From the definition, there are five important
WEEK 1: GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Brief Historical Background of the Church
Brief Historical Background of the Church
The Etymology of the word “Church”
   Qahal---------------Ekklesia-----------------
Ecclesia----------------Church
 (Hebrew)                  the people/community. This is also good, but
(Greek)                       (Latin)                     (English
) the community or people. How do we know then if it
 
 
The Word “Church”  is derived from the
Latin word “Ecclesia” which was derived from the
Greek word “Ekklesia”; and this “Ekklesia” was
derived from the Hebrew word “Qahal” (Hebrew is
one of the ancient languages of the Israelites)
 
“Qahal” means Calling together or in the
context of the Israelites, it means an assembly
called by God for a religious purpose that is to
worship. So, this is also the meaning of the words
“Ekklesia”, “Ecclesia” and the word “Church”.
 
From the very root word which is
Qahal, Church is simply defined as an assembly
called by God to worship. Since the Church
originated from the Father’s plan of salvation which
started from the Israelites until its very foundation
by no other than Jesus who also gave the Holy
Spirit to guide her(Church), we will now have its
complete definition (below).
Church: Community (of men and women) centered
in Christ, guided by the Holy Spirit, moving
Towards the Kingdom of the Father, and
the bearers of the Message of Salvation for all men.
(G.S.# I)
         The official or complete definition of the word
“Church” is very much implied in the illustration
above. So, the very cause of the emergence of the
Church is no other than to continue carrying out the
Mission of Jesus to spread salvation/Kingdom of
God which ultimately originated from the Father’s
plan since people are deviating from His Love.
elements of the Church. Community, Christ’s-
centered, guided by the Holy Spirit, and carrying
out the mission of spreading the Kingdom of
God/salvation to all.
         Just to avoid confusion, some authors
made a distinction between the Church as referring
to people or to buildings(worshipping place like
chapels) by using the small c church as referring to
people and the capital C – Church as referring to
primarily the meaning of the word “Church” is really
is referring to people or building? Well, the best
way is on how the word “Church” is used in a
sentence.  Example: The Church in Piat, Cagayan
is very beautiful. This sentence obviously refers to
the building. The Church of Piat, Cagayan is very
participative. This one obviously refers to the
community.
 
        With this, we hope that the word “Church” is
now very clear to you.
        
The translation of the word Hebrew word “Qahal” to
Greek word “Ekklesia” to Latin word “Ecclesia” and
to the English term “Church” literally tells the
movement of the Church from the Israelites/Hebrew
Community to the Greek invasion of the  Israelites
who were later defeated by the Roman Empire
which was centered in Rome which used Latin as
their language until its spread to the whole world.  
 
The Two Founding Events of the Church: The
Public Ministry of Jesus and the Pentecost
event
1. Public Ministry of Jesus (working for the
Kingdom: preaching, healing, etc.)
           Jesus of Nazareth founded a Renewal
Movement within the Old Testament (Israelites)  
           Founder of the Church:  Jesus
           How? – by gathering his disciples (the
apostles)
                - The disciples experienced Jesus
intimately / personally.  Later they shared in his
ministry
                - Jesus assured them of his presence
(forever)
           Two things which inspired the apostles to
come together and reflect on what was
their mission:
                    a. The Resurrection
Experience -- which is the “ Ground or Foundation”
of Christian Faith.
                    b. The Pentecost Experience
 
2. Pentecost: the descent of the Holy Spirit
upon the Apostles and their followers.
                       :By receiving the Holy Spirit, He
(H.S.) empowered them to preach the Kingdom, to
act as Community who will continue the Mission of
Jesus Christ.
The Catholic Mission and Its very Ground Source
 
The Catholic Mission and Its very Ground
Source
Sacrament: means channel, representative, visible
sign of an invisible reality
 
God ---------------------------- Jesus
--------------------------- Church
         The Sacrament of God is Jesus and the
Sacrament of Jesus is the Church (John 20:21,
Acts 1:8)
The Church started as a religious renewal
“movement”/group in Jerusalem, Israel by no other
than Jesus Christ.  Jesus grounded the Church on
the foundation of the Apostles and it spread from
Jerusalem to the Roman Empire world until
throughout all the earth.
The first “name” of the Church was The Way  (Acts
9:2), The members of the Church were
called Christians in Antioch (Acts 11: 26). The
Church was persecuted by the Roman Empire
(which was still pagan) until the Conversion of the
Emperor Constantine in 313 AD which paved the
way for Christians to infiltrate Rome until
Christianity was declared as the official religion of
the Roman Empire in 380 AD by Emperor
Theodosius.        
Way back in 45 AD, the first apostle who went to
Rome and started the Church there was no other
than Peter. Later, reflecting on the mission of Jesus
which He passed on to the Church, the Church’s
official “name” or title evolved into:  One (John
17:21), Holy (Ephesians 1:4, 5:27, I Peter 2:9),
Catholic (Matthew 28: 18-20, Acts 1:8, Gen 12: 3,
John 3: 16-17) and Apostolic (Ephesians 
2:20 )           
From the Church developed the Hierarchy
(Bishops, priests, and deacons – with the Pope as
the overall head for the sake of division of work and
maintaining the unity of the Church while it spreads
the Kingdom of God on earth. 
From the Church comes the different “kinds” of
priests according to spirituality or mission area.
      a. Diocesan is a term use for priests serving
their local places.
      b. Monks: started in the 3rd century AD in Egypt
and in Syria with a life of simplicity or asceticism.
        Monks who are composed of sisters (not
priests) only came out later. Example of few monks
in Cagayan who are sisters are those at the St.
Claire monastery in Iguig.
     c. Missionaries are group/community of priests
who really want to go to serve remote places not
yet evangelize.
           Examples of missionaries are the following:
                  c.1. The Dominicans who was founded
by St. Dominic in Prouille, France in 1216. (Dominic
was a Spanish priest).
                  c.2. The Augustinians which started in
1244 in Italy (group or no specific founder).
                  c.3. The Jesuits or called Society of
Jesus who was founded in 1540 by Ignatius of
Loyola, formerly a Spanish soldier who became
priest.
                  c.4. The CICM and other missionary
groups only came out later.  witnesses to the Gospel values as taught and
                         The CICM was founded by a
diocesan priest Theophile Verbist in 1862 in
Scheut, Anderlecht, Brussels, Belgium.
       
So what is a CICM? It is just one of the
missionary groups which is an arm of the
Church for evangelization.
 
One of the strategies for missionaries
to evangelize people especially the youth to
prepare them to become also evangelizers in the
future is to establish schools. With this, the
missionary schools and even in the schools
established by the local Church, the core of the
curriculum is the Christian Faith Education of the
young (children to college). In a wider sense, the
Christian formation of the Community who are in
the school. The CICM established schools for such
purpose. Here at the University of Saint Louis, our
motto for us to always remember this is “Mission
and Excellence” and among the core values of our
University’s Vision-Mission, the first is Christian
Living.
VISION
      USL is a global learning community recognized
for science and technology across all disciplines,
strong research, and responsive community
engagement grounded on the CICM mission and
identity for a distinctive student experience.  The name, "Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae"
MISSION
      USL sustains a Catholic academic community
that nurtures persons for community, church and
society anchored on CICM’s Missio et Excellentia.
 
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY AND CORE
VALUES
      The University of Saint Louis upholds the
philosophy that education is for building of self and
persons for the Church and the Society. Wisdom
builds. To these ends, the following are University
of Saint Louis’s core values integral in the formation
of every member of the Louisian community.
1. Christian Living. We are
lived by Christ thus making God’s love known
and experienced by all.
2. Excellence. We seek and
maintain uncompromising standard of quality
in teaching, learning, service, and
stewardship of school resources.
3. Professional
Responsibility. We are committed to
efficiently and responsibly apply the learned
principles, values and skills in the chosen
field of discipline, taking initiative and
command responsibility in one’s professional
advancement.
4. Social Awareness and
Involvement. We engage ourselves with
society by listening to the prevailing issues
and concerns in the society, thereby initiating
and participating in constructive and relevant
social activities for the promotion of justice,
peace and integrity of creation and for
people’s wellness and development
consistent with the CICM charism.
5. Innovation, Creativity and
Agility. We keep ourselves relevant and
responsive to the changing needs of our
stakeholders by being flexible, solution
oriented, and having cutting-edge decisions
and practices.
Week 2: Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae
The Name (in Latin): Congregatio Immaculati
Cordis Mariae
or the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of
Mary
 (in Tagalog: Kongregasyon [Kapatiran] ng
Kalinislinisang Puso ni Maria)
 
From the reason as to why we were given
such a name to the historical lineage and
significance of what a name has come to
represent, our name, beyond its objective
purpose, encompasses what and who each of
us is. Its essence is at the very heart of our
existence. It signified what tribe you came from.
We have always traced the roots of our
origin and identity beginning with our name as one
compelling aspect. This understanding shall shed
light on the most important aspect in our lives which
is our distinctiveness while bringing to the forefront
of our minds an awareness of Biblical concepts that
were thus far untapped. Finally, we shall attempt
to define its relevance to examine the
relationship between one’s name and one’s
purpose.
(Proverbs 22:1)
 
“22 A good name is to be
chosen rather than great riches,
    and favor is better than silver or
gold.”
 
Names are deeply important to human
beings, a crucial way of understanding not just the
world around us, but each other. A surname roots
us in history and family tradition, while first names
establish more particular identity and personality;
you may become quite attached to your name, or
you may wish you were called something else.
But does it really matter what your name
is? Do you become what you're called, or are
you called what you are? The Bible is full of
names, and those names are full of
meaning. Turning to Scripture may help us see
whether we determine our names, or if they
determine us.
(Lk. 1:57-80)
The Birth of John the Baptist
Now the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered,
57  Names
and she gave birth to a son. 58 And her neighbors
and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great
mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 And on
the eighth day they came to circumcise the child;
and they would have named him Zechari′ah after
his father, 60 but his mother said, “Not so; he shall
be called John.” 61 And they said to her, “None of
your kindred is called by this name.” 62 And they
made signs to his father, inquiring what he would
have him called. 63 And he asked for a writing
tablet, and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all
marveled. 64 And immediately his mouth was
opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke,
blessing God. 65 And fear came on all their
neighbors. And all these things were talked about
through all the hill country of Judea; 66 and all who
heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying,
“What then will this child be?” For the hand of the
Lord was with him.
Zechariah’s Prophecy
67 
And his father Zechari′ah was filled with the Holy
Spirit, and prophesied, saying,
68 
“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people,
69 
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
70 
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets
from of old,
71 
that we should be saved from our enemies,
and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 
to perform the mercy promised to our fathers,
and to remember his holy covenant,
73 
the oath which he swore to our father
Abraham, 74 to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our
enemies,
might serve him without fear,
75 
in holiness and righteousness before him all the
days of our life.
76 
And you, child, will be called the prophet of the
Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
77 
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
78 
through the tender mercy of our God,
when the day shall dawn upon[a] us from on high
79 
to give light to those who sit in darkness and in
the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
And the child grew and became strong
80 
in spirit, and he was in the wilderness till
the day of his manifestation to Israel.
in the Bible can signify
origin. Sacred Scriptures present examples of
the inherent connection between name and
mission. After naming John, his father
Zechariah, filled with the Holy Spirit, prophesied
that his son will be called prophet of the Most
High, and his mission will be to go before the Lord
to prepare His ways. Jesus, on the other hand, will
be given “the throne of David His father, and He will
rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of His
kingdom there will be no end.”
(Lk. 1:26-38)
The Birth of Jesus Foretold
26 
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was
sent from God to a city of Galilee named
Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man
whose name was Joseph, of the house of
David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. 28 And
he came to her and said, “Hail, O favored one,
the Lord is with you!”[a] 29 But she was greatly
troubled at the saying, and considered in her
mind what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And
the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary,
for you have found favor with God. 31 And
behold, you will conceive in your womb and
bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.
32 
He will be great, and will be called the
Son of the Most High;
and the Lord God will give to him the
throne of his father David,
33 
and he will reign over the house of
Jacob for ever;
and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 
And Mary said to the angel, “How shall
this be, since I have no husband?” 35 And
the angel said to her,
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you,
and the power of the Most High will
overshadow you;
therefore the child to be born[b] will be
called holy,
the Son of God.
And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth
36 
in her old age has also conceived a son;
and this is the sixth month with her who
was called barren. 37 For with God
nothing will be impossible.” 38 And Mary
said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the
Lord; let it be to me according to your
word.” And the angel departed from her.
Names were more than just labels. To
ancient Hebrews and Babylonians, nothing existed
until it had a name. Its name expressed its
character.
Nowadays we do not really identify with the
meaning of our names. Most of the time, our
parents chose our name because it sounded nice
with our last name, or because they wanted to
honor one of our ancestors. But in the Old
Testament, names were bearers of the person’s
identity.
Many Bible names contain "El" or "Yah,"
which are Hebrew words for God. Notice the "el" at
the end of Michael, Daniel, and Samuel. Can you
hear the "yah" at the end of Obadiah, Nehemiah,
and Jeremiah?
In Old Testament times, children were
usually named by their mothers. These "El" and
"Yah" names were meant to honor God and
ensure that God was a part of their children's
lives.
A name change can signify a new
identity. We confer identities on people through the
use of nicknames. In some cultures a name change
carries great significance. Consider one ancient
biblical name change. God took care to change the
name of Abram (high father) to Abraham (father of
multitudes) after promising him a lot of descendants
(Genesis 17:5). His wife also had her name
changed from Sarai (quarrelsome) to Sara
(Princess) (Genesis 17:15). Jacob's name means
"supplanter," and he lived up to his name when he
stole the inherited rights belonging to his older
brother, Esau. When he became a changed man,
he changed his name to Israel (he strives with God
or ”power in God”).The new name gave him a new
identity, and a new future for a nation.
In the New Testament, When Jesus wanted
to emphasize that Simon would be a steadfast
upholder of his teachings, he gave him the name
Peter, based on the Greek word for rock. (John
1:42).
So, names have great symbolic import in
Scripture. While there are trends in names at
different times or eras, as these shifts occur, so do
our common ideas of what aspects of a person
each name represents. This suggests that we can
quickly develop shared conceptualizations of what
newly trending names represent in terms of
physical appearance, personality and behavior.
Your name is a crucial factor in developing your
sense of self, and thus helps propel you forward on
various paths of life and career.
“How about CICM, what can be
forebode relating to the implication of
its name and missionary identity? What
does this name point towards to?”
 It is intriguing to ask what stuff “founders" are
made of, as there may well be no common answer.
All Congregations are marked by their own
charisma, which may be as similar and yet as
individualized as two fingerprints. The Vatican,
amid all the changes it initiated, took particular care
to remind religious institutes to hold on to the
charisma of their founder, lest something of the
beauty and variety of the religious life in the Church
be lost. It is in this rich variety that CICM has its
own place. There is something of the fingerprint of
the Founder that continues to give CICM its own
face, and its own contribution to the Church.
The Name (in Latin): Congregatio
Immaculati Cordis Mariae or the Congregation
of the Immaculate Heart of  Mary (in Tagalog:
Kongregasyon [Kapatiran]ng Kalinislinisang
Puso ni Maria)
 
Born in Antwerp, Belgium in 1823, Father
Theophile Verbist had ambitions to become a
priest ever since he was a boy. So, while his twin
brother looked towards becoming a lawyer, he
headed into a priestly vocation. In the years after
his ordination, he was a prefect in the minor
seminary in Malines, a chaplain at the Belgian
Military Academy, and a diocesan priest in the
archdiocese of Malines-Brussels.
His first serious thoughts of being a
missionary came when he was already 37 years
old. Inspired by the work of the Holy Childhood
Association which cared for abandoned children in
the Far East and in other parts of the world, Father
Verbist felt that he, too, should do something more
for the poor and needy in China. He sought the
permission of Cardinal Engelbert Sterckx,
Archbichop of Malines and Cardinal Alessandro
Barnabo, Prefect of the Propagation of the Faith.
For the realization of his plan, they directed him to
established a kind of a congregation, along the
lines of the  Congregation for the Propagation of
the Faith. By strenuous efforts he overcame
numerous obstacles, until his Belgian mission in
China was finally approved and finally obtain the
approval of Cardinal Sterckx and the Belgian
bishops to establish a new Belgian missionary
congregation. The canonical establishment of
the congregation by Cardinal Sterckx is dated
28 November 1862.The new foundation’s first
formation house was located at an old site of
pilgrimage called Scheut, in the municipality of
Anderlecht, near Brussels, Belgium. Thus the
name: 'Scheut Missions or Missionaries of Scheut'.
              After the proclamation of the Dogma of
the Immaculate Conception by Pope Pius IX in
1854 in his papal bull Ineffabilis Deus, and the
assignment of the liturgical feast, there was the
rapid spread of the devotion to the “Immaculate
Heart of Mary”. This was one of the circumstances
when Fr. Theophile Verbist and his first
companions/co-founders Frs. Alois van Segvelt,
Frans Vranckx, and Remi Verlinden unanimously
agreed to consecrate the Mission to “the Holy
Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ and to the
Immaculate Heart of the Very Blessed Virgin Mary,
to whom they committed themselves to recommend
daily the interests of the Congregation.”  It is thus
clear that they were placing the Congregation
under the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The letters CICM are an abbreviation in Latin of the
name Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae or
Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
However, the CICM missionaries are also
known by several other names depending on
the country where they are working.
 
In Europe and Africa they are widely known as
the “Missionaries of Scheut” or “Scheutist”,
Scheut being the name of the locality near
Brussels where the institute was founded. In the
past CICM missionaries were sometimes known as
the “Belgian Fathers” since the institute was
founded in Belgium and most of its members were
Priest. However, the institute was never an
exclusively Belgium institute and includes both
priest and brothers. Thus this name has fallen out
of use, especially as the institute becomes more
and more multicultural.
 
In North America the institute is known as
“Missionhurst – CICM” and its members referred
to as “Missionhurst Priests and Brothers”. Hurst is
 an old English word meaning a small hill or a
wooded rise. As the headquarters of the missionary
institute in North America are located on a small
wooded hill, this became the popular name of the
institute in that part of the world.
 
On 2 November 1907 Fr. Devesse, together
with his equally spirited eight CICM companions,
arrived in the Philippines to start the first CICM
mission in the country. During those early years of
missionary work in Baguio, the CICM Fathers were
locally known as the “Missionary Priests of the
Church of San Patricio,” since they were
identified with St Patrick church that they built.
Later on, they were commonly called the “Baguio
Fathers,” or simply the “Belgian Fathers.
Week 3: The Current CICM Emblem
The Current CICM Emblem
"Logos are special. They are not just a
combination of shapes, text, and graphics. They
tell stories."
There is also another component that goes
into a remarkable logo: meaning. With the right
mark, you convey everything your organization
stands for, your values as a brand, and your
heritage too. Logos are distilled insights into your
brand essence.
For some congregations, showcasing the
heart of their organization means going back to
traditions. An emblem is one of the most original
forms of brand mark. In a world that’s continually
evolving, there’s something to be said for this
sense of heritage. After all, even as new ideas
emerge every day, many consumers are still more
interested in what’s trustworthy and well-
established than what’s “new.”
As symbols of tradition, strength, and
security, the emblem style logo can spark unique
relationships with your target audience. In today’s
topic, we are going to dive into the history and
definition of the CICM emblem and unravel the
different symbolism and its long-standing
implications in the life of the missionaries.
The Current CICM Emblem (1955)
The current CICM emblem includes in its upper
portion the Virgin with a Child inside a trunk,
who is Our Lady of Grace of Scheut, which was
venerated in the village where Fr.
Verbist established the first headquarters of the
Congregation.
Karel Denys, CICM published an article
on the CICM emblem with precious indications
on the miraculous trunk in Scheut and on the
statue of Our Lady of Grace.
The Trunk with the Virgin and Child
This is the oldest element that can be found
in all the CICM coats of arms, except for that of
China, Mongolia and Congo. It is thus good to give
some historical explanations on this subject.
In the series of articles by J. Calbrecht
mentioned above, we read that since the
year 1445 a statuette attached to a linden tree by a
pious shepherd and dedicated to Our Lady of
Grace had been venerated at Scheut. Scheut was
then a village outside the town of Brussels, in the
midst of the countryside. The story goes that
pilgrims went to this sanctuary where miracles had
been duly noted. In 1455, a chapel was erected
there. A little later, seven Carthusian monks settled
next to the chapel. In the course of the centuries,
the chapel was destroyed three times-by the
Protestants in 1580, by the emperor-sacristan
Joseph II in 1783, and during the French
Revolution. For about sixty years, the chapel
remained in ruins and abandoned, until in 1855 a
well-to-do inhabitant of Brussels, J. C. Brabandt,
who could no longer stand the profanation of this
sanctuary, bought the land and the chapel and had
it restored at his own expense.
Rutten wrote that our Founder Theophile
Verbist "had a great devotion to Mary that brought
him to Scheut, and it was the devotion of several
servants of Mary who gave him the sanctuary of
Our Lady of Grace." In October 1861, Msgr. J. M.
Mouly, Lazarist, Apostolic Vicar of Peking, while
visiting Brussels, confirmed the possibility of ceding
to the "Belgian priests" a large part of the vicariate
of Mongolia. Immediately after this visit, Theophile
Verbist and his first companions-Alois Van Segvelt,
Frans Vranckx, and Remi Verlinden-resolved to
meet regularly to occupy themselves with the
organization of the Mission and to draw the
Statutes of the new Congregation." During the first
conference, they unanimously agreed to
consecrate the Mission to the Holy Incarnation of
Our Lord Jesus Christ and the Immaculate Heart of
the Very Blessed Virgin Mary, to whom they
committed themselves to recommend daily the
interests of the Congregation.
A little later, the first Statutes of the
Congregation were approved by Cardinal E.
Sterckx of Mechlin (November 28, 1862). Some
words of the "first conference" report are
recognizable: "The Congregation is dedicated to
the Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ, under the
invocation of the Immaculate Heart of the Very
Blessed Virgin Mary" (Art. 2). By the will of our
Founder Theophile Verbist and his companions, the
new Congregation would carry the title "Immaculate
Heart of Mary" who will be its Patroness. Our
Founder and his companions did not choose the
name "Congregation of Our Lady of Grace."
Why did our Founder and his companions
choose the name CICM? In an article on the
devotion to the Heart of Mary, L. Barbé has given
us without a doubt a good answer: "The
proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate
Conception [in 1854], in reviving the Marian
devotion, contributed to the rapid development of
the devotion to the Heart of Mary and the spread of
the name of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.' It was
then that its liturgical feast was adopted about
everywhere in the world." Given such current of
devotion at that time to the Immaculate Heart of
Mary, it is understandable why our Founder and his
companions chose the name CICM.
And why did they, and others after them,
nevertheless keep the miraculous tree trunk of Our
Lady of Grace as the CICM coat of arms? Here are
some indications. It was at Scheut, near the
sanctuary of Our Lady of Grace, where the CICM
was born. Our Founder and his companions lived
there; they met there many times; they immersed
themselves in the history of the sanctuary; and they
prayed to Our Lady of Grace. It was there, too,
where they prayed one last time before departing
for mission. After the 1974 Chapter, a century after
the death of our Founder, the old sanctuary of Our
Lady of Grace was replaced by another chapel.
The statue, which J. C. Brabandt had placed in his
chapel and restored in the years 1855-1860, is now
found in the new chapel at Scheut. A beautiful
CICM emblem executed in ceramic had been
mounted against the outer wall of the new
provincial house.
The Heart Surrounded by Twelve Stars
The Heart surrounded by twelve stars: What
does this mean? A difficult question! It is generally
said that the Heart with the twelve stars comes
from a text of the Revelation (12:1).
Let us look at the text: "And a great sign
appeared in heaven, a Woman adorned with the
sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head
a crown of twelve stars."
In a note about this text in the La Sainte
Bible, the commentator concludes his reflection
thus: "With the image of the woman, did John also
wish to symbolize the Virgin, the new Eve? (Rv
12:1). This seems questionable." With regard to
Revelation 12:1, The New Jerome Biblical
Commentary (1993) notes that the identity of the
woman has been debated. According to a
traditional Catholic interpretation, this woman is
Mary, the Mother of Jesus, who is also the new
Eve. Others say that this woman is the heavenly
Jerusalem, wisdom personified or even the Church.
Our Predecessors opted with no problem for the
traditional Catholic interpretation: Mary is the
woman with the twelve stars.
Regarding the second emblem composed at
the end of the 19th century, we have seen that the
miraculous tree trunk of Scheut with the Virgin and
Child was replaced by our Predecessors with the
Heart surrounded by twelve stars. The Heart is the
Virgin, the Woman surrounded by twelve stars. In
opting for the traditional Catholic interpretation, our
Predecessors did nothing exceptional. In fact, there
already existed at a Carmelite convent in Brussels
a beautiful statue of the Virgin crowned with twelve
stars. "This statue of the Immaculate is gothic, in
wood, without doubt from the 15th century. It
represents the 'Woman crowned with twelve stars'
(Rv 12:1)."
But did our Predecessors know of this
statue at a Carmelite convent in Brussels? We
know that Karel Van Sante, CICM, assistant to the
Superior General from 1887 to 1920 and rector of
the Scheut-Brussels house from 1890 to 1900, was
in contact with most of the Carmelite convents in
Belgium during his rectorate. His correspondence,
preserved in our Archives, attests to the fact. But
we cannot elaborate on this matter.
Cor Urnum et Anima Una
‘One heart, One soul” — this is the
translated Latin term of the inspired motto of CICM.
This will be further discussed in the succeeding
topics, but to give you the whole depiction of the
emblem, let us have a glimpse of the meaningful
implication embedded behind this motto.
The expression is taken from the Acts of the
Apostles (4,32). It means “one heart and one soul.”
It was used to describe the way the early Christian
believers lived. The full text is as follows: “Now the
full number of those who believed were of one
heart and soul, and no one said that any of the
things that belongs to him was his own, but they
had everything in common.”
This is the spirit of unity we should develop
and have in any grouping we may belong to, be it a
family, a class, an office, a community, etc. Our
sense of unity should not just be in the level of the
physical, professional, social, political, etc. It should
involve our heart and soul. In other words, it should
involve our whole being.
Can this spirit of unity be doable, given the
tremendous amount of differences we have with
each other, let alone, our unavoidable conflicts?
The quick answer may be No, or at least, that it is
doubtful. But if we go by our Christian faith and
realize that our spirit of unity has to be founded on
God, then it is possible. Precisely the early
Christians managed to live it. They lived “cor unum
et anima una.”
We need to realize that the spirit of unity we
are talking about here is not uniformity which can
only take place when things are taken only in their
physical aspects. It is a spirit of unity that allows for
plurality and variety, where differences are
acknowledged and even promoted but used for a
common end.
It is a spirit of unity that is spiritual and
moral in character. It is a very dynamic spirit, ever
active and reactive to any situation, since it is
animated by Christian love that can take on
anything. It is always in the process of composing
and recomposing itself as it responds to the
changing demands of the times.
This spirit of unity can only be made
possible when it is rooted on the unity of God who
are three persons in one God. Let’s remember that
we are God’s image and likeness, made children of
his through his grace. We are meant to reflect in
our life that unity of the Trinitarian God who is full of
goodness, love, truth, justice, etc. This spirit of unity
which we should try to live in any grouping we may
belong to is never one that leads to elitism. This
spirit, if truly inspired by unity of the Trinitarian God,
will always have a universal scope, eager to
understand and love everyone, including those who
may consider themselves as our enemies.
In fact, we don’t restrict ourselves in any
grouping only. Our spirit of unity should cover more
and more areas and levels, until we reach the
universal family of God, the complete communion
of saints. We need to develop the appropriate
attitudes and skills to develop this kind of spirit of
unity. We have to learn to listen to everyone,
including those whose views may different from
ours. We have to sharpen our social skills, always
thoughtful of the others, knowing how to empathize
and sympathize, how to be understanding and
compassionate. From merely sharing things, let’s
move toward giving ourselves to others more and
more. Let’s not be afraid of the sacrifices involved.
Let our differences and conflicts stir the dynamic of
complementation. Let’s trust more in Christ’s words
that the more we give, the more we will receive
from him. It would be good if we pause from time to
time to consider our duties of building up and
strengthening this spirit of unity, giving more teeth
to our desires for it. We can always come up daily
with one concrete detail, no matter how small, to
further this duty of ours.
CODE 232: CFED 1043 — CICM MISSIONARY
IDENTITY
Week 4: Dedicated to the Incarnate Word and
Mary, Mother of the Incarnate
Dedicated to the Incarnate Word
Jesus the Incarnate Word was sent by the
Father to redeem humankind. He washed the
feet of his disciples to give them an example
of a life of service, on the night before he was
to suffer death on the cross, his ultimate act
of self-giving. Jesus' act of redemption does
not only refer to saving from sin, but includes
liberation from socio-economic evil such as
poverty, ignorance, discrimination, disease,
etc. As dedicated to the Incarnate Word,
to Jesus, these forms of evil are
addressed by the CICM through their
various missionary involvements. The
CICM is indeed dedicated to Jesus the
Incarnate Word, who lived a life of ultimate
service.

The heart of the CICM spirituality
"completely centered on the Incarnation of
the Word, as its principal source" (CICM
Constitutions Commentary, 44). That is the
reason why the CICM is at the service of the
work of Redemption. Art 12-16 of the CICM
Constitutions of 1988 deal with
dedication to the Incarnate Word—this
constant reference to the Person of Jesus
should profoundly characterize the whole life
of a CICM missionary: he must thus enter
into the life and the mission of Him who
"emptied Himself, taking the form of a
servant" (Phil 2:7). Thus, the Incarnate Word
is his fundamental inspiration in all his
missionary commitments (Pycke, p.16) be it
in his educational or parish apostolate, in
caring for the environment or for street
children, in Carlatan or in Mongolia, or even
in a simple ministry of presence; all these
endeavors are related to the work of
Redemption, directed towards the building up
of the Kingdom.
CICM's missionary spirituality is
characterized and oriented by
our dedication to the Incarnate
Word (cf. CICM Constitutions
Commentary, 8).
The CICM at the Service of the Work of
Redemption
We have seen that, during the foundation
period of the Congregation, Theophile
Verbist and his companions wrote in the first
Statutes of 1862: The Congregation is
consecrated to the incarnation of our Lord
is Jesus Christ" (Art. 2).
How should this phrase be understood?
Commenting on the same Article 2 (now in
the 1948 Constitutions), J. Vandeputte noted
that in the oldest texts and in the first
Statutes, we always find lncamationi D.N.
J.C.
this However, in the decree of erection (1862),
one reads Salvatorem nostrum J.C.16 Which
is which then: the "incarnation of Christ" (the
Word Incarnate), or more simply "our Saviour
Jesus Christ"?
Let us look more closely at J. Vandeputte's
commentary on Art. 2.
Without the least doubt, since the beginning
of the Congregation, as well as in the
commentary of J. Vandeputte, it is a matter of
consecration to the Incarnate Word; but this
consecration is understood rather as an
availability for the work of redemption — the
members are entirely devoted to the service
of Christ. In addition, it is a matter of
consecration to the Incarnate Word, i.e. "to
Him from whom all redemption comes and
to his incarnation which is its foundation."17
In elucidating J. Vandeputte's commentary,
Jacques Thomas rightly concludes: "In citing
the Incarnate Word, the accent is not on the
incarnation as such, it is rather a title used to
designate Christ "18
The provisional Constitutions of 1968, striking
a different note, say that the CICM is
consecrated to the Incarnate Word, and we
are invited to continue the mission of Christ
by following the road that he himself followed
until death, which he conquered by his
resurrection (Art. 7). Commenting on Article
61 on "Mission and Culture," J. Thomas
made this observation: "For the first time, the
incarnation of Christ as such is invitation
presented as the model for our missionary
presence and as an invitation to a more
effective integration."19
to be faithful servants of God's plan as it is
manifested in Christ and as our Constitutions
concretize it. This faithful service often brings
with it challenges, even a kenosis, in
following Christ.
Is this why our Predecessors drew a cross on
the CICM coat of arms (second stage of
designing the emblem)? The cross means
poverty, suffering, deprivation and failure that
often mark the life of missionaries and their
enterprises. But the cross also always
carries in it the seed of life and
resurrection. The incarnation of the Son of
God "makes us aware of the fact that to
evangelize, following the example of Jesus,
means to accept the cross that results from
the proclamation and the inauguration of the
Kingdom" (C/CM Constitutions Commentary,
37).

In the Constitutions of 1988, there is a whole What has been described is the heart of
section dealing with the dedication to the CICM's spirituality which is "completely
Incarnate Word (Art. 12-16). Article 12 says centered on the incarnation of the Word, as
that CICM "is dedicated to the Incarnate its principal source" (C/CM Constitutions
Word." According to Jean Lefebvre, "this Commentary, 44). Those who would like to
means that we are at the exclusive service of deepen their knowledge of our CICM
the Son of God made man and of the mission
that he has entrusted to us. It is in reference
to the Incarnate Word that we are seeking to
discern the demands of this mission. It
means that this constant reference to the
person of Jesus should profoundly
characterize our whole life."20 We must thus
enter into the life and the mission of him who
"emptied himself, taking the form of a
servant" (Phil 2:7). Thus, the incarnation of
the Word inspires all our missionary
commitment (cf. Art. 12). The Incarnate
Word is our fundamental inspiration.

In accepting God's plan for the world, Jesus

responds to the love of God who wishes to
bring together all of humanity, to unite them
in a single family of brothers and sisters (cf.
Eph 1:10). In this way, the Kingdom of God
is progressively realized, a Kingdom of
justice and love, of peace and joy. Our
consecration to the Incarnate Word demands
of us, of the Congregation and of each of us,
 spirituality can read the whole article of J.
Lefebvre (supra) as well as that of William
Wyndaele.21
Mother of the Word Incarnate Mother of God
What is the real meaning of the “title and
patronage of the Immaculate Heart of Mary” in
the spirituality of the Congregation?
Mary reflects Jesus and his liberating mission.
The text of Revelation 12:1-6 was introduced
for the first time in the post-conciliar liturgy of
the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin
Mary. God makes Mary participates, in soul
and body, in the glory of his risen Son. Mary
is the Woman crowned with stars who
"shines forth on earth, until the day of the
Lord shall come, as a sign of sure hope and
solace to the people of God in pilgrimage"
(Lumen gentium, n. 68)

Let us now turn to the Constitutions:

On the CICM coats of arms, we see the tree
trunk with the Virgin and Child. In the
"God chose Mary to be mother of the
second stage of the coat of arms, the Virgin
Incarnate Word. In her, he reveals
Mary seems to be absent, but in fact the
himself as the One who exalts the lowly.
Heart surrounded by twelve stars is the
She has a special place in our lives as
symbol of the Blessed Virgin. Biblically
missionaries of the Congregation of the
speaking, the heart is the center of the
Immaculate Heart of Mary. We turn to her,
person. When C. Daems reintroduced the
model of faith and total dedication to God
miraculous tree trunk of Scheut in the CICM
and to her Son's mission" (Art. 16).
coat of arms, he also kept the Heart (from
the second stage), as if he wished to say
that the trunk refers to Our Lady of Grace of
Scheut and the Heart to the Immaculate
Heart of Mary.

The Heart with the twelve stars is placed

in the center of the cross (second stage).
In doing this, our Predecessors wished to
show the link between Mary and her Son
dying on the cross. It seems to me that J.
Vandeputte expressed well the idea of those
who composed the CICM coat of arms: "The
role that the Blessed Virgin played in the
work of redemption and her spiritual
motherhood in the Church make us think of
our missionary vocation. We find in it the
example of the most sublime cooperation
with the work of redemption and of the
extension of the Kingdom of God in the
souls."22 This explanation is also in line with
the Congregation being at "the service of the
work of redemption."

Concerning the expression of apocalyptic

origin, "surrounded by twelve stars," let us
the draw attention to the following:
 This goes into the Marian aspect of CICM
spirituality, but we will limit ourselves to
the following points: We reserve a special
place to Mary in our missionary lives. We
venerate her as the Mother of the Incarnate
Word. She is the first servant of the mystery
of the incarnation. Because of her
cooperation with the work of the Redeemer,
we recognize her as our Mother in the order
of grace.
During the last forty years, in a good number
of publications about Mary, the accent has
repeatedly been put on her faith at the moment
of the annunciation: "Behold, I am the
handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me
according to your Word" (Lk 1:38). This is
her faith throughout her life, especially when
she found herself at the foot of the cross.
There is an aspect of not comprehending.
and especially of surrender to God's will, but
there was also progress in her faith as
God's plan became more and more known
to her. Our Constitutions invite us to turn
towards Mary as "model of faith and of total
dedication to God and to her Son's mission,"
and "to follow the example of Mary in the
way that she deepened her own
vocation.”23
Fasting and Abstinence. Fasting does not
mean you will not eat the whole day. It
means take one full meal a day. Out of your
three meals, you should get full only once,
and take little food for the other two meals.
Aside from purification, fasting also means ho
suffered for sacrifice, that we share in the
sacrifice of Christ w our sins. Abstinence.
This means do not eat meat. Point to ponder:
If you go to a so called "burol ng patay" and
they will offer you food e with this, we d died
for our with a meat as your "ulam". How do
you feel? In lin also respect the body of
Christ which suffered an sins. As Catholics,
we are expected to practice these two.
We are only required to do these during Ash
Wednesday and Good Friday. Two days
only, while other sects do not eat blood for
the whole of their lives. Fasting and
abstinence also means abstain from doing
other pleasurable things or from joyous
moments during these days. Nagfasting ka
nga ng food pero naglaro ka naman ng
favorite mong games the whole day, e
nawala,na yung essence ng pagfasting mo!
These two days are the official days for us to
practice fasting and abstinence. Other

Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the

Lenten Season in the Catholic Liturgical
Calendar (calendar of worship celebrations).
Lent is 40 days. As we discussed in CFED
1013, 40 days in the Old Testament
symbolizes time for purification. It is time for
us to purify ourselves and undergo
conversion and return to the Lord if we have
not been doing good in our past days. It is
time for repentance and metanoia. Ash is a
symbol of mortality, and people in the Old
Testament used it when they ask for
forgiveness from the Lord. Aside from using
ash, there are also two things that we
(Catholics) do during Ash Wednesday and
Good Friday.
 Fridays of the year is just recommended but
not obligatory. Why Friday? Because Jesus
died on a Friday. For your assignment,
research on the exemptions or who are
exempted from doing fasting and abstinence.
Week 5: CICM Spirituality - The Mission Statement
The Mission Statement
Introduction:
 
Mission statement is one of the most
defined ways to express a cultural identity to
others. The values, norms, and beliefs of an
organization create a unique cultural environment, and
mission statements provide an official method for
expressing that culture. The CICM mission statement
has clearly reflected these values to guide the actions
and organizational initiatives of the missionaries. It has
guided the missionaries to see the meaning and
purpose of their commitments.
       To broaden this understanding, let’s trace back
the aspirations of the CICM founders in forming a
unanimity of purpose to the congregation and
imbue a sense of belonging and identity.
 
                               “One Heart, One Soul”
In his book Sing a New Song (1999),
Timothy Radcliffe, Magister of the Dominican
Order, writes about his Vocation: "When I joined the
Order I was drawn above all by the hunger to
understand my faith. The motto of the Order Veritas
attracted me.8 Not so long ago, we visited a
Benedictine monastery in Siena, Italy. We admired
the Order's motto Ora et labora chiseled in a large
stone placed in the church choir. These mottoes
reveal something about the religious life project of
the respective Founders. They have been chosen
to express concisely the essence of their vocation.
 
Our Founder Theophile Verbist, who died
barely five years after founding the CICM, did not
bequeath a motto. C. Daems entrusted to us that
task at a difficult moment in the CICM history. Let
us have a closer look at this motto taken from
the Acts of the Apostles: "The whole group of
believers was united, heart and soul" (4:32). This
sentence expresses God's ideal about humankind,
his creation. What does it mean? Jesus came to
reveal that God is our Father, that he wants to be
everybody's Father. This is the core of the Gospel
message. In Jesus, we are God's children through
the Spirit's power. Consequently, we are brothers
and sisters of the same family.
          In the early nascent Church, this awareness
of the revelation aroused joyful enthusiasm. The
Christians were aware of living God's life. They felt
it as a source of intense communion, a source of
joy and peace. C. Daems chose this motto of
brotherhood and joy that would become a
missionary motto.
A Missionary Motto
From the sixties onward, the motto
introduced by C. Daems will be more and more
emphasized in CICM documents and its content will
grow considerably.
      In fact, the motto One Heart, One Soul appears
in the provisional Constitutions of 1968 (Art. 4).
Later on, when referring to our missionary
commitment, the 1974 Chapter declares: "we want
to be signs and instruments of universal
brotherhood" (Kindling the Fire, 45). Still later, the
1978 General Conference pays special attention to
our vocation to universal brotherhood in Jesus
Christ. The report of this Conference is published
under the title One Heart, One Soul. Finally, the
1988 Constitutions also refer to the motto:
"Religious missionaries of different races and
cultures, we live and work together as
brothers. One heart and one soul, we witness to the
Father's will that all men and women be brothers
and sisters in Christ. We are a sign of solidarity
among the particular Churches in their universal
mission" (Art. 2).
 It is remarkable that the motto is directly
related to the words "witness to universal
brotherhood." The view is fairly well summarized in
a paragraph of the CICM Constitutions
Commentary (1989: "The ideal of the first Christian
community, one heart, one soul (Acts 4:32), has
also become our missionary motto" (17). This is
how our motto found its place in
our Constitutions' missionary manifesto (Art. 2). It
expresses a fundamental aspect of our CICM
vocation.
 
CICM Mission Statement
 
How does CICM understand its mission in
the context of today's world? How does it
view its specific contribution to the
realization of the mission the Lord entrusted
to his Church?
 
The CICM mission statement succinctly answers
these questions.
 
What is a mission statement all about? One
should be aware of the fact that it is not a summary
of the Constitutions, neither is it a synthesis of the
individual commitments of the confreres. A
mission statement is always future-oriented and
sharply focuses on the corporate commitment
of the members of the institute. It does not
elaborate on the conditions required for its
implementation such as an adequate formation or
the indispensable mobility of the members. The
Criteria for Our Missionary Involvements deal with
the practical implications of the mission
statement.
 
The specific commitment of CICM is in
frontier situations, its basic approach is an
encounter that eventually develops in an in-depth
interreligious dialogue and/or in first
evangelization. World solidarity is a logical
consequence of this movement. CICM is not a lone
fighter, it belongs to a larger community, the
Church which is at the service of the mission. The
same holds for the CICM community: it is first of
all at the service of the mission.
 
Mission Statement
 
At the initiative of the Father,
sent by the Son,
guided by the Spirit,
 
Inspired by Theophile Verbist our founder,
who heard the call of the Lord
and left his country
to proclaim the Good News in China,
 
Enlightened by those who preceded us
and who-like our founder-
left their familiar surroundings
to follow Jesus Christ, the Incarnate Word.
by integrating themselves into a foreign
culture,
and by living in solidarity with other people,
 
Enriched by those we serve,
especially the poor who reveal to us the sin
of the world
and who help us discover the true meaning
of God's plan of love,
 
We, CICM missionaries
of different races and cultures,
live and work together as brothers
to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ
wherever it is most needed.
 
We achieve our mission
when we facilitate
the encounter between Jesus Christ and the
'nations'.
Our mission includes
enabling people
to experience the coming of the Kingdom
proclaimed by Jesus Christ
in their God-given context.
 
The foundational assumptions with which we
approach our mission are:
 
God's Plan of Love
We believe that God plans to reconcile the
whole of Creation to Him, in Christ, through the
Spirit. He calls us to proclaim salvation as His great
gift which liberates from oppression and disruption.
Salvation is not merely of human persons,
individually or communally, but the entire world.
Mission therefore also comprises sharing in God's
care for the whole of creation. The goal of the
mission is the Kingdom of God of which the Church
is the servant.
 
          Our Commitment to Frontier Situations
 We affirm that it is the specific charism of
CICM to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ
wherever it is most needed, e.g., in frontier
situations such as geographic areas where the
Gospel is not known or lived, isolated areas where
people feel abandoned, large cities where the
feeling of anonymity prevails, marginalized groups,
refugees and displaced persons, people who live in
extreme poverty, young people who feel there is no
future for them. Our direct involvement with these
groups should be supported by a prophetic
presence in the world of communications,
organizations that participate in the struggle for
liberation, justice and peace groups, organizations
committed to safeguarding the created world,
associations which seek to influence international
decision-makers.
Our Commitment to Dialogue
We fully respect the freedom of people.
"The Church proposes she imposes nothing' (RM,
39). We are called to encounter people of all
religions and convictions, and to establish a
dialogue of life with them. As part of this
commitment, we acquire adequate knowledge of
the language and the culture of the people who
welcome us and make every effort to insert
ourselves in their life situation. Some among us
nourish and enrich this common commitment by
engaging in an in-depth interreligious dialogue.
Our Commitment to First Evangelization
           We are particularly grateful when people,
through the action of the Spirit, open their hearts to
the message of the Gospel and express the desire
to join the Church of Jesus Christ. We share with
them the message of joy that transformed our own
lives and invite them to share with us their faith
experience. We jointly convert ourselves to God
and form dynamic communities that live and
proclaim the Gospel within the God-given context of
the people. When these communities, in
communion with the universal Church, reach
maturity and become a local Church assuming full
responsibility for her mission in the world, we move
on to other places where our presence is most
needed.
Our Commitment to World Solidarity
        We acknowledge with sorrow the growing gap
between the Gospel vision of a new humanity of
freedom, fellowship, and justice, and the world
where there is poverty, oppression, lack of
freedom, inequality, injustice, violence, and hatred.
This is not a mere accident; it is a situation created
by a powerful minority. We, therefore, participate in
the struggle of the marginalized to restore their
dignity as responsible persons created in the image
of God and called to fully participate in building a
better world for all. As part of this commitment, we
seek to challenge the rich nations to adopt a more
austere lifestyle, to abandon the old economic
order based on unlimited growth for the benefit of a
few, and to commit themselves to a new model of
global development based on global sharing.
Our Commitment to the Local Church
            We affirm that the mission of Jesus Christ in
which we share is entrusted to the entire
community of believers coming from all cultures,
races, and nationalities. As a missionary institute,
we are a visible sign of the commitment of the
whole Church to the mission of Jesus Christ in the
world, especially concerning those who do not
belong to the Church. In dialogue and cooperation
with the leadership of the universal Church, we
discern where our presence is most needed. We
loyally cooperate with the leadership of the local
Churches while remaining faithful to our
commitment to frontier situations. In doing so, we
are a sign of solidarity among the local Churches in
their universal mission. As part of this commitment,
we help the faithful of the Churches in which we are
present to develop a growing awareness of their
missionary responsibility and gratefully welcome
young people who in their turn hear the call of the
Lord and express the desire to join the institute.
Our Commitment to Community
           We believe that how we live and work
together is important in fulfilling our mission. It is
our task to foster with the Spirit dynamic
communities of praying and active believers. Since
we cannot give what we are not, we live and work
as much as possible in intercultural evangelizing
communities that foster values such as mutuality,
interdependence, a simple lifestyle in solidarity with
the poor, conscious and respectful interaction with
each other and the culture in which we live,
common prayer nourished by and oriented towards
our mission.
It is generally said that the Heart with the twelve
stars comes from a text of the Revelation (1:12)
= false

The current CICM emblem includes in its
supper portion the Virgin with a Child inside
a trunk, who represents our blessed virgin
mary, and who was venerated during the
time of Fr. Theophile Verbist
= false
The second design of the CICM emblem was
composed at the end of the 18th century.
= false
Our founder and his companions chose the name
“Congregation of our lady of grace”, inspired by
the

By the will of our Founder Theophile Verbist and proclamation of the dogma of immaculate
his companions, the new Congregation would carry concepcion.
the
= false
title “Immaculate heart of mary” who will be its
Patroness.

=true

Karel Denys, CICM authored a book to

narrate the historical emblem of CICM
with the precious indications on the
miraculous trunk in Scheut and on the
statue of our lady of grace.

= false

After the 1974 chapter, a century after the

death of our founder, and old sanctuary of our
lady of grace was replaced by another chapel

=true

The trunk with the Virgin and child is the oldest

element that can be found in all the CICM coats
of arms, except for that of China, Mongolia, and
Congo.

=true

Cor Unum et Anima Una is an expression taken

from the Acts of the apostles (14;32)

= false