MISSIONARIES The Circular Letter of Fr. Joseph M. Abella,cmf Superior General. Rome 2012

Introductory Remarks The circular letter of Fr. General presented to the Congregation in 2012 is one that is apt and very intense in its description and reflection both on the world we live in and the need to review our style of mission in line with the sign of the times. This also occures in an important period of the life of the Church with all the changes positive and negation that we are experiencing in the world.

INTRODUCTORY In view of these changes and the urgent need to respond in a missionary way to these challenging changes, the circular letter proposed new horizon of mission and in reenforces the need to keep to certain already know terrein of mission. The church is responding to these new realities with the proposals to the all the faithful through some very important declaration, means and convocations namely: The declaration of the year of Faith the convocation of the Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome fromin 2012, on The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith.

DIVISION OF THE LETTER The document is generally divided into four parts. Part one deals with: THE MISSION, A FUNDAMENTAL TOPIC with two sub divisions namely: POINTS OF REFERENCE WHEN IT COMES TO CONSIDERING OUR MISSION TODAY. THE NEW QUESTIONS THAT TROUBLE US   Part II NEW HORIZONS FOR THE MISSION OF CONSECRATED LIFE with two sub divisions namely: CHALLENGES TO THE MISSION IN THIS PERIOD OF HISTORY and SEARCHING FOR PATHS TO THE FUTURE.

Division of the Letter Part III. OUR CLARETIAN MISSION TODAY with three subdivisions namely: SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CLARETIAN MISSION TODAY, 2 PASTORAL PRIORITIES FOR THIS SEXENNIUM and APOSTOLIC STRUCTURES AND ACTIVITES Part IV. THE MISSIONARY’S CALL TO HOLINESS followed by the CONCLUSION.

Purpose of the Letter: The purpose of this letter is to encourage everyone to walk down a path that will lead us to a bolder and more generous commitment to proclaim Jesus Christ and to steadfastly collaborate in the building of the Kingdom of God.

PART I CHAPTER 1. THE MISSION, A FUNDAMENTAL TOPIC POINTS OF REFERENCE FOR THE MISSION Father Founder   Our Father Founder serves as the first point of reference. We turn our gaze to him and his experiences. His Call: here we focus on what motivated it, How he internalised it and how he expressed his response through projects and activities.

Our Founder The Claretian traits that help us define our motivation and sustain our missionary commitment Ability to listen and analyse the historical reality of his time Meditation on the Word of God, he discovered his call

The Founder 4. He used the paradigm of his day, He allowed himself to be challenged by both the reality and the Word and responding. 5. Spirituality and organizing his people were guided by missionary concern His missionary zeal, being the axis around which the various dimensions of his personality and the projects of life as priest and bishop revolved in cluding the founding of the Congregation.

OUR FOUNDER His apostolic Prayer, “the stimulus that moved him to mission:” Oh My God and my Father. . . (Auto 233).- the focus of our Spirituality and missionary motivation Times have changed and we need to creatively interpret our situation in the world now.

1.2 Guidance from the Magisterium The 50th anniversary of the Vat II. The council that changed the mindset and mission of the Church in the world. 1. New ecclesiology of communion of different but mutually inter-related charisms and ministries 2. Mission is friendly dialogue. It calls for a sense of openness to the world and attentive listening to the questions of journeying humanity.

Guidance from the Magisterium This dialogue in urgent and must but sincere on the ecumenical, interreligious and universal fronts Church in Africa is the instrument of communion and reconciliation (Ecclesia in Africa, Africae Munus). The growing number of those who have become part of the ChristIan community- the Family of God.

Magisterium The Council has being a source of major change and the emphasis on dialogue has be a way of speaking with the context of our mission

Other Important References: Attention to reality: the sitz im leben of our mission area. We need to be open and have a cordial relationship with the people around. Our mission and preaching will only work if they are done in the context of “dialogue of life”. Contributions from theological and pastoral reflections: there is need for new theological approach that will help missionary creativity.

Other Sources Witness of people whether Christian or not which stirs up hope: the Spirit acts through various people. (Romero, Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Nyerere etc). They widen our horizon and often question our narrow perspective. The Discernment of the community: this is one of the places from where God speaks to us. This happens in a communitarian and intercultural ambience. Led by the Word of God, we allow the voices and signs, which come from the reality that surrounds us, to penetrate into our hearts.

THE NEW QUESTIONS THAT TROUBLE US: How can we remain credible signs of God’s love in the world where exclusion is on the increase The current revolution in the world of communication, we ask: The phenomenon of secularization is contra the world of faith.

Questions… Scientific progress are now questioning the past certainties Ecological questions and concerns about the intergrity of creation Questions about Pstoral Ministry The question of evangeization of our pastoral structures

The Questions… What constitutes the core of evangelization The question about our life style.

NEW HORIZONS FOR THE MISSION OF CONSECRATED LIFE The Term Mission: 1.When we speak of ‘mission’ we are, of course, speaking of something more than just apostolic activities. The mission reaches further than specific apostolic ministries; it articulates different dimensions of our life, all of which are called to be an announcement of the newness of the Kingdom of God. The mission is at the centre of the consecrated life and of the identity of each Institute.

New Horizon of Mission 2. the mission of each institute is the mission of the entire church that stems from the mission of Christ expressed in one of the favorite texts of our Founder Lk 4,18-19. 3. Mission involves care for creation 4. Mission has a Trinitarian root We therefore participate as religious in this mission and each institute will give particular visibility to their way of carryout this mission.

CHALLENGES TO THE MISSION IN THIS PERIOD OF HISTORY Change is the central term in our era and this has happened on the sphere of Values, relationships, institutions ans systems. This is our common experience.

THE FOUR EXPRESSIONS OF CHANGE Globalization Cultural and Religious pluralism The Challenge of Secularism In Search of true harmony

SEARCHING FOR PATHS TO THE FUTURE Our First Contribution to the Mission: to deepen the spiritual dimension of our life. Dialogue as the place of Mission: First of all, this requires that we place people and their situations at the centre of our concerns. A frank dialogue involves a careful consideration of reality, analysis and reflection. Dialogue cannot be carried out without a great sense of humility, without recognizing one’s own limits and be sensitive to other people’s questions and attitudes. Dialogue requires being open to the surprises along the way, and also demands creativity

Path for the Future 3. The option for the poor and the Excluded and the Commitment Justice 4.Rethinking the Role and Location of our Activities 5. Gaining Ground in Inter-congregational Collaboration and Shared Mission:

Part III OUR CLARETIAN MISSION TODAY SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CLARETIAN MISSION TODAY a. Shared Mission : Areas of Shared Mission 1. The Church: Under two dimensions: the Universal and the Particular 2. Our Charismatic family:

Three models of carrying out a shared mission in a Charismatic family Integrate both religious and lay members into a single community: A jointly shared participation in the same activity or apostolic project: the project here is jointly share and not transitory 3. Temporary collaboration in a project or in a particular activity, but without explicit link to the charismatic family.

Claretian Mission 1.2 Mission in dialogue: Dialogue is seen as the place where evangelization really happens. Listening Skills in dialogue Discernment Creativity Jointly shared mission: MFL. 58.3. “ We reaffirm, the priority of the Congregation for prophetic solidarity with the impoverished, marginalized and those whose right to life is threatened in such a way that this repercussions in our personal and community life style, apostolic mission and in our institutions.”

Claretian Mission 1.4 Mission with a Vocational thrust Choice of way of life Human Values Vocation to the Congregation To counter individualism and lack of the recongnition of the transcendence

PRIORITIES Bible Ministry Evangelization through new communication technology New Generations and Families Justice and peace and integrity of creation

Apostolic Structures and Activities The need to better understand the explanations of the “all means possible” within the priorities stated is very important. This will mean that some will be emphasized above others but all must pervade our ministry. In arriving at this, there will be need to debate and properly work out what is most appropriate for every major institute.

Part IV THE MISSIONARY’S CALL TO HOLINESS We as Claretians are the protagonists of our missionary activities. For this activities to have any meaning and great impact, we must be people of deep spirituality. Therefore, the Chapter call us to deepen the mystical dimension of our life MFL 54. On this depends the success of our ministry- success on every sphere for the greater glory of God.

CONCLUSION The letter concludes with the song of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is also our song, the song of the foremost missionary. Being Missionary is our identity.

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