MISSIONARY PRAYER INTENTION - “That Institutes of Consecrated Life, so flourishing in mission countries, may rediscover the missionary dimension and, faithful to the radical choice of Gospel counsels, be generous in bearing witness to Christ and proclaiming Him to the ends of the earth.” Comment on the Holy Father's Missionary Prayer intention for February 2008

Tuesday, 5 February 2008

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - “ From the very beginning of the Church men and women have set about following Christ with greater freedom and imitating Him more closely through the practice of the evangelical counsels, each in his own way leading a life dedicated to God... Despite such a great variety of gifts, all those called by God to the practice of the evangelical counsels and who, faithfully responding to the call, undertake to observe the same, bind themselves to the Lord in a special way, following Christ, who chaste and poor (cf. Matt. 8:20; Luke 9:58) redeemed and sanctified men through obedience even to the death of the Cross. Driven by love with which the Holy Spirit floods their hearts (cf. Rom. 5:5) they live more and more for Christ and for His body which is the Church” (cfr. Perfectae caritatis, 1). The Decree Perfectae Caritatis, emanated by Paul VI 28 October 1965, indicated fundamental guidelines for renewal of religious life to meet the needs of the times, in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council.
The unique role of consecrated life for mission ad gentes was later indicated by John Paul II in the encyclical Redemptoris Missio. At paragraph 69, “The Missionary Fruitfulness of Consecrated Life ”, the Pope writes: “ From the inexhaustible and manifold richness of the Spirit come the vocations of the Institutes of Consecrated Life, whose members, "because of the dedication to the service of the Church deriving from their very consecration, have an obligation to play a special part in missionary activity, in a manner appropriate to their Institute”. Then John Paul II invited institutes of contemplative life “ to establish communities in the young churches, so as to "bear glorious witness among non-Christians to the majesty and love of God, as well as to unity in Christ’. This presence is beneficial throughout the non-Christian world, especially in those areas where religious traditions hold the contemplative life in great esteem for its asceticism and its search for the Absolute”. To Institutes of active life he indicated “ the immense opportunities for works of charity, for the proclamation of the Gospel, for Christian education, cultural endeavours and solidarity with the poor and those suffering from discrimination, abandonment and oppression. Whether they pursue a strictly missionary goal or not, such institutes should ask themselves how willing and able they are to broaden their action in order to extend God's kingdom”.
Catholic Church Statistics supplied by the Church's central statistics office, updated to 2006 (cfr. “L’Osservatore Romano” 4/5 February 2008), give an idea of the situation of consecrated life. In the world, 31 December 2006, there were 136,171 religious priests, 532 permanent religious deacons, 55,107 Brothers, 753,400 Sisters, making a total 945.210 consecrated persons. Women religious of active life were as follows: 16,594 aspirants, 15,794 novices, 46,718 temporarily professed and 501,292 perpetually professed. Contemplative nuns were as follows: 2,000 aspirants, 2,087 novices, 3.511 temporary vows and 44,982 perpetual vows. Brothers were as follows: 18,517 aspirants, 10,456 novices, 5,641 temporary vows and 35,512 perpetual vows.
Looking at previous years, from 1997 to 2005, we note a general decrease in the number of religious priests, Brothers and Sisters: Religious priests in the world decreased from 140,687 in 1997 to 136,649 in 2005; Brothers decreased from 58,210 to 54,708; women religious from 819,278 to 760,529.
However looking at the situation by continent we note that the continual decrease is caused mainly by Europe and America, and less by Oceania. In Europe religious priests decreased from 64,803 (1997) to 59,787 (2005); Brothers decreased from 24,460 to 19,574; Sisters from 388,693 to 322,995. The same is true for the continent of America: religious priests decreased from 46,518 (1997) to 42,869 (2005); Brothers from 17,426 a 16,457; Sisters from 240,858 to 215,372. Oceania had 2,308 religious priests in 1997 and the number decreased to 2,064 (2005); 11,904 Sisters decreased to 9,909, Brothers decreased from 1,967 to 1,563.
Africa and Asia both register continual growth in religious life, consolidated from year to year in the period studied (1997-2005). Religious priests in Africa rose from 10,406 (1997) to 11,206 (2005) and in Asia from 16,652 to 20,723; Brothers in Africa were 7,083 and are now 7,948, although with alternating increase and decrease, whereas in Asia they rose from 7,274 to 9,166. Women religious in Africa increased from 49,854 (1997) to 58,781 (2005), and in Asia from 127,969 to 153,472.
Consecrated life is growing in Africa and Asia, not only with increasing numbers of members of religious institutes established locally thanks to the work of missionaries, but also with new local institutes of consecrated life, many of which have chosen as their charisma mission ad gentes, expression of deeper missionary awareness, going beyond their own countries and continent.
Other signs of vitality and hope for religious in Africa and Asia, besides growth in numbers, include opening to the religious dimension of local cultures, growth of local Churches, progress in authentic inculturation of the Gospel, greater knowledge of the charisma of religious institutes, a marked presence of young members, commitment for human promotion and significant witness of men and women religious where direct evangelisation is not possible.
Certainly no few difficulties are encountered by those who choose to follow the religious life, first of all the necessity of solid formation, initial and ongoing, spiritual and cultural, to be able to face obstacles posed by fundamentalism, racism and sects. During this month let us pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire men and women religious, especially in mission territories to be “lighted candles”, who “irradiate everywhere love for Christ, the light of the world” (Benedict XVI, 2 February 2006) especially those who work in situations of poverty, injustice, violence, war.
Ever relevant is the exhortation which Pope Benedict XVI addressed to men and women religious in Rome, at the beginning of his Pontificate: “ Dear brothers and sisters, the Church needs your witness, she needs a consecrated life that confronts the challenges of our time courageously and creatively. In the face of the advance of hedonism, the courageous witness of chastity is asked of you as the expression of a heart that knows the beauty and price of God's love. In the face of the thirst for money that widely prevails today, your sober life, ready to serve the neediest, is a reminder that God is the true treasure that does not perish. Before the individualism and relativism that induce people to be a rule unto themselves, your fraternal life, which can be coordinated and is thus capable of obedience, confirms that you place your fulfilment in God.” (Pope Benedict XVI, 10 December 2005). (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 5/2/2008; righe 81, parole 1.158)


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