Marian Helper • Summer 2023 • Marian.org 15 Special moments In accordance with our founding charism, we strive today to spread this mystery of Mary and see in it the sanctity of every human life, from conception to natural death. We strive to be prophets of the eschatological destiny of every human being, and we proclaim the Gospel in every possible way. In the Jubilee of our Congregation, we are living special moments given to us by Divine Providence, especially the fact that, going back more than 100 years at a time of persecution, only one member of the Congregation remained alive. Today, we serve God and the Church in 19 countries around the world, and although we are not a large Congregation, we witness to Christ in the way of Mary, our Mother and Patroness, always the humble and little Handmaiden of the Lord. And we desire this to be our path. Your Holiness, in these days, we are celebrating the 59th General Chapter. In it, we are exploring the great gifts of God’s mercy contained in our Jubilee and in our history. We ask you to address a message to us, and we ask for your Apostolic Blessing for our service, according to our maxim: Pro Christo et Ecclesia. Pope Francis: Dear brothers, good morning and welcome! You are holding this General Chapter in the context of the 350th anniversary of the founding of your Institute, that took place in Krakow in December 1670, by the work of St. Stanislaus of Jesus and Mary. We know that it was not an easy beginning, due to the search for suitable companions and the long approval process, but St. Stanislaus did not give up, trusting in the strength of the Holy Spirit. And precisely in order to cherish the legacy left to you by his tenacity, I would like to recall with you three major features of his and of your spirituality, all marked by a lively ascetic and pastoral dynamism: love for the Virgin Mary, prayer of suffrage, and attention to the poor. Love for Mary First of all, love for Mary. It is interesting to see what St. Stanislaus teaches regarding Marian devotion: he says that the principal veneration of Mary Immaculate is imitation of her evangelical life. This is important, because true devotion to the Mother of the Lord is nurtured and grows through listening to and meditating on the Word of God: Mary is the Woman of the Gospel (cf. Mt 12:46-50). Prayer of Suffrage Second aspect: prayer of suffrage, which characterizes the eschatological aspect of your Congregation. Saint Stanislaus, however, inserts into this view of the ultimate horizon a special prayer for two large groups of the poor of his time: soldiers who fell in battle, and those who died of the plague. Today it is needed for soldiers: they are falling everywhere! Just think that in the 17th century, some 60 percent “Saint Stanislaus charted for your congregation paths of spirituality and action, well embodied in the concrete history of the men and women of his time. And it is important for you to ‘take up the torch’; continuing to respond creatively to the challenges that our age also presents.” Continued on page 16
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