We are members of the prophetic Church… This prophetic mission is carried out in communion with the Church, in conformity with the directives of the hierarchy and in dependence on our Superiors.
CC&RR, Constitution 9
In all our ministries, prophetic voices must not be stifled. When they arise, they will be heard, tested, and supported
CC&RR, Rule 9b
Father Jetté comments on this:
“Working in the promotion of justice is a difficult and delicate task. It publicly affects persons and institutions. It is not without risks and requires both prudence and courage. We are hard and stern with “prophets”: that may perhaps be a safeguard but it is also a cross. We ought to carry it boldly, but while always keeping in mind two principles that the Abbe Michonneau used to mention:
– the more the position we hold in “an advanced post”, the more necessary it is to have received it from the authorities; it is not up to each one to choose his own part in the Church, and less than ever when there is the risk of compromising the latter.
– the more a missionary is in an “advanced” position, the more necessary it is for him to remain in liaison with the centre of the Church, with a community, with his bishop.
If he is thus linked to the Church by means of his mandate and his fidelity, the missionary will be sure that he is doing God’s work and that he is usefully working for his Reign (cf. Abbe Michonneau and R.P. Chery, O.P., L’Esprit missionnaire, Paris, Cerf, 1950, p. 96).
This is the spirit with which the last sentence was added to article”
F. Jetté, The Apostolic Man, p. 103 – 104
Sadly, many wonderful personal missionary and prophetic projects have never survived the death of its founder who worked alone. Community and obedience are our guarantee of support and success.
The call and the presence of the Lord among us today bind us together in charity and obedience to create anew in our own lives the Apostles’ unity with him and their common mission in his Spirit.
CC&RR, Constitution 3
Obedience and charity bind us together, priests and Brothers, keeping us interdependent in our lives, and missionary activity”
CC&RR, Constitution 38
There is within all of this a certain ‘surrendering’ of self – a ‘giving over’. The image is that of a bud blooming into a beautiful flower, an ‘opening up’. Hands which were once closed and held rigid now raised up and open wide. A response to an immense invitation to live. My eyes rest for a moment on the image before me – Eugene with his arms open wide, holding up the cross as he seems to move forward. All this done not on a whim but in prayer and discernment – not alone but in and with community.
I think of Jesus in the garden – he did not go there alone, nor did he surrender himself on a whim but rather he went there to pray. Again this morning I think of what is taking place at the Chapter in Rome. I remain where I am, but I do that in prayer and loving support of those there. The bottom line being that I trust God in all of this. I am thinking of Galations 2.20 “…and I no longer live, but it is Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Actually I thought of the words but then had to google to see where they actually came from). To me this is being part of the community.
Again I see how so many of the Constitutions and Rules are interwoven with each other. On their own they are good, but together they are most perfect. “The call and the presence of the Lord among us today bind us together in charity and obedience to create anew in our own lives the Apostles’ unity with him and their common mission in his Spirit. (CC&RR, Constitution 3)”