Religious institute (Catholic) Consecrated life may be lived
either individually or as a member of an institute. The life of
a hermit or a consecrated virgin is recognized by the Church as
forms of individual consecrated life; the church also envisages
new forms of consecrated life emerging. Religious institutes are
one of the two types of institutes of consecrated life. The
other is that of the secular institute, defined as "an institute
of consecrated life in which the Christian faithful, living in
the world, strive for the perfection of charity and seek to
contribute to the sanctification of the world, especially from
within". Societies of apostolic life resemble religious
institutes, but differ in that their members do not take
religious vows. They pursue the apostolic purpose of the society
to which they belong, while leading a life in common as brothers
or sisters and striving for the perfection of charity through
observing the society's constitutions. In some of these
societies the members assume the e