From the Blog Pastor Bonus
July 8, 2009
The heat is here. Along with the 'dog days' of summer come those muggy afternoons sitting in the backyard with an ice cold glass of lemonade in one's hand. Did you ever think of what lemonade would be without lemons? No lemons, no lemonade.
July 15th marks the day for the beginning of what the Vatican asked for in the wake of the latest revelations regarding the life of the founder of the Legionaries of Christ: an apostolic visitation.
There have been many speculations about what the apostolic visitation may bring about. That is exactly what they are, speculations. We will only know what is in store once the visitation has concluded and the Vatican findings are made known. Until then we wait.
However, on a more reflective note, one cannot help thinking that whatever becomes of the visitation the very fact that the Legion of Christ has 'distanced' itself from the life of its founder has already meant a change in the living of the charism of the institute since, as the same congregation states in its own spirituality, the charism of the institute is inseparable from the life and works of the founder. All religious institutes' charisms are rooted in the life, works and spirituality of the founder.
A Franciscan is a man who lives his religious life consecrated to God imitating the charism of St. Francis. A Domincan is a man who lives his religious life consecrated to God imitating the charism of St. Dominic. No St. Francis, no Franciscans. No St. Dominic, no Dominicans. It's not just about a historical existence of the men. What it means is a 'spiritual' existence. The 'spirit' of St. Francis lives on in and is reflected by the lives of the Franciscans. The 'spirit' of St. Dominic lives on in and is reflected by the lives of the Dominicans.
As water is permeated by and asorbs fresh lemons to become lemonade, in a like way the members of the Franciscan Order are permeated by and absorb the 'spirit' of St. Francis to become Franciscans. Also, the Dominicans are permeated by and absorb the 'spirit' of St. Dominic to become his spiritual children. There is a spiritual dependence in play.
Can we say the same of the Legionaries of Christ? At one time we could. The members of the Legion of Christ were permeated by and absorbed the 'spirit' of Father Maciel to become his spiritual children. However, a recent distancing from the founder changes this spiritual dependence. Whose spiritual children are legionaries now?
A distancing from the founder means a distancing from his life, works and spirituality. Can we distance ourselves from his life and his works but continue to partake of his spirituality? Can we distance ourselves from the person but still share in his charism? The charism of an institute is so much a part of the person of the founder, any founder.
What then becomes of a Legionary of Christ without Fr. Maciel? How does a Legionary now define himself? This is the real crisis. I suppose it would be similar to a Franciscan without St. Francis or a Dominican without St. Dominic.
Kind of like lemonade without lemons...
July 8, 2009
The heat is here. Along with the 'dog days' of summer come those muggy afternoons sitting in the backyard with an ice cold glass of lemonade in one's hand. Did you ever think of what lemonade would be without lemons? No lemons, no lemonade.
July 15th marks the day for the beginning of what the Vatican asked for in the wake of the latest revelations regarding the life of the founder of the Legionaries of Christ: an apostolic visitation.
There have been many speculations about what the apostolic visitation may bring about. That is exactly what they are, speculations. We will only know what is in store once the visitation has concluded and the Vatican findings are made known. Until then we wait.
However, on a more reflective note, one cannot help thinking that whatever becomes of the visitation the very fact that the Legion of Christ has 'distanced' itself from the life of its founder has already meant a change in the living of the charism of the institute since, as the same congregation states in its own spirituality, the charism of the institute is inseparable from the life and works of the founder. All religious institutes' charisms are rooted in the life, works and spirituality of the founder.
A Franciscan is a man who lives his religious life consecrated to God imitating the charism of St. Francis. A Domincan is a man who lives his religious life consecrated to God imitating the charism of St. Dominic. No St. Francis, no Franciscans. No St. Dominic, no Dominicans. It's not just about a historical existence of the men. What it means is a 'spiritual' existence. The 'spirit' of St. Francis lives on in and is reflected by the lives of the Franciscans. The 'spirit' of St. Dominic lives on in and is reflected by the lives of the Dominicans.
As water is permeated by and asorbs fresh lemons to become lemonade, in a like way the members of the Franciscan Order are permeated by and absorb the 'spirit' of St. Francis to become Franciscans. Also, the Dominicans are permeated by and absorb the 'spirit' of St. Dominic to become his spiritual children. There is a spiritual dependence in play.
Can we say the same of the Legionaries of Christ? At one time we could. The members of the Legion of Christ were permeated by and absorbed the 'spirit' of Father Maciel to become his spiritual children. However, a recent distancing from the founder changes this spiritual dependence. Whose spiritual children are legionaries now?
A distancing from the founder means a distancing from his life, works and spirituality. Can we distance ourselves from his life and his works but continue to partake of his spirituality? Can we distance ourselves from the person but still share in his charism? The charism of an institute is so much a part of the person of the founder, any founder.
What then becomes of a Legionary of Christ without Fr. Maciel? How does a Legionary now define himself? This is the real crisis. I suppose it would be similar to a Franciscan without St. Francis or a Dominican without St. Dominic.
Kind of like lemonade without lemons...
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