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6. Communion and Collaboration with Others Print E-mail
Written by Consolata.org   
Tuesday, 07 February 2006
68. Enucleation of the orientation

Mission is communion (AG 1): it is born of the Trinity who wishes to gather all humanity into its life.

Mission demands a spirituality of communion, which should permeate the soul of the missionary; it continues to derive strength from its source and is lived out in actions of union with others.

Our communities are called to become “homes and schools of communion” (NMI 43), and of collaboration as a style of living the mission:

1. among ourselves,

2. with those who share our charism: the Consolata Missionary Sisters and the Consolata Lay Missionaries,

3. with other missionary and religious institutes, in particular with those founded by our missionaries,

4. with our benefactors and collaborators, friends, volunteers, organizations and associations, including those of “lay” inspiration that are committed to solidarity, ecology, justice and peace and to new styles of life in keeping with the ideals of mission,

5. with all the forces of the local church,

6. with the other religions and religious denominations.

In this journey of communion and collaboration for mission, it is always necessary for us to keep in mind that we are missionaries ad gentes, according to the charism of Blessed Joseph Allamano. This aspect of mission should be clearly manifested and should orient all our actions.


69. Aspects which motivate the orientation

Today’s mission relies very much on new agents, who are also called to work in communion and collaboration.

The problems which looms on the horizon of mission affect the whole world, and they require global solutions, which can only be brought about with the active and integral participation of all.

To live mission in communion and collaboration with all will allow us to overcome individualism and protagonism, fruit of a past concept of the role of the missionary institutes. This collaborative approach will help us feel that we are not the owners of mission, but servants of the Church and its mission.


70. Practical Proposals
1. In our programs of ongoing formation, special attention should be paid to the possibility of offering courses, preparing meetings, aids and seminars, at both the general and regional levels, so that the missionary can undergo a change of mentality, and become ever more capable of working in communion.

2. In the continental meetings of the Superiors and the General Government, efforts should be made to prepare a long term program for the preparation of our own experts, or for the use of experts from outside the Institute, in the following areas: globalization, continental problems, pastoral methodology, cultural changes....

3. The missionaries should learn how to work in communion with other people both within and outside the Institute. There should be a provision for the exchange of personnel and means of apostolate for special services needed. This exchange should be programmed at the continental level.

4. Each missionary should feel that it is his duty to participate in meetings of the local churches, and should learn to seek and create ways of collaboration with intercongregational and ecumenical groups in the fields of pastoral work, AMV, spirituality and JPIC.