Community living is difficult. If one looks at historical and contemporary mendicant communities in the Catholic West (e.g. Franciscans, Dominicans, Missionarie

Community living is difficult. If one looks at historical and contemporary mendicant communities in the Catholic West (e.g. Franciscans, Dominicans, Missionaries of the Poor, etc.), it is not uncommon for their members to both praise community life as a great blessing while simultaneously explaining it and experiencing it as a hard and unyielding cross in their daily lives (cf. Luke 9:23). However, from a Catholic religious perspective, crosses are all the more bearable as one learns to experience them as a means of personal sanctification (closer personal union with Christ crucified) and an opportunity to practice and grow in virtue – "dying to self" more and more so that joyful generosity truly becomes the rule of life. In this way, community-life-as-a-cross becomes a means for both individual and community to give glory to God and work toward the salvation of souls. Can secular motives truly substitute for that transcendent motive and outlook? I certainly think it's an interesting question.