Apostleship of PrayerFebruary, 2008
The Holy Father's General Intention:That the mentally handicapped may not be marginalized, but respected and lovingly helped to live in a way worthy of their physical and social condition.
Sad to say, but it is a fact that the social milieu within our society does not accept the mentally ill with their limitation. This is often the reason why both human and financial resources are needed. Workers, especially trained workers are required; these with appropriate therapy and new sensitivity towards the patient’s behaviour will enable them to deal more effectively with these sick people and to their families. The training and updating of personnel who work in such a delicate sector of society is more urgent than ever.
For the public in general we all need to learn that mental problems are just another form of sickness which with proper treatment can facilitate the re-entry of a person into ordinary every day life. Hence we should strive to ensure that medical, social and pastoral assistance for those in need is never lacking, respectful of the dignity that is proper to every human being. We can hope that a culture of acceptance will grow and spread amongst the people of our society.
His Mission intention:That the Institutes of Consecrated life, which are so flourishing in mission countries, may rediscover the missionary dimension and faithful to the radical choice of evangelical counsels, be generous in bearing witness to and announcing Christ to the ends of the earth.
One of the real challenges to all Institutes of Consecrated Life is the call that all Christians have and that is to live a life of Charity, or to render it in simpler language to be Christ to all those that we meet. This challenge would be demonstrated in our commitment to transform the social reality with the fundamental message of the Gospel. It is not easy to welcome Jesus’ Good News in the present-day world. Nevertheless the world needs more than ever a faith that saves, a hope which sees the world as Jesus does, a charity that is always willing to give. Thus there is a real need for members of Institutes of Consecrated Life to accept the challenge of Jesus’ message.
What do we see when we look at the world around us: Lives without much meaning, lives with fear of suffering and death; Lives that speak of progress and freedom but which abound in new slaveries; Wars in all kinds of ways between people and between nations. From all this what can and does happen to some Congregations? A lack of hope, a lack of faith and a lack of charity. We find members taking a déjà vu attitude to life and often they are just willing to live out their own lives in this way.
There is something desperate in this attitude, especially when it seems that it is impossible to bring about any beneficial change to counteract this attitude. Consecrated people have taken the future as their profession of faith and hope as the mover of future existence. Therefore, today, the prophetic mission of Consecrated Life takes on a particular importance. We are called by the world “to live Christ” to ourselves, to our neighbour and to God. More than ever we are being called to live the mission of Jesus in this world. We are called to conform to Jesus and to make Jesus present again in this world.
Every activity, every service to the little ones, the poor, the sick, those abandoned by the wayside, those living in ignorance become the mission for us; “In as much you to the least of my brethren, you do to me.”
Vince Hurley, S.J.
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