The Vincentian Missionary Spirit

Catechesis by Very Rev. G.Gregory Gay, C.M. for the youth at International Gathering of Vincentian Youth Belo Horizonte, July 18-20, 2013

God calls us to a new moment to sing together with his people. This is the time to transform those things that are no longer useful, but alone and isolated no one can bring about this transformation. Therefore, come, join in the circle with us. You are also very important, come! We cannot believe that everything will be easy. Death has much power and causes pain and sadness and desolation. We need to create unity. The power that gives growth to life moves within us in the form of grace. It is God who calls us to work and to share our love and to unite our efforts.

Free translation of a song well known in Brazil

The secret 0f eternal youth is in having an ideal to achieve. El secreto de la eterna juventud es tener un ideal para dedicarse"
Hlder Cmara, deceased Brazilian bishop, who was committed to the poor and affiliated to our Vincenian Family.

Todays Catholic Church invites us to renovate our faith and to proclaim it with enthusiasm.

You are the salt of the earth, but if it loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? You are the light of the world.
(cf. Mt 5:13-16).

Like the samaritan woman, todays people can feel the neccessity to come near the well to hear Jesus, who invites all to believe in him and to receive the living water that overows from his being. (cf. Jn 4:14).

That is why its also necessary today for us as church to be committed in favor of a new evangelization, to rediscover the joy of believing and renew our enthusiasm in communicating our faith.
(Motu Proprio Porta Fidei, 3,7).

Jesus was sent from the Father and under the Holy Spirits action, he proclaimed the Kingdom of God, through words and actions. Jesus called men and women and communicated the new way of life, of fraternity and love.

Go out to all the world and proclaim the Good News to all creation.
(Mk 16:15).

In our faith in Christ, when our sense of belonging and adhesion grows, our desire to comunicate the Gift of this encounter also grows.

Communion and mission are deeply united

Communion is missionary and mission desires communion.

, e l p i c s i d y r a n o i s s i m , t i r The i p S y l o H e h t y b d e d t i s u e g f i n a m e k a m o t s t n e v wa o l l u f i c r e m e h t , r e h t a F e h t of

e r e h w y r , eve e n o y r e v e n i d n e s a o h t n i y l l a i . c t e s p o s m e e h t r e f f u s who

Were living in a historical moment where a true change is happening, where theres a world thats crumbling, and a new world that is emerging. Its a time of crisis in a positve and negative way, full of enchantment and disenchantment, with new values, problems and possibilities, that calls upon the disciples and missionaries of Christ.

Saint Vincent
lived and acted in the 17th century, in a society that was marked with great social inequaliy, with a lot of poverty and injustice. Thrughout all of his life Saint Vincent let reality and events speak to him. He knew and heard the cry of the poor of his time.

If we ask our Lord, wHY he come to earth he would say: To help the poor! Nothing was MorE important for Him than to work for the poor.

The encounter with Christ in the poor showed Vincent that the poor are our Lords and Masters. In them Jesus reveals the true face of the Father, the good God of love, mercy, the protecor and defender of the poor.

The Vincentian mission expresses and manifests a clear presence for the apostolate among the poor, paying special attention to the social reality, especially the causes for unequal distribution of the worlds wealth.

In Christ evangelizer of the poor, Saint Vincent found the true model and the great invisible outline by which we must measure all of our actions.

Christ is the rule of the mission and must be the life of our life and the only aspiration that our hearts desire.

Saint Vincent developed the mission as an act of love, which is lived by the generous and integral service to the poor.

It is a material and spiritual service, affecive and effective, through words and actions and it must lead to true love.

Charity is greater than all rules and all things must relate to it.

The missionary service to the poor is made in a spirit of communion and participation. The work carried out by Saint Vincent was a broad experience in solidarity, it was creative and diversified, and counted with the collaboration of many people.

It was a communal and participative work, true sense networking, as we call it today. In communion and collaboration with bishops and clergy, he united the rich and poor, clerics and laity, men and women.

Saint Vincents missionary experience is truly a light for us all, a guideline for our actions today. It is a genuine path, that requires commitment, generosity and helps us to live our condition of disciples and misssionaries of Christ.

Lets go to the Poor!

With increased faith, lets be true missionaries, lets get to work!

Free translation of a popular Brazilian Vincentian hymn:

Seek to love the God of the poor, Proclaim Jesus Christ with zeal. Tell them the kingdom of God ha come And the heaven is their destiny. (bis) Jesus Christs mission Is the same that he gave us. Today we continue His salvific mystery.

Let raise our songs to the heavens To God who called us this mission We are the instruments That proclaim Gods desire. What happiness, my brethren, Nor greater joy can people have The father will feel The peace and joy that he gives us.

based on catechesis by Superior General, Very Rev. G. Gregory Gay, C.M. content and original design: Rev Juventino Castillero, C.M. edited, adapted for video and produced: Thomas Toma Zielinski, Famvin.org soundtrack: Song of St. Vincent, Rory Cooney, 1985 Remembrance, St. Marys Seminary, Perryville, MO

Famvin.org 2013