St. Anthony M. Claret, the founder of the Claretian Missionaries, lived in 19th century Spain and in Cuba. We, the Claretian missionaries, inherited his missionary spirit. To keep that spirit alive we need to connect with our religious roots. A group of 17 English-speaking Claretians from different parts of the world are participating these days in an intensive seminar in Spain, following the footsteps of Claret: following “physically” and spiritually. A member of our China Mission team, is the chronicler for the group and sends his notes every day. We copy at random:
Chapel of Our Lady of Fussimanya:
Today Fr. Jesu Doss of the Center of Claretian Spirituality led the discussion, which highlighted some important points both in the life of Claret and of the participants as Claretians: the tension between charism and institution, the challenge of being evangelizing and evangelized, awareness and sensitivity to the particular reality of the different countries and continents, the tension between being Claretian priests working in the diocese and at the same time being religious living in a Claretian fraternity, the lack of a specifically non-clerical religious formation for Claretian brothers, who according to Fr. Jesu have a greater opportunity to live our “Claretian-ness.” At 6:30 pm, to conclude the session, Fr. Jesu asked the participants to share their impression of the Encounter so far, and the brothers agreed that initially they were expecting that these days would only be about past history, but the Encounter has so far brought them to the present, to see Claret very much alive today.
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Another day:
Fr. Gonzalo Fernandez CMF was the main celebrant in the mass this morning and in his homily, he talked about the changing face of the congregation in the past 30 to 40 years. He reiterated the fact that it is still the same Claretian congregation, but which has now fulfilled Claret’s desire for his spirit to be for the whole world. He also reminded the brothers of the aim of the Encounter with Claret, which is to know, enjoy and deepen our Claretian identity, not as a congregation of priests, but of missionaries, nourished by the Word of God as servants of the Word and united in the Eucharist as one community.
Chapel of Our Lady of Fussimanya: English-speaking Claretians
attending the Encounter with Claret.
attending the Encounter with Claret.
Today Fr. Jesu Doss of the Center of Claretian Spirituality led the discussion, which highlighted some important points both in the life of Claret and of the participants as Claretians: the tension between charism and institution, the challenge of being evangelizing and evangelized, awareness and sensitivity to the particular reality of the different countries and continents, the tension between being Claretian priests working in the diocese and at the same time being religious living in a Claretian fraternity, the lack of a specifically non-clerical religious formation for Claretian brothers, who according to Fr. Jesu have a greater opportunity to live our “Claretian-ness.” At 6:30 pm, to conclude the session, Fr. Jesu asked the participants to share their impression of the Encounter so far, and the brothers agreed that initially they were expecting that these days would only be about past history, but the Encounter has so far brought them to the present, to see Claret very much alive today.
- - - - - - - -
Another day:
Fr. Gonzalo Fernandez CMF was the main celebrant in the mass this morning and in his homily, he talked about the changing face of the congregation in the past 30 to 40 years. He reiterated the fact that it is still the same Claretian congregation, but which has now fulfilled Claret’s desire for his spirit to be for the whole world. He also reminded the brothers of the aim of the Encounter with Claret, which is to know, enjoy and deepen our Claretian identity, not as a congregation of priests, but of missionaries, nourished by the Word of God as servants of the Word and united in the Eucharist as one community.
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