THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE XLI MEETING OF THE GENERAL GOVERNMENTS OF THE PAULINE FAMILY, WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COOPERATORS AND OF THE AGGREGATED INSTITUTES
FINAL MESSAGE
The Pauline Family within the synodal journey of the Church
Dear sisters and brothers,
We share with immense joy the Final Message of our meeting of the General Governments of the Pauline Family, in which the Cooperators and Aggregated Institutes participated, now in its 41st anniversary: an authentic experience of grace lived in communion and fully inserted within the synodal journey of the Church. In discussing the themes of Spirituality, Mission and Formation, directed by the Facilitator Fabrizio Carletti, we were also guided by some experiences of the Pauline Family in the world and we sincerely thank: the Center of Spirituality of the Pauline Family in Korea; the Pauline Charism Formation Course in Rome; the St. Paul National Bible Quiz in the Philippines; the Book and Bible Festival in R.D. Congo; the Drafting Team of the Statute of the Cooperators of Brazil; the Team of “In the Footsteps of Paul” in Italy. We have experienced, thinking about possible common undertakings, precisely being Pauline Family as an expression of synodality, according to the intention of the Founder, at the service of the Church in the world.
In this epochal change we like to think of ourselves as bearers of a dream. Such intention could be summarized by the work carried out during these days, in the certainty that the itinerary of comparison always gives strength to communion, the fulcrum of our missionary action. Furthermore, it is a question of actualizing Don Alberione’s dream in the light of the signs of the times. The commitment to regenerate the charism by expressing it in the different national realities was reiterated, conceiving the mission as an opportunity for change and discernment. To concretize this, significant signs of discontinuity are necessary, accompanying the processes that will be implemented. Each branch of the Family must feel like a binding joint, enhancing the richness of diversity to create new things, always faithful to God and man. The full citizenship and protagonism of the lay people of the Pauline Family also emerged, in view of a fulfilled co-responsibility, in order to find together further spaces of commitment and new places of evangelization.
Reflecting now on this small Pauline Family, one could liken [it] to a stream of water. As it flows, it swells with additional water from the rain, the melting of the glaciers, and various other little sources. This accumulated body of water then parts and is redirected to irrigate fertile plains and [employed] to produce energy, heat and electric light (AD, 5).
Echoing the Founder again, we hope that the exercise of synodality experienced by the General Governments can constitute the start of a new missionary impetus at the service of the Church and of the world.
Always forward in joy!
Rome, 15 January 2024
The participants in the XLI Meeting of the General Governments of the Pauline Family,
with representatives of the Cooperators and of the Aggregated Institutes
