Decree
Perfectae
caritatis, 11
l. Secular
Institutes are not religious communities but they carry with them in the world a
profession of the evangelical counsels which is genuine and complete, and recognized as
such by the Church. This proí¦¥ssion confers a consecration on men and women, laity and
clergy, who reside in the world. For this reason they should chiefly strive for total
self-dedication to God, one inspired by perfect charity. These Institutes should preserve
their proper and particular character, a secular one, so that they may everywhere measure
up successfully to that apostolate which they were designed to exercise, and which is both
in the world and, in a sense, of the world
2. Yet they should
surely realize that they cannot acquit themselves of so immense a task unless their
members are skillfully trained in matters both human and divine, and can thus be a genuine
leaven in the world for strengthening and enlarging the body of Christ. Therefore
directors should give especially serious care to the spiritual training of members and to
the promotion of more advanced formation as well.