PART ONE
THE FOUNDER AND THE INSTITUTE
Section One
THE CHARISM OF THE FOUNDER
Identity and name
1 The Institute derives its identity and specific manner of following Christ[24] from the charism of the Founder[25], lived in consecration in the light of the sign of the times. The official name of the Institute is “MISSIONARII COMBONIANI CORDIS JESU, abbreviated MCCJ.
1.1 The missionaries draw inspiration for their personal life and missionary service from the Founder's witness of life. His writings are an integral part of the programmes of formation and renewal, of missionary and vocational promotion.
1.2 The basic documents through which the missionary comes to know Comboni's charism are: the “Plan for the Regeneration of Africa” (1865), the “Letter and Petition” to the Fathers of the First Vatican Council (1870), the “Rules of the Istituto delle missioni per la Nigrizia” (1871)[26].
1.3 Through their consecration the missionaries fulfil in a new way their faithfulness to the original inspiration of the Founder. Their communion with the Lord and among themselves, and their dedication to the work of evangelization are deepened and enriched by the individual and community practice of the evangelical counsels.
1.4 The spiritual heritage of the institute includes the sound traditions that have nourished the life of the members[27], the history of its work of evangelization and the memory of those missionaries whose lives have best exemplified the original charism.
1.5 In addition to the official name other names may be used as required by practical reasons or local circumstances.
Total dedication
2 Daniel Comboni distinguished himself for his total dedication to the missionary cause for which he spoke, worked, lived and died[28]. The source of such strength was an unshakeable faith and the certainty that his vocation was from God[29], and that God's work could not fail[30].
2.1 In obedience to the divine plan of salvation and in accordance with the Founder's witness of life, the Society is entirely dedicated to missionary service. This determines its activities, life-style and organization, as well as the preparation of its candidates and the renewal of its members.
2.2 Following the example of the Founder, the missionary is ready to take the initiative, constant in carrying out any undertaking, persevering in difficulties, patient and strong in bearing loneliness, exhaustion and apparently useless labour[31].
Heart of Jesus
3 The Founder discovered in the mystery of the Heart of Jesus the thrust of his missionary commitment. Comboni's unconditional love for the peoples of Africa had its origin and model in the saving love of the Good Shepherd who offered his life on the Cross for humanity. “Trusting in that most Sacred Heart ... I feel more inclined to suffer... and to die for Jesus Christ and for the salvation of the unhappy peoples of Central Africa”[32].
3.1 The Society preserves this relevant element of the Founder's charism as a precious inheritance. It deepens and proposes it in the light of the Word of God[33] and in accordance with the characteristics of the Local Church.
In the mystery of the Heart of Christ, the missionary contemplates, in their fullest expression, Christ's innermost attitudes and makes them his own: his unconditional giving of himself to the Father[34], his all-embracing love for the world[35] and his involvement in human suffering and poverty[36].
3.3 The contemplation of the pierced Heart of Christ, Which gives' birth to the Church[37] is a challenge to missionary action as a commitment for total human liberation[38], and to that fraternal charity which must be a distinctive sign of the Comboni missionary community[39].
Mystery of the Cross
4 Comboni lived out his call in the sign of the Cross, through suffering, obstacles and misunderstandings, convinced that “the works of God are born and grow at the foot of Calvary”[40].
4.1 The missionary places the crucified, risen and living Lord at the centre of his life[41], for he believes that the power of Christ is revealed in the weakness of the Apostle: “That is why I am quite content with my weaknesses, and with insults, hardships, persecutions and the agonies I go through for Christ's sake. For it is when I am weak that I am strong”[42].
4.2 In the acceptance of the cross the missionary makes up “all that still has to be undergone by Christ for the sake of his body the Church[43]”
“Poorest and most abandoned”
5 God’s call to missionary service became reality for Comboni in his choice of the peoples of Africa who at that point in history appeared to him to be “the poorest and most abandoned of the universe”[44], especially concerning the faith.
5.1 This unbreakable link with Africa is part of Comboni’s personal charism[45], being tied too that particular moment in history. From its very foundation the Society was called to work for the evangelization of Africa. Therefore, as long as there exists in Africa the need for evangelization, the Society will continue in its commitment to that continent.
Hour of God
6 Every historical era has its hour for the call of peoples to the faith. Faithful to his vocation and docile to the Spirit, Comboni was attentive to God’s hour for Africa. He clearly perceived that “the hour of grace decreed by Providence is here calling all these peoples to take refuge in the peaceful shade of Christ’s fold”[46].
6.1 The Society must remain faithful to Comboni in its choices, preferring, “the poorest and most abandoned” with a wise interpretation of the signs of the times and openness to the guidance of the Spirit.
Save Africa with Africa
7. From his missionary experience Comboni developed his plan for the regeneration of Africa by Africa. He proposed that the Africans be missionaries to their own brothers and sisters, and he anticipated the time when they would also become promoters of the evangelization of other peoples.
7.1 By the prophetic vision of the Founder, the missionary is encouraged to respect the peoples to whom be is sent, to trust them and to foster the development of self-sufficient local Christian communities that are responsible for the spreading of the Gospel among other peoples as well.
Universal outlook
8 With his Plan Comboni sought to unify and involve all the agents of evangelization present in Africa and other available forces. He knew how to be a mission promoter of the Church and sought missionaries of different nationalities so that his work would be “neither Spanish, nor French, nor German, nor Italian but Catholic”[47].
8.1 Following the example of the Founder, the missionary, wherever he acts, tries to be a ferment of unity among the various agents of evangelization.
8.2 The missionary spares no effort to raise the missionary consciousness and commitment of the Church, causing it to question itself when necessary, and he always remains open to new ways of mission promotion.
8.3 The missionary mobilizes all civil and religious resources, and cooperates with them in the total advancement of the peoples among whom he works. He remains free in front of human forces that seek to use the proclamation of the Gospel for their own purposes.
8.4 The missionary considers it a basic requirement of his vocation to overcome national prejudices.
Loyalty and challenge
9 Comboni's unfailing royalty to and love for the Church were rooted in his missionary charism. He expressed them particularly by an untiring effort to move the conscience of the Pastors of the Church concerning their missionary responsibility so that Africa's hour might not pass in vain[48]. He himself wanted to perform his work for the salvation of Africa as a missionary sent by the Church[49].
9.1 The missionary maintains an attitude of sincere communion with the Pope and Hishops as a condition of faithfulness to the Gospels[50]. Even in particularly difficult situations he seeks a respectful and frank dialogue with the competent authorities, ready to accept their decisions[51].
Section Two
THE INSTITUTE
Community of brothers
10 The Comboni Missionaries of the Heart of Jesus are a community of brothers[52] called by God and consecrated to him through the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience for missionary service in the world, according to the charism of Daniel Comboni. They share the same life with equal rights and duties except those deriving from the sacrament of Orders.
10.1 The missionary makes a life-long commitment to missionary service. His profession of the evangelical counsels offers him a more stable way of life in order to develop his missionary commitment.
10.2 Through the evangelical counsels, which lead to the perfection of charity, the missionary is united in a special way to the Church and her mystery. His life becomes a concrete witness to the unbreakable bond that unites Christ and the Church, and an expression of that love which urges the Church to spread the Kingdom of God to the farthest corners of the world[53].
10.3 By his community life the missionary witnesses to that new brotherly community in the Spirit[54] which he is sent to proclaim and to make present among the peoples he evangelizes[55]. The presence of the different members enriches him, thus rendering his evangelizing efforts more complete and effective.
Plurality of services
11 According to the Founder's original inspiration the Institute is composed of Priests and Brothers. This fact makes the Institute's ecclesial character more complete and its activity more fruitful, through the variety and complementarity of its services[56], in keeping with its specific purpose.
11.1 The missionary priests are consecrated for the ministry of the Word[57] and the celebration of the Eucharist, towards which all the other sacraments are ordered[58]. In communion with the other priests they exercise the pastoral service of unity[59] and of the promotion of the other ministries, with special attention for those that concern missionary service. Moreover, in virtue of their missionary charism, they are ready for the concrete services required by the growth of the ecclesial community and the promotion of more human conditions.
11.2 The Brothers fulfil their missionary consecration to God, by taking an active part in the upbuilding and growth of the human and Christian community, through the exercise of their professional work, their cooperation in the pastoral work according to the concrete needs of the individual communities, and their evangelical witness of life. Thus they offer a particular contribution to human promotion that is an integral part of evangelization[60].
Link to the Holy See
12 The Comboni missionaries are a clerical 12 religious Institute of pontifical right. Composed of Priests and Brothers, directly dependent on the Sacred Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples.
12.1 The close cooperation between the Institute and the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples is a sign of unity and corresponsibility for the mission of the whole Church.
Purpose of the Institute
13The Institute bas the purpose of carrying out the evangelizing mission of the Church[61] among those peoples, or groups of peoples, not yet or only inadequately evangelized[62].
13.1 The Institute accepts as members only those persons who intend to consecrate themselves without reserve and until death[63] to the work of evangelization in keeping with its purpose.
13.2 The missionary manifests his membership in the Institute by accepting in faith the persons who make it up and the superiors who lead it, its purpose, way of life, fields of work and all the concrete choices that it has made during its history according to the Founder's charism.
Achieving the purpose
14 The Institute achieves its purpose by sending its members to serve where there is a request for missionary activity[64] in keeping with the Founder's charism; by fostering missionary awareness among the people of God at the local, national and international levels; by promoting missionary vocations and providing programmes of formation and renewal.
14.1 The Institute renews its commitment to work among the peoples of Africa and America and remains open to other fields, provided that truly missionary work is required.
14.2 Priorities in choosing fields of work are the result of dialogue with the Holy Sec and the Local Churches, of an examination of missionary situations today in the light of the Founders's charism and the historical tradition of the Institute and in keeping with the requirements of religious and community life.
14.3 Periodically and especially during the General Chapter, the Institute reviews, in the light of its purpose, its commitments and the activity of its members.
Availability
15 In virtue of his vocation the missionary is ready to go forth in faith and obedience to the peoples or groups of peoples among whom the Institute, performs the work of evangelization. The Superiors are duty bound to make this possible for each missionary according to the charism of the Institute.
15.1 Every missionary who fulfils a task assigned him by the competent authority and in keeping with the Institute's purpose, shares in its missionary character[65].
15.2 Ailing and elderly missionaries contribute to the missionary service through the witness of their life, through their prayers and sufferings, as well as through their share of responsibility in the various ministries entrusted to them according to their abilities.
Signs of the times
16 The Institute on its journey of faith in the world and for the world is intimately connected with humanity and its history. Consequently, while the missionaries live and interpret events in the light of the Gospel, they remain open to new questions and situations, and revise their attitudes, institutions and methods and seek new solutions[66].
16.1 The rapid changes taking place in the world and in the Church demand constant attention and readiness as well as individual and community discernment on the part of all the missionaries. To be effective, such attention and discernment may require the utilisation of the human sciences.
16.2 Through the prophetic character of the religious life, the Institute and each missionary are involved both in up-dating themselves and in being a challenge and leaven of on-going evangelical transformation, and a proclamation of the ever new demands of God's Kingdom.
16.3 Answers to local questions cannot be complete unless they are given in a wider context. Hence each missionary is concerned with the problems of the world, especially of the areas where his confreres work. This universal concern demands constant inter-communication and adequate information.
Inter-church service
17 The mystery of the Church is lived in the 17 plurality and communion of Local Churches. Each bears the responsibility for missionary service[67]. The Institute is a sign of the fraternal solidarity of the Churches in the common missionary responsibility. Its members are a missionary expression of their Church of origin and active members of the inviting Church. This inter-church service is a source of mutual enrichment[68].
17.1 The Institute sends its members also as an expression of the missionary vitality of their Churches of origin. The Institute remains united with these Churches and cooperates with them in those fields that are in accordance with its missionary purpose. The missionary himself establishes and maintains regular contact with his diocesan and parochial communities.
17.2 The Institute has a specific vocation which enables it to render effective service to the Local Church, enriching it without losing its own identity. The missionary endeavours to learn from the peopleamong whom he lives and to share in the gifts the Spirit has given them.
International character
18 Composed of members from different countries and cultures, the Institute is an expression of brotherly friendship and solidarity, and a sign of the catholicity of the Church. It gives concrete witness to that fellowship in the Spirit which is proper to the people of God. It does not suppress diversities, but makes them factors of unity.
18.1 The missionary acquires an international disposition and outlook only gradually. By personal effort and adequate training he becomes able to compare and share views and experiences originating from the diversity of cultures and to understand and respect other peoplein their differences.
18.2 The Institute endeavours to facilitate the exchange of ideas, experiences and values between the Local Churches, particularly through the deployment of personnel from different nations.
Cooperation
19 Following the example of the Founder, the Institute cooperates with other evangelizing agents and organizations to ensure a more effective missionary service and to avoid duplication of efforts and personnel[69].
19.1 Because of the common inspiration to Comboni's charism, the Institute cooperates in a particular way with the Comboni Missionary Sisters and the Comboni Secular Missionaries in the fields of evangelization, missionary promotion and formation.
PART TWO
THE INSTITUTE:
A COMMUNITY OF BROTHERS
CONSECRATED FOR
MISSIONARY SERVICE
Section One