For the Coming of the Kingdom of God, out of Love for Jesus Christ.

A Newsletter offering information and formation to help us create an Alliance between the Laity and Religious, a Lay Assumption.

1. Formation: “Faithful to the will of Father D’Alzon, our communities are at the service of truth, unity and charity.  In this way, they herald the Kingdom.”

These last words of the first Chapter of our Rule of Life tell us much about the apostolic vision of Father D’Alzon.· These three traits, sometimes mentioned as doctrinal, ecumenical and social, tell us not only of the different types of apostolate that we are to engage in, but also remind us that each apostolic gesture should be marked by these traits.

 Though they were at times understood somewhat differently by Father D’Alzon because of the vastly different circumstances in the midst which he lived they retain basically the same meaning.  We are to teach the truth, revealed truth and truth that is the fruit of humanity’s best efforts.  Above all we are to find the truth in Jesus Christ “who is the way, the truth and the life.”  We are to work constantly for the unity Christian Churches as Christ would want us to. And today we are called to extend that pursuit for unity and harmony by reaching out to all other faiths and to all men and women of good will.  Finally we are called to be concerned with the welfare of our neighbor, especially the poor, and to reach out to them in charity but also, when that is called for, in social justice.  But we are called in no matter what we are doing to develop a sense of concern for the truth of what we are doing, about how his might affect unity and  harmony among people and whether our action is truly a kind one, one that respects all the rights of the other.  Think of how this might affect our approach to such vital issues as our present financial crisis, globalization, race, religious and class relations, abortion, homosexuality, bioethics, etc.!

2. News: Things are changing!  Our Congregation-wide Newsletter, AA News, has, in the past few years, been paying more attention to the laity.  Each issue now has articles concerning our lay friends and their interest in forming a lay Assumption.  And, in the last issue, for the first time, Fr. Richard, our Superior General begins his regular message which contains much about the laity in this fashion:

Dear brothers and sisters, religious and lay.

Yes, indeed, times are changing!  “Festina Lente”!  We must hurry in a prudent way.  Less we miss the boat!