Rome, Italy, February 1, 2018
In the first place, there is the need for fidelity to the founding charism
Dear Priests, Brothers, Seminarians, and Novices,
Tomorrow, our beloved Religious Family will be celebrating, in the four ends of the earth, the day of the religious of the Incarnate Word, uniting ourselves to the universal ecclesial spirit on the occasion of the precious feast of the Presenation of our Lord.
For this reason, it seemed appropriate for me to dedicate this circular letter to our fidelity to the foundational charism, because “ongoing configuration to Christ comes about according to the charism and provisions of the institute.” For, it is precisely the charism which defines us as religious “of the Incarnate Word,” and which provides our consecration with something like the bone structure upon which we are built up as “other Christs,” or “as another humanity of Christ,” animated by the proper spirit of the Institute, which, in turn comes to be as the soul of the organism of our consecrated life. In other words: the charism is what defines our own identity within the Church, establishing our way of living out the sequela Christi, with the end of “making, in a certain sense, the presence of God palpable in the world, through the witness of our own charism.”
Our magnificent charism of working “so that Jesus Christ will be the Lord of all that is truly human, even in the most difficult situations and under the most adverse conditions,” “making each person ‘like a new Incarnation of the Word,’ thus fulfilling our essential call to be missionaries and Marian” is the particular grace which should brightly shine through in all our religious being and acting. That is the non-negotiable element, in capital letters. It is the banner which we should raise up in our hearts and in each of our missionary undertakings. It is the marvelous gift which God has granted us to make us fruitful in his Church, enrichening it. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for us to soak ourselves in the charism of the Institute, to the point of overflowing, as well as that of being like a living Incarnation of Christ. Because, we will be all the more useful to the Church and to her mission, the more that we are penetrated by and faithful to our charism ‘of the Incarnate Word.’ Only in this way will we be “chalices full of Christ, chalices that allow the superabundance of His grace to overflow upon others…showing by our lives that Christ is alive.” On the contrary, that is, without that spirit which is characteristic of the religious of the Incarnate Word, anchored in the sancrosanct mystery of the Incarnation, fervently setting out to restore all things in Christ. Without that markedly Christocentric, Marian, and missionary imprint, “in vain would we wear ourselves out working, because we would not accomplish anything.”
Although we can speak of this topic from many different points, I thought it best to divide it into three parts, which, in my opinion, are key: fidelity, formation, and fecundity.
1. Fidelity
The charism is, without a doubt, a divine gift. Saint Thomas teaches: “the other is that whereby one man cooperates with another in leading him to God, and this gift is called gratuitous grace, since it is bestowed on a man beyond the capability of nature, and beyond the merit of the person. But whereas it is bestowed on a man, not to justify him, but rather that he may cooperate in the justification of another”. We have been made partakers in this gift, as it has come down to us as a precious and rich inheritance, around which God has gathered us together as a true family, associating us to the most worthy and honorable cause of serving his Church under the banner of the Institute of the Incarnate Word.
From this originates “the very grave obligation towards the Origin of the charism which is the Holy Spirit, and towards the recipient and co-owner of the charism, which is the Church,” of staunchly defending this charism in its integrity, as well as the obligation to be relentlessly faithful in response to such a gift. Saint John Bosco already said “There’s no need to reform the Rules, rather, practice them. Whoever goes about looking for reformations, deforms his way of life.”
Our charism is the rule which guides the life of each one of us, as members of the Institute, guaranteeing our personal sanctification and perseverance in this gift throughout history. For this reason, our fidelity to Christ in religious life always demands fidelity to the particular charism of our Institute.
Take note how our proper law explicitly states this: “a true religious keeps fidelity and shows a great love, not only for the gift of the call to religious life, but that to his particular Institute.” Furthermore, the Second Vatican Council, the subsequent ecclesial Magisterium, as well as the Code of Canon Law all say it as well. Therefore, fidelity to the spirit of the Institute and to the “mind and purpose of the Founder, sanctioned by competent ecclesiastical authority,” or preserving intact the patrimony of our beloved Institute, should always be considered an integral part of our fidelity to the Incarnate Word himself who has called us to be a part of this congregation. This fidelity will be the measure of the efficiency of our contribution to the life and holiness of the Church and “a secure basis for judging what specific ecclesial activities the Institute, and every individual member, should undertake in order to fulfill the mission of Christ,”
Our proper law goes on to say that “it is imposed in an evident way, according to what has been said that he cannot be a true religious who does not accept, who unjustly criticizes, or who simply wants to live alongside the charism” given by the Holy Spirit to the Institute.
“Being faithful to the charism often times requires an act of courage,” Pope Francis has told us. That is why it is necessary to nourish, inflame, and strengthen ourselves with great effort, to enter fully into the spirit and the teachings which we have received from the beginnings of the Institute so that, if God grants us the immense grace to be tried in our fidelity to our charism, we will be “ready for martyrdom…for fidelity to God.”
That it why it seems very important to me that each of us realizes and values “with thanksgiving and consolation” the precise fulfillment, in regard to the charism of our Institute, of all the criteria that the Church herself has established for the discernment of the charismatic gifts. Therefore, and only with the intention of corroborating that which the Church has already recognized upon approving our Constitutions, and contributing to a greater awareness of the authentic ecclesiality of our charism, I will simply mention, here, some quotes from our proper law which are in full concordance with the criteria mentioned in the letter Iuvenescit Ecclesia published by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and cited in numerous occasions in the last General Chapter.
a) The Primacy of the vocation of every Christian to holiness. Every entity that is born from sharing in an authentic charism must always be at the service of holiness in the Church and, therefore, of the increase of charity and an authentic movement towards the perfection of love. In conformity to this, our proper law establishes that we “want to…become ‘other Christs’ through the holiness of our lives,” and that we “should have ‘a great and very resolute determination to persevere until reaching the end (holiness).” “The call to holiness is something which belongs to the Gospel…a universal call to holiness which is particularly demanding for it implies being likened to God himself;” “holiness which consists, essentially, in the perfect fulfillment of the precepts of charity: principally in love of God, and in second place, love of one’s neighbor. This is common to all the members of the Church, but the religious person has a special relation with holiness, or perfect charity,” etc. In fact, we consider that “A religious who is not willing to go through the second and third conversions, or who does nothing concrete to achieve them, does not actually belong to our spiritual family, though he may be with us in body.” And, for the love of God, “We want to tend toward the sanctification and salvation of men.”
b) Commitment to spreading the Gospel. Authentic charisms “are gifts of the Spirit integrated into the body of the Church, drawn to the center which is Christ and then channeled into an evangelizing impulse” In this way they must be marked by “conformity to and participation in the Church’s apostolic goals” and show “a missionary zeal which will increase their effectiveness as participants in a re-evangelization” In fact, with a holy pride, we confess that “We want to be anchored in the sacrosanct mystery of the Incarnation. […] We want to fervently set out to restore all things in Christ.” For this reason the charism of our Institute resplendently proclaims that “all its members to work in supreme docility to the Holy Spirit and according to the example of the Virgin Mary, so that Jesus Christ will be the Lord of all that is truly human, even in the most difficult situations and under the most adverse conditions… so as to extend the presence of Christ in families, education, the mass media, the scholarly, and in all other legitimate manifestations of human life…thus fulfilling our essential call to be missionaries and Marian.” And so, we commit all our strength in evangelizing culture, which means transfiguring it into Christ, but “not in a mere decorative way, as a superficial varnish, but in a vital way, in depth and to the very roots, following the style of the Incarnation: penetrating and transforming ‘from within’ the human culture.”
c) Profession of the Catholic Faith. Every charismatic entity must be a place of education in the faith in its fullness “embracing and proclaiming the truth about Christ, the Church and humanity, in obedience to the Church’s Magisterium, as the Church interprets it.” Therefore, our proper law affirms with strong conviction: “Jesus is the “Way” to the Father, and nobody goes to the Father except through Him… He is the One who sustains all Church dogmas since He is ‘the truth that contains all others.’” Furthermore, we also confess that “The strictest fidelity to the Supreme Magisterium of the Church of all times, the proximate norm of faith, is absolutely necessary,” and we recognize that it is “the Pope, in whom Truth, the Will, and the Sanctity of Christ become flesh.” For this reason, we make every effort to have “a faith in absolute harmony with the doctrine proposed by the Catholic Church, even in the smallest details, molded with the strictest docility to the directives and teachings of the Pope.”
In conformity with this, the formation which we seek, and pass on, is directed towards “a complete and unified vision of the truths which God has revealed in Jesus Christ and of the Church’s experience of faith. Hence arises the need both to know all the Christian truths, without arbitrarily selecting among them, and to know them in an orderly fashion.” Giving a privileged place to Saint Thomas Aquinas because “the Church has proclaimed that the doctrine of Saint Thomas is her own.”
A palpable proof of our obedience to the Magisterium of the Church is our continuous desire to know, each time more perfectly, and to assimilate in depth the Magisterium, basing ourselves upon it, citing it in an abundant fashion (as we believe is clearly seen in our proper law) and transmitting it in all fidelity.
d) Witness to a real communion with the whole Church. This requires a “filial relationship to the Pope, in total adherence to the belief that he is the perpetual and visible center of unity of the universal Church, and with the local bishop, ‘the visible principle and foundation of unity’ in the particular Church.” This implies a “loyal readiness to embrace the[ir] doctrinal teachings and pastoral initiatives” as well as “a readiness to participate in programs and Church activities at the local, national and international levels; a commitment to catechesis and a capacity for teaching and forming Christians.” All of which we see reflected far and wide throughout our proper law. Let these following quotations serve an illustration of this point: “The Institute of the Incarnate Word recognizes the primary and supreme authority of the Supreme Pontiff, and professes not only obedience to him, but also fidelity, filial submission, adherence, and disposition for the service of the universal Church.” “Each one of the members of our Religious Family ‘wants to belong entirely to the Pope, the Bishops and the Church: worthless things, servants and obedient children of the Church, the Bishops and the Pope, in humility, with fidelity, with love without limits.’” “For which reason [we want to] think with the Church and ‘always act in union with her, in conformity with the teachings and directives of the Magisterium of Peter and of the pastors in communion with him.’” And, “Because Christ is One, we want to work with all our strength to build our life in union with legitimate Shepherds, most especially with a cordial fidelity with the Bishop of Rome, bearing witness to the one Church.” Furthermore, “we who are proud to call ourselves religious of the Incarnate Word would gravely betray our charism if we did not work to have an authentic ecclesial spirituality that incorporates us fully into the Church of the Incarnate Word. We do not want to know anything apart from her.”
e) Recognition of and esteem for the reciprocal complementarity of other charismatic elements in the Church. From this arises a readiness for reciprocal cooperation. Truly: “A sure sign of the authenticity of a charism is its ecclesial character, its ability to be integrated harmoniously into the life of God’s holy and faithful people for the good of all.” Then, our proper law says: “Not only is communion with the Bishop necessary, but we must also strive for communion with other priests ‘under the authority of the bishop,’ who is God’s steward. This communion forms a single presbytery based on the common participation of Christ’s Priesthood.” This unity is based on the intimate sacramental brotherhood, from which we want to establish close collaboration in pastoral work. More so, it is our fervent desire that God “give us the gift of being able to discover and to guide so many vocations that we would fill all the good seminaries and novitiates in the entire world.” By the grace of God, it is encouraging to note that we enjoy a very close relationship with the great majority of the bishops with whom we work, in some places holding offices of importance and of particular collaboration within their jurisdictions, keeping a true friendship and brotherhood with the secular and religious clergy of the different dioceses. The same can also be said in regard to other charismatic realities, as are, for example, other religious congregations with whom we have a close relationship and with whom we work together in many parts of the world.
f) Acceptance of moments of trial in the discernment of charisms. Because a charismatic gift may imply “a certain element of genuine originality and of special initiative for the spiritual life of the Church” and in its surrounding “may appear troublesome”, it follows that one criteria of authenticity manifests itself as “humility in bearing with adversities.” That is why our proper law exhorts us with firm and loving paternity to “We must always follow Christ, and even though the enemies seem to be in the majority, we must say: ‘We are surrounded everywhere, don’t let them escape.’ ‘All creatures appear small to the soul that contemplates God.’” Indeed, we affirm that “the greatest grace that God could grant to our small religious family is that of persecution” and we have been taught to say: “Long live Jesus Christ who gives us the strength to endure all trials for love of Him. [Convinced that] the works of God have always been attacked for a greater splendor of the divine magnificence.” And so, at all times, we are invited to accept the moment of trial as an occasion for purification and practice of self-denial, both of which are necessary elements in the radical following of Christ, connatural to our spirituality. Furthermore, we would recognize as a most gracious favor from heaven the chance of sealing our surrender to the Lord by martyrdom.
g) Presence of spiritual fruits such as charity, joy, peace and a certain human maturity (cf. Gal 5:22); the desire “to live the Church’s life more intensely,” a more intense desire of “listening to and meditating on the Word;” “the renewed appreciation for prayer, contemplation, liturgical and sacramental life, the reawakening of vocations to Christian marriage, the ministerial priesthood and the consecrated life.” For this reason, our proper law demands of us: “Let us therefore preserve our fervor of spirit. Let us preserve the delightful and comforting joy of evangelizing, even when it is in tears that we must sow. May it mean for us […] an interior enthusiasm that nobody and nothing can quench. May it be the great joy of our consecrated lives.” For, we consider it our duty to “demonstrate, with our works, that we have God in our hearts because every tree is known by its own fruit (Lk 6:44), and faith, if it has no works, is dead.” Conscious that the apostolate is a supernatural reality, and always keeping in mind that which the Incarnate Word himself taught us: without me you can do nothing, we dedicated ourselves “with the utmost fidelity to liturgical and personal prayer, to time dedicated to mental prayer and contemplation, to Eucharistic adoration.” “Likewise, as an integral part of our spirituality, we need to know how to call, teach, direct, accompany and select vocations: priestly, diaconal, religious, missionary and secular,” and prayer is the “center of our vocational ministry.” The same thing can be said about our pastoral work with families, which the Lord has blessed in so many parts of the world, to the point that one eminent Cardinal stated that, in his opinion, one of the greatest secrets of our Religious Family is precisely the family, the attention given to families. Throughout these 34 years, who can possibly list all the countless spiritual fruits with which God, in his merciful Providence, has blessed the efforts of our missionaries!
h) The social dimension of evangelization. It is also necessary to recognize that, as a result of the impulse of charity, “the kerygma has a clear social content: at the very heart of the Gospel is life in community and engagement with others.” […] In this regard the “desire to be present as Christians in various settings of social life and the creation and awakening of charitable, cultural and spiritual works; the spirit of detachment and evangelical poverty leading to a greater generosity in charity towards all” are significant. We find in our proper law that, considering that “our Institute desires to follow in the footsteps of the Incarnate Word, who coming to redeem us from sin, had compassion even towards the wounds that sin caused in us, since he passed through this world healing men of their physical and spiritual miseries, and so we, too, want to practice the physical and spiritual works of mercy” and these are found in absolute harmony with the specific end of our Institute. Here, we must point out that it’s not our style to give technical solutions to the problems of underdevelopment as such, but to evangelize promoting personal development, and this, not just in any way, but through the education of consciences. Furthermore, we seek to “spread the social doctrine of the Church through conferences, courses, organized studies in our communities, especially in the formation houses.”
*****
Until here, we have considered the criteria of discernment for recognizing the true ecclesial nature of the charismatic gifts; all of which speak of “graces to which we must be faithful,”
as the Chapter Fathers rightly pointed out in the last General Chapter. It is worth mentioning that these criteria also find their corresponding aspects in the non-negotiable appendant elements of the charism.
Dear brothers, this is what is important: May we always be aware that we are the recipients of a magnificent legacy! Therefore, let us always conserve the spirit of the Institute which witnessed our birth into religious life! Let us keep it integral and blazing within us, may it take even deeper roots in all of our missions, in all of the apostolic endeavors of the Institute, pouring forth its precious balsam upon the souls which enter into contact with us and may we continue with an enthusiasm to transmit it in its entirety and full genuineness—as a “living tradition”—to the generations to come.
We should be pierced by the sublime ideal which envelops our charism: that of working so that
“so that Jesus Christ will be the Lord of all that is truly human,” and may we always be ready to protect it and to bring it to fruition putting ourselves entirely at its service, to boldly spread it in the concrete circumstances of the present, in the light of the ‘signs of the times’ and under the directives of the Church, working for our sanctification and to put forth our grain of sand for the cause of evangelization and for the glory of God.
Let us continue always forward, maintaining a living and fervent spirit, regardless of the adversities and temptations, always remembering that which our proper law teaches us: “There is no school greater than the Cross, in which Jesus Christ teaches His disciples how they should be […]The Cross is the only way of life, the sign of the predestined, the scepter of the kingdom of holiness and ‘the fountain of all blessings; it is the cause of all graces; through it, those who believe receive strength instead of weakness, glory instead of shame, life instead of death.’” The “way marked by the cross is the way which leads to Heaven.”
We must admit with all humility and in all sincerity, that our small Religious Family is also an “eloquent sign of the participation in the multiform richness of Christ” and it “contributes to revealing the rich nature and multifaceted dynamism of the Incarnate Word of God.”
Therefore, in the face of those ‘prophets’ who prophesy lies, and present as predictions the deceitful fancies of their heart we must always have clear that if we exist as a Religious Family, it is the sheer mercy of God that wanted it to be such. That which is of God can not be destroyed neither by human scheming, nor by all of the confabulations of the powerful, nor by our very selves. And may we believe with ever increasing conviction and “unyielding steadfastness that even the most adverse events, those most opposed to our natural view, are arranged by God for our own good, even though we don’t understand His designs, and we ignore the end that He wants to bring us to.” As for the rest, on our part, let us tirelessly make every effort in being useful to the master of the house.
It is up to us, our fidelity and coherence, for this gift to remain alive. If we are faithful to the graces received, the gifts of God are irrevocable, and as such, come what may, the gift of God will remain and will always grow in our souls and in those which we form. For all of these reasons, let us always remain strongly united and fully “coherent with the charism” of our beloved Institute. The reason is very simple, and our proper law lays it our beautifully, when it says: “There is no point in extending ourselves to many countries or having numerous members if we lose our spirit. Infallibility and indefectibility are only promised to the Catholic Church, in the person of Peter and his successors. We will not lose our spirit as long as we are faithful to the Church and observe the will and intentions of the founder in everything related to the patrimony of the Institute,” preserving integral the patrimony of the Institute. This is also the particular service that the Church asks and hopes of us. And if the spirit of our Religious Family degenerates into something else, we ourselves should commit ourselves to beg the Lord to eliminate us from the face of the earth.
By no means, may our words or our works lessen, weaken, detain, become an obstacle, or disfigure the precious physiognomy of our Institute within the Church. The Chapter Fathers already made note of this in 2016 by citing the document Mutuae Relationes: “It is necessary to preserve the identity of each institute so securely, that the danger of an ill-defined situation be avoided, lest religious, failing to give due consideration to the particular mode of action proper to their character, become part of the life of the Church in a vague and ambiguous way.”
Indeed, at times, there is a prejudice which can be spread, according to which one should eliminate any ‘differences’ which characterize and distinguish religious institutes from one another. “Each institute,” Saint John Paul II said, “should be concerned with maintaining its proper physiognomy, the specific character of its own reason for being, which has exercised an attraction, has raised up vocations, particular attitudes, giving a public witness worthy of praise. It is naïve and presumptuous to believe, in the end, that each institute should be equal to all the others practicing a general love towards God and our neighbor. Whoever thinks this way, forgets an essential aspect of the Mystical Body: the heterogeneity of its constitution, the pluralism of models in which are manifested the vitality of the spirit which animates it, the transcendent human and divine perfection of Christ, its Head, which can oly be imitated according to the innumerable recourses of the soul which is animated by grace.”
Rather, in us and in our way of acting, others should recognize the unmistakable seal of credible witnesses of the Incarnate Word.
I believe that we should live interiorly stimulated, aspiring to be able to make our own the wise words that Saint Louis Orione directed to his religious: “He who does not have this strong will [to be faithful to the charism] … let him leave: we can be good friends, but there is no reason for us to be many. Few! Few! So that no one can say: Thou hast multiplied the nation, and hast not increased the joy.
[…] Ours should not be a congregation of weak men, or worse, effeminate; it should be a manly and strong congregation, with a backbone; to such a point that, if one day there were to arise a time of persecution […] of bloody persecution, our Congregation should fall completely, as the League of Thebes, and die as a martyr. This is how the seed of Christians is spread: sanguis martyrum semen est christianorum. It is exactly true!
Our Congregation should be prepared for the most difficult trials, in defense of the faith, of the Church, the Pope, as well as for our homeland […] But, if we do not form ourselves, if Jesus Christ is not within us, if our hearts are not aflame with the love of God, we will never be prepared for such a immense undertaking.”
2. Formation
For this reason, while speaking of the formation of the members our Constitutions say: “Furthermore, living the proper charism of the Institute must be instilled in them.”
Saint John Paul II said: “Formation requires the proper timing, a program which is organic, complete, demanding, stimulating, open and clearly inspired by the norm of norms of religious life: the following of Christ, and in the charism of the founder.” Our proper law points out that this “is a topic of decisive importance.” “For this reason, beginning in the novitiate, we are formed in a gradual manner ‘to lead correctly the life of perfection proper to the institute,’ and we are instructed ‘regarding the character and spirit, the purpose and discipline, the history and life of the institute.’” For, “the words of our Constitutions will be dead words if we do not train generous youth who will hand down to the new generations of our Religious Family the charism that the Holy Spirit granted us.”
That is why there are constant and very vivid efforts being made—and which should continue to be made—to ensure, from our intellectual formation, “certain subject-matters, above all. those who have direct relation with the proper elements of our charism, the non-negotiable elements, and the healthy traditions.” As well as having a team of formators who transmit “the proper form of living the religious life, its observances, the vows, the charism, and may they be experts in all that has to do with the spiritual patrimony of the Institute.” In addition, seeking to continue with ongoing formation for all our members so that they might be capable of “integrating creativity in fidelity” towards the grace of the charism, a formation which deepens the knowledge of it as well as the proper law in the official documents and other writings. As well as any other initiative which is being carried out to cultivate the proper spirituality. An integral part of this formation, in accordance with the charism of the Institute is sending—not without great sacrifice—various of our members to carry out higher level studies whether in Rome or in other countries.
I would also like to point out that, although it is principally the work of the superior to be a “spiritual master in regard to our charism and spirituality,” each one of us—monk, novice, seminarian, brother, or priest—should make active efforts to form himself, nourish himself, and “enter deeply within the charism and finality of the Institute,” not only for the reasons mentioned in the first part of this circular letter, but also so as to know how to discern and “discover what [God] asks of us concretely as members of the Institute.” Let us always remember that a “right interpretation of the charism […] should never abandon the essential elements,” but, rather, on the contrary, it should protect them.
We should be conscious that our fidelity to our charism needs to be deepened in its understanding, each time more broadly, about the history of the Institute, its particular mission and spirit, making every effort as well to incarnate it in our personal and community life. Each of us should—to say it in some way—“put on the jersey” of the Incarnate Word, that is, to defend our ideals without holding anything back, and to boldly put forth to restore all things in Christ, living the charism in authenticity and in the diversity of cultures and geographic situations, fighting for its ideals and defending it with manliness. Only in this way will we be “living memory of the way that Jesus, the Word made flesh lived and behaved,” as is asked of us.
3. Fecundity
“Love the Institute by living out the charism,” our proper law tells us. And as “love ought to manifest itself in deeds rather than in words” we should bring to fruitfulness, with a creativity in our pastoral initiatives, the beautiful and multifaceted charism of our Institute, always attentive to the demands of the present moment and “in absolute and unrestricted ecclesiastical communion.”
“Let us be men of intrepid faith who are not limited to ‘only defending and safekeeping that which has been entrusted to us but let us also have the courage to negotiate with our talents so that they may multiply.” This is the sublime task that was entrusted to us in our vocation as members of the Institute, so that we might be a concrete imprint that the Trinity leaves in history. And, as such, this has to do with all of us—whatever the office might be that Providence has assigned us to; because “even within the community, it is always a personal journey.”
We should irradiate in the world “the luminous joy of the choice that we made” through our own apostolic works which should always be accompanied by our personal witness as religious. How gratifying and fruitful it is to see when—as I have been able to experience it in the missions which I have been able to visit— in our parishes and in our apostolates we manifest what we are! When our missions and apostolates carry, so to say, “the seal of the IVE!” When people say “this is a parish of the IVE” or “these are IVE priests” even without anyone telling them, they affirm it, either because of the witness of life which the missionaries give, or because of the “way” they carry out a work, or by the unmistakable presence of those works which we call “our proper apostolates!” It is a law in relation to fidelity: our houses and missions which best live the charism are those which bring forth greater apostolic fruits.
Let us, then, love our Congregation, practicing with ardent zeal and generosity the proper virtues of the consecrated men of the Incarnate Word, dedicating our greatest strengths and all of our enthusiasm to the development and the expansion of our proper apostolates, that is, so that the charity and the truth that Christ taught us become culture, being “anxious to preach the Word in every way,” practicing charity in concrete ways—in a preferential way towards the most needy– for charity is indispensable in evangelizing culture. Let us not forget that “Like the incarnate and crucified Word, we must have ‘thirst for souls.’” For this reason, our proper law says, quoting Saint Louis Orione: “Whoever does not want to be an apostle leaves the Congregation: today, whoever is not an apostle of Jesus Christ and the Church is an apostate.”
Therefore, not only should we identify ourselves entirely with the charism that God has graciously given us, but, furthermore, we should also make it flourish with the help of God and our Most Holy Mother. A task which demands us to be “willing to die, like the grain of wheat, in order to see Christ in all things.” Because, “as by the Cross of Christ, the world was redeemed, so also it is by the Cross of the missionary that Redemption is applied to souls.”
It should be our solemn and regal commitment to give ourselves without reserve to serve Christ, working with all our strength to extend the Incarnation to all reality, even in the most difficult situations and in the most adverse conditions. As members of the Institute of the Incarnate Word, that is the “noble and beautiful servitude” to which God has graciously called us, and which we should prefer above “any and all the other offices which we could have been asked to carry out within the Church.”
The immense richness and the actuality of our charism, rooted firmly in the sacrosanct mystery of the Incarnation should lead us on to bring it to fruition.
Finally, my dear brothers, so as to conclude, let us reread again the paternal exhortation which our proper law makes to us, citing again Saint Louis Orione: “Love your congregation in its holy finality!… Love it because it is your Mother! Give it great consolations, honor it with your life as good and holy religious; as genuine and holy sons!”
Let us be relentlessly faithful and may we have nothing to fear for ourselves, nor for any of our works.
May Mary Most Holy, the Faithful Virgin, grant us the grace to remain faithful to the charism received “without faltering because of compliments or threats; rising above the vicissitudes of fortune and failure, and willing to give up our life, if necessary, for the good of the Institute in the service of Jesus Christ.”
Consoled and grateful for having been chosen to be heirs of such a precious gift, let us go onward with great joy and trust, dedicating ourselves to “for the most divine work among the divine ones, which is the eternal salvation of souls.”
A very happy feast day of the Presentation of the Lord! Happy Feast Day of the Religious of the Incarnate Word!
A great hug.
Fr. Gustavo Nieto, IVE
General Superior
