POPE LEO XII
FOR FUTURE REMEMBRANCE OF THE MATTER
In conclusion, We firmly hope that the members of this holy Family, who are employed in the ministry of the word of God under Rules so well fitted to form hearts to piety, and who claim as their patroness the Virgin Mother ofGod conceived without sin, will strive with alltheir strength and especially by their example, to bring back to the bosom of the Mother of Mercy those men, whom Jesus Christ on His Cross willed to give her as sons.
Given at Rome, at St. Peter’s, under the Fisherman’s Ring, on the twenty first day of March, 1826, in the third year of Our Pontificate.
Pope Leo XII
For Cardinal ALBANO, F. Capaccini, Substitute.
Apostolic Letter of Approbation, 21 March 1826, Missions O.M.I., n° 280 (1952), pp. 118, 138.
In the past 200 years, we have remained faithful to this in our Rule of Life:
We shall always look on her as our mother. In the joys and sorrows of our missionary life, we feel close to her who is the Mother of Mercy. Wherever our ministry takes us, we will strive to instil genuine devotion to the Immaculate Virgin who prefigures God’s final victory over all evil.
CC&RR, Constitution 10
“A church without women would be like the apostolic college without Mary. The Madonna is more important than the apostles, and the church herself is feminine, the spouse of Christ and a mother.” Pope Francis
I think that I shall never cease to be amazed at the depth that is the Constitution and Rules. I have spent the past 30 minutes reflecting on one small paragraph from the CC & RR – there is so much there.
“We shall always look on her as our mother. In the joys and sorrows of our missionary life, we feel close to her who is the Mother of Mercy.” In the joys and sorrows – there will always be both, the highs and the lows – for Mary, our Mother there were certainly both starting from the moment of the Annunciation. The depth of joy within her to be chosen by God, to have new and special life within her – this was a blessing not a curse – in spite of the fact that she had to be prepared to be rejected by Joseph and her family. Prefiguring the life of Jesus indeed.
“Wherever our ministry takes us…” It does not say which country or which parish, which church or which great work that will be noticed by all. I look at the ministries that I am involved – nothing great or earth-shattering, mostly small and hidden things. I spoke with a woman last night- she spoke of ‘filling in the gaps’. That sounds about right. Nothing great or memorable, not really noticeable – but the fidelity of that. Long have I considered Mary to be my mother, my patron, my example – she is ever there beside me. It is real and lived and I suppose I can only hope that I am somehow spreading the idea of devotion to her in how I live. She is ever there but I fear that I might be almost ignoring her sometimes. She prefigures …
I am unable to wrap my mind around all of it, can simply sit in gratitude and wonder.