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22nd October 2007

THE FMM CHARISM TODAYAND THE ANIMATION OF THE PROVINCE

Sr. Anne de la Bouillerie, fmm

*FOREWORD

- Before entering into the heart of the subject, I would like to resituate quickly our fmm Charism in the more global reality of our Identity and our Spirituality; that will help us to specify the meaning in which we will use these three terms, and the relationship which links them among themselves in the global reality of our life.

- [See Schema Identity-Spirituality-Charism.]

- It is as members of the Church of today and for her that we are called to live our fmm religious charism. The ‘today’ of the Church is part of our identity, as it was part of that of the fmm at the time of Mary of the Passion. Firstly, to begin with, we will recall rapidly this ‘today’, particularly in what concerns the “charism” of the religious life.

I – TODAY

I.1 – Today, the Church

a) The today of GodEvery today, with the people of God as a whole, we live the experience that the “restructuration” - or “revitalisation”? - launched in the Church by Vatican Council II is far from being finished; and that the situation resulting from it is not always comfortable… Like every human situation it has its shadows and its lights.In the caravan moving onward, some – the wise – advance with a tranquil step; others – those who are in a hurry – run and want to go even faster; others on the contrary – those in anguish – slow down and want to turn back; the undecided find themselves “sitting between two chairs”, and do not know very well whether it is better to advance or to go back, they oscillate. – In each one of those composing the caravan (laity, clerics, men and women religious), we can find all these attitudes. And with us?…In spite of all, the Holy Spirit watches invisibly so that the caravan, without breaking up in pieces, slowly but surely, progresses as the people of the Exodus did formerly…This ‘today’ is the “kairos”, the favourable moment the Lord gives us to try to deepen a little our vocation in the midst of and at the service of this people, a vocation summed up in our charism, which is a reality “going forward”.

b). A look at the road travelled recently

Meeting of New Provincials

23rd Sept. - 23rd Oct. 2007

It could be enlightening to seek to understand a little, even if it is too rapidly or schematically, what led the caravan-Church to the present stage, a little more than 40 years after the Council. Vatican II was not the result of a spontaneous generation. In a certain manner it was the continuation, or the taking up again, of Vatican I whose works had been interrupted by the war of 1870 (the time of Mary of the Passion).One of the principal difficulties met with during the course of this Council was undoubtedly that, in order to struggle against the growing influence of Protestantism, the implementation of the previous Council, that of Trent (1545-1563), had in some way stiffened the structures of the Catholic Church and made the progress of her thought more difficult. Then, while the secular world advanced in all kinds of knowledge, the Catholic Church remained almost static, including in the field of biblical studies. From this situation there had to come, among other things, the growing tensions with the hierarchy.

- Vatican I (1870) applied itself to affirming authority in the Church, and to defining the infallibility of the Pope; But the interruption caused by the war did not permit her to go forward. And her global representation of the Church as institution would remain that of Trent with, as a consequence, a growing divergence between the official Church and the modern world. Hence the difficulty for the faithful to live the double belonging: to the Church, and to the world where they had to be witnesses. And when Vatican Council II opened, it was a common thing to state that the Church had become like a pyramid, very firm on its foundations, but very static.

We can try to represent for ourselves this structural form of the Church before Vatican II by a design (inevitably a bit caricatured…).[cf. Design 1]. – to say it too rapidly: the Holy Spirit spoke at the summit, which echoed from level to level of the hierarchy and of the clergy down to the base; these had only the right / duty to obey… As regards the men and women religious, their situation was the same, but separated from the world.

Happily, the Holy Spirit who never lets Himself be imprisoned, has freely produced fruits of holiness in the faithful of all conditions; from the end of the 19th Century, He has even prepared, little by little, future structural transformations, in particular through the birth and development of Catholic Action.

- Vatican II, not without difficulty and reticence, worked to put back into an honourable place the evangelical notion rooted in the Bible, of the Church People-of-God where all, in their diversity and the variety of their groups of life and their commitments, are on the same level. Together, guided by the Spirit, following Christ whose witnesses they are, they are en route towards the Father’s House. The structural and institutional aspect now only comes second; it is at the service of this evangelical reality.1

We can compare the first design with a second [cf. Design 2], recalling what the Church of Vatican II aspired to become:

Universal Church = communion of the local Churches, in communion among themselves and in communion with the successor of Peter, and in relation with the other sister Christian Churches – with which they hope to establish

little by little full communion.

It is recognised that the Holy Spirit is free to inspire whom He wishes in the Church, and also outside it. – That presupposes that we discern what truly comes from Him.

Each local Church is united around the bishop, member of the episcopal college and heart of the community. He is the centre of unity of diverse components of the people confided to him. All are responsible for the “common house” in the complementarity of gifts and mutual

1 Cf. the 2 first chapters of the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium,

Fmm Charism to-day and animation of the province II2

collaboration, with the help of three principal “specialised services”: clerics, committed laity and consecrated men and women.

The comparison between the two designs enables us to guess a little the immense effort at “reconversion” or “restructuration” that the change represents and to understand – in spite of our impatience – that this takes time… Without counting that the years continue to advance and that the transformations bring other questionings…- …even to sometimes wishing for a Vatican III…. In fact, if the bishops and the laity in the

Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, and the latter in the Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, have had the best part, the remainder for the clergy and for the “consecrated men and women” was the smallest portion.

In Lumen Gentium, out of the twelve paragraphs of chapter 3 (consecrated to the hierarchical structures of the Church), 10 treat of bishops and their collegiality, only one speaks of priests and one of deacons.On the contrary, the 9 paragraphs of chapter 4 develop in a new way and give value to the identity, importance and role of the laity in the Church and the world. and the whole of Gaudium et Spes will be devoted again to specifying the importance of the testimony given by the laity in the midst of the world.As regards men and women religious, they had their chapter in Lumen Gentium, but not very developed (5 paragraphs) and not very deep. A Decree on the Religious Life: Perfectae Caritatis, juridical in its nature, prescribing an updating of the Constitutions for each Congregation, has nevertheless enabled a notable advance at a more basic level. It provoked a movement of research, thanks to: different documents of the Magisterium, a Synod of Bishops on the Consecrated Life, and inter-congregational meetings at all levels…

Finally, there is lacking in the texts of Vatican II a real reflection on the harmonisation and complementarity of the specific commitments of the three realities: laity, clerics and consecrated.

- The period after Vatican II saw, little by little, the starting of numerous conciliar directives concerning the new participative structures in the Church: synods at all levels, various councils etc. We saw the spectacular rise of the laity in varied responsibilities, and the rebirth to life of the diaconate. But the decrease in sacerdotal and religious vocations led, on the one hand, to a restructuring of parishes in many places, and a new and deeper research into the identities and the roles.

A 3rd plan [cf. Design 3], tries to suggest graphically one of the problems of the Church today, that of the parishes.Parishes which, because of a lack of priests, regroup around the same pastor a growing number of localities, exist and are multiplying on all the continents. Not only is the parish priest unable to serve them all, he cannot even ensure one Sunday Mass in each church.He must therefore collaborate much more than formerly, with the laity, men and women religious and various groups of the faithful and entrust to them acts which formerly were accomplished only by the priests, including the animation of Eucharistic celebrations with bread and wine consecrated beforehand during the periodic visits of the priest there. In this way ecclesial groups are born with varied responsibilities: parish council, financial administration, pastoral animation, spiritual accompaniment, that of the sick, the celebration of funerals, etc. All states of life thus find themselves collaborating in the same parish responsibilities.

We could multiply the examples at different levels of the Church. Such situations, among others, doubtlessly contribute to blurring a little the respective identities of the different forms of commitment in the baptismal covenant, and further on we will see other equally possible


causes. But this could also well be a favourable occasion for the Holy Spirit to awaken both sides to a deeper research into the meaning of their respective commitments. Now we will focus on what concerns the religious life in this situation of crisis.1.2 – Religious Life in the Church todayStarting from the seven recent documents for men and women religious superiors concerning the situation and the challenges of the consecrated life today, I have tried to pick out rapidly certain observations and orientations that emerge. They are the following documents:

In the context of the 1st world congress of the Consecrated Life (November 2004), the aim of which was to listen to “What the Spirit is saying to the consecrated life today.”2:- (1) The conclusions of the Congress.In the context of the Plenary Assembly of UISG (May 2007), whose theme was “Called to weave a new spirituality from which flow hope and life for humanity”3

- (2) The opening words of Sr. Therezinha Joana Rasera sds, president of UISG.- (3) The conference of Fr. Thomas Hughes svd, on the themes of the Assembly.- (4) The conference of Sr. Katrina Brill rsj, on “The thread of the laity” (to ‘weave’).- (5) The final declaration.- In the context of the 45th General Chapter of the Passionists4

- (6)The conference of Fr. Felicisimo Martinez op, on “A spirituality for revitalisation”.- In the context of the Extraordinary General Chapter 2006 of the Friars Minor, in preparation

for the 8th centenary of the Franciscan Movement (2009)5 - (7) The conference of Fr. Jose Rodriguez Carballo ofm, min. gen. On “Widen the space

of your tent”.

b) Under one form or another, the principal emphases are the same (See some texts in the Annexe, p. 10 ff):b1) The first observation is that of a problem of meaning: It is important to find again and deepen the meaning of the charism and of the Consecrated Life, gift of the Spirit for the Church and for the world. – What is its nature, and what is its role with regard to other commitments in the Church? Among other problems, the frontiers are blurred and the meaning is becoming obscured: between the priesthood and consecrated celibacy for the Kingdom, for the men; between socio-charitable service and witness proper to the religious life, for the women.b2) Another problem closely linked to the preceding one: a weakening of faith, too often disconnected from a personal and community meeting with God in his living Word. – One of the remedies is found in an adequate programme of ongoing formation, which leads sometimes to a re-formation, but also to a rediscovery of the religious charism and of the charism of each congregation.b3) One of the causes of this weakening of faith is found in an activist concept of mission, which no longer leaves time for prayer or for the deepening and sharing of the Word. – It is important to free some time in order to balance life and to find again the spirituality, the charismatic and prophetic meaning of religious commitment for today.b4) Another cause of the weakening of faith and of the loss of meaning: immersion in the consumerist, individualist and hedonistic mentality of the present society. – The rediscovery of the mission of Christ, the first of all the prophets, and the prophetic commitment in following

2 Cf. http://www.vidimusdominum. org.3 Cf. http://www.uisg.org. 4 Cf. Bulletin of the Passionist Province of Christ the King – Mexico, Year 2, nº 22, Jan. 2007 – Orig. in Spanish.5 Cf. http://www.ofm.org.


http://www.vidimus/

Him in this world which He loves and which He came to save, should pass through a renewed concept of the religious commitments, meaningful for today in poverty, chastity, obedience and fraternal life.b5) One of the novelties of the Spirit, promising for the future, and which is a chance that should not be missed for the Church and mission, is the sharing of the charism of the congregations in partnership with the lay people. – The regroupings of different states of life in “spiritual families” around the same congregational charism could confer on it a greater power of witnessing.b6) Nevertheless, it is also a challenge and a task to accomplish: this sharing should be well managed. The respective identities and commitments, and the form of mutual relations in all areas should be clear. For the congregations who engage in it, it is a real mission which requires time, prayer, reflection and dialogue.b7) finally, a conviction: the form which the state of religious life will take for the future will doubtlessly change again to adapt its prophetic witness to the time in which it is living; it will be necessary to expect this and prepare for it. But the charism of the consecrated life will remain, because it is one of the constitutive parts of the Church.-In a conference given by Sandra M. Schneiders ihm, at the 1st World Congress of the Consecrated Life, November 2004: “Religious Life in the Future”, she says:

“[What future for the religious life?] The hypothesis I will offer rests on two assumptions. On the one hand, Religious Life is profoundly Christian, i.e., Religious share in the identity and mission of all the baptized with whom they relate as equals. On the other hand, Religious Life is a distinctive life form in the Church, i.e., a state of life that can be recognized and identified by its specific contribution to the life and mission of the Church. […] I will suggest that Religious Life is an alternate life form in the Church. Religious […] create an alternate “world” in the midst of this world […]. Religious do not simply attempt to live differently in the world, which all Christians must do, but to create a different world which will offer a prophetic witness in, to, and sometimes against the world”.

b8) To conclude, we can retain the broad lines of action proposed to the consecrated life today by Felicísimo Martínez:

“Changes in religious life should direct us or point us toward three objectives or main challenges:

- recover our charismatic identity;- recover our prophetic mission - at the institutional level, create conditions so that this be realisable.”

c) ‘Charism’ and ‘prophecy’ : of what are we speaking?

‘Charismatic identity’ and ‘prophetic Mission’When we are asked to “recuperate (as religious men or women) our charismatic identity and our prophetic mission”, we are speaking of the same thing, but considered from two different angles. In fact, very generally, the texts – official or not – present the religious life as a “prophetic” vocation; the consecrated life for the Kingdom may be defined as a prophetic charism by its nature. It is the very commitment of consecrated men and women which is a prophetic witness.

‘Charism of the Consecrated Life’ and ‘Charism of the Congregation’- We are not in the habit of envisaging the religious life under the aspect of a charism; it is however, a real gift of the Spirit to the Church to contribute to the building of the one Body of Christ, as St. Paul teaches.


- On the contrary, we speak, in common usage, of ‘our charism’ or of the ‘charism of the Institute’. And moreover, we know that every congregational charism can also be lived by the laity (some also by the priests). The Church even encourages this today, so that the spiritual message of this charism , lived in other forms, may bear more fruit for the Kingdom -–this was also the perspective of Mary of the Passion.6

Thus are formed “spiritual families” made up of groups of varied vocations; they are gathered around the same charism, which was inspired in its origin by the Holy Spirit and a founder/foundress and relayed by a religious institute. It is therefore important to know well and ceaselessly deepen the congregational charism, the central element and the evangelical message common to the “spiritual family” concerned.

- But at the same time, as Fr. Thomas Hughes says, “it is more necessary than ever to clarify the identity and the meaning of the religious life”7 in which to insert this charism in the first place. And he adds: “It could well happen that we discover that a good number of the elements of the new spirituality are perhaps not so new, but rather extremely old, and neglected or even abandoned during the course of the centuries.”

1.3 – The charism of the Consecrated Life: identity and meaning Attempt at clarification

Let us specify that:- We will not enter into the details of the religious commitment in the Orders and Congregations as it is defined today canonically.- But we will seek to find what gives it its basic identity and its fundamental meaning, which it shares with all the genres of “consecration in celibacy for the Kingdom”, in the Church of all times. That is why we will use the term “consecrated life” in preference to that of “religious life”.Let us remember first of all that, historically speaking: - At the origin of the “consecrated life” in the Church, there is a commitment to celibacy and detachment, as the following of Christ in the life that He Himself embraced for the love of God and of the world. - During the course of the centuries, this commitment took on various forms, authenticated by Canon Law; but its basic testimony is always the same, independent of the spiritualities and concrete aspects in which it was incarnated.

a) Find again the roots of the Consecrated Life in the Bible, at the heart of the Covenant – and of the people of the New Covenant

- The Church of the baptised, a witnessing people and “sacrament” of the New Covenant with the God of Jesus Christ, is a people who are all “kings, priests and prophets” following of Christ. This Covenant is inscribed in its time, after the Mosaic Covenant, in the progressive accomplishment of the creative plan of the origins: to guide the world towards full communion with God Trinity.

- God’s Covenant with humanity has three aspects and is realised in three great phases, each of which, far from suppressing the preceding one, accomplishes it. They are progressive “epiphanies” of the presence and action of God Trinity in and for the world, according as a human group is capable of understanding the Covenant and of committing itself more deeply to it.

6 Cf. the document of Studio, preparatory to the centenary of the death of Mary of the Passion, 2004: “Mary of the Passion and the sharing of our charism.”

7 Cf. above.


1st phase: global Covenant of Creation, “epiphany” of the one God, Creator, “Adonai”, Source, Father-Mother, King of the universe, from whom all comes and to whom all returns. – Still in preparation, at the state of a divine project, it is born and develops in silence by the joint action of the Word and the Breath of God in creation and human history. – It knows vicissitudes; but God does not give up pursuing his project.The Creator who confides the development of the world to men and women, little by little enables us to discover Him through the wonders of nature, the laws which govern it and those of their conscience.2nd phase:: A particular Covenant inscribed in history, between God and a people of witnesses, during the course of successive events which culminated in the Paschal Mystery. By stages, from Abraham to Moses, a group forms and becomes “the chosen people”,

gathered around a Word and a cult, confided to a sacerdotal family; then they drew up the structures of a nation ruled by kings, assisted by inspired prophets.

Only at the end of a course of a long and eventful preparation of these people, in a small group of “Anawim”, can the Incarnation / “epiphany” of the Word be accomplished. – The Son of God became a son of this people, fulfilled the promises that were made of Him by the prophets and proposed to humanity to enter with Him into a New Covenant of Resurrection.

3rd phase: After his Ascension, his Church came to birth at Pentecost in an “epiphany of the Holy Spirit” which He sent to it from the Father. In communion with the Spirit, by his “deifying” action, his gifts and charisms, she will

be the “sacrament” of the New Covenant, and the people who give testimony to it until the Parousia. It is then that the Covenantal plan of the Creator will be fully accomplished.

b) A PROGRESSIVE ENTRY INTO THE COVENANT

The three phases are a progressive entry of humanity and of each one into the Revelation of God-Trinity, and into his plan: a Covenant of communion.Each phase which begins does not abolish the preceding one: they subsist together, enlightening and completing each other. Each presupposes the existence of the other two and is essential to them, even when one is not clearly aware of it. And in the long procession of humanity towards God, each person completes his journey at his own pace.

c) The Church witness of the New Covenant - Thus as Church, the Covenant of humanity and of each person with the one God, is

concluded inseparably: with the Father Giver of Life, with the Son Saviour, and with the Life-giving Spirit. The three “sacraments of initiation” testify to this, doors of entry into the Covenant and its celebration: Baptism, Eucharist and Confirmation.

- In practise, all the baptised are “kings, priests and prophets”: their commitment includes three aspects: cooperation in the continued creative work of the Father (royal form of the Covenant); following of Christ his incarnate Word, in conformity with his life, his teaching, his

mission, and in communion with the filial offering of his Paschal Mystery (sacerdotal form of the Covenant);

and the welcoming of the Spirit who vivifies, transforms, illumines from the interior, leads the world to rise with Christ at the heart of the divine communion (prophetic form of the Covenant).

According to circumstances, events and/or personal appeals, each one can, at certain times, be led to live one or other of these aspects more or less intensely.


d) Nevertheless, at the heart of this common commitment, certain are called to live more specifically one of the three aspects of the Covenant as a “responsibility” officially recognised at the service of the whole ecclesial community:

“Royal” commitment as a lay Christian (in: a movement, association, social commitment, spiritual group, parish service, secular institute, third order etc.)Such a commitment is a reminder for all of the Father’s love for the world, the realities of which are: creation to develop according to his will; dough in which to bury the leaven of the Gospel; place to welcome the Spirit and his sanctifying action; peoples and cultures to lead towards the Resurrection of Christ; temple of the divine presence.

Ordained “sacerdotal commitment”which is a service-“ministry” of authentication, of structuring and cohesion of the Church Body of Christ; which visibly gathers it together in the unity of the Spirit around the Word and Bread in continuity with the apostolic tradition.It makes manifest in the sacraments the presence of God who to be with us became one of us.

“Prophetic” commitment of life in consecrated celibacy for the Kingdom, total offering of self which frees from all human attachment to listen to the Spirit with our whole being; it enables us to enter more deeply into the mystery of the Church and of the world, at the service of the spiritual dimension of the person and of all human reality.This commitment is a living reminder to all, of the invitation to develop the interior relationship with God-Trinity, of whom each person is the Temple; to let oneself be “transfigured” into the resemblance of the Son; to realise thus one’s true being, beyond the visible and beyond time; to join oneself, with open mind and burning heart, to the great flow of humanity rising little by little – even without being fully conscious of it – towards Life and “the marriage feast” in the House of the father.

These three charisms are, in complementarity, at the service of the Kingdom of God in the Church (cf. Lumen Gentium). No matter what the form in which they are incarnated as they evolve, we cannot without harm devalue them, interchange them or confuse them. It is important that we recognise in each one its full value and that they act in communion. Their respective identities have often become blurred, leading to a loss of meaning and of credibility, at least in our Latin rite. Certain factors, even within the Church, can contribute to this, as for example, the mass clericalisation of the male religious life, the obligation of celibacy for the priests, the perception of women’s religious life as a social, charitable and educational service… The very widespread vocation crisis, at the present moment, is not due only to the growing materialism of mentalities, but also within the Church itself, to a blurred perception of the three charisms from which is built coherency in the Spirit.

TOWARDS THE FUTUREThis moment is really a “kairos” if it encourages us to delve further and more deeply into the search for (the “recuperation”? of) the meaning of our respective ecclesial “charisms” and the forms that they are called to take to give witness today.

As the few documents cited show, this research into what concerns the consecrated life is already well on the way. I will end by citing Mgr. Hippolyte Simon, archbishop of Claremont in France. He wrote in the diocesan Bulletin in January 2004, under the title, “The men and women religious: are the guardians of the future”:


“… It is clear that if the consecrated life is justified only by the social, educational and cultural services that it formerly rendered, it may seem to be useless. Many … may still conclude that the religious life is no longer necessary to the vitality of our society….We must leave these superficial impressions and these “utilitarian” perspectives. Because they ask the question backwards. They start from the periphery to justify the heart of the religious experience. We have to make the opposite journey. It is not the works that justify the consecration. It is the consecration that is displayed in the works. We must see that the religious life, in itself, in some way, comes to us from the future. In fact, the religious life is to be understood only to the extent that it witnesses to the resurrection. – As Vatican Council II says:

‘It reveals more clearly to all believers the heavenly goods which are already present in this age, witnessing to the new and eternal life which we have acquired through the redemptive work of Christ and preluding our future resurrection and the glory of the heavenly kingdom.’(Lumen Gentium, 44).

No matter what forms it takes, religious life, even the most discreet, is prophetic. It is therefore an invitation to reverse our way of looking and our judgement. Far from turning us towards the past, the men and women religious are in the Church and for the world witnesses and guardians of our future.”

ANNEXETexts accompanying I. 2. b)

“The Religious Life in the Church today”8

b1) A problem of meaning“[…] it is more necessary than ever to clarify the identity and meaning of Religious Life. […]we must identify some essential elements if we really wish to weave a new technicolour cloth, a spirituality which will do justice to the complexity of the challenges of modern life, and will generate hope and life for all. We may well discover that many elements of the new spirituality may not, in fact, be so new, but rather extremely old, but neglected or even abandoned throughout the centuries […].[…] In many places the scourge of clericalism has blossomed, especially among younger clergy, including religious, - and clericalism is very different from the great gift of the ordained ministry of presbyter. Very often in the lives of religious presbyters, the religious aspect almost disappears, submerged in the occupations of the priestly ministry. Here female religious have an important role to play, witnessing to the essential lay nature of religious life and resisting attempts to integrate it as a mere extension of hierarchical institution. The continued exclusion of women from the decision-making instances of Church life continues to be a great problem […]. (3)

- In the relations with the hierarchical Church: “Vita Consecrata” affirms that the religious life is “a gift for the whole Church” (cf. VC 1). “Yet, we are still seeking our real place in the Church : it is not easy to situate ourselves within the Church as men and women, as brothers, sisters, and ordained ; - we thirst for a new level of “mutual relations,” with our pastors, with other groups and movements in the Church, animated by equality, sisterhood and brotherhood, solidarity and a greater mutual trust and openness to one another.

8 (1) Conclusions of the first World Congress of the Consecrated Life, November 2004 (2) The opening words of Sr. Therezinha Joana Rasera sds at the Plenary Assembly of UISG, May 2007. (3) Conference of Fr,. Thomas Hughes svd Idem (4) Conference of Sr. Katrina Brill rsj Idem (5) Final Declaration Idem (6) Conference of Fr. Felicísimo Rodríguez op at the 45th general chapter of the Passionists, 2006 or 7 (7) Conference of Fr. José Rodríguez Carballo ofm min. gen. At the Extraordinary General Chapter of the Friars

Minors, Oct. 2006


At the same time we welcome the different charisms and ecclesial ministries as a great gift for us and we see that in the mutual sharing of gifts the Body of Christ will recover its vigour. (1 Cor. 12: 12-31)” (1)

“The life in fraternity to which we have been called is a fraternity of equals, made up of lay and clerical brothers with the same rights and obligations […] Therefore, while we, in close collaboration with the other Friars of the First Order, have renewed our petition to the Holy See to have our Order recognised as a “Mixed Institute”, in accordance with what the Post-Synodal Exhortation Vita Consecrata says, we have to concentrate our efforts on two aspects: A basic common formation for clerics and lay, keeping in mind the personal conditions of each Friar, just as is provided for in our Constitutions and Ratio Formationis; and on the review of our pastoral activity, which has been fundamentally clerical up to now, so that there would be a role for the lay Friars in it.” (7)

“[…] our fundamental mission is to be witnesses of the Gospel in the present world and in the Church, reminders of the Absolute, indicators of transcendence, witnesses of divine love […]. A religious should above all be a spiritual master (a staretz); a religious community should be a center or source of spirituality for the Church and for society, where the seekers for truth and for God can be welcomed, those who wish to begin the experience of God, those who want to learn to pray… “[…] The fundamental problem of religious life today is a problem of spirituality. We need a spirituality for change, for Restructuring, some theological resources to be able to change.” (6)

b2) A weakening of the faith“The Chapter, which we bring to a close today, has been a powerful and pressing call to live our life to the full; a call to conversion, to live in faith and on the basis of faith; to return to the Gospel in order to return to Christ; to re-live the founding experience of our Fraternity with the aim of re-identifying and re-possessing the original intuitions of Francis. It was a loud awakening call to improve our communications, especially on the level of faith and vocational living […]. All this […] has a lot to do with on-going formation. During the Chapter we spoke more about initial formation than about on-going formation. However, we should forget that the latter has priority over the former in so far as it is necessary to nourish “creative fidelity”. Neither should we forget that on-going formation is the “humus” of initial formation […].I […] ask all the Entities to draw up a Project of On-going Formation which would include all aspects of franciscan life: vocation, fraternity/minority and evangelisation. […]We spoke, on various occasions, about the crisis of faith through which the religious life in general and we, as a part of it, are going through. […] If our life can only be understood as an experience of faith, it cannot be hidden from anyone that faith and prayer are inseparable realities.” (7)“The Institutional Church, in many areas seems to have gone backwards in recent years. As a result, many people experience a real crisis of faith and of belonging. […]A spirituality based on the following of Jesus will necessarily lead to evangelising action […].Our spirituality must free us from the chains of egoism, consumerism, from the idols of Power, of Possessing, of Pleasure, which with a certain facility penetrate our lives and activities, diluting the radical living out of the Gospel message and our prophetic witness. It must help us firstly to recover our vision […]. Our spirituality must make its own the appeal of the blind Bartimeus, “Lord, that I may see again” (Mk 10, 51). We must see with the eyes of Jesus, who interpreted the reality of his world with criteria arising from his experience of the Biblical God and his analysis of the painful reality of his people […]More than ever it is urgent to develop a vibrant, fervent and prophetic Religious Life, a channel for the voice of God, which will resist the temptation of being co-opted by the consumer and materialistic society and which will rediscover the radical meaning of its existence, clearly on the side of the poor and marginalized. (3)“Form consecrated women ready to respond to these challenges with faith and daring.“ (5)


b3) An activist concept of the mission“In the post-conciliar phase of religious life we were more inclined toward activity or activism (multiplication of commitments and pastoral and teaching endeavors.) It is what we call today instrumental reason, which was empowered by certain sectors of religious life at individual and community levels.[…] The result is that we have done and we continue doing a lot of things. Nevertheless, religious life continues losing vigor, significance and meaning. And it continues to lose its attractive capacity. We are praised because of the work, but our meaningfulness is missing. […]This situation offers a fundamental challenge to religious life: recover your charismatic identity. We are not a group of ecclesiastical functionaries or pastoral agents. “(6)“Today, as disciples who continue the work undertaken by our founders/foundresses, we are challenged to weave a new spirituality, founded on the WORD. A new spirituality, because the reality in which we incarnate it is new, new are the challenges, and new are the responses. The prophet Isaiah restores our courage (43:19): “ See, I am doing a new deed, even now it comes to light; can you not see it?” We are called to perceive already this Life consecrated to the search for the primordial Source - the Word of God incarnated in human history - in order to quench its thirst. […] -To weave a spirituality implies therefore being open to the Spirit and allowing ourselves to be guided by the Spirit. This implies being sensitive and attentive to the clamor of our time. This means descending and pitching our tent in the midst of humanity to identify the cries of the people who suffer and […] to dare rekindle hope and thus, to be a sign of God’s salvific tenderness in the world. - In the Bible […], to hope means to live, as in anticipation, there and in the present moment, the future we desire for the world.” (2)b4) Immersion in the consumerist, individualist and hedonist mentality of the present society “Different from other critics of society, the prophets defined themselves by their relationship with God, as the prophets of the Religious life must do today. Their Word grew from the Word of God. At the root of their identity and mission there lay a great experience of God, as we can see in texts such as Am 7, 10-15; Hos 1-3; Jr 1, 4-10; Is 6, 1-13; Ez 6, 1-3.11; Is 40, 1-11 etc. Without this profound experience of God, their prophetism would have easily become mere ideology or demagogy – and today the Religious Life has to be based on a real experience of God, in the following of Jesus, in whom the prophetic tradition reached its apogee. […] In fact the birth of the Religious Life in the Church was in itself an expression of prophecy. “ (3)b5) Sharing the congregational charism in partnership with the laity« ‘[…] new relationships of genuine mutuality and autonomy between religious Congregations and the laity are invigorating for consecrated life, the Church and the world.’ (Congress Rome 2004: Passion for Christ and a Passion for Humanity: Group Notes).A Religious Life or Congregation that is sufficient unto itself is no longer appropriate for these times ‘[…] because it would no longer be faithful to its foundational dynamism that is part of its being: to live in the world, decentred from itself.’(UISG No. 132 2006 : What Religious Life for this “other possible world? Sr. Maria Pilar Wirtz Molezun O.D.N. Sr. Maria Jose Torries Perez Ap.C.J.)In our Josephite Chapter in 2001 we recognised that at this point in our history there is evidence of a movement of the Spirit calling us to new ways of imaging and living the Charism of our Congregation.” (4)b6) Challenge and task to be accomplished: this sharing should be well managed“- What energy and commitment can Leadership give to promoting the interaction of the Congregation with the laity? - How is this commitment reflected in our Congregational structures, and the initiating or supporting of significant events, initiatives, processes ?- What processes can Leaders set in place to bring about “shifts” in the mentality of the members of the Congregation towards the lay expressions of our Congregational charism?” (4)QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION


From this study : Note in a few words:What strikes me; - why? That with which I did not agree – why? What seems to me to be the most important to retain; - why?

From my experience : How is the meaning of religious life perceived in my country, - my local Church, - my fmm province?

For the future : How can we deepen more the “prophetic charism” of the consecrated life? and the way of living it?

What practical consequences for the animation of the province?


II – THE FMM CHARISM

II. 1 – Invited to « revitalise » our Spirituality and Charisma) Here again it is a question of meaningWe have seen that in the broard movement of refounding both masculine and feminine communities;we are invited today to rediscover and throw further light on the meaning of the prophetic commitment in the Covenant that is common to us. Also each congregation or religious institute is called to live it according to the particular evangelical project to which it has to witness within the Church and in the world. We usually use the words spirituality and charism to point out such a project.

We are also urgently invited to rediscover and “revitalise” our own Spirituality and Charism, so as to clarify and deepen their meaning.

It seems to me that we have to understand in that same perspective, the call we received in preparation for the 2008 General Chapter; namely, to rediscover the “evangelical radicality” of our fmm vocation, rather than allowing ourselves to be tempted by a literal and ideological “radicalism”. It is a question of: digging down to the roots (lat.: radices) which unify and give meaning to the practical ways in which our witness is incarnated.

b) THE PATH WE HAVE ALREADY TRODDEN Just as so many others did in the past, we have rightly spent much energy in implementing the “aggiornamento” or adaptation for to-day, of the visible and tangible part of our charism: our structures, legislation, liturgy, mission, life in fraternity, etc. To do so was urgently necessary, after too long a stagnation.

We also returned to the historical origins of our Charism, we brought to light its constitutive elements, including those of a more spritual nature; we even searched for their biblical roots. All these things, as well as those I fail just now to remember- are very good, and remain necessary.

c) THE PATH WE STILL HAVE TO WALK

We have to begin a new stage: we have to bring to light the basic “project” that keeps all those elements united together; in other words, the fundamental evangelical message which our particular way of following Christ, should bring about. This is essential to give meaning to the different elements of the Charism, and to enable us to “bear witness to the hope that is within us” (1P 3:15).We really feel that we have not yet reached that point: we find it difficult to define our Charism for ourselves or to explain it to others; - it may also happen that we discover “five Charisms” in the Institute instead of one…; - sometimes, it is difficult for us to balance our daily life; while in community, each one wants to stress one of the elements of the Charism, which she feels is central, and that brings about difficulties in the choices to be made;… Let us add that, with the passage of time, divergent ways of interpreting the Charism could occur among provinces or regions of the world.

d), LET US FIRST CLARIFY WHAT WE MEAN WHEN WE USE THE WORDS : SPIRITUALITY AND CHARISM We have seen already that both words are used together, when speaking of “the special evangelical project” through which a specific religious community is called to bear witness.- By Spirituality, we mean a special aspect of the faith in God that Jesus came to reveal, as highlighted by the evangelical spiritual family to which a given congregation belongs. Such a vision of faith entails a particular way of relating to God, oneself and the world; in other words: one among the many ways of living the Gospel.


- Now, each Spirituality can be actualized under various forms of “sequela Christi”, according to the way various Charisms incarnate it and deliver its message in everyday life.Let us try now, with the help of two diagrams, to identify briefly the basic orientations of our Spirituality – which we have in common with the whole Franciscan family -, and then, our own way of interpreting it practically, according to our fmm Charism.

II. 2 – Franciscan Spiritualitya) PRESENTATION OF THE DIAGRAM 9

It tries to represent the main themes of the Franciscan (evangelical) spiritual vision. It is a globalising and coherent vision which brings us into harmony with God, ourselves, others and the created world.

N.B.: Don't try to find a complete development of the FMM identity, spirituality and charism in all of the three diagrams, but they can be a guide to discover the thread which unifies our life (like the thread which makes a beautiful necklace from a variety of precious stones and pearls).As Francis did not develop a systematic representation of what eventually became Franciscan spirituality, neither did Mary of the Passion for the charism of the Institute. Attentive to the Spirit, he discovered and deepened it over time: he lived it, he prayed and sang it, he transmitted it through his advice, - through his writings which were profound, though they were few and were evoked by specific circumstances-, - and through the prayers he left us.

It was necessary for those who followed him to reflect on the principal orientations of this spirituality and that was, first and foremost, the task of St. Bonaventure.

[Reading of each section - beginning with the outer one]

b) AS OUR CONSTITUTIONS HAVE FULLY UNDERSTOOD, FRANCISCAN SPIRITUALITY HAS ITS ROOTS IN GOD-TRINITY-LOVE. - A God of interpersonal relationships in a communion of love, as revealed in Jesus Christ10.All the rest follows from this, since God invites creation to participate in this love and happiness.

- Other spiritualities will say, for example, that God created the world for his own glory. This is not a contradiction if one is very clear about the kind of glory being referred to - it is that of which St. Irenaeus speaks: “The glory of God is a human being fully alive, and life for a human being is the vision of God.” – As for Dominican Spirituality, it is rooted in the contemplation of God as: the Truth.

[Read on page 2 a brief outline of the development of this global vision of faith which is the base of the Franciscan "evangelical path".]

- It is in this fundamental vision of faith that the different Charisms of the many branches of the Franciscan family including ours.are situated.

It is to this vision of faith that our Constitutions lead us, as they start with these words: “God is Love. He wants everybody to be saved… : that is why the Father calls each and everyone of us to be transformed in Christ through the action of the Spirit.” (Art 1, § 1).

II. 3 – FMM Charism

9 See Session on the Charism, 2005. :«An explanation of the diagram Spirituality ». 10 See book of T. Matura ofm, entitled: “Dieu, le Père très Saint” (God, the most Holy Father), especially Francis’

Trinitarian spirituality, in the 1st part of it. – Also see the first 4 chapters of Michel Hubaut’s book: “Christ notre Bonheur”.


a) THE CHARISM OF A CONGREGATION : WHAT DOES THAT MEAN ?

a1) 11

To present the charism of their congregation, Sisters usually enumerate their specific activities: teaching, care of the sick, the poor, etc. We ourselves say that we are essentially “missionaries”...

The specific activities of an Institute are important, but they are secondary. They are not in themselves the charism, but a way of incarnating it, they are domains of human life where it is manifested.

Other congregations whose charism is different can work in the same domains. Among the laity, many can do the same things with great devotion simply for human reasons.

What is primary is the inspiration of the Spirit: the aspect of the gospel message which is to be incarnated in our life and activities, to witness to Christ and the Kingdom; a particular way of following Christ, of being disciple, of bringing the Good News entrusted to the Church for the world ( coming from Greek, the word “charism” means: grace, favour).

a2) The charism of a congregation always consists of: - an inspiration of the Spirit rooted in faith and interpersonal relationship with God (like the invisible part of an ‘iceberg’ ); - and the incarnation of this inspiration in the human reality, harbinger of the message in the present world (like the visible part of that same ‘iceberg’).

a3) Spiritual inspiration ( the "breath" coming from the Spirit) is the heart of the charism, which holds together the practical elements, giving them unity: which is that of the message to be brought, all life through. It is something like the “kernel” of the “atom”.

The Spirit, by his “charismatic” inspiration always centers us in Christ, contemplated in one of the many aspects of his person (and there are many) and his mission.

a4) But in order to be visible and understandable, the witnessing has to be incarnated, to become a “life lived”; this is what I mean by: the incarnation of the Charism.

This can be done in many ways. But it is always done in the 3 concrete domains which constitute the life of a baptized person: mystical, ascetical and apostolic domains :- the 3 hold together and mutually constitute the interior, spiritual person called to bea witness; - the 3 bear the seal of the same charism and nourish from the same source. They are oriented to the same end.

a5) To sum up what we have just seen We can say that the Charism as a whole consists in the complementarity of these three elements. It is:

- rooted deep in an evangelical Spirituality,- a special Gospel message to witness to in following Christ,- incarnated in a given lifestyle.

Sometimes the question is asked: “But what is original in our charism? Each of its elements can be found elsewhere…”.

It is to be noted that in itself, none of the elements of a charism (or of spirituality) is original, because all of them are evangelical. Originality comes from the way they harmonize in the unity of the whole in order to bear witness through life. Just as flowers, that are all made up of the same basic elements, present an infinite variety of beauty.

b) « THE HEART » OF OUR CHARISM – OR: ITS CENTER OF GRAVITY

11 See Session on the Charism, 2005. :«An explanation of the diagram Charism».


b1) As we follow Christ according to the prophetic form of alliance of consecrated life (see

Const. art. 1 § 3), inside the Gospel family animated by the Franciscan Spirituality (see Const. art. 5), we are “the Missionaries of Mary”, as indicated by the name that identifies us among the

other Franciscan communities. And the fundamental meaning of our marian vocation can be found in our motto: “Here I am (Ecce), the handmaid of the Lord; let it be (Fiat) according to what you said” (Lk 1:38).

b2) These two words : Ecce and Fiat, in expressing the orientation of our whole life, situate us at the service of the mystery of the Word’s Incarnation (“kenosis”), in the way Mary was its servant her whole life long. When she welcomed unconditionally the Spirit’s action in her, she allowed for all of us, the Father’s loving project to be realized by the Word, who through his own Ecce and Fiat was offering himself to be its Servant: “… in entering the world, Christ said: Neither sacrifice nor holocaust did you want. But you gave me a body. […] Then I said: Here I am […]. I have come, o Lord, to do your will.” (He 10:4-10, referring to Ps 40:7-9 gr.).

Let us note that these words do not apply only to the actual event of Annunciation, but to the inner attitude of Christ, throughout his life on earth, an attitude rooted in the Trinitarian Life, which will last in his Resurrection.

[Reading of “the heart of the Charism” on the diagram]

b3) At the center of our charism: the Word (the Son), always turned towards the Father, offering himself in his Ecce-Fiat - because of love – for the life of the world:

- Fundamental aspect of his Person, in his love for the Father and the world .- Attitude which allows him to be incarnated in Mary, to become in himself the covenant with humanity, through the constant action of the Spirit; to be “reduced” so to say, to the human condition with all its possible consequences... in order to bring one day the whole of mankind with him in his Resurrection. - During his life on earth, this will be the constant attitude of the Man Jesus, “New Adam” prototype of humanity.

b4)And the Spirit teaches us an evangelical way how to be his disciple and witness.

Our evangelical way of following him is that of Mary uniting in the Holy Spirit with the Ecce-Fiat of the Word, so as to make possible this alliance for the Life of the world, - and accompanying him in his mission even after Easter, when the Church comes to life on Pentecost day..

b5) Such is the heart, the element which inspires and motivates our charism, the evangelical and prophetic message which it has to live and deliver within the Franciscan family, the Church and the world .

In our Constitutions, it is article 2 that expresses the heart of our Charism; unfortunately, the way it brings it about is neither complete nor precise. In fact, it does not make the needed distinction between its basic global sense, and the ascetical aspect that is only part of its implementation: the quotation of Col 1:24 (“I complete in my flesh…”) would be better placed in another article dedicated to that particular aspect; whereas here, He 10: 4-10 would be at its right place (as we saw before).

b6)


Effectively, we said that the spiritual message we called “heart” of the Charism, must become concretely incarnated in life, so as to be seen and bear witness. It becomes so for us, through: Eucharistic adoration ( art. 3 – mystical aspect), - universal mission ( art. 4 – apostolic aspect), - and self-denial in total disponibility (which has no article of its own in the first chapter – ascetical aspect).

c) THE INCARNATION OF THE CHARISMATIC MESSAGE IN OUR LIVES, SO THAT IT BECOMES WITNESS

c1) From Annunciation to Pentecost, Mary living her Ecce and Fiat in communion with those of the Word in his Incarnation, is for us, according to Mary of the Passion’s, “a way” that leads to “the Way”.She shows us a special way of being “disciple” and witness of Christ , the One sent by the Father: a discreet way, in the day by day, and in total attention and docility to the Spirit :

- which is based on her Son, and which leads her to discover, to know and to understand step by step, throughout the successive stages of his life;- which impels her to bring him and the power of his Life to the world, even though it may not be able to recognize him as yet;- which teaches her, together with Joseph, how to make him grow in humanity; and later on, how to accompany him discreetly in his mission, and help him in his relationships;- which gives her strength to support him unconditionally, and comfort him as a messenger of hope in all his times of trial, unto the Cross;- which will maintain alive her spiritual motherhood, throughout the history of the Church.

c2) Called to “continue Mary’s mission”, it is from her that we learn how to do this:- She teaches us how to be actively and lovingly present to the Presence of the Word of God, become one of us: in eucharistic celebration and adoration, which is the means that the Lord “has chosen, as Francis said, to remain among us always in a concrete visible way.

There, we also find the invitation to welcome his presence in us in a new way eveyday, and to give thanks to the Father together with him; - a reminder that the Word of God that we listen to, study and meditate, must also take flesh in our lives; - we find the place where the Spirit is given us and impels us to go out towards our brothers and sisters.

Such is the efficient concrete and sacramental means – that we have at our disposal to renew ourselves in contemplation, - to renew our commitment to communicate with the Ece and Fiat of the Word, - and to hear his call to mission (Const. art. 4). On different days, we are invited to live there the mysteries of Nazareth, Bethlehem, Tabor, the Cenacle, Emmaus, or Ascension…

- Sent from there to our brothers and sisters, to bring them and receive from them the Good News, as Mary did in former days, she again is the one who teaches us, together with the Spirit, how to share the Presence of the Risen Lord in the daily life and the communion of hearts; and how to weave family links even with those who seem to be farther away. She shows us how to intercede for them, and invite them discreetly, when a favourable time has come, to meet Christ, listen to him, and act according to his word; and then how to step aside in order to leave him at the center.

The apostolic aspect of our lives is realized in universal mission, as in Mary’s Visitation, her silent presentation of her Son to the Shepherds and the Magi, her discreet presence to his messianic work from Cana to Calvary, her vocation to spiritual motherhood, at Pentecost when the Church is born in the Spirit.


- Universal mission requires from us total disponibility, together with the offering of all the trials, difficulties, self-denial and sufferings it entails; and we are invited to do so in communion with those offered up by Christ, “for his Body the Church” and all humanity.

We firmly hope that the Spirit will transform them into seeds of Life and Resurrection, as Mary did during the trial of exile in Egypt, when she underwent anguish at hearing Simon’s prophecy or when searching for her lost Child - but especially when she was united with him at the foot of the Cross, in the sufferings of his Passion and death. There she also teaches us how much our suffering brothers and sisters, members of Christ, need compassion so as not to fall into despair, but to find meaning in their sufferings.

Such is the ascetic part of our Charism, for which we draw light, courage and strength from the Eucharist.

***


ANNEXSome perspectives opened

by research at the heart of our CharismTHE WORD’S ECCE AND FIAT12

“’BEHOLD I COME.’

This is the divine cry of the Word in the Womb of Godand also the first beat of the heart of Jesus in the crib.

Left to itself, in vain would fallen humanity have sought fora sacrifice capable of opening to it Heaven, the home of love.

But behold the Word becomes incarnate.The distance is crossed, Love is born on the earth.”

Mary of the Passion, Méditations Vol. 1, Christmas Day

An invitation from the General Chapter 2002

The chapter document of 2002 invites us, insofar as we are “disciples and Gospel women”, to steep ourselves again in what is essential to our life and to the message that it must announce13:

“Contemplating the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word, the One sent by the Father to realise His Plan of Love for the world,

We desire toREVITALISE OUR PERSONAL ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST…”

Communion is the basis of this project of God's love. In one form or another, communion is the principal objective of the “Lines of Action” […]:Depending on the extent to which we remain faithful, despite our weaknesses, to our project which has communion as its goal,“We believe our life can question globalization in its negative aspects: marginalization, exploitation and exclusion of entire peoples, and proclaim a new creation. "In “contemplating the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word, sent by the Father to accomplish his project of love in the world...”we are immediately inspired to go to where this love originates namely, to the bosom of

the TRINITY.and it is there that we can discover the heart of our charism:

“To communeWITH THE ECCE - FIAT OF THE WORD

TO HIS FATHER FOR THE LIFE OF THE WORLDIN THE SPIRIT

(and to do so) like Mary.”

In the Trinitarian communion the Ecce-Fiat of the Word towards the Father, is the constant and fundamental attitude of Him, who, in love, recognizes himself as Son.God one, a Trinity of Persons in communion, Love.This is the great revelation, the epitome of the Good News, which he will bring to us through the Incarnation.Jewish monotheism was so fundamental to the chosen people’s identity, (particularly when they lived among the gentiles) that it was difficult for them to accept this discovery of God as a Trinity of Persons. The Absolute Oneness of God was the ground of their faith and was at the very heart of every liturgical act. […]As a man, and a Jew, Jesus only gradually discovered this mystery in all its clarity. It was through life’s events that Jesus prepared his disciples so that they too might be able to enter into this mystery after His Passion and Resurrection: the mystery of his filial relationship to the Father from whom he is sent as well as his awareness of the unceasing action of the Spirit in his life. He did not try to explain the mystery theologically, as the Church tries to do even now, after 20 centuries. The Church must do so, knowing that she will never succeed fully because the Infinite is always beyond our grasp, but we are invited to search, to penetrate this mystery ever more deeply...

12 See document: « Trinitarian Communion - Ecce-Fiat of the Word - Alliance and mission », - Session on the fmm Charism, 2005.

13 p.3 n° 3.

After the Resurrection, especially, Jesus led others into an encounter with the Father and to a welcoming of the Spirit. After Pentecost, the Christian community awaited the imminent return of Christ in his glory, they did not have time to concern themselves with presenting the new faith in precise formulae, in order to pass it on to future generations. They followed Christ as faithfully as possible, after the teaching of the Apostles, and deepened their understanding of these teachings in the light of the Spirit. The generations that followed the early Christian community lived this mystery, but not without raising questions. However, it took the Church three centuries to come to terms with the definitions required for an adequate representation of the Trinity in the culture of the time, especially in terms of the dual nature of the unique Person of Christ and the mysterious Person of the Spirit. (Ref.: The first four Councils of the 4th. and 5th. centuries). The Apostles’ Creed and that of Nicea - Constantinople, prayed at the Eucharist on Sundays and feast days, are the fruit of this definition.With reference to the Creed of Nicea – Constantinople, it is appropriate at this point to note that in the West, twelve centuries later, a discordant note would be introduced into this wonderful unity: the “Filioque” added unilaterally to the text, did not have the consensus of the undivided Church of the origins. This still remains a delicate subject in the dialogue taking place between the Churches of the East and West.The Trinity, fullness of love, from whom all of us have received.Contemplation of the mystery of God as Trinity in the light of the Spirit and in the light of reflection on Scripture as well as through the liturgy celebrated in Church, is the focus of every Christian who prays. Francis and Mary of the Passion firmly urged their sons and daughters to follow this contemplative way. It is very difficult to try and explain something of this mystery which always surpasses the capacity of human language and understanding. Numerous theologians have done so in every generation, trying to deepen ever more the understanding inherited from a long tradition. The study is certainly not over yet, particularly if one considers that language is constantly evolving and that each culture must find appropriate terms to define it. It is good to remember that we can only speak of God analogously since he is “OTHER”, but at the same time, this is made possible, because over and above the distance separating Him from us, there exists a certain harmony between Creation and the ONE who brought it forth from nothingness, in order to communicate His life and love to us. This reflection is necessary, in order to advance in our knowledge of God, and to account for our faith, especially for us missionaries. It also helps us to understand ourselves a little better, because, despite the infinite distance that separates us from God, we have been created “in His image and likeness.” Among all the possibilities offered by tradition, we are now going to take as our point of departure, a very suggestive expression used by a Father of the undivided Church (both East and West) of the second century (the “Filioque” problem did not yet exist).This person is Irenaeus, a disciple of Polycarp (who in turn was a disciple of John). At that time he was evangelizing Gaul, and was bishop of Lyon.Speaking of the Word and the Spirit he described them as “the two hands of the Father”. In fact, it is by them and in them that God creates all things. That applies to every divine action we know.

To speak of two hands given to the same task conceived by the work of the mind, immediately suggests an otherness and a complementarity that makes the accomplishment of this task possible. […]

Each finds his joy in communion with the other, in whom he comes to a new knowledge of the Father/Mother from whom they both continually receive existence in common and loving thanksgiving. This jubilant, perfect, and eternal love of the 3 divine Persons cannot remain closed in on itself. The Trinity is not finite but rather it yearns to diffuse itself endlessly to other beings, who in themselves are finite, and to share the happiness of God with them. This will be the work of the “two hands of the Father” whose complementarity is rendered dynamic (cf. Rembrandt the Return of the Prodigal Son, on whose shoulders rest the two hands of his Father, one masculine, and the other feminine).

Each in their own way, Word and Spirit, take part together in the adventure of the world and of humanity : Creation, Incarnation, Redemption, Pentecost, the whole journey of humanity through history until all enter the “family of God” on the last day... And doing so, they are together a manifestation of the superabundant outpouring of the paternity and maternity of YHWH. Their existence in itself bears witness to the fact that God the Father is the absolute Source. From him they do not cease to receive their being and, together, render all love and all glory to Him. […]The Ecce - Fiat of the Word, an expression of his being Son.

Through his Incarnation, the Word is going to be able to manifest his fundamental attitude towards YHWH, that of the Son, who enters fully into the Father’s project, because, with the Father he is one in love.

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These two words, Ecce and Fiat surely sum up the attitude of the Word in the event of the Incarnation which is a key event for humanity, and for him a “genesis” (birth) in time and in the history of the world. But the Ecce and Fiat of the Word are not bound by this unique event. These words from the Bible are an expression of his eternal being as Son, he of whom John says: “he was with God in the beginning.” That is why they also summarize the leitmotif that will accompany him throughout his earthly life.- The Word was made flesh, the “New Adam,” “a New Man,” to bring all humanity back to God (from whom humanity had turned away - cf. Adam hiding from him in the garden of Eden), so that we might receive life anew. - The Ecce-Fiat of the Word includes that of the Spirit, who is the ‘master worker’ of the Incarnation. This unceasing communion of the Word and the Spirit permits them to accomplish “the work of the Father” for the Life of the world (from the Incarnation to Easter and Pentecost, and to the Parousia).- THE NEW COVENANT GERMINATES AND GROWS LITTLE BY LITTLE, IN THIS COMMUNION, WHICH SERVES AS ITS MODEL AND INSPIRATION.- The Ecce-Fiat of the Word and of the Spirit - includes that of Mary, the first fruit of humanity in this New Covenant, that was the accomplishment of the First Covenant, and that one day would permit the entry of all peoples into the Kingdom/Communion with God-Trinity. (Cf. Jn.17 ; - Rom.8, 1-30 ; -1Cor.15, 28; - Col.1, 12-23; 3, 1-17). […]The Ecce and Fiat of the Covenant, the path to be followed by man and woman in order to reach their own fulfillment.To enter into the New Covenant is to echo the Ecce and Fiat of the Son Incarnate. It is to become in his Spirit, beloved children of the Father. Outside of that, humanity has no future. Turning away from God, humanity searches in vain to make sense of its existence. This is the source of the desperation of many of our contemporaries. It is also the reason why people go to the ends of the earth in search of spiritual values. Man and woman are programmed to encounter God. Without being aware of it, they carry within themselves an unquenchable thirst to know God, and to be united with God's love. Created in God's image and likeness, they cannot understand themselves or one another, except in discovering his Face and the love with which he loves them. They cannot be fulfilled except in the Ecce and Fiat of the Covenant, at whatever stage of the fulfillment of the Covenant they find themselves. The New Covenant is a promise made by Christ to be born to the Life of God through the gift of the living Spirit, the “Spirit of Holiness” who can communicate to each one the holiness of God, the only Holy One, while at the same time incorporating each one into the unique “people of the Covenant.” It is a path to “holiness”, to “divinisation,” as the Christians of the Orient say, because this Covenant is a mysterious participation in the life of God. It is a path to fraternal communion after the example of the communion which exists in God-Trinity. That is why it includes only two laws that form but one: the love of God and the love of one’s neighbour. It is both a human and spiritual path to communion, respecting difference and the cooperation in equal dignity, of the “masculine” and “feminine” in every domain of human life, in order to lead the world to its fulfillment according to the design of God-Trinity.

QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL REFLEXION :- Is God for me, for us, “living Trinity” as he was for Francis and Mary of the

Passion, or else a remote abstraction? – And especially, what about the Person of the Holy Spirit?

- That God be Father, Son and Holy Spirit, what has this to do with my life? and my mission?

- To follow Christ in his Ecce and Fiat, what does that mean for me? and for the whole Institute?

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- In interreligious dialogue, how to account for our faith in God-Trinity? Is this a topic of reflexion in the Church?

MARY’S ECCE AND FIAT 14

“I had such a beautiful view of the Incanation.The Son of God became man,receiving creation from the Infinite beingGod the Father, from whom He is inseparable,as He is inseparable from the Holy Spirit,And receiving the creation in Mary.”Mary of the la Passion, 6th August 1883 , « He speaks to me ... » n° 170

“I also want to note the love that Mary seemed to have for usby reserving it to the Institute to go through the world, saying:

‘BEHOLD THE HANDMAID OF THE LORD.’… I have been inclined to consider this motto as a grace

which was reserved for us as if by miracle.”14th December 1885, « He speaks to me … » n° 214

We have already meditated often, studied, and tried to apply to our lives, the Ecce and Fiat of Mary. The whole Institute was called to do so again in preparation for the chapter of 2002, using as a guide the Document: «The Holy Spirit will take you under his shadow». [P. 8-18] Meditation on the texts of the Annunciation and Visitation, which are closely linked, enabled us to reflect deeply on how Mary’s prompt response to God’s call made her immediately disponible for mission. A mission linked to that of another woman: Elizabeth. Both of them introduce us to the more specifically feminine dimensions of missionary commitment. […]Today, we turn towards the chapter of 2002which, by inviting us to «rekindle the gift of God», placed us once more in the presence of the Ecce-Fiat of Mary, echo of that of the Word, and sealing a Covenant which covers her whole life. Mary’s undivided commitment inspires and impels us towards action, now as at the beginning of the Institute. In describing Mary as «the first disciple» of Christ, the Chapter Document situates her, - on the one hand among the group of disciples equal to all the others, men and women (cf. in particular the Gospels according to Luke and John); - on the other hand, as the leader of all those men and women who will be called to be «disciple-witnesses», and that as a woman.The text asks us therefore, to look again at our own Ecce-Fiat as «Gospel women» and as sisters. At its invitation, we will do this in union with all the women of the world, with whom we are in solidarity and who are still seeking to find their true place in the world, as willed by the Creator.For better or for worse, the world is in the process of globalisation, where too often women labour to accomplish their mission at the service of the Covenant of Life, love and peace confided by Jesus to his Church, a mission which is so often hampered.[…] Finally, we are invited to find our inspiration in the Word of God, but in reading it from a feminine perspective. Mary of the Passion may help us in this, by presenting Mary to us as «the woman of true power». During her whole life she would seek to deepen the meaning of this name given to Mary, from which she received inspiration: How and why is Mary «the woman of true power»? What is this «true power»? How could she acquire it for herself and transmit it to her daughters?…Through her Spiritual Notes we can pick out some principal emphases:

- The first to be redeemed by Christ, Mary is all powerful, because she gave Jesus to the world and with Him the Gospel, path of Truth and Charity, of poverty / detachment from riches, simplicity…- She can do this because, «all pure», she is the temple of the Holy Spirit to whom belongs and who communicates «true power». Co-operating entirely in his action which «renews the face of the earth» enabling her to be «reborn from above», she is «the New Eve», mother of the New Adam and of all humanity.

14 Cf. Session Charism : Document « Eve – Mary – and the Covenant »

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- At the end of her life, Mary of the Passion saw with more clarity and intensity this «true power» of Mary through her basic accord with the Spirit as is seen in her last retreat.15

When Jesus calls his mother: «WOMAN» …John speaks of Mary in two passages of his Gospel: at the marriage feast at Cana (Jn 2: 1-12), and at foot of the cross (Jn 19: 25-34). These are two key texts: one at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry and the other at the end. Apart from that she does not appear since in John there is no mention of the birth or infancy of Jesus, nor of the meetings or interventions of Mary during his ministry. It is only indicated that after the miracle of the change of water into wine, the Lord «went down to Capernaum with his mother, his brothers and his disciples» (2: 12). This lets us suppose that discreetly she always remained a loving and maternal presence for him. Although there are only two short passages, these passages are very deep and rich in meaning at various levels, as in all John’s writings. […]- The first remarkable thing is the name Jesus uses to address his mother: he calls her «WOMAN»! For a long time this term seemed insulting to Mary and led to much justification and sometimes embarrassed commentaries … yet it is perhaps her most beautiful title and the richest in meaning. The texts situate «the mother of Jesus» in an essential role at the heart of the Covenant, they make her an emblematic figure of «the woman», icon on earth of the «maternal face» of God, when she acts according to her deep being and says YES to the mission which is proper to her. In welcoming the Spirit, all her feminine values are then placed at the service of God’s plan, and become spiritual maternity for the world. The two passages are found, at the beginning and at the end of the mission of Jesus who will bring the First Covenant to its accomplishment by sealing the New. They frame the time of his public ministry, situating this time of gestation of the Church, dawn of the messianic era, in close cooperation with Mary and the Holy Spirit. […]«The woman of true power»The long road of the Covenant between God and humanity, stretches between Gen 1 and Rev 22: 21. It is also the history of the slow, tormented and progressive ascent of this humanity towards true Life in God. From one end to the other, women are called on to play an essential role: from Eve to the Spouse in the Apocalypse. - Eve, the primitive woman, made a mistake about «power». We can’t hold it against her: «mother of life», her «antennas» were more in harmony than those of Adam, «the earthy one», with the mystery whose power was beyond man; she sought it in her environment: the «spirits» of nature, idols. All the more so since dialogue between him and her, and with God, was not yet established: it was necessary first to learn the word which is proper to man; then to discover interpersonal relationship. For the moment, it is the strongest who dominates and takes all in his power.- The woman is not perceived as a person until the time of Abraham; this is confirmed by Abraham going so as to acquire a cave in which to bury Sarah. But the woman is still only a person of inferior rank. In a world where physical force, and as a consequence violence, reigns, she has no recognised power.- Later, when the Covenant will have progressed further, she will take an active part in it, like Miriam, sister of Moses and Aaron. - But we must wait for Mary of Nazareth to see womanhood fully attain personhood, with whom God engages directly in dialogue in view of the Covenant. It is then that God as a Trinity of Persons is also revealed: when the Spirit brings about the Incarnation, with the consent and co-operation of Mary who has become «the new Eve and mother of the New Adam», «the woman of true power» according to God’s plan, «the woman par excellence».- For the Church, until the Parousia, she remains «the mother» given by God with the Spirit, to bring the birthing of the new humanity in the image of Christ to its accomplishment. For every woman, her sister (if she does not mistake the «spirit»), she is joy, pride, and an inexhaustible source of inspiration. For every man, she is an invitation to become the brother of Christ – Servant, and with him "beloved son".

15 Cf. «Where are you leading me?», retreat 1903

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QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL REFLEXION :

- Starting from the present study :What stikes me most? – why.?What, according to me, is important? - why?

What would I like to add or modify? – why? - Starting from my own experience :

Which practical means are at our disposal to help “revitalize” our Spirituality and Charism?

- In the future : Which other means could be of help ?

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III – CHARISM AND ANIMATION OF THE PROVINCE : WHAT IS AT STAKE, AND WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES I have played my part: now, “the ball is in your court”!... I am only going to indicate a few points for reflection, which I think are important and deserve further concrete study ; they are but suggestions, and you might add or choose others.

What is at stake ? For us as for all the other institutes of consecrated life, the invitation to « revitalize », or

deepen and actualize the charism of the origins in a biblical perspective, is first and foremost a question of rediscovering its meaning ;

- the same is true for the prophetic charism of commitment in consecrated life,. within the baptismal Covenant.

This has consequences, not only for ourselves and our religious families, but for the whole Church and her spiritual mission in the world.Much has already been accomplished in order to start making progress in that direction; a progress that can be realized only in communion with “others”.

What are the challenges ?I am not qualified to enter into details and still less to find practical solutions… I would like only to suggest that challenges exist at various levels; and particularly:

- At the level of both initial and on-going formation in the Charism. Among other challenges: what can we do to harmonize them, so that they are adapted to each one, and to all stages of life, and unified so that all together feel responsible for the common mission of the “FMM family”?How can we ensure at all stages a common initial and ongoing formation of the formators, so that they can go on promoting unity in the diversity of the Institute?

At the level of research in the domain of our Charism, in faithfulness to its origins and adaptation of its message for to-day’s Church and world.How can we awaken the vocation of “researchers”, and help them coordinate their research throughout the Institute, and to share what they discover among themselves and – for the profit of the whole Institute – with the Superior General, her Council and teams at the center?Here, I would like to mention the study of languages as particularly important:- for the mission;- for a “true communion” between us: a unique common language could bring about a tower of Babel …; that is why from our foundation, Mary of the Passion invited each one to learn more than one language ;

- and for the inculturation of our “charismatic” message in various cultures.But at the same time, I would like to stress the importance of the French language, especially for the “researchers” – official or not – so that the they may be able to read our “foundation documents” in the original text. – This wish was expressed on her own behalf even by one of our Associates in Italy, of Chinese nationality…At the level of mission itself : Since the charism of every congregation is a “gift from the Spirit” for mission in the Church, what is the message that the Institute has to share, in communion with the others, in the domains of:

- deepening or enlightenment of faith in the God of Jesus Christ among Christians; - a faith that brings joy;

- mutual enrichment in ecumenical dialogue; - inter-religious dialogue, a great need of the moment?How can we prepare to meet such challenges, from the initial stages, and in ongoing formation?And how can we better share our charism with lay people for the sake of mission?

Now, the ball is in your hands ; your play… [Sharing in groups]

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