Summary of basic elements that should be included in Our Religious Consecration -

community is very weakly expressed , we can also clearly observe
that this Rule presents the elements of religious life in a fragmentar
y way , separated □ ne from t he ot her, without unity .
The t hing as a whole remains vague and without color. It does
not seem tome to be able t o stir the will and touch the heart .
Meanwhile , the use of the f irst person pluralis a positive
element expressing soli darity and hope.
I fear t hat this Rule l acks t he vertical dimension and that
it will end up maintaining our communities in a horizontal
life style, simply honest . In the 0ld Constituti on there were
certain concrete formulats , well expressed, with an incontestable
religious weight, which remained in one ' s spirit, and which,
particularly in difficult moments, e l icited prayer, fidelity
and apostolic action .
Thus, no. 2 which was f r om P. Giraud: The Missionaries
endeavor to work with t heir whole hear t for the conversion of
sinners and for the increase of the number of souls devoted to
Jesus Crucified and to Mary, the Mother of Sorr ows ,
no . 150 relating tochasti ty . : 11 The vow and virtue of chasti ty
which are the honor of a Congregation consecrated to
the blessed Virgin Mary, demand that the professed av □ id all
danger , nay, even the appearance of evil, and that to this end ,
they watch aver their relations with others, their hearts and
all their senses. 11 No. 163 related to obedi ence : 11 The vow and
virtue of 0bedience are the strongest s upport of t he religious
life. The members of the Congregation, therefore, should be
always ready to go wherever their Speriors send them, even
to foreign lands, fully convinced thattrie obedient man wins victories
aver himself , the devil, the world and sin . Likewise, they
should bear in mind they are the disciples of Him, Wlo for their
sakes, became obedeint even unto the death of the Cross, and the
children of the august Mother of God, who decalred herself the
lowly handmaid of the Lord. 11 - which according to Fr. Louis Beaup,
our Master of Novices, was borrowed from the constitutions of th
Jesuits, and no. 270 concerning Divine office and Mass ;
11 They recite the divine office in due time and with devoti □n.
They say Holy Mass with a real spirit of faith and ardent devotion
.11 .• and manyothers, no doubt . Evidently these prescriptions,
and the tane even in which they are expressed, suppose a spirit
of faith, humility and commi t ment.
I do not hesitate to say that the Rule of the Sisters seems
tome to be superior and that we should draw inspiration from it.
In it everything converges towards the total gift to God in
view of reconciliation and the kingdom of God . Also all the
elements □ f religious life are strongly linked together with
a deep unity . This convergence satisfies at the same time the
spirit and the heart and gives the whole a true dynamism . Human
inspiration, fed by prayer and united to a practical spirit, ins
pired this text .
30.