9 Days for Discerning a Mission Vocation

www.xaviermissionaries.org

Lets take a nine day journey of prayer.

These sharings reflect the many ways that

Global Mission touches us all.

We invite you to take a minute and check

out each days sharing.

Day 1. The whole Catholic world cele-brates MISSION. We are all engaged in MIS-

SION by virtue of our Baptism in one way or

another. We each are infused with the grace

and authority to go beyond ourselves in big

and small ways to witness the person of Jesus

Christ, live His message and serve others near and far. The annual celebration of Mission Sunday happens

on the third Sunday of October. But we are engaged in Mission everyday. The homily on that Sunday

touches on the fact that we are all missionaries and invited us all to engagement beyond our parish com-

munity as well as remembering in prayer those missionaries who are far from home. There may be spe-

cial lectures or other events that help us understand the greater call to Mission. Many Catholic schools

and Religious Education Classes have the children engage in projects that help them become aware of chil-

dren from other far away countries who share the same faith, but may not share the same opportunities of

education, good health and the like.

Although it is true that all baptized are missionaries, what about those who belong to

missionary communities like the Xaverian Missionaries? What difference is there

from the ordinary baptized Catholic and the one who is part of a mission community

such as the Xaverians, and what do folks like us look for when inviting young people

to join such a Mission Community? Lets take nine days and we will share a thought

each day which will lead to the answer to this question and a prayer which will ready

us to the Live the Mission!

A Thought from the Founder, St. Guido Conforti

My dear people, how can we obtain this grace? There is no doubt that God is ready to grant

it to all, He won it for all through the sufferings and the Blood of His only-begotten Son, and

He shall give all an abundant and gratuitous share in it; the condition for obtaining this

grace is that we ask for it in prayer.

Ordinarily, therefore, there is no salvation for the Christian without prayer; grace and prayer

are inseparable, writes the greatest Doctor of the Church. To deny the necessity of grace is

the same as denying the necessity of prayer. Show me a man who has no need of divine grace

and I shall grant you that he has no need of prayer. This is why the God of all kindness said:

Without me you can do nothing [John 15:5]; He also added: It is necessary to pray always

without ceasing - oportet semper orare et nunquam deficere [Luke 18:1]. Furthermore: Watch

and pray, ask, seek, insist, pray at all times and in all places [see Matt. 26:41; Luke 21:36].

Portion taken from Homily on the Feast of the Epiphany, January 6, 1913

Day 2. What difference is there from the or-

dinary baptized Catholic and the one who is part

of a mission community such as the Xaverians?

The difference is that we engage the grace of Mis-

sion that we received at Baptism under a particu-

lar charism of another faithful disciple. In the

case of the Xaverian Missionaries, that disciple is

our founder, St. Guido Conforti, Bishop of Parma

Italy from 1906 to 1931.

But St. Guido was not

just the Bishop of the

local church of Parma,

Italy. His heart and con-

cern was global. The

global vision of his episcopal ministry was unique for his time,

but became a standard for Bishops since Vatican II. Some say

that he was a bishop without frontiers. One of his favorite admon-

itions to us is to foster the ability to have a spirit of living faith

which enables us to see God, to seek God, to love God in all.

Prayer of St. Guido Conforti for those discerning a life as a

Consecrated Religious Missionary

Oh Jesus,

You died for the salvation of all and founded the Church to continue

the work of redemption on earth.

Increase, we ask you, the number of those who preach the Gospel,

Strengthen them in their ministry, sanctify their service,

so that those who have not yet received the gift of faith,

may soon come to know You and love You on earth, and

Enjoy You eternally in Heaven. We ask this through Christ, our Lord.

AMEN!

Day 3. What do folks like us look for when inviting young

people to join a Mission Community such as the Xaverians?

We look for young people who share that same global vi-

sion and zeal for witnessing the person of Jesus Christ beyond

our borders and cultures. St. Guido had a lively faith, on fire

with a passion for Christ and a passion for humanity. We have

a banner at theGYM which says

Passion for ChristPassion for Humanity.

St Francis Xavier, the missionary that Bishop Conforti offered us as our model

and patron was very zealous. So, we are looking for zealous folks!!!!

O God, who through the

contemplation of the Cross,

imprinted on the heart of St. Guido Ma-

ria Conforti a burning love for the

proclamation of the Gospel to all

nations,

Grant that, through his

intercession, we too may be filled by the

same love of Christ,

to constantly work for the salvation of all

our brothers and sisters.

Through our Lord, Jesus Christ, Your Son,

who lives and reigns with You, in the uni-

ty of the Holy Spirit,

One God, for ever and ever. AMEN


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Day 4. So, who are we looking for?

We look for young people with that same de-

sire to share that fire and passion for the Lord

to others, all others no matter the cultural

background, country, religious persuasion, etc.

Our Mission is rooted in the love we have for

Jesus Christ and our commitment to share this

new life that he offers us through his sacrifi-

cial passion, death and resurrection. That fire

and passion in faith needs to be real. It needs

to joyful. It needs to be simple.

The person who founded our Xaverian Missionary Sisters of Mary,

American born Venerable Celestine Healy Bottego, describes for her

sisters what she understands when she is asked about her habit! Let

your charity be your habit! (from the

very beginning of their community, the

sisters chose to wear simple house

dresses only) It cant get any simpler

than that!!! The Love of Christ Impels

us, St. Paul says in one of his letters.

Are you compelled to Love.. Com-

pelled to witness the personification of

love, Jesus Christ!!?


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So who are we looking for to join us in

Mission Ad Gentes (to the nations!)

We are looking for young people who can

trust the call that God invites us to respond to.

Unlike marriage, we do not choose the partners

in mission that are members of our communi-

ties both in the micro (our local communities) or

the macro (our international membership). We

each respond to the charism and the mission that

our communities hold as unique individuals but

the community has the Mission, thus we are chal-

lenged to meld diverse cultures, age, customs and

visions into communities of faith and service, be-

coming a powerful witness of Gods dream to

make of our world one family. We are challenged

to become strangers to what we once found famil-

iar and become familiar with what many still find

foreign and threatening. Ones personal story of

faith and mission becomes a communal story of

faith and mission. Be part of our story!


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Day five

Day six.

(four more days to on this prayer

journey!!!)

So, who are we looking

for?

We are looking for young peo-

ple who can love love them-

selves, love the Lord, love the

other no matter if the other is

the stranger, the enemy, the

Muslim or Jain, or the many

that our societies and cultures

marginalize. We are called to

love and be love.

Prayer composed by St. Guido Conforti asking for attentiveness to Fraternal Charity in our communities.

O Jesus, You urge our communities

To live by your teachings and witness to your Gospel.

We ask you to help us love one another in a spirit of

mutual understanding,

acceptance and service, that others may recognize your

presence in our midst

You who live and reign forever and ever. AMEN.


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Day seven

Three , tatlong, tre, uku, drei, tribus, ,ba , ,tres more days

before this prayer is done!!!!

So, who are we really looking for

to join us in Mission Ministry!!!

We are looking for young people who

are flexible with their religious thought

but grounded in their faith in Jesus

Christ and our Church, free enough to know

the reality of God, but aware that God is

bigger than all our attempts to understand

God, thus being open to the various faith

expressions of believers in God of whatever

name in order to dialogue and be with oth-

ers without fear.

Grant us, Lord,

That openness of sprit and wisdom of heart with which You en-

dowed Your servant, St. Guido Maria Conforti.

Grant that You Church may be able to discern the signs of the times and so re-

sist what is contrary to the Gospel upholding the action of Your Spirit in the

hearts of all Your peoples.

We ask you this prayer through the intercession of Guido Maria Conforti, Your

faithful servant and through Christ our companion and Savior. AMEN


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Day EIGHT

Two more days !!!! So, what is that question

again? who are we looking for to get involved

in Mission Ministry?

We look for young people

who have engaged in Mission

through their youth groups or

campus ministries, young

people who have chosen to spend a week or more

among the poor in Appalachia, in the poorer sections

of our cities, in Haiti or beyond rather than on a fun

vacation in some exotic locale. They have seen in

brief the wonder of mission as solidarity with those

who have less in things, but more in joy, received

more than they had given in service to those they

met, understood the call to mission service that

finds its power not in money or opportunity but in

people and relationships.

O God, our Father,

You have given us in Christ Your living Word, Our

companion and model of service and mission.

Grant that your Holy Spirit may inspire us To listen

to the Gospel and act upon it, So that the whole

world may come to know You, And glorify Your

Name.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen


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Day NINE

This is it!! So, one last time! What is that question

again? who are we looking for to get involved in Mission

Ministry? Really!!! We look for young people

who appreciate roughing

it, choosing a simple life style and shared

goals and means which enables a commu-

nity of faith to be formed and enjoyed.

These young people are not concerned

about the ME but the WE and their

we include people of various cultures,

customs and countries.

Let s repeat the challenge. Ones person-

al story of faith, rooted in the baptismal

call and mission becomes a communal sto-

ry of faith and mission. Be part of

our story!

Our Father, Who art in Heav-en, hallowed be Thy name; Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.


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Gracious and merciful God, we pray that

through the Holy Spirit all may hear the call

to Mission and seek a deeper relationship

with your Son, Jesus Christ

We pray that Mission will renew the Church,

inspiring all to go forth and make disciples

of all nations and transform society

through the power of the Gospel.

We pray for all members of the Church that

we heed the words of Christ do not be

afraid and strengthened by the Holy Spirits

gift of courage, give witness to the Gospel

and share our faith with others.

We pray that all people yearning to know

Christ and the Church may encounter him

through the faithful who witness to his love in

their lives

Loving God, our Father, strengthen us to become

witnesses to the saving grace of your Son, Jesus

Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you , in

the Unity of the Holy Spirit, One God, forever

and ever.

AMEN


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9 Days for Discerning a Mission Vocation

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