Claretian Formation

THE MISSION OF THE CLARETIAN TODAY (1979-1991)

XIX General Chapter (1979)

In this chapter a re-reading of the Claretian mission was made, asking for a more missionary, enculturated and liberating community. Some options were specified in the Congregation for the six-year period: missionary evangelisation from the viewpoint of the poor, with priority dedication to the formation and incorporation of lay evangelisers, to youth and to the field of family apostolate. The Chapter Document “The Mission of the Claretian Today” (MCT) was published and the Argentinean Fr. Gustavo Alonso was elected new Superior General. The Chapter also continued working on the adaptation of the Constitutions and the Directory.

Encounters of Missionary Brothers

In June 1980 the first encounter of Missionary Brothers was held; others would follow. The vocational crisis that affected the Congregation in general became more urgent in the matter of the lay charism. These encounters intended to study and revise the present situation of the Brother within the Congregation, and to discover possible lines of action towards a future promotion.

Courses of Claretian Spirituality

Starting in 1981 the Courses of Claretian Spirituality began to follow one after the other in Rome. To these would later be added the Claretian Priestly Weeks of Vic and other Claretian spirituality courses in India, Latin America, USA, etc. in an effort to intensify and recover the various aspects of our own spirituality. In addition, the publications on Claretian topics proliferated and, as a sign of this concern for safeguarding the spirit of Claret, the remodelling of the new Claretian Museum in Vic was undertaken in 1991.

Revision of Positions

Starting in 1982 a collective reflection was also let loose in the Congregation about the revision of positions (works, structures, services…) which ended in the General Assembly of Los Teques (Venezuela) in January 1983. The basic aim was to make possible the implementation of the objectives and options of the MCT.

“The Claretian Mission”

In 1982 the yearbook “The Claretian Mission” began its publication under the responsibility of the Secretariat for the Churches in formation. This publication has become a mosaic where the progress of the varied pastoral activities of the Congregation can be observed.

Symposia of the Claretian Family

In October 1984 the First World Encounter of the Claretian Family took place in Rome. Its objective was to deepen in the comprehension of the charismatic gift of Saint Anthony Mary Claret, to share the experiences of the various branches of the Claretian Family and to propose common objectives for the future. In attendance were the four original nuclei: Claretian Missionary Men and Women, Cordimarian Filiation and Lay Claretians, as well as the Institutes with Claretian intervention: Cordimarian Missionary Sisters, Missionary Sisters of the Claretian Institute and Missionary Sisters of St. Anthony Mary Claret. This encounter was to be the first of others that would follow.

XX General Chapter (1985)

This Chapter focused its attention mainly on the person of the Claretian in his Process of Renewal. Its fruit was a document known as CPR. This Chapter worked also on the adaptation of the Constitutions to the new Code of Canon Law, authorising the General Government to present them to the Holy See for their definitive approval. Fr. Gustavo Alonso was re-elected Superior General.

New Constitutions and Directory

The work of adaptation of the Constitutions and the Directory to the norms emanated from the Vatican II Council and to the new Code of Canon Law had started with the Renewal Chapter of 1968. At last, the Holy See definitively approved the Constitutions with the Decree of 15 May 1986 and the Directory on 24 October of the following year. In order to deepen in the history and the spirit of the new text, the General Government started the publication of Commentaries to the constitutional text.

Cordimarian Spirituality

Impelled by the intense moment that was the Marian Year (1988) and in view of the congregational concern over our somewhat faded Cordimarian identity, the General Government decided to ask all the members of the Congregation about their Cordimarian experience. This was carried out starting in April 1987. This initiative, together with the week of Cordimarian spirituality held in Vic in 1988 and other publications, have meant a new impulse in the Cordimarian identity of the Claretian.

The Image of Fr. Claret in the Vatican

On December 6, 1988 a mosaic of St. Anthony Mary Claret was installed beside the altar of the holy martyrs Processus and Martinianus in the Vatican Basilica. It is located exactly in the right wing, where the First Vatican Council was celebrated. It must be remembered that Fr. Claret attended this Council and is now the only canonised Conciliar Father. The image is a half-bust, with episcopal garb; it has in his left hand the Gospel with the quotation of Mk 1,14. It carries a Latin legend that says: “S. Antonius Maria Claret Fundator C.M.F. –Pater Conc. Vat.I- 1807-1870.”

The Inexhaustible Missionary Spirit of the Claretian

Inspired by the MCT and the CPR, the Claretians have been discovering new ways of reaching all people with the message of Jesus. Both in their reflection (Encounters, Conferences, Workshops, Weeks…) and in the search for new methods (popular missions, labour with emigrants, vanguard missions, work with drug addicts, youth, formation of leaders, presence in the suburbs, commitment for peace and justice, dialogue with the Moslems, social communication media, presence in universities, indigenous promotion, women promotion…) they had no boundaries. The Claretian mission was an open mission toward the future.

Statistics and Foundations

The statistics as of January 1, 1991 give us the following data: 1,917 priests, 3 deacons, 297 brothers, 623 students, and 108 novices. A total of 2,995 Claretians coming from 48 different nationalities. During this period there were first-time foundations in new countries like Australia (1983), South Korea (1985), Ivory Coast and Indonesia (1990), Sri Lanka, Byelorussia and Kenya (1991). The vocational resurgence of some of the major organisms such as India, Nigeria and Poland caused the future of the Congregation to acquire the light of a dream come true.