We
profess that: |
• |
God
is love (1 Jn 4:8,16); |
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the
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit live in a constant
exchange of love (cf. 1 Jn 4:8, 16); |
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the
Triune God in his great love has created the human person
in his image (Gen 1:26-27); |
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the
Church has been called to life through the mission of
the Son and the Holy Spirit so that all persons be configured
to Jesus (Rom 8:29; 2 Pet1:4) and thus find in him fulfilment
in divine glory (Rom 6:5; Eph1:10; Col1:27; Apoc 21:2); |
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Jesus
Christ, in the Holy Spirit, comes to meet us in every
brother and sister (Mt 10:40; 25:40; Rom 5:5; 1 Jn 3:24;
4:13). |
|
Vincent
Pallotti reminds us that: |
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God’s
love forms and envelopes us, invites and obliges us
to reciprocate it (Deut 6:4-5; 2Cor 5:14; Eph 5:2; 1Jn
4:8, 11-12, 16); |
• |
we
fulfil this call when we care also for the salvation
of our brothers and sisters (Lev 19,18; Mt 18,15; 19,19;
22, 36-40; Mk 12,29-31; Jn 13:34-35; 15:12- 13.17; Rom
13:9-10; 1Jn 4:19-21); |
• |
our
response to God’s love is measured by our efforts
to become holy (Mt 5,43-45,48; Rom 6:11; Eph 1:4; 4:13;
5:1; Col 1:22; 1 Thess 3:13; 4:1; 1Pet 1:16; 2Pet 3:11;
1Jn 3:,3); |
• |
our
response is shown in being disciples of Jesus, the Apostle
of the Eternal Father (cf. Heb 3:1), who definitively
revealed his limitless love in abandonment in abandoning
himself to the Father even unto death on the Cross (Mt
10:38; 16:24; Jn 12:32; 13:1,13-15; 15:5, 9-10; 12:26;
Phil 2:5; 1Pet 2:21; 1Jn 2:5-6; 4:9-10). |
|
We
are united in the Union because: |
• |
God
is in himself a Trinitarian Community of persons (Mt
28:19; Jn 17:21-23; 1Jn 1:1-3); |
• |
Jesus,
in the Holy Spirit, lives and works among us when we
are gathered in his name (Mt 18:20); |
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we
want to be a miniature Church of brothers and sisters
in which all, in equal measure and freely, respect one
another as unique images of God, and to which each makes
his or her contribution (cf. Acts 2:42); |
• |
experience
shows that “the good that is done individually
is usually lost, is uncertain and of short duration”
(OOCC IV, 122; cf. 257, 343, 389; V, 228*); |
• |
we
are convinced that Vincent Pallotti’s foundation
is a suitable way of effectively responding to the challenges
of our time. |
*
These are references to the Opere Complete (Complete Works)
an edition of the writings of St. Vincent Pallotti |
|
|
Together
we want to contribute so that: |
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all
people become conscious of God’s merciful love
and thereby discover, develop and live out their own
likeness to God and their responsibility towards their
neighbor (cf. Mt 28:19); |
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unity
may grow among all Christians, mutual respect between
all religions and between all honest seekers on the
common journey (path) towards the house of the heavenly
Father (cf. Jn 17: 21-26; Rom 11:25-36; 2 Cor 5:6-7;
Eph 1:10; Col 1:27; Acts 21,1-4); |
• |
all
the citizens of the world may live in dignified (decent)
conditions. |
|
|
We
work together from the very start, because: |
• |
we
allow ourselves to be impelled by and engaged by God’s
love (cf. 1 Cor 3: 9; 2 Cor 5: 14); |
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we
seek to discover the good in ever person and thereby
allow ourselves to be mutually enriched; |
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our
being together is characterized by listening, by dialogue,
by forgiveness and in sharing; |
• |
we
rejoice in all individual and communal initiatives in
the Church and in the world that are for the well-being
of people and, as far as possible, we support them; |
• |
where
appropriate, we offer the Union as a form of life and
apostolate, without forcing it upon anyone. |
|
|
In
order to serve the universal apostolate of the Church,
we make use of all the means at our disposal: |
• |
primarily,
striving to live a convincing life conformed to the
message of Christ in our work and daily life (Lk 1:75;
Mt 5:48; Eph 4:13,24; 1 Thess 4:1; 1Jn 3:3); |
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participating
actively in the liturgy of the Church, especially in
the Eucharistic celebration (cf. Acts 2:42); |
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engaging
in on-going formation; |
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forming
a Cenacle community with Mary, Queen of Apostles, for
prayer, for in-depth study of Sacred Scripture, for
sharing and the determining of apostolic priorities
(Mt 26:41; Lk 18:1; 21:36; Acts 1:13-14; Rom 15:4; 2Tim
3:16); |
• |
assuming
readily ecclesiastical works, commitments or offices; |
• |
accepting
sacrifice, failure, advancing age and illness (cf. Rom
8:17; 12:1; 2Cor 1:6; Phil 1:29; 2 Thess 1:5; 2 Tim
1:8; James 5:10;
1Pt 2:20; 4:13,16); |
• |
placing
material goods at the service of the apostolic initiatives
(cf. Lk:8,3; Acts 11:29-30). |