Rome, Italy, July 1, 2017<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Dear Priests, Seminarians, Brothers, and Novices,<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
\u201cOne cannot be an apostle without being creative; and without being creative, one cannot be a missionary.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
For us, who confess to have an \u201cessential call to be missionaries,\u201d one of the non-negotiable elements of the charism of our Institute is precisely this apostolic creativity.\u00a0 This element comes from the very mandate of Christ: Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel<\/em> and As the Father has sent me, so I send you.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n For, in that go <\/em>pronounced by the Incarnate Word, it is understood that our pastoral work must be one of an incisive approach, rather than a bureaucratic one. For the election of the apostles by Christ does not only imply the call to be with <\/em>Him, nor the mere invitation to leave all<\/em> for Him. Within our vocation is also the implicit call to \u201cgo\u201d to make disciples of Christ of all nations. Jesus came as sent by the Father, and is always in search of lost mankind until he finds it. We, whether priests, seminarians, novices or brothers, will give witness that we truly belong to the line of the apostles only insofar as we accept walking with Christ and share in his deep desire for the salvation of souls, now more urgent than ever, because \u201cin our day Jesus\u2019 command to \u2018go and make disciples\u2019 echoes in the changing scenarios and ever new challenges to the Church\u2019s mission of evangelization, and all of us are called to take part in this new missionary \u2018going forth\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Hence, this \u201cgo\u201d necessarily calls for a missionary attitude, which leads us to not simply be content with remaining closed within our parishes or our religious houses, waiting for others to come to us, especially considering the circumstances of today\u2019s world.\u00a0 Each one of us should feel sent to each of the souls with which we enter into contact and who we have under our jurisdiction. Moreover, we should see ourselves as called to save the numerous souls as God pleases to make use of us. The love of Christ impels us!<\/em> And it is the same love towards the Incarnate Word that should drive us to widen the boundaries of the Kingdom of God.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n St. John Paul II says that \u201cthere must be no lessening of the impetus to preach the Gospel\u201d to those who are distanced from Christ, \u201cfor this is the first task of the Church.\u201d The Holy Father says that the mission \u201crepresents the greatest challenge for the Church\u201d and \u201cthe missionary task must remain foremost.\u201d\u00a0 Following this teaching, Pope Francis tells us \u201cWhat would happen if we were to take these words seriously? We would realize that missionary outreach is\u00a0paradigmatic for all the Church\u2019s activity<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In a previous Circular Letter we spoke about the universal dimension and the certain help that God gives to fulfill the mission entrusted to us.\u00a0 In this Letter, I would like to speak about the importance of our fidelity to the Holy Spirit\u2014the principal agent of the Church\u2019s mission\u2014who does not only urge us to the mission, but at the same time arouses in us a generous creativity of words and works so that the gospel which we announce might become life in the diverse circumstances where we are, and allows us to overcome all the difficulties which we might encounter in the mission.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Our Constitutions<\/em> say that \u201cwe do not want our Religious Family to be guided by any spirit other than the Holy Spirit,\u201d and that \u201conly with absolute fidelity to the Holy Spirit can we skillfully use the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n And so, the fidelity to the Holy Spirit that is asked of us\u2014\u201cthe best, total, and unrestricted\u201d\u2014implies on one hand the consequent response of fidelity to the ineffable love of God and for the charism received (and therefore that which the Church expects of us) in such a way that we can say with the Apostle: \u201cIf I preach the gospel, this is no reason for me to boast, for an obligation has been imposed on me, and woe to me if I do not preach it!\u201d<\/em> But also, on the other hand, this fidelity to the Holy Spirit is the means by which we can hope that our efforts might bear fruit.\u00a0 That is why our Constitutions<\/em> go on to say beautifully: \u201cOur feeble breath is only fertile and irresistible when it communes with the Wind of Pentecost.\u201d\u00a0 Therefore, we cannot speak of apostolic creativity without speaking of being faithful to the motions of the Divine Spirit.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Saint John Paul II repeated insistently in his magna carta<\/em> about the mission that \u201cthe Holy Spirit is the principal agent of the mission\u201d and our proper law takes as its own such affirmation on various occasions.\u00a0 For it is the Holy Spirit who not only \u201ctransforms the disciples in a marvelous way\u201d and makes them capable of working as his instruments, but at the same time works in the listeners and makes the Good News \u201cextend through history.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Pope Francis says, as well: \u201cHow I long to find the right words to stir up enthusiasm for a new chapter of evangelization full of fervour, joy, generosity, courage, boundless love and attraction! Yet I realize that no words of encouragement will be enough unless the fire of the Holy Spirit burns in our hearts. A spirit-filled evangelization is one guided by the Holy Spirit, for he is the soul of the Church called to proclaim the Gospel.\u201d Ultimately, \u201cSpirit-filled evangelizers are evangelizers who pray and work,\u201d and so that they might work, they first allow themselves to be transformed by the Spirit.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n However, for such transformation of the disciples and action within souls to take place, it is imperative for us, missionaries of the Incarnate Word, to let ourselves be guided by the Spirit, to live the mystery of the sending of Christ, and to love the Church and men as Jesus has loved them.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n This is why it is pointed out as a proper part of our spirituality as missionaries the acceptance and the commitment \u201cto being molded from within by the Spirit, so that we may become ever more like Christ,\u201d and to \u201cto receive the gifts of fortitude and discernment, which are essential elements of missionary spirituality.\u201d\u00a0 For \u201cit is not possible to bear witness to Christ without reflecting his image, which is made alive in us by grace and the power of the Spirit.\u201d The mission today, as in the apostolic times, continues to be \u201cdifficult and complex,\u201d and for this reason it is absolutely necessary that we maintain an intimate union with Jesus Crucified, animated by the Holy Spirit, fundamentally and principally by means of prayer.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n It is in prayer where \u201cwe must ponder the mysterious ways of the Spirit and allow ourselves to be led by him into all the truth,\u201d it is there where we must drink in the freedom of spirit with which God blesses the truly humble.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Seeking Christ in prayer is fundamental for us. This holds true, simply because being religious and being a missionary, implies being men of faith.\u00a0 Our Directory<\/em> does well to say: \u201cMission is an issue of faith<\/em>, an accurate indicator of our faith in Christ and his love for us.\u201d Faith that should be nourished by the daily contact with our Eucharistic Lord.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Blessed Paolo Manna wrote to his missionaries: \u201cThe fervent life of a missionary, his regular, wise, industrious and untiring activity, the unalterable joy of his life and his perseverance in the work, even in the midst of privation, hardship and difficulty, are always the result of a life of faith.\u00a0 If faith is obscured, then zeal is also diminished; then even the strongest are affected by tiredness and discouragement, and they might end up completely unhappy and lose their vocation. If instead, the missionary lives by faith, then it is great, it is wonderful, it is divine: he can give his whole self to the Church and to souls; no hardship, no difficulty defeats him; no heroism is beyond his power! If the spirit of faith in him is languid and weak, he will get worked up, he will work, but nevertheless, all of his fatigue will serve for little or nothing, and the lack of success of his works done half-heartedly, will increase in him a lack of trust and depression.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n This is why Christ calls us to himself before sending us out; and if each day we seek him in prayer, neither strength, nor creativity, nor dedication for seeking the opportunities for presence, witness and apostolic service, nor energy to always go forward in our missionary work will ever be lacking.\u00a0 \u201cOnly in the depths of contemplation can the Holy Spirit transform your hearts; and only if your own hearts are transformed will you be able to fulfil the great task of helping others so that the Spirit may guide them into all the truth<\/em>, which is the essence of the Christian mission.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n To achieve being \u2018in tune\u2019 with the Holy Spirit, the Directory of Spirituality<\/em>, points out that we should: a)<\/strong> be attentive to his inspirations, working against habitual dissipation, lack of mortification and disordered affections; b)<\/strong> exercise ourselves in the discernment of spirits; and finally c) <\/strong>be docile and ready in the execution of the Holy Spirit\u2019s requests because \u2018indecision is foreign to the grace of the Holy Spirit\u2019, always working against the temptation to delay, against the fear to sacrifice and totally surrender, and against the temptation to recover what we have given, seeking compensation or setting our hearts on things that are not of God.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n It is of equal importance for us to recognize ourselves as \u201csent by Christ\u201d for \u201cWe cannot understand or carry out the mission unless we refer it to Christ as the one who was sent by the Father to evangelize.\u201d Our proper law, quoting the magisterium of the Church, clarifies that, although it is true that the missionary is required to \u201crenounce himself and everything that up to this point he considered as his own, and to make himself everything to everyone,\u201d it is also true that precisely because the missionary is sent by Christ, he experiences the consoling presence of Christ, who accompanies him in each moment of his life: I am with you always, until the end of the age<\/em>. <\/em>Convinced of this truth, we should fearlessly march onwards, with a certain boldness to carry out, with constancy and generous self-giving, any enterprise that the Spirit himself prompts us to take on.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n If a missionary is not only a man of faith but must also be \u201ca person of charity,\u201d it is absolutely necessary that we be nourished by the same Spirit of Love, who is the Holy Spirit; that we let ourselves be guided and inspired by Him, and that we \u201cmake space\u201d in our hearts so that it may be filled with zeal, so we may \u201cgo forth\u201d with a healthy initiative, and with complete readiness in search of souls, overcoming all obstacles.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Second Vatican Council clearly teaches this: \u201cThese habits of mind should be earnestly exercised already in [the] time of training; they should be cultivated, and should be uplifted and nourished by the spiritual life. Imbued with a living faith and a hope that never fails, the missionary should be a man of prayer. Let him have an ardent spirit of power and of love and of prudence. Let him learn to be self – sufficing in whatever circumstances; always bearing about in himself the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may work in those to whom he is sent, out of zeal of souls, let him gladly spend all and be spent himself for souls, so that \u2018by the daily practice of his duty he may grow in the love of God and neighbor\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Precisely for this reason, our proper law insists that our religious cultivate, from the beginning of their formation \u201ca great love for the virtues that form the foundation of our spiritual growth, such as humility, charity, and docility to one\u2019s superiors.\u201d For, \u201chardly will those be suitable for the mission who \u2018know everything,\u2019 \u2018who don\u2019t get along with anyone,\u2019 who find defects in everything, who argue about everything and will not listen to or obey anyone except when the other person is in line with what they think themselves.\u201d And the reason for this is very simple: because \u201cGod opposes the proud, but bestows favor on the humble.<\/em> And if God opposes a missionary, what good could the missionary possibly do?\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Each one of us should always keep in mind that \u201cthe vows do not dispense one of his proper apostolic initiative, or of intensely seeking in his relationship with God, the will of God in diverse circumstances, seconding the motions of the Holy Spirit.\u201d This is why we usually refer to when we say that one \u201cmust have one\u2019s own drive (motor propio<\/em>).\u201d Apostolic initiative and obedience are two realities that cannot be dialectically opposed to one another. Personal initiative does not exclude nor is the detriment of obedience, and obedience should not exclude such initiative; both realities should be harmoniously united.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n For this reason, our Directory of Missions Ad Gentes<\/em> establishes that our religious \u201cfor such an exalted task, \u2026be prepared by a special spiritual and moral training. For he must have the spirit of initiative in beginning, as well as that of constancy in carrying through what he has begun; he must be persevering in difficulties, patient and strong of heart in bearing with solitude, fatigue, and fruitless labor.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The Chapter Fathers recalled the same thing during the recent General Chapter in 2016, upon speaking about the formation of our religious as missionaries: \u201ca deep vision of faith is necessary, especially illumined by the mystery of the Incarnation. [This] demands reflecting and meditating upon how the Word would have adapted to this particular culture, that of one\u2019s proper mission; and how is it that his Mystery enlightens this concrete human being and acting.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n To illustrate what we have been saying, I would like to quote here this masterful page of Saint Manuel Gonz\u00e1lez who with an experienced hand wrote: \u201cIt is with that zeal which disquiets, which distresses, which takes away sleep, which turns the souls of the faithful into a type of obsession for the priests, that the priest learns to become all things to all people<\/em> and it is this zeal which gives the adaptability for different offices, conditions, personalities and circumstances to the one who exercises the role of father for such diverse types of children.\u201d The saint continues, \u201cThat zeal gives to the priest, who possesses it, the ability and the flexibility to become a farmer with the farm workers, lawyer with those who plead, a carpenter, a stonemason, or any other type worker when there is work to be done but no money to pay for it; a child with the children, young with the youth, old with the elderly. That zeal, finally, is what places on the face of the priest that unchanging smile with which he receives all people and all things, whether pleasant or unpleasant, and on his lips that word, always calm and affectionate; it is that zeal which many times leads him to put his hand in his own pocket only to empty it out into the pocket of another.\u00a0 Yes, zeal brings forth true miracles of initiative, of improvising, of self-control, of generosity without conditions or limits.\u201d That is why I say, that wherever this zeal is nested in the heart of a missionary, there, the true flower of evangelization will spring forth.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Imbued by the Spirit of Christ, which is the Holy Spirit, He himself will inspire us to open new paths so that the message of the Son of God might penetrate in the hearts and at the turning points of culture, teaching us in the perception of the signs of the times, to be a part of the vanguard of the renewal desired by the Church; responding effectively and competently to the needs of the current times. Saint John Paul II wrote: \u201cIt is the Spirit who impels us to proclaim the great works of God.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In announcing the works of God, it is almost a natural consequence of the action of the Holy Spirit to raise up, in the heart of the missionaries, initiatives of all types, so that with great daring, and even greater enthusiasm, one does not only set forth on the noble task of saving souls, but that one multiplies the ways of doing so, always on the lookout for occasions to proclaim the Gospel.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n And so, we say that \u201cwe want \u2018to leave no stone unturned so that the love of Christ may have the highest supremacy in the Church and society.\u2019\u201d For, by the uncontainable pressure that comes from the fully conscious responsibility of the missionary mandate and from the love of Christ, this zeal for souls arises.\u00a0 \u201cAll missionary and apostolic work is based on the conviction that Christ must reign.\u201d Hence, for us, \u201ca merely conservative attitude is not enough,\u201d but rather we experience a passionate anxiety \u201cto preach the Word in every way, following St. Paul\u2019s advice: Preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke, and exhort\u2026.\u201d<\/em> As Venerable Archbishop Fulton Sheen well said: \u201cexertion without the Holy Spirit is impatience; impatience, touched by the Holy Spirit, is zeal for souls.\u201d Therefore, we consider it our priestly happiness\u2014and that of the seminarian, monk, brother, or novice\u2014 to<\/em> gladly spend and be utterly spent<\/em> for the salvation of souls.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Given that \u201cconsecrated life itself, guided by the action of the Holy Spirit, becomes a mission,\u201d we are convinced that our religious consecration, the intimacy, the richness and the stability of our special bond with the Holy Spirit are at the root of this zeal, of this passion for the missions, and of the missionary creativity which distinguishes our Religious Family.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We are asked to be \u201ccheerful in our works,\u201d and marked by an originality and a genius within our apostolate. As missionaries of the Incarnate Word this is truly ours, and this is the spirit that has bound us together: not counting what it costs to be servants of Christ and of his Gospel, being valiant in all of our apostolic works because we set out on them completely trusting in Divine Providence which never ceases to assist us and gets us through everything.\u00a0 And this is why we unceasingly ask God the grace to \u201cpreserve and cultivate the spiritual fervor and the joy of evangelizing, even when we have to sow among tears,\u201d for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In communion with the winds of Pentecost, we are called to be ready for the \u201cUnlimited availability for the ministry of the Word, motivated by reasons of urgency, opportunity and effectiveness in the service of the kingdom of God,\u201d because we are convinced that coming from \u201cthe line of the apostles\u201d we have received the whole of this world as the five talents that we are called to bring to fruition, and that is why we do not renounce a priori<\/em> any type of apostolate, nor do we want to save any efforts for carrying the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all places.\u00a0 The Chapter Fathers already said this in 2007: \u201cno apostolic work is foreign to us, precisely because nothing authentically human is foreign to us.\u201d And because, in analogy to the mystery of the Incarnation, which is at the center of our spirituality and charism, and in which the Word assumed a complete and perfect human nature, we must be convinced that we should reach all men and every environment which can be assumed by the gospel, for \u2018anything that wasn\u2019t taken, was not redeemed.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n This is why we want to and why we should mission as the Incarnate Word himself did, the same way the apostles did, and the same way that the multitude of missionary saints who preceded us have done, totally giving ourselves to the missions with \u201can interior enthusiasm that nobody and nothing can quench,\u201d not \u201cdejected, discouraged,\u201d but through a life abandoned to the cause of Christ, radiating the fervor of having received the joy of Christ, and persuaded that it is an honor for us to consecrate our life \u201cso that the kingdom may be proclaimed and the Church established in the midst of the world.\u201d This is our challenge; whether our mission be in a parish in the midst of the indifference which is typical of big cities, or in an isolated village; whether we work in a university or help take care of orphans or handicapped persons; and even whether we are within the cloister or if we have been \u201c \u2018relegated,\u2019 for motives of an illness or age, to an apparent inactivity.\u201d Because in all places we long to be salt of the earth and light of the world,<\/em> salt which gives new inspiration to society, light which directs towards eternal horizons.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n And so, although some consider as \u201cmisbegotten\u201d and while others might affirm \u201cthat it\u2019s not prudent\u201d to \u201ctake on works with limited means, in a poverty of resources and personnel; making great sacrifices to take on new apostolates or missions; choosing and accepting the most difficult places\u201d to mission, we, who want to be ever more faithful to our spirituality \u201canchored in the sacrosanct mystery of the Incarnation,\u201d understand\u2014as the Notes<\/em> of the last General Chapter point out\u2014that \u201cliving based on the [mystery of the Incarnation] brings with it a constant calling to the virtues of transcendence and of self-denial.\u201d\u00a0 While for some, this might be uncomfortable, we do not want to, and we cannot renounce our identity.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We uphold that, while it is true that we are asked to be \u201creligious who live poverty to the fullest,\u201d it is none the less true that, for the apostolic works we need proportionate material resources and so we should also be \u201cmagnanimous and magnificent in taking on apostolic tasks, according to God\u2019s will, without getting caught up by the difficulties or the expenses that one should have in the different apostolic commitments, trusting Divine Providence for this. Especially in the Houses of Formation, in education, in the means of social communications, in publishing works, in missions, in the service of those who are most needy, etc.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n On another note, I wanted to point out that all of our proper apostolates have a great validity, and when we speak of \u201capostolic and missionary creativity\u201d we do not mean looking at \u201cwhat everyone else is doing\u201d to imitate them, which would be detrimental to that which is properly ours.\u00a0 Rather, we affirm, yet again, that our proper apostolic works do not only maintain their actuality, but that the Church has actually sent us to develop precisely those apostolates in having granting us the canonical mission the day of our approval as a religious institute. And so, when we speak of \u201cmissionary creativity\u201d we refer to the adaptation that is duly required (\u201caccording to the different circumstances of time, place and culture\u201d) so as to become \u201cprivileged means of evangelization, of witness and of authentic human promotion,\u201d so that they may be always vigorous, incisive, with further reach and scopes, opportune, up-to-date<\/em>, knowing how to seek out new spaces, without fearing \u2018investing\u2019 for doing that which is good, being encouraged so as to reach the modern Areopagi where the message of the Gospel can have greater intervention, etc without this being an impairment to our identity, or distancing ourselves from the evangelical intention of the foundational charism. Rather, on the contrary! we strive to bring from the storeroom both the new and the old.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n This \u201capostolic creativity\u201d is asked of us by our Constitutions<\/em> when they state: \u201cWe have to take on the modern Aeropagi that are open to the Church\u2019s activity without abandoning the traditional methods of apostolate. Healthy creativity is an essential element of the living Church tradition. We must not be afraid; Christ Himself invites us to put out into the deep!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Elsewhere, our proper law also points out: \u201cThe mission, of itself, allows for great creativity, always insofar as that which is essential is respected: that the authentic Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ be preached, that the conversion is sought out for those who are in sin, that those who receive missionaries approach well prepared to the sacraments, that there be a renewal in the depths of the Christian life, that the perseverance of the people be taken into consideration.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n May it be far from us that \u201cpastoral of upkeep,\u201d without enthusiasm, incisiveness, without contact with the people, behind a desk, not in touch with reality and which waits for souls to knock on our doors.\u00a0 For, that type of \u2018pastoral\u2019 work is, in the end, nominalist, superficial, about waiting and not incisive, as the Church asks of us and as we desire. And so, it does not attract, it does not transform, it does not move to great ideals, and it produces very little fruit.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Therefore, the excuses for lack of time, lack of support, of \u2018being surrounded by long faces\u2019, of the lack of infrastructure, or the pretexts born from the excessive worrying for one\u2019s own health, of the anxiety provoked by the exaggerated expectation of \u201cperfect conditions\u201d or the too common temptation of thinking that \u201cnobody sees what we do,\u201d or covering one\u2019s back by saying \u201cI\u2019m not in charge\u201d only to detach oneself from seeking out new inititatives, etc should never restrain, paralyze, or dissuade us from moving to atleast try<\/em> that others might love and serve Jesus Christ and to always do more and do better for the sake of Christ.\u00a0 It is precisely there, in those circumstances, where we should exercise our apostolic creativity. In fact, how many times, just for those same difficulties taken on with integrity, with creativity, with shrewd ingenuity, God has blessed\u2014and blesses\u2014our apostolates with abundant fruits.\u00a0 We are never more authentically members of the Incarnate Word than when we work so \u201cthat Jesus Christ will be the Lord of all that is truly human, even in the most difficult situations and under the most adverse conditions,\u201d for this is our charism.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Dear all: It is up to us to \u201cguide our soul to great acts\u2026\u201d to \u201crisk our lives so that others might have life and hope,\u201d to continue onward driven by \u201can untiring zeal for souls, with a spirit of sacrifice, with patience, and mercy\u2026,\u201d founding \u201call our apostolic enthusiasm\u201d in Christ alone and in the unfailing help of our Most Holy Mother.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n In this regard, I wanted to mention here\u2014for the edification of all and as concrete examples of missionary enthusiasm\u2014the praiseworthy efforts of our members, for example, in going forth with constructions while being themselves in situations of great need, trusting that God will send the necessary means for the vocations that he sends (as is the case with the Novitiate in Tanzania and the Seminary and Novitiate in the Philippines); or the almost irrepressible desire of our monks to open more monasteries\u2014although it implies great sacrifices\u2014so as to multiply the intercessory and prayerful presence in this world which so needs them; the dedication and the commitment of those who work to carry forth, as well as expand, the \u201cFabro Project\u201d with quality publications in Spanish, English (and even in Russian); the fervent offerings of countless religious to go to difficult places (even where missionaries are persecuted and their lives are always threatened); not holding back any means for the often dry and difficult task of learning new languages (such as Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Germanic languages, Lithuanian, and so many other dialects); the intense and arduous work that so many jurisdictions carry out to put on Youth Festivals, Family Days, truly concerned about \u201ccounting on the means to give a more regular spiritual assistance, and a more solid and complete formation;\u201d the apostolate with Volunteers which bears great fruits; in addition to the great strength that our missionary work takes on, in those places where we work together, working with our Sisters; as well as, the hidden but magnificent work of spreading the good spirit and disseminating the Good News done by those who work in the various web pages of our Institute.\u00a0 I also would like to point out the selfless giving of the many members who busily work in carrying forth the formation of so many candidates for the priesthood and the Consecrated life (currently 133 postulants and novices and more than 350 in seminary); as well as the quiet and selfless work of spiritual direction, of teaching and advising in the governments and in the missions which around 200 of our priests help with in serving the Sisters Servants of the Lord.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Although there are many more to name, countless valuable examples hidden to our eyes, but clearly seen before God, these listed are enough palpable and practicable examples, as long as we have in our soul and in our heart the words without Me you can do nothing<\/em> which our Lord spoke. Only God knows the numerous other apostolic initiatives that we might accomplish by his grace and our generosity. The destiny of an entire people might be radically transformed in time and in eternity depending on the fidelity and generosity with which we follow the inspirations that the Holy Spirit places in the depths of our hearts. This, in fact, has happened many times in the history of the evangelization of nations. Let us always keep this in mind.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We would have a short-sighted vision of reality if we were to ignore or deny the difficulties of various natures \u2014internal and external\u2014 which we are faced with in the missions. And without detaining myself to list them all, I wanted to remind you of this: difficulties are a part of our path, and although at times they may seem impossible to overcome, they should not discourage us, because the work for the salvation of souls is not merely a human work, but a divine one.\u00a0 And the One who pronounced the words Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel,<\/em> is the same one who told us: Do not be afraid!<\/em> Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age<\/em>; take courage, I have conquered the world.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Today, by the grace of God, our Institute is on all five continents, mostly in countries where holy missionaries have walked before us, superior men, through whom the Holy Spirit worked marvels.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Some of them were men who were eminent for their intelligence and their prophetic teachings, as is the case with our beloved Saint John Paul II<\/strong>, the great planetary missionary, who until the end of his days continued saying: \u201cDo not be afraid! Open wide the doors to Christ!\u201d \u201cRise, let us be on our way!\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Others for their great capacity for speaking the language of the place of mission, or for their great ability to assimilate and their interaction with different people, as was the case with the great missionary Matteo Ricci<\/strong>, <\/em><\/strong>an Italian, who spent almost 28 years in China.\u00a0 \u201cWhere there is friendship, there is success,\u201d was one of his maxims.\u00a0 And his characteristic kindness towards the Chinese people, accepting them in their history, their culture, and their tradition, made him \u201cChinese with the Chinese,\u201d and so he became \u201ca precious connecting link between West and East, between European Renaissance culture and Chinese culture, and between the ancient and magnificent Chinese civilization and the world of Europe.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Others stood out for their great strategic vision and their hardworking for the mission, as we see in the example of Saint Toribio of Mogrovejo<\/strong>, Spanish missionary, who at 42 years old was named the Bishop of Lima. He crossed his Archdiocese, primarily on foot, three times, in those times when it included the countries of Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Columbia, Venezuela, and part of Argentina.\u00a0 He used to say: \u201cOur great treasure is the present moment. We have to take advantage of it to gain eternal life. The Lord God will ask us for a strict account of the way that we have made use of our time.\u201d He was the one to found the first Seminary in America and he increased his parishes in his Archdiocese by over a hundred. We take from him the phrase which we pray in our formula of religious profession when we say that we will pledge all our strength so as \u201cnot to be elusive to the missionary adventure.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n We could go on naming countless examples of courageous missionaries, dedicated to all types of work, ready for any sort of undertaking.\u00a0 Whatever the case may be, it is certain that it was not only their natural talents, nor their capacity for organization, nor the numerous means available which made them great missionaries.\u00a0 Rather, above all, it was their awareness of their own incapacity and the generous self-giving with a total and trusting abandonment to the all-powerful and provident love of God which made of them great missionaries, and more importantly, holy missionaries, who let themselves be carried by the breath of the Holy Spirit, convinced of the truth of the teaching of St. Paul: \u201cWhat is Apollos, after all, and what is Paul? Ministers\u00a0through whom you became believers, just as the Lord assigned each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God caused the growth. Therefore, neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth\u2026For we are God\u2019s co-workers; you are God\u2019s field, God\u2019s building.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n The salvation of mankind, in which we are\u2014by sheer grace and divine election\u2014collaborators, is a task which is eminently divine, of a greatness such that it surpasses the dimensions and the possibilities of human strength; and as such, it can only be carried out if we accept and trust completely in the omnipotence and the unlimited goodness of our God.\u00a0 This was the secret of the saints, the soul of their zeal, their perseverance, and their triumphs; this is the sublime teaching that they have left for us and that I wish all of us to always have present before our eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n All of us, sooner or later, are purified in the crucible of apostolic tribulations. Nevertheless, we should be brave and enthusiastic in our apostolates, without allowing the difficulties, the lack of support, the eagerness to see the widespread fruits, the insecurity of the future, the ingratitude of those who benefit from our works, the lack of physical strength, or interior desolations, discourage us, take away our enthusiasm, or distance us from the work begun. \u201cIn fact, the grace of God is fully manifested in weakness.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Together with the Spiritual Father of our dear Religious Family, I say again to you: \u201cLet no one be discouraged! Let no one be carried away in the moments of difficulty and in eventual defeats! May no one be overcome by the temptation of the futility of our efforts!\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Saint John Bosco once wrote to a pastor who was discouraged: \u201cYou, though, should say calm. Do not speak about being freed from your parish. We must work! [Say to yourself:] I will die in the work field as a good soldier of Christ<\/em>. Am I worth nothing? I can do all things in Him who strengthens me. <\/em>Are there thorns? With those thorns, transformed into flowers, the angels will weave for you a crown in heaven. Are times tough? They have always been so, but God never fails in giving assistance. Christus heri et hodie<\/em>.\u201d And on another occasion, he said to his own: \u201cMay all work with zeal and ardor: work, work! Busy yourself always and untiringly to save souls!\u201d We, too, should do the same thing, \u201ccome what may, happen what may\u2026whatever criticism arises.\u201d \u201cWhat matters is to take a step, one more step. It is the same step that always begins again.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n It is true that many times \u201ceach brick is a cross, each stone a suffering. The tears intertwine them.\u00a0 This is how the saints built.\u201d This too, is how we should build. And, although, at times it seems that God delights in multiplying the difficulties, that detain us and pin us in an impotence and, although we want to, we cannot: Let us always trust! Our Lord is ours! Let us go to him with confidence. Souls expect much from us.\u00a0 Let us not deceive them in our generous giving.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Lastly, I want to mention here the brave and often times heroic example of many of our members who, in difficult fields of mission, give us the example of perseverance and of how true royalty\u2014as he whose kingdom is not of this world<\/em> taught us\u2014is in the joy of self-denial and in being accounted for as nothing. To them, who were not content with just simply passing through those difficult places, and not being discouraged in the face of difficulties, have remained there, although a long time might pass until the seeds they have sown for evangelization might bear visible fruits, I manifest our most sincere gratitude and recognition, because the lamp of their faith and of their charity shines with an even greater clarity. And no one who gives of himself in such a way can be lost. Continue to always be faithful!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n To the Mother of the Incarnate Word and the Queen of Apostles, I entrust all of the apostolic works of our Institute as well as all of those which we have in the works, and those that in the future God will inspire in our souls.\u00a0 May She fill our hearts with the same fervent zeal which animated her own heart. May we be helped in all things by this Mother in whom we trust and who is our ideal as missionaries. Ave Maria<\/em> and onward!<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Viva la misi\u00f3n!\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n Fr. Gustavo Nieto, IVE<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n General Superior<\/em><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Rome, Italy, July 1, 2017 Dear Priests, Seminarians, Brothers, and Novices, \u201cOne cannot be an apostle without being creative; and without being creative, one cannot be a missionary.\u201d For us, who confess to have an \u201cessential call to be missionaries,\u201d one of the non-negotiable elements of the charism of our Institute is precisely this apostolic […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1335,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[73,185,37,184,85,116,102,61,94,186,57,71,48,176,47],"class_list":["post-172","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-circularletters","tag-apostolate","tag-apostolic-and-missionary-creativity","tag-christ","tag-creativity","tag-faith","tag-generosity","tag-holy-spirit","tag-incarnate-word","tag-missionary","tag-perseverance","tag-prayer","tag-preaching","tag-priests","tag-providence","tag-religious"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=172"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1589,"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/172\/revisions\/1589"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1335"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=172"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=172"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ourcharism.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=172"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}1. The mission is an accurate indicator of our faith<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
2. Ardent missionary fervor<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
3. Apostolic Tribulations<\/strong><\/h4>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n