243 our confreres, especially before the renovation. While we possess a number of materials about assisting the deceased by the Marians of old, we have very few sources telling us how our predecessors were spreading the mystery of the Immaculate Conception and what it meant to them. As part of the preparations for the General Chapter in 2011, I asked Fr. Janusz Kumala to produce, in cooperation with the Committee on the Charism that he chairs, a document called Instrumentum laboris on the topic: “The Charism of the Congregation of Marian Fathers and its timeliness for the modern world.” I have great hopes for this document. I would like it to provide a synthesis of our charism as we understand it now, after the beatifi cation of our Founder and the jubilee of the renewal. Our refl ection on the charism will make sense only if it leads us to a greater faithfulness to Jesus and the Gospel and to the essential elements of the religious life, such as the religious vows, the communal life, prayer, and asceticism. It is exactly by following Jesus Christ on the path of the evangelical counsels that consecrated persons make a more fruitful and anticipated contribution to the life of the Church. Thus, our apostolate will be fruitful only when it is not carried out at the expense of the essential elements of the religious life. Concentrating on our charism, let us keep in mind that a radical following of Jesus Christ is the foundation of the religious life, regardless of one’s order (be it Marian, Jesuit, Dominican, etc.). If we were to somehow omit this aspect of the religious life, then our study of a particular charism won’t bring about any genuine renewal. It is true that the beatifi cation does not automatically resolve all of the Congregation’s problems or contribute to an instantaneous growth in vocations. However, after this Convention, I grow more and more convinced that it has been a great gift to us. Discerning this gift may change the image of our Congregation. We carry the responsibility before God and the Church of accepting this gift in its entirety. This responsibility raises concerns and anxiety. However, the hope prevails that God will come to our rescue, in spite of our ineptitude. Our hope also lies in Mary, the Immaculately Conceived, who is our Mother and Patroness. I thank all of you for coming, for giving your conferences, for holding honest debates, and for creating this wonderful fraternal atmosphere. Immaculata Virginis Mariae Conceptio sit nobis salus et protectio!
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