The Roman Catholic Church distinguishes between Institutes of Consecrated Life, in which members take vows, and Societies of Apostolic Life, in which members live in common without vows. There are three main types of Institutes of Consecrated Life: Religious Institutes, Secular Institutes and Congregations

• Religious Institutes are societies "in which members, according to proper law, pronounce public vows either perpetual or temporary, which are to be renewed when they have lapsed, and live a life in common as brothers or sisters" in order to "bring to perfection their full gift as a sacrifice to God by which their whole existence becomes a continuous worship of God in love".
• Secular Institutes, are "institutes of consecrated life in which the Christian faithful living in the world strive for the perfection of charity and work for the sanctification of the world especially from within".
• A Congregation is a type of Religious Institute in which members take simple vows. A Religious Institute in the more formal sense, will have at least some members who take solemn vows.

Vita consecrata (lat.) ist ein Begriff aus dem christlichen Sprachgebrauch und heißt auf deutsch geweihtes Leben.