Claretian Formation

I. Fr. Clement Serrat (1899-1906)

On his birthday of 1902, Fr. Clement Serrat addressed, from Santo Domingo de la Calzada, a precious circular to the Congregation on Religious Vocation.263 With it:

“(…) we intend to awaken in you feelings of deep gratitude by reminding you of the divine gift of vocation, (…) which very urgently demands our appreciation and our love.”264

1. Call to Vocational Fidelity

After arousing these feelings, Fr. Serrat makes a call to vocational fidelity. Making use of the words of St. Paul, which he places as the heading of his circular letter, “Obsecro vos ut digne ambuletis in vocatione qua vocati estis” [I urge you to walk worthily in the vocation you have received],265 he earnestly exhorts:

“(…) to remain faithful in the vocation to which you have been called. Yes, my dear brothers, I entreat you for the love of God to show yourselves as faithful servants, worthy imitators of the virtues of the divine Master who called you, most worthy members of the Religion to which you fortunately belong (…).”266

2. Means to Foster Fidelity to One’s Vocation

Following St. Paul himself, Fr. Serrat exhorts to fidelity and indicates the means suggested by the Apostle in his letter to the Ephesians: Cum omni humilitate et mansuetudine, cum patientia supportantes invicem in caritate, sollicity servare unitatem spiritus in vinculo pacis [Be humble, kind, patient, and bear with one another in love; make every effort to keep among you the unity of Spirit through bonds of peace].”267

2.1. The first and fundamental means of perseverance in vocation is humility and meekness, two typical virtues of a Claretian missionary.268 Through them, the missionary will be able to attain the grace of God and overcome the trials that emanate from fidelity to one’s vocation. And the reason he alleges is the lofty state of grace and holiness of religious life, which demands a very high degree of humility from those who have been called.269

It should be a motivated, profound and personalised humility; it should be sincere and well grounded; humility that stems from the knowledge of self, of one’s limitations and sinfulness, and from acknowledging the gifts received from God to be well administered.270

This self-image that the humble religious who loves his vocation should have, must not be simply theoretical and intellectual: it must be operative. It must be translated into words and deeds, both when he is praised and when he is insulted and held in contempt.271

The religious should be aware of the sacrifice and self-denial implied by the demands of the religious life he has embraced. He should not be surprised when, on the journey of his vocational life, privations and difficulties arise from his fidelity. On these occasions he should not be carried away by the enticements of the world and the temptations of pride and the flesh; rather, grounded on humility, he should remain in the option he has undertaken.272

2.2. In the second place, in order to be strengthened more in their vocation, it is necessary that they support one another with patient charity. With a charity that helps understand the brothers, their character and temperament, their pain and suffering, avoiding “harshness and rigour” with them.273 And he reminds us of the responsibility that each one has over the vocation of his brothers.274

2.3. The third and last means Fr. Serrat indicates in support of religious vocation is the concern for keeping the unity of spirit with the bond of peace. If the previous means tends to foster mutual charity among the brothers, as individuals, this one considers them collectively, as a corporation.275