Vincent's
spirituality has been summed up in the Statues of the
Union of the Catholic Apostolate:
“The
dynamic principle on which the multi-faceted apostolic
activities of St. Vincent Pallotti were founded, was
his personal faith experience. God gave him, as a gift
of the Spirit, a profound experience of His infinite
love and mercy. According to Vincent Pallotti, the most
profound motivation of the divine action is infinite
love. For this reason men and women, created in the
image and likeness of God, reach the full understanding
of the meaning of life when they continually exercise
the love of God and the love of their neighbor. (Cf.
1 John 4:16)
“This
experience permits men and women to understand Christ
as the Apostle of the Eternal Father. All that Jesus
achieved during his life on earth derives from his love
of the Father and from his saving love of all people.
To live the love of God our Father and the love of our
neighbor in imitation of Christ is the secret of the
apostolic efficacy of every Christian. For Vincent Pallotti
love is the essential motive for anyone who wishes to
collaborate in the apostolate. The following of Christ
and participation in His mission to save all people
are inseparable. As all are called to discipleship,
therefore, all have an apostolic obligation.” |