INGREDIENTES DE LA ANIMACIÓN
VOCACIONAL SA-FA
INGREDIENTES
DE ANIMAÇÃO VOCACIONAL SA-FA
INGREDIENTS OF SA-FA VOCATIONAL ANIMATION
LES
INGRÉDIENTS DE LA ANIMATION VOCATIONNELLE SA-FA
9.- Wealth and charismatic strength.
There are no magic solutions, nor can we copy
everything as it is from others; it is up to us to adapt it to our way of
being. We have to take advantage of the richness and strength of our charism
(closeness, familiarity, simple treatment...) in vocational animation. Our
spirituality teaches us the strength of the small, let us remember the mustard
seed of the Gospel; this leads, for example, to take care of the few who are
called, to carry out activities for small groups or to accompany personally in
the vocational field.
Our charism, like all others in the Church (1
Cor 12:11; LG 12), is at the service of the Kingdom of God. Our charism was
born and has been developed primarily as a form of consecrated life. There are
three forms of Christian life that are more outstanding because of their Christological
and ecclesial density: lay Christians, the consecrated life, and the ordained
ministry.
We religious are especially called to manifest what the kingdom of God means (LG 46; PC 1), through our fraternal life, our prayer, service to the poor, and life according to the style of the poor, celibate and obedient Jesus (LG 43).
The vows are the forms that enable us to do according
to Jesus.
-
Poverty, as a vow, refers
to the possession and use of material goods, and includes a life of austerity,
living from work, sharing the goods we possess. To be poor in spirit is to
become truly open to the God of Jesus.
-
Chastity refers to
sexuality, affectivity, fatherhood or motherhood, sociability. Religious
celibacy is understood from Jesus' virginity. We religious want to be seduced
by the infinite love of the Father and to choose to leave our hearts empty and
open, given up, so that God may flood them and fill them.
-
Obedience deals with another
important area of human life: the free disposition of what has to be done.
Taking a vow of obedience is a way of expressing how absolutely serious one is
about seeking God's will.
Basic elements that create the identity of Consecrated Life:
- Living memory of Jesus who lived, according to the so-called "evangelical
counsels", voluntary poverty, freely chosen virginity, and
continuous obedience to the Father and his mission.
- Fraternal life is a privileged expression of the
communion that is the Church, a reflection of the Trinitarian community,
in terms of the way of living interpersonal relationships.
- Consecration of life. The distinctive feature of the
consecrated life lies in the exclusive dedication to God, in such a way
that all of existence is placed at his service in a total, full, and
exclusive way.
- Prophetic dimension. Consecrated life is structured as a
radical witness to the definitive goods-already present in history- thanks
to the salvation that took place in Christ Jesus, even though it has not
yet been brought to its fullness.
- An expression of the coming of the Kingdom. Our whole life is called to reflect the
radiance of the coming of the Kingdom in the midst of humanity. With our
way of living, we are a living encouragement and reminder of the call to
holiness.
- Manifestation of Christ´s faces. Each congregation and each charism can be understood as an attempt to highlight before the Church one of the aspects of the totality of Jesus Christ [1].
Characteristic elements
of our charism.
|
Brother Gabriel. “Brother Gabriel Taborin, totally devoted to
God and the Church, is at the same time the Founder, Father and first member,
always alive and present, of the religious family of the Brothers. Continuous
contact with the Founder and deep knowledge of him lead the Brothers to a joyful
strengthening of their identity; they enlighten the present time of the
Institute and orient its future. The Brothers find in the life of the Founder
the basic features of the Brother of the Holy Family. The Founder´s profile,
drawn up by the first Brothers, is an important point of reference in their
continuous efforts for renewal and spiritual growth”[2]. |
Family spirit.
Some of the characteristics
of the family spirit are: it contributes to the happiness, prosperity and
strength of the Congregation; it is born of God-charity; it leads to the union
of hearts; love and mutual help; sharing of joys, sorrows, successes and
failures; reciprocal attention and warm fraternity; common property; humility,
charity and work for God and the community; esteem, interest and concern for
the Congregation; appreciation of the Rule and the Superiors; obedience and
poverty; contributing to the joy of the other Brothers; peace and satisfaction[4].
Nazarene Spirituality: Jesus, Mary and Joseph in Nazareth as a family inspire our life [5].
“The
life of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph forming a family will always be their reference
point. The Brothers learn to meditate and to live the Gospel in the light of
the mystery of Nazareth; there Jesus began to accomplish what he would preach
later. This Nazarene spirituality will motivate their whole lives. They show
their will to serve God and men, living the mystery of Christ in his family
life together with Mary and Joseph. They wish to deepen every day more the plan
of salvation revealed in Nazareth”[6].
Brother Gabriel
expressed himself thus: "The heart
of a Christian, especially that of a Brother of the Holy Family should frequently
stay under the humble roof of Nazareth, in the boson of this august Family
which gathers all divine and human virtues”[7].
-
In Nazareth they prayed. It refers to the life of faith of
the Christian in his condition of son/daughter of God and even of openness to
the transcendence that every person has.
-
In Nazareth
they worked. Nazareth shows us how the
incarnation consists in becoming progressively man/woman while preserving hope.
-
In Nazareth
they loved each other. It refers to relationships that are oriented by the
commandment of love of God and neighbor. Charity and communion leads to being
brothers/sisters who live in fraternity.
-
The
characteristic virtues: humility, simplicity, union,
obedience and dedication were the soul of the relationships between Jesus, Mary
and Joseph that each Brother of the Holy Family, each house of the Institute
must try to form and reproduce[8].
Mission: Christian education, catechesis,
liturgical animation, solidarity [9].
“The Brothers, faithful to the history of the Institute
and to the teachings of the Church, share the charism of the Founder, and are
at the same time open to the needs of the local Church. They participate in its
pastoral work mainly by means of Christian education, catechesis and
liturgical animation”.
“Following the example of their Founder, the
Brothers give to catechesis the first place in their apostolic work.
They are vigilant that their catechesis responds to the needs of times and
places”.
“Heirs of the burning zeal of the Founder, the Brothers
devote themselves to promote liturgical life of which they are active
participants and animators”.
“The Brothers devote themselves chiefly to Christian
education. In the midst of their school work they are intent,
simultaneously, on education in the Faith and human formation, in an atmosphere
of freedom and evangelical charity”.
“The Brothers maintain, alive and active, the missionary
spirit handed down by their Founder. In a spirit of obedience, they are
ready for the call of the Church and they strike to be present where the Gospel
has not yet been sufficiently proclaimed”.
What aspect of your experience of consecrated life do you think is most
important to emphasize in relation to vocation animation?
How can we apply the richness of our charism to vocation animation?
[1] Cfr. Alfonso Pedrajas Moreno, SJ “CALLED AND
CHOSEN? The careful task of vocation ministry” Worksheet: 26, 27 y 28.
[2] Cfr. N° 3 y 9 Constitutions of the Brothers of the
Holy Family. Rome 2009.
[3] N° 11 Constitutions of the Brothers of the
Holy Family. Rome 2009.
[4] Cfr. Brother Gabriel Taborin: Circular letter n°
21, IV, 2nd July 1864.
[5] Cfr. “The links wich bring us togheter in
Jesus, Mary and Joseph”. Pgs. 25-39.
[6] Cfr. N° 6 y 7
Constitutions of the Brothers of the Holy Family. Rome 2009.
[7] Brother Gabriel Taborin: New Guide 607.
[8] Cfr. Bro. Steven Baffert:
Circulars and Conferences, the Institute’s Spirit. Conferences for the 1934 retreat.
[9] Cfr. N° 16, 122, 123,
124 y 128. Constitutions of the Brothers of the Holy Family. Rome 2009.
