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Marianist Community
William
Joseph Chaminade once said that community is "the primary instrument of the
apostolate." He meant that being ministered to in their need is only one way
people experience the Gospel. Seeing for themselves the witness of men and women
who are drawn to care for each other, pray, and live together, not necessarily
from natural compatibility but because of their shared faith in Jesus Christ, is
an even more powerful witness.
As Marianist communities, we call ourselves to realize deeply the presence of
Jesus at this time, in this place. We call ourselves to be the core community
from which other communities of faith develop, flourish, and multiply.
The Marianist Rule of Life, the document which guides our community
living and mission in the Church, calls Marianists to a community life which is
inspired, lived, and shared.
The difficult task of forming vibrant community life among our different ages,
sensitivities, personal backgrounds, and ministries is received by Marianists as
an inspired gift. The person of Jesus, present among us, energizes our efforts
to live the Gospel. The guidance of the Holy Spirit moves us to look to Mary for
the distinctive family spirit of our communities. We seek particularly to
imitate her faith, humility, simplicity, and hospitality in our life together in
community.
As we acknowledge that community is an inspired gift, we are then challenged to
live community, to become community. Each member brings his or her talents and
unique contributions and offers them to the community and its mission. Each also
brings his or her brokenness and sinfulness, and the Gospel mandate of
forgiveness and reconciliation is a consistent dynamic to which the community is
called.
The life of the community finds its grounding, its energy, and its support in
prayer. "The essential is the interior," as Father Chaminade said so often. The
way we pray together is the truest reflection of how we are living together.
We Marianists live the vowed life in community for the sake of our mission in
the Church. The inspired gift of community, lived well, is to be given to
persons and communities with whom we collaborate in our ministries. In fact,
this sharing of community is to be our primary ministry.
Drawing from the strength and witness of our own experience of community and
fulfilled in a diversity of ministries, the Marianist community assumes as its
mission the task of facilitating the development of faith communities in all its
ministries. |