During the archbishop’s pastoral visit Michele Seccia to Squinzanothe consecrated women in secular institutes present in the area wanted to meet the father and pastor of the local Church.
Housed in the convent of the Friars Minor Santa Maria delle Grazie of Squinzano by the parish priest Father Salvatore Giardinawere able to enjoy the presence of the archbishop who embraced each sister, listened to the presentation of each one and the institute they belonged to, addressed his word, delivered his message, recounted his vocational experience, all with the tenderness and care that a father reserves for his children.
The diocesan coordinator Ciis (Italian conference of secular institutes) Carmelina Miglietta she addressed her greeting on behalf of all, with a heart full of joy and gratitude for the possibility of being able to meet the archbishop together (eleven sisters from various secular institutes were present: the Small Franciscan Familythe Handmaids of God Mercyi Servants of Sufferingthe Missionaries of the Word of God and a sister ofOrdo Virginum). He then outlined the identity of the secular consecrated person, highlighting the specificities of the secular vocation.
“The secular consecrated person – he said – is he who, touched by grace, becomes a sign of the presence of God in the world, capable of becoming a neighbor to man where he cries, suffers, hopes and rejoices. He is a heart that sees and loves others in everyday life made up of joys and sorrows, of hardships and hopes because, like Christ, he becomes a traveling companion on the roads of the world, inserted into those earthly realities that he must touch and transform ”.
The peculiarity of secular consecration is precisely in being grafted into the daily life of brothers and sisters; be carriers of one Good newsnarrator of the Mercy of God, of the caress of God who bends over humanity, living and mingling with everyone, announcing the joy of the Gospel in the suburbs: in our own families, among work or study colleagues, to our neighbor, in the areas of marginalization, trying to be sowers of hope and agents of peace.
The creative testimony of secular consecration arises from an attentive gaze, non-judgmental but enveloping like an embrace; it is enriched with a heart capable of listening, which bends over the needs of others.
Secular consecrated lay people live in this historical time and in this world – theological aspects of their vocational experience – with the awareness that it is a difficult but propitious time, of crisis but also of grace, of uncertainties but also of challenges to face. A time inhabited by God.
The attitude towards these realities is not one of resignation, but of hope with the firm conviction that by walking together with all consecrated people, with all the brothers and sisters among whom we live, we can be prophets in history and an authentic voice in the Church who commits, with renewed courage and enthusiasm, to live and announce the good news of the Gospel.
In every consecrated woman the sense of belonging to the Diocesan Church and to her own parish community is alive, there is an active commitment to active collaboration and sharing of daily pastoral life, a sign and testimony of fidelity and service rendered to the Church and to the world with the gift of one’s life.
Each one is aware of the great gift of the vocation received, of belonging to an Institute in observance, but which belongs to everyone in charity, that life shared with God and with brothers is a full, grateful, beautiful life”.
After listening very carefully, the archbishop addressed his words as a teacher and confirmed that the richness and sowing of the various charisms by the Spirit is so creative and fruitful that every consecrated woman, in living her own charism, expresses a appearance and a particular gift. But the most beautiful expression and definition of every call from the Lord – he added – is: ‘to be before God for humanity’.
He recommended a daily life program to practice such a state of life: frequency and assiduity in listening to the Word, prayer, participation in the Eucharistic, in order to remain faithful to the God who called to a commitment to service and fidelity to his love ; finally he urged us to assimilate the feelings that belonged to Jesus to bring God to humanity and humanity to God, to give one’s life to the service of God and one’s brothers, to make life a service and an immolation, safeguarding this awareness: ” you are in the world with God, you are with God for the world”.
The dialogue with the Bishop continued with some questions: How to be prophets of hope and sharing in today’s society? How to respond to current emergencies? How can we collaborate more incisively in the mission of the Church? How can we announce the charism of secular consecration to today’s young people? What help can we offer to ecclesial communities as consecrated women?
The archbishop responded by referring to the motto chosen when starting his episcopal ministry in our diocese: “Being a collaborator of joy”, because joy is Christ, joy is possessing the Spirit, a gift of God, which guides, illuminates, assigns of tasks, arouses good intentions and missionary ardor, acts in the heart of every disciple”.
Don Vanni Biscontiparish priest of Mary Queen, present at the meeting, expressed her thanks for the presence and precious service that the consecrated women offer in her parish community in the areas of liturgy, catechesis, charity and the profession of which they give to the community. Taking advantage of the richness of consecration every day, she said, is a reason for gratitude to the Lord who wants everyone to collaborate in the same mission.
In the final greeting the archbishop urged us to walk together in the grace of the Lord and to always thank him for everything he gives us.
The consecrated women asked him to bless their renewed commitment, their faithful service, their clear choice to be together to pray, announce, testify, live in the world to lead it to God with their own charismatic identity; being together to cooperate with the bishop, the priests and between the various Institutes; being together to face the future together not as dispersed but united towards the only ideal which is the life consecrated to the Lord, a gift for the Church and for the world.
