“Behold I am doing something new” (Is 43,19)
Second phase: Spiritan Spirituality for Mission
02 October 2024 – 02 October 2026
“A missionary who does not work very seriously and constantly at his sanctification, makes himself unworthy of the eminent apostolic grace and guilty towards the souls he should sanctify. But if he sets to work seriously, he infallibly sanctifies himself and a host of souls with him” (Libermann, Instructions to Missionaries, p. 54).
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Spiritan Family,
Over the past two years we have reflected together on our Spiritan Mission and, hopefully, each circumscription has been able to assess its missionary engagements and specified its missionary orientations in fidelity to our charism and in accordance with the decisions of Bagamoyo II.
As we introduce the Second stage of our Animation Plan, it is important that we remind ourselves of the reasons we began this collective journey, that is, the call from Bagamoyo II to do ‘something new’ in relation to our Spiritan identity and vocation in the contemporary world, in the midst of the new forms of poverty emerging in our world today. Bagamoyo II invites us to take the necessary risks and to consider new and creative initiatives in the way we live the Gospel and respond to the needs of the Spiritan mission today. As you would appreciate, to embark on a journey of doing ‘something new’ in fidelity to our charism is to recommit and to live out the spirituality our founders Claude Poullart des Places and Francis Marie Paul Libermann in today’s world.
The General Council launches this 2nd October 2024, the Second phase of the Animation Plan focusing on Spiritan spirituality. There are three main objectives which will strengthen our Spiritan life and mission: renewal of our personal and community prayer, recovering our Spiritan roots and the promotion of the cause of our founders. If our founders were able to successfully carry out their activities and their projects, it is thanks to their spiritual life, putting God at the heart of their activities and works.
In this process of renewal and in imitation of the teaching of François Marie Paul Libermann, we too, in the next two years, will “endeavour to put into practice this dynamic of prayer [personal and community] and activity that is at the heart of all Christian living, “a practical union” – an habitual disposition of fidelity to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. “Practical union” is like an instinct of the heart for a person who, having made the sacrifice of self, has become ‘free ever after to devote himself completely to others and to bring them along to God’” (SRL 88, N. D. XIII, 708).
Over the next two years, the General Council will provide a variety of resources/tools to assist us in this process of renewal:
- Novenas which will have a particular focus on our founders and their spiritual legacy;
- A monthly Lectio Divina with a Spiritan focus will be distributed to be prayed in community and with small groups of the faithful. All circumscriptions and communities are encouraged to use this model of attentive prayer in a manner that fits your particular circumstances. (B II, #86);
- The Generalate communications team will produce and distribute weekly messages taken from our founders and Spiritan sources to encourage us to recall and reflect on our spiritual heritage. These inspirational messages will be widely distributed on social media, particularly Facebook and WhatsApp. Reflect on them and share them widely as we reclaim our spiritual heritage (B II, #85);
- The GC will continue to promote the causes of our founders and provide regular updates to the Congregation on the status of these processes (B II, #93). The participation of all members is critical in this process, and we will be sending a specific prayer for this purpose and other resources, such as images (photos) of the founders, Spiritan symbols for all to promote in their local communities. Your prayer and active promotion of these causes is very important!
- We encourage all circumscriptions to plan at least one of the annual retreats these next two years on a Spiritan theme. We will send a list of resources and potential Spiritan retreat directors who you can consider requesting to lead your reflection and renewal (B II, #87);
- During this time of recovering and celebrating our Spiritan roots, we recommend that each circumscription recall and celebrate the beginnings of the Spiritan mission in your place by organizing pilgrimages to historical places in your area and telling the story for all to celebrate (B II, #91 and 94);
- The General Council will be organizing a gathering in Rome next year for Congregations founded by Spiritans and those who share in our Spiritan spirituality as we recognize and celebrate the many fruits of our extended Spiritan family;
- Various publications are being prepared that will make our rich Spiritan heritage more available for reflection and study (B II, #85). These include a new anthology of the writings of our founders, translation of the collection of the letters of our Superior Generals into French and an update of the Liturgical Resource for Spiritan celebrations (B II, #92).
If our collective journey of renewal is truly to be effective, it is important that our sharing and reflection go beyond the level of ideas and that it finds concrete expression in our lives and in our ministry. This is a graced opportunity for us as a Congregation and each professed Spiritan, Lay Spiritan Associate and the entire Spiritan Family to deepen our personal prayer life and to celebrate the Spiritan legacy that inspires us in our mission.
May our celebration of the feast day of Claude François Poullart des Places, whose life was so shaped and inspired by the Spirit of the Lord, help us to journey together in a synodal way on this Second stage of our Animation Plan with enthusiasm and commitment.
As we walk together along this path of renewal and recommitment, let us invoke the intercession of Mary, that she may help us to allow ourselves to be surprised by the Holy Spirit without putting up any resistance, so that he may do something new in each of us.
Fraternally in the Spirit,
Alain Mayama, C.S.Sp.
Superior General
