31/08/2026

The newly appointed consultor to the Dicastery for Consecrated Life
looks to the future with hope 

The recent appointment of Br. Emili Turú, FMS, as a consultor to the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life offers an opportunity to take a broader look at the transformations currently shaping consecrated life.

Former Superior General of the Marist Brothers and Secretary General of the Union of Superiors General (USG), and currently engaged in the formation and accompaniment of congregations through Faith and Praxis for Global Leadership, Br. Emili shares, in an interview conducted by Agència Flama, reflections drawn from his experience in governance, support, and formation of religious congregations.

From the challenge of interculturality to declining vocations, from the role of the laity to the need for evangelical and synodal leadership, the interview invites us to view the changes currently taking place not only in terms of loss, but also as a time of transformation and hope.

We are pleased to publish the interview below, courtesy of Agència Flama:

Pope Leo XIV has just appointed you as a consultant to the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life. How did you receive this appointment, and what does this new service to the Church mean to you?

It came as a complete surprise to me. In fact, I didn't even know there was a group of consultants to the Dicastery. On the other hand, I am grateful for the Dicastery's trust; I have already had the opportunity to collaborate with them on other occasions, particularly during the six years I served as secretary of the Union of Superiors General (USG).

After so many years of experience in the governance of the Marist Brothers and in the Union of Superiors General, what do you consider to be the main challenges facing religious life in the Church today?

I believe there are challenges that are constant and that have to do with fidelity to the essence of this way of life within the Church, as well as to its charism and mission, always attentive to the new needs of the Church and the world.

There are others, however, that are specific to the historical era in which we live. For example, the challenge of interculturality—a new reality for most congregations—or the challenge of declining membership and a loss of relevance in many societies.

In many places, religious congregations are experiencing a significant decline in the number of vocations and an aging of their communities. How should the Church address this new reality?

This is not the first time that consecrated life has faced a moment like this. When we look at its evolution over the centuries, we find periods of confusion and decline—which in some cases led to the disappearance of certain congregations—but also periods of purification and maturation for others.

How can we live this new reality? By embracing our vulnerability with serenity, patience, and generosity. And with joy, knowing that we are in God's hands.

A few years ago, I heard a nun who, speaking of the poverty and limitations her congregation was experiencing, said that this ultimately enabled them to live out what they were called to be within the Church and society: a poor evangelical presence.

At the same time, religious life is growing in some parts of the world, especially in Africa and Asia. What can the Western Church learn from these new realities?

I recall that Pope Francis, at the end of his long trip through Asia and Oceania, acknowledged that when we think of the Church, we still tend to be too Eurocentric — or, as they say, "Western." But in reality — the Pope recalled — the Church is much larger than Rome and Europe and is even much more vibrant in those countries where Churches do not proselytize but grow through "attraction."

A vast majority of religious congregations were founded in Europe, and this has certainly shaped their way of thinking and acting, as well as their own evolution. Today the center is shifting toward other continents, and we are called to be very humble and generous in welcoming this new reality with joy, allowing ourselves to be challenged in what we believed were untouchable aspects, when in reality they were nothing more than the fruits of a particular culture.

Living out interculturality is not easy, but it can be highly prophetic and exemplary in an increasingly polarized and divided world.

During your time as Superior General of the Marists, you emphasized the mission shared with the laity. What role do you believe the laity should play today in the works and mission of religious institutes?

I often hear the laity referred to as "our collaborators," which sounds a bit strange when they surely make up more than 90% of the people carrying out the mission in our institutions. In fact, I believe it would be more accurate to say that we are all collaborators with the Holy Spirit.

Pope Francis wrote a letter to Cardinal Ouellet, when he was president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, at the conclusion of one of their meetings. In it, he reminded him that the laity are the protagonists of the Church and the world, those whom we are called to serve—not those whom we should use.

Indeed, the laity, by virtue of their baptism, need not ask anyone's permission to carry out their mission of evangelization.

We men and women religious walk alongside them, in a synodal spirit, supporting and empowering them, while avoiding paternalistic attitudes.

You have also worked extensively in the areas of formation and leadership. What kind of leadership does consecrated life need today?

Undoubtedly, an evangelical leadership, inspired by Jesus, who washes the feet of his disciples and says: "I have set an example for you, so that, just as I have done for you, you may do the same." It is the "Church of the Apron," as Monsignor Tonino Bello would say. A servant leadership, which should be our "designation of origin" throughout the Church.

Our own life experience and the recent call to embrace synodality remind us that the era of "Superman" or "Superwoman" style leadership is over. It is time for a leadership that brings people together, empowering others so that each person can assume their own responsibility within the ecclesial community.

What do you hope to contribute in your new role as a consultant to the Dicastery?

Looking at the list of those appointed as consultants, it seems clear to me that they have sought a wide variety of expertise. In my case, I suppose my experience in governance, the time I spent as secretary of the USG, as well as my current dedication—through Faith and Praxis—to the accompaniment and formation of many congregations, have all been taken into account.

How important are spirituality, social justice, and commitment to the poorest to the identity of religious today?

In the identity of consecrated life, we always find these three elements intertwined from its very origin: spirituality — or the search for God — fraternity, and mission. They are not separate elements but intrinsically intertwined. When one of them is missing, our sense of identity suffers greatly.

Spirituality — or the search for God — gives us roots and stability and takes different forms according to our various charisms. Fraternity is our way of living out and expressing the Gospel, always in accordance with the tradition of each religious family. And mission is the reason we exist within the Church; this is where social justice and our commitment to the poor come into play.

Some congregations, such as the contemplatives, emphasize the spiritual dimension more; others, such as congregations of brothers, feel called to "exaggerate" fraternity; still others, such as secular institutes, underline the dimension of commitment to mission, immersed in the world.

But all of us — absolutely all of us — are called to live all three dimensions intensely and deeply.

You have known different generations of religious up close. What do you think young people who are considering a vocation to consecrated life are looking for today?

It's a question I find very difficult to answer, given the wide variety of contexts in which consecrated life takes place.

In any case, I believe that the "contagious" factor is almost always present. The witness of a person or a community often acts as a challenge and a call to ask oneself, "Why not me?"

Today it is very clear to young people that, to carry out a specific mission — such as in education or healthcare — it is not necessary to enter religious life. Therefore, it seems to me that both fraternal life and spirituality will be key factors in making a vocational decision.

Finally, what message would you convey to men and women religious who are concerned about the future of their congregations and of consecrated life?

I believe it was Tagore who said, "If you weep at night because the sun is gone, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars." If we do nothing but weep and lament because things are not as they were years ago, we will fail to see anything of what is already emerging as sprouts of hope that we must nurture — even if we may not see them bloom.

In Vita Consecrata, we are reminded that we are called to fidelity, not to 'success' — and, indeed, what does it mean to 'succeed' in consecrated life?

Fidelity, patience, joy — starting with us, the elders.

We thank Agència Flama for kindly granting permission to publish the interview with Br. Emili Turú Rofes and to use the accompanying image.

Catalan – Agència Flama – August 27, 2026

Published in Spanish by Religión Digital – August 27, 2026

Photo: Vatican Media / via Agència Flama