Communion in the Charism

COMMUNION IN THE CHARISM

Introduction

In this sixth circular,my brothers and partners in the mission, my intention is to underscore the importance of living out our charism and mission in communion with one another. I have chosen as my title “Communion in the Charism” patently aware, as I have explained in the previous circular, that charism is composed of the three dimensions of spirituality, brotherhood and mission. I have not, however, deemed it necessary to include the word “mission” in the title, because mission is part of charism, and in turn, charism is a gift at the service of mission.

I have likewise opted to deal with the specific theme of communion in chapters three and four. The rationale for this is that, though we brothers and our lay partners in the mission are called to live communion in relationship with one another, we nevertheless have distinct vocations; therefore, we’re speaking of communion lived out in diversity. Given that reality, it seems to me important to present these two vocations each in turn. Though both callings find their source of life in the wellspring of the Gospel, each is actualized in its own particular way.

In our fervent desire to foster this common objective of communion, our priority must be to understand and appreciate the particular value of each vocation.

In the third chapter I enter straight to the core issue, and I try to present the notion of communion and its fruit, the charismatic family, as well as the stages required to achieve this end. In the fourth chapter, I put forward the essential means to undertake the way of communion: the opening up of our local communities and the common formation of both our brothers and our partners in the mission.

Through the intercession of Father André Coindre and VenerableBrother Polycarp and of all of our forebears, may the Spirit give to us, brothers and lay partners, the grace to live out our founding charism in genuine communion, enthusiasm and generosity.

CHAPTER I. Vocation and the laity’s mission

As we begin this chapter let us remember with feelings of affection, admiration and gratefulness the numerous lay people whom we have encountered on the road of life, and who continue to contribute so much to our mission and ministry. I would like to single out one of these persons, whom I met several years ago.

His name was Peter. He died peacefully and quite unexpectedly on February 23, 2006. A few days later one of his friends said of him, “Even at 77 years Peter Konder was far too young to die.”

I met Peter for the first time in Barranquilla, Colombia, on December 2, 2003. He was born in Germany.While still a child Peter had to abandon formal education because he had contracted a very serious illness. The die seemed cast against him; there seemed to be no way for him to further his education. But his positive spirit and indefatigable attitude toward life, plus the support of one of his brothers, allowed him to overcome adversity.

Peter eventually received a doctorate in mathematic in his native country and began his teaching career there. He eventually found his way to Colombia, where he taught for twelve years.

In 1968 one of his friends suggested to him, “Professor Konder, it seems to me that you would render greater service to Colombia from Germany rather than by remaining in this country.” He followed this advice, returning to his homeland and to the University of Mainz, where he continued to work until his death.

During his time in Colombia Peter had nurtured a particular love for the people of that country. From 1968 until 2005, he returned two or three times a year to give courses in mathematics at various universities within and beyond the capital, Bogota. He facilitated exchanges of professors and students between the two countries and helped numerous less fortunate young people to advance their education. To the last, he kept his lust for life and his dynamic spirit. Thanks to him a large number of young Colombians were able to complete their university studies either in Colombia or in Germany, and today they exercise their respective professions in their homeland at the service of others.

When I first met professor Konder, I was intrigued to learn where he got his “joie de vivre,” his pleasant character and demeanor, his simplicity, his spirit of service, his dynamism, and his readiness to lend a helping hand to the most deprived.

I saw him one day at Mass at the Church of the Immaculate, Barranquilla. As we were both leaving the church, I was able to exchange a few words with him, with the result that, I came to see in this man, whom I already much admired, someone of a deep and lively faith, a friend of God and of His children. I came away with the conviction that this was the wellspring from which he drank and which filled his heart to overflowing with kindness and compassion towards all, especially the littlest ones.

I am certain that each of us can remember – that is to say “relive in our hearts” – lay people who, like professor Konder, listen to the Word of God, turn towards God with all their heart, and give their entire life to doing good for others. They may be people from our own families, educators, people who have journeyed with us in our mission, parents of students, former students, as well as professionals of every sort. We have doubtless encountered many such people in our mission and in our varied ministries. We give thanks to God for such people. Their values, their generosity in the accomplishment of their duties and responsibilities, and the witness of their lives constitute irrefutable proof of the excellence of the vocation and the mission of the laity. Let us give thanks to God for the gifts that the Spirit has sown in their hearts for the good of the Church and of society.

The Lay vocation

In accordwith the teachings of the Magisterium since Vatican II, I now focus on the lay vocation andits revaluation in the Church.

Affirmation of the Lay vocation

In recent decades the Church has been unwavering in its determination to give renewed importance to the vocation and mission of the laity, who have consequently taken on new responsibilities in helping to advance the mission of the Church.

What was the rationale behind the Church’s change in perspective? On the one hand both the individual human person and civil society have gained importance, to such an extent that present-day society is more horizontal. On the other hand, Vatican II promoted an ecclesiology of communion that emphasizes equal dignity among all the faithful, as well as the mutuality of the various vocations in the Church.

The council fathers dealt at length with the vocation of the laity, especially in the constitutions Lumen gentium and Gaudium et spes, as well as in the decree Apostolicam actuositatem. Other documents followed and completed the Church’s teaching on this topic. These include the apostolic exhortations Evangelii nuntiandi (1975) and Christifideles laici(1988), and within the framework of the educational mission, the documents published by the Congregation for Catholic Education, The Catholic School(1977), Lay Catholic Witness to the Faith in the School (1982), and Educating Together in the Catholic School(2007). All these documents deserve special mention.

The Ecclesiology of Communion

Beforethe Second Vatican Council the Church saw itself as a“society of faithful Christians.” Since Vatican II the Church has defined itself as “the People of God.”

The word “society” evokes the notion of an organized human collective, with distinct groups characterized by their differences; whereas, the word “people” expresses the fundamental and equal dignity of all the faithful and their common vocation, regardless of their respective ministries and/or functions. “People” implies that relationships take precedence over the organization.

In the ecclesiology of communion, the Church is seen essentially as the “People of God” or as a communion of the faithful united into a single body with Christ as its head. This concept is primarily founded on the revelation of God as God-Family, of a perfect communion between the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Created by God in his image and likeness (cf. Gn 1:26-27), men and women are beings who find their fulfilment in their relationship with others. The document Educating Together in the Catholic School, declares: “Therefore, within the sphere of biblical anthropology, man is not an isolated individual, but a person: a being who is essentially relational.That communion to which man is called is characterized by a dual dimension: vertical (communion with God) and horizontal (communion with people).”(§ 8)

In line with this anthropology,the Christian,in the image of the God-Trinity, is called to live a life of communion in the body of Christ, which is the Church. “Communionis, therefore, the ‘essence’ of the Church, […], ‘the home and the school of communion.’(Novo millennio ineunte, § 43); Educating Together in the Catholic School” § 10)

To say that the Church is the “home of communion” amounts to saying that communion is its natural climate and ecosystem. But Church communion is not turned in on itself.It is called to be a school of communion, to build communion among men and women of the human community – the great family of God – so that all may dwell in it as brothers and sisters, inspired by the Trinitarian communion.

In other words, the very fact of being communion stimulates the Church to build communion around itself, for “communion represents both the source and the fruit of mission: communion gives rise to mission and mission is accomplished in communion.” (Christifideles laici, § 32) Communion and mission are like opposite sides of the same coin. Thus mission consists in building communion, and living communion contributes to the fulfilment of mission.

We are, all of us, bishops, priests religious men and women, and lay people, called to live communion and to be builders of communion in the Church and society. “Every one of us, possessing charisms and ministries, diverse yet complementary, works in the one and the same vineyard of the Lord.” (Ibid., § 55)

To define Church as People of God or Communion of the Faithful – a Church of communion or a community of communities – amounts to saying that all the faithful are clothed in equal dignity, a dignity received at Baptism.

There is no state of life more perfect than another; for all, each according to his/her vocation, are called to holiness, that is to say to live out Gospel radicality by virtue of their Baptismal consecration. All the faithful, through their various ministries, share the same mission of the Church. By virtue of the sacraments of initiation, lay people are agents in evangelization and not simply its beneficiaries. The universal priesthood of the faithful and ministerial priesthood are inseparable. Everyone in the Church is a sign for the others, according to his or her charism, vocation and ministry.

In this vision of the Church the emphasis is on what unites rather than on what separates; it is a matter of the common vocation rather than of establishing distinctions between particular vocations. Understood thus, organization finds its source in community, and not vice-versa. Instead of a tendency in the first instance to highlight differences of condition and state – the hierarchy, priests, religious, lay – from the outset there is a fusion of communion and mission.

Awareness that communion is part of the deepest identity of the Church has never ceased to transform significantly the relationships among the various groups of believers and has contributed to a more comprehensible articulation of the role of each in the mission of evangelization.

The new relationship of communion and the complementarity among the various vocations at the heart of the Church, called as they are to witness together to the risen Lord in all times and in all places, constitutes an eloquent witness for the faithful and for humanity in general and will bear fruit in abundance.

In the document that deals with fraternal life we read: “Encounter and collaboration among religious men, religious women, and lay faithful are seen as an example of ecclesial communion and, at the same time, they strengthen apostolic energies for the evangelization of the world.” (Fraternal Life in Community, § 70)

Universal call to fullness in the Christian life

Earlier it was said that by virtue of our Baptismal consecration we are all called to live Gospel radicality. The fact is that as baptized children of God, we are born anew in Christ, and thus we are “called to the fullness of the Christian life and to the perfection of charity.” (Lumen gentium, § 40) We are all called to follow and to imitate Christ as we embrace His Beatitudes, as we listen to and meditate upon the Word of God, as we participate in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church, as we lend ourselves to personal, family and communitarian prayer,and as we practice the commandment of love in all circumstances of life.(Cf. Christifideles laici, § 16)

In each of these states, we all share an equal dignity and the universal vocation to holiness;we are all in relationship with our brothers and sisters offering ourselves in mutual service. “The Fathers were fond of referring to the Church as a field of a pleasing and wonderful variety of herbs, plants, flowers and fruits.” (Ibid., § 55)

Vocation and the mission of the laity

I offer here a few aspects of the vocation and mission of the laity.

Collaboration in the mission of the Church, which continues the work of Jesus

The document Christifideles laicideclares that “by virtue of this common baptismal dignity, the faithful lay person together with all ordained ministers and with religious men and women, is co-responsible for the mission of the Church.”(§ 15; cf. § 29)A little further in the text the same emphatic theme returns: “The Church's mission of salvation in the world is realized not only by the ministers in virtue of the Sacrament of Orders but also by all the lay faithful.” (§ 23)

Christ is Priest, Prophet and King. He is the High Priest who offers himself totally to the Father for the sake of His glory and for the good of all His children. He is the long-awaited Prophet, who through his life and action transmits to us the message of God Whom He presents as a Father who deeply loves His children, the women and men of this world. Jesus Christis the King of kings who places his entire life at the service of God and humanity.

As the vine is to the branch, we are all members of the unique Body of Christ, one with Him, and we participate, each in our own way, in His life and in His mission. This participation comes to us from the infusion of the Spirit into us; it finds its root in Baptism, its growth in confirmation and its fulfilment in the Eucharist.(Cf. Christifideles laici, § 14)

Lay people, men and women, young and less young, sick or in good health, poor or rich, are not in the Church simply to be evangelized but to be evangelizers themselves. They participate in the priesthood of Christ as they witness to Him by offering to the Father their lives of prayer, work, professional activity, rest and relaxation, conjugal relations, family life, etc. They take part in His prophetic mission by proclaiming the Word especially through the witness of their lives. Equally, they participate in the royal mission of Christ by living out their friendship with God, far from sin. Finally, they proclaim the Word through their service of justice and through their love for their sisters and brothers, especially the most needy.

In response to the call of the Second Vatican Council, lay people have benefitted from an ever-increasing participation in the life and mission of the Church. Pope John Paul II gave recognition to this growing participation when he declared: “The commitment of the laity to the work of evangelization is changing ecclesial life.” (Redemptoris missio, § 2)

Spirituality, that intimate relationship with Jesus, is the source of the apostolate of the laity. Strengthened by this relationship and energized by faith and love, lay people live and grow in the spirit of joy, simplicity and mercy – the very spirit of the Beatitudes – as they strive to be pleasing to the Father in all things.

The Specific Vocation and Mission of the laity

To follow Christ is the vocation common to all Christians, be they bishops, priests, religious women and men, or lay. The diverse functions merely serve to set in relief one or another aspect of the Incarnation of Christ: his priesthood, his prophetic role, his attention to the poor, etc.

In Jesus Christ, God and the world are reconciled, the spiritual and the temporal come together. The mission of the Church and of all the faithful is to continue the saving work of Jesus as they seek the integral salvation of mankind in its spiritual and material dimension.

The temporal commitment of the Church is manifested in its effort to transform earthly realities so that in its accomplishing of the will of God the world may be permeated with the spirit of Christ,so that these realities tend to the good of all.(Cf. Lumen gentium, § 31) This material dimension is rooted in the incarnation of the Word.