Pope John Paul II called consecrated seculars "a prophetic presence" in the world, "light and salt, the sign and stimulus that distinguish the spirit of the Sermon on the Mount." 

Pope Paul VI characterized members of secular institutes as "the advance wing of the Church" and "spiritual mountaineers."

"Secular Institutes, through their own specific blending of presence in the world and consecration, seek to make present in society the newness and power of Christ's kingdom, striving to transfigure the world from within by the power of the Beatitudes.  In this way, while they belong completely to God and are thus fully consecrated to his service, their activity in the ordinary life of the world contributes, by the power of the Spirit, to shedding the light of the Gospel on temporal realities.  Secular Institutes, each in accordance with its specific nature, thus help to ensure that the Church is an effective presence in society. "