Tuesday 3rd November 2015.

Led by the Indonesian delegation the Brothers expressed deep gratitude for Mgr Rutten who had a dream of a mission among destitute Youth of his time. In a solemn Morning Prayer Service we read parts of the letters which our Founder sent to authorities to allow him to start the FIC congregation.

We listened to the reading of the letters with both reverence and gratitude. It is fascinating to rediscover ill health did not prevent our founder from pursuing his dream. The documents clearly show a spirit of obedience and respect for authorities.  When he was convinced the time had come to engage men with vows in a Youth Mission, our founder wrote letters seeking advice and permission of his local ordinaries.

The documents reveal a man of faith who believed that there were important lessons to learned in less favourable feedback: 

“…relying on  Divine assistance and under Mary’s protection I was willing to start, on the condition that Reverend would find me two persons. He promised. So the plan was fixed. Immediately after this I went into a retreat in Bois-le-Duc and on that occasion I put my plan on paper to present it to my spiritual authorities. But I was advised against it. On account of circumstances the public authorities would have objections against it and would come to nothing at all. In answer to this I said I would never start something – as I have always done henceforth- without advice and permission of my spiritual authorities.” Reads one of the letters in part.

During the session of the day we listened to the considered views and experiences of Brother Raphael on the FIC Apostolic Mission in the light of the Gospel and Constitutions. We were invited to emulate the example of Christ in carrying out our mission.  

In Luke  4, the Lord declares in a clear mission statement: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.  He has sent me proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

In a clear mission statement Jesus is declaring to his friends and family what his mission on earth will be.  He will be an agent of God in the world, and he will bring God’s message of love to those who are oppressed or imprisoned; blind or poor.

In small groups the brothers reflected on the relevance of their apostolic engagements in their provinces. There was a general sense of satisfaction, however, some brothers expressed a need of clear mission statement in our Communities and Provinces.

This reflection on Our Apostolic mission is meant to be a continuous Process. Beginning from the grassroots level, each brother, each community, and each province, the whole congregation is called to reflect with our collaborators on the movement of the Spirit in our Apostolic Mission that is unfolding among us, around us and beyond us. This reflection is necessary for the brothers to discern the ways God is calling us now to live our mission for the emerging future.

This process is a preparation for the General Chapter 2018 when the brothers will review their apostolic mission in the light of the signs of our times and places. Our 175th anniversary this year,  is an opportune time to look back with gratitude and listen attentively to the whispers of the Spirit calling us to open or eyes and hearts to the new cries of the poor and marginalized people of our time.

Br Raphael reminded us how our founders answered their call to Apostolic Mission by founding our congregation.

In sharing, we strengthened our brotherhood. Wherever FIC brothers find themselves the Charism is the same though our circumstances differ from Province to Province. It was a beautiful reflection and the participants unanimously agreed that it was a worthwhile exercise.  

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Henry Anthony Ibrahim

Box 51075

Limbe

Tel: +265 (0) 88 429 7550 / 0999 73 9972

Skype: hanto.ibra