Dear Paulists brothers and sisters,
Peace be with you all.
This is the first time that I am reaching out to all of you in my newly-assigned ministry as Superior General. And it is truly a great blessing that I am doing so on the celebration of our Foundation Day, weeks after we have celebrated our General Chapter. It is a great blessing because I can present to you, on this special day, the grace-filled message of GC2024, which you can find by clicking here.
I cannot share with you on this day a better message than that enshrined in this Final Document. Kindly allow me to highlight some paragraphs which, maybe, are better suited to be read on this day.
The General Chapter invites every member of the Society and the lay Paulists to remain rooted in our foundational charism as missionaries. In this way, the joy of our vocation and the bonds of love between us and with Christ will remain fresh. Guided and encouraged by our leadership, the members of every community, religious and lay, should strive to ‘live in communion’, on the model of our Founder, Joseph De Piro, whose very presence inspired joy, encounter and communion.
GC2024 Resolutions, No. 11
Furthermore it says:
The MSSP liturgical calendar is not only an important instrument for celebrating defining moments in our history or precious elements of our identity: it should also become a means of deepening our spirituality and community life, as well as offering food for our individual spiritual journeys.
GC2024 Resolutions, No. 13
Finally it also points out that:
Growing numbers of laity are animated by the Society’s charism and spirituality. Undoubtedly, this is the hope-filled work of the Holy Spirit who inspires new forms of ecclesial life according to the needs of each age. … St. Paul’s conviction that charisms are given to all the baptised for the common good of Christ’s body never wavered. For him, a Christian community could only flourish with a variety of charisms operative in all its members. And so it is within our Society: we affirm the calling for a greater commitment of our whole Society to ‘go forward together’ with our Paulist laity. Our Society would be much the poorer without their presence.
GC2024 Resolutions, No. 28-29
In the light of these extracts, I pray that the celebration of our Foundation Day in your region and/or community may be a coming together of consecrated MSSP brothers and Paulist lay, giving thanks for the blessings showered upon us these last 114 years, and committing again ourselves to follow Him wherever He goes. With Mary we can truly say “He has looked with favour on his lowly servant … the Almighty has done great things for me.” Let us be reminded that, in grateful response to such blessings, on this day, we, consecrated MSSP brothers, are invited to renew our vows. And may our Founder rejoice with us from Heaven, and continue to intercede for us, so that what God has sown through him, may continue to flourish.
Your brother,
Fr Martin Galea mssp
Superior General.