person, even in each sinner, a great saint, so we seek to see people. Just as Jesus took advantage of every opportunity to make his kingdom present, so we want to make his kingdom present in the world. ” – Guillermo Campillo
“ We Lay Consecrated Men feel very identified with the incarnate Christ, who comes to touch all temporal realities and make all things new. We have a special task of being able to bring together and create connections with institutions, organization,s and religions. In all the realities of the world there is something that leads us and brings us closer to God .” – José Mateos
“To be holy according to Christ’s thoughts, with our errors and imperfections. Being in Regnum Christi gives me the security of being on that path of holiness.” – Diego Reynoso
“God has a perfect plan for each of us. We accompany people towards that vocational fullness, to discover God’s plan, knowing their realities, putting ourselves in their shoes, and listening to them. Letting them see us as brothers who understand perfectly what they are experiencing as consecrated lay people.” – Ricardo Velez
“The consecrated vocation is a total dedication to Jesus Christ, a dedication to know him deeply, to be in tune with him, and, in that harmony, to make his life our own and seek to transmit it to others.” – Bernardo Perez
“We are all called to love and be loved; most find this vocation in marriage. We find our greatest strength in Christ, he is our greatest love; and we want to be exclusively his to be able to give that love to all people.” – Carlos Abad
“The Consecrated Lay Men in today’s world follow Christ through the vow of obedience – a call to live with greater freedom, seeking only the will of God, through the vow of chastity – loving all people in the world, the souls that we find every day, and through the vow of poverty – living a total detachment, where our only wealth is Christ. This is how we manifest the life of eternity in this life.” –Abraham Monroy
“The mission of the Lay Consecrated Man is to be with God and bring God to others: a bridge of communication and the more transparent it is, the more perfect it is. If the Lay Consecrated Man disappears and achieves direct contact between God and another person, he has fulfilled his mission.” – Jaime Perez
“ Regnum Christi always offers great apostolic opportunities. With RC Lay Consecrated Men, one of the most exciting things is being willing to serve, either here or in another country; with simple people or with people of higher socioeconomic levels; in any area of any apostolate, even if it does not yet exist, but is necessary for God’s plan.” – Abraham Cardenas
“Community life is a key element for our vocation; It is leaving oneself to meet my brother, seeking holiness. I dare to say that the community is a driver for our vocation, our mission and holiness.” – Daniel Bizzo
Together with the other members of the Regnum Christi family, the Lay Consecrated Men contribute to the sanctification of their members and to the Kingdom of Christ, reaching out to the hearts of people and society. Without excluding any type of apostolate, they direct their activity mainly to help each person put their talents at the service of the Kingdom of God, promote the growth of Regnum Christi, create evangelizing programs and networks, form authentic teachers of the faith, integrate themselves into temporal realities to bring the good news of the Gospel there, and actively collaborate with the local Church.
You can learn more about our history here. Online information sessions for men age 18-35 who are interested in the RC Lay Men’s Consecrated vocation are held on the fourth Monday of every month at 7:00pm EST. For more information, contact Tony MacDonnell at [email protected] and visit their website.
Listen to Jorge Lam, a Lay Consecrated Man, explain his vocation and what drew him to this life.
