Vultum Dei Quaerere: New Norms for Nuns

In June 2016, Pope Francis issued an apostolic constitution that contains new legislation for monasteries of contemplative nuns. Vultum Dei Quaerere addresses twelve "matters calling for discernment and renewed norms." The twelve matters are formation, prayer, the word of God, the sacraments of Eucharist and Reconciliation, community life, autonomy, federations, cloister, work, silence, communications media, and asceticism. The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life is expected to issue an Instruction on the new norms within the next few months. This article begins with a review of relevant documents from the decades preceding Vultum in order to put the new norms into a proper developmental context. Then the article focuses on Vultum itself and includes the author's brief canonical commentary on each of the new norms.