Thought for the Day – 1 July – The Memorial of Bl Antonio Rosmini (1797-1855) and the first day of the Month of the Most Precious Blood
The Pope’s invitation to write books to present, in a modern language, the doctrine of the Church was accomplished by publishing works that were destined to produce fruits well into the future. His prodigious act ivity in many fields was supported by a mystical life of prayer, which included the daily offering of his blood in union with the precious Blood of JESUS. On 18 November 2007, he was proclaimed a Blessed and was presented as a luminous model of intellectual charity.
In his exhortation, Veritatis Gaudium of 29 January 2018, Pope Francis, quoting words from the book The Five Wounds of Holy Church, published by Rosmini in 1848, issued an invitation to follow Rosmini’s recommendations for the formation of clergy and of the faithful.
The fundamental dimensions of the charism
The Institute, as a religious family born of Charity, offers God’s help for sanctification in the perfection of charity. It is a gift for all categories of people, because God does not exclude anyone from His love. In practice, the following groups belong to the Institute: brothers and priests with vows (Rosminians), the Sisters of Providence (Rosminian Sisters), Adopted Sons and Ascribed members. These latter do not live in communities but participate in the charism while following their chosen way of life. They can be men and women, married couples, diocesan priests, even bishops!
Rosmini did not receive from God a call to any specific work of charity, like many other founders and thus the Institute is meant to mirror the Church in its identity and in its mission of universal charity. The development of our charism has been conditioned and slowed down by historical and ecclesial events but in recent years it has begun to increase.
The fundamental dimensions of the spirituality of our charism
Union with God begins with justice, that is, with the commitment to personal purification and detachment from sin. It grows into adherence to grace in such a way that we desire only and in an orderly fashion, to do the will of God, manifested through the duties of our state of life, the voice of the Church, the indications of superiors and the demands of our neighbours. All this is masterly expressed in the pages of Maxims of Christian Perfection. Since Rosmini affirms the supreme value of the person, the Rosminian way enhances and directs a conscious and mature Christian witness.
The fundamental dimensions of our specific charismatic mission
Indifference to one’s own choices becomes total openness to calls from God and from the Church. Both Rosminian brethren and Sisters put their total being at the disposal of charity. Thanks to the marvellous conjunction of consecrated and lay life, the Rosminian charismatic Family is the mirror of the Church. It tends to promote and develop works of charity that reach the most important places of the Church and society.
AnaStpaul 