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Sr.
Theresinha Joana Rasera, superior general of the Congregation: "Sisters
of the Divine Saviour", is the president of the International Union of
Superiors General. She was elected last May during the plenary meeting
centred on "Women, disciples of Jesus Christ, promoters of
reconciliation in this world". To serve the marginalized is the basic
apostolate of the Order founded by Fr. Francis Mary of the Cross Jordan,
which is spread all over the world. It is the matter of a humanitarian
service, concretized in a life-style which respects the values of all
the world's cultures and is centred in a coherent testimony of the
Evangelical Christian principles. We have requested Sr. Rasera to share
with us her personal interpretation of the slogan of the world congress,
"Passion for Christ, passion for humanity", in the light of her own
Congregational charism, and the way of translating it into the practice
of our daily life.
"According to my personal experience, passion for Christ and for
humanity means to be persons endowed with mysticism and prophecy.
Persons who can fetch from a deeply incarnated spirituality starting
from the world we live in. The document shows two Biblical icons: that
of the Samaritan woman, when Jesus goes to Jacob's well, and that of the
Samaritan who assists the agonising man in the street.
Both of
them are models of spirituality perfectly fitting with consecrated life,
just in point with him who has a colloquy with Jesus and has received a
mission; fitting to merciful hearts full of compassion towards the
sufferer and anyone in need of moral and material help. Passion means
the state of possessing this fire, the attitude of welcoming the other
in his totality. This is the inspiring principle of our existence. All
of us must be animated in life by a passion. Speaking of consecrated
life, we are expected to work for Christ in the service of mankind.
Our
vocation is immersed into today's life and situation; a complex life
rich in hints which question us from our depth, in problems of not easy
solution. We are supposed to be close to people with a merciful heart,
to share the sufferings of men and women from all over the world, to
learn from the daily experience of persons in Africa and in the third
world. It is only from them that we can learn how to live in this world,
how to look into the eyes of our brother in need, of persons who suffer
the discrimination of a society too much indifferent before the needs
of the neighbours.
The consecrated life is at a crossroad: according to
you, which crucial knots are to be faced immediately, in the light of
the preliminary document of work for the coming world congress?
"The
document underlines the need of discerning the challenges and we want to
discover together where the Holy Spirit wants to lead us. The journey we
have already set on leads us towards our neediest brothers and sisters.
Attention is paid to the suffering man. We are aware that our daily
commitment to be lived, because of our passion for Christ, leads us to
stay at the side of the weakest persons. Before the many challenges the
world presents every day, religious life is called to change very much,
in the sense of being attentive to the present situation: to walk with
the people, to understand and to support them in unfavourable
circumstances. Our objective is that of staying with the others,
acquiring their experience, living in the world with a new mentality and
a new awareness".
The Pope has recently announced a special Year
dedicated to the Eucharist. The World Congress will take place just
during this Year and will be held after the scheduled world meeting in
Mexico. How will this appointment affect the work of the November
Congress?
"The
theme itself evidences the link between the Congress and the Year
dedicated to the Eucharist. The passion for Christ cannot exist without
the Eucharist, without the constant presence of love and communion that
accompany us till the end of time. Many are the ways in which He
manifests himself among us. Even if the Congress will not touch directly
the theme that is so much in the heart of the Holy Father, this does not
mean that its content has not inspired our appointment. His presence is
so real as it is impossible not to take it into account. That is why we
are working at a draft in view of an "instrumentum laboris" for the next
year assembly of the synod. At present we are going deep into this
matter which is very important for us!
Which one, to you, is the central point of this
preparatory document?
"The present situation of the world is caught by us
both as a challenge and as an opportunity. It is somehow a stimulus to
be more dynamic. The globalisation with its ambiguity, the human
mobility with its two faces of immigration and emigration, the
neo-liberal economic system so very unjust and unstable, the culture of
death, the international crisis: these are big challenges present in
the document which involve us and call us to a new way of living our
religious life. A new life-style will have to prevail, in the sign of
the Gospel and of the most urgent needs of the poor. We must begin an
economic system of solidarity with them, based on justice and sharing.
It is also necessary to promote peace and life, in collaboration with
other civil and religious institutions, which aim at the same objective.
This, to me, is one of the central points: to work together, to carry on
a commitment together, in communion and sharing. This is the true
challenge: to confront ourselves with new life-styles, working together
in a mission of solidarity in favour of the excluded. Our attitude must
be characterized by solidarity. It is we religious, first of all, who
are called to be in solidarity with others".
The preparatory document mentions the great impulse
offered to the consecrated life by Vatican II. Is this still valid
today? Abobe all, have the teachings of the Council regarding
consecrated life been applied or there is still a long way to go,
according to you?
Speaking,
for instance, of religious life, we know that much has been done and is
still being done. Some themes have been updated, others deepened. We are
aware that there is still much to be done, mainly for what concerns the
signs of the time. Whenever a new order is founded it is because of some
deficiency seen in the Church. Ours is today a dynamic journey, a
process of becoming: We are aware that there is still a long way to go.
In this sense the Congress will surely be a stimulus to go on
courageously and trustfully along a new tract of this journey. We are
supposed to renew ourselves with the re-foundation of our Congregations,
starting from different basis, but faithful to our founders: looking
attentively at the world that surrounds us with the curiosity of
catching the signs of the time.
The spirit of the Congress is to be interpreted in
the light of these four verbs: to let oneself be transformed, to start a
new praxis and to celebrate. This speaks of four operative indications
requiring extreme commitment. According to your personal experience, do
you think these proposals to be realisable?
"The
Congress is the strong moment of a process. We are not here to lull
false illusions; our objective is that of taking a step forward along
this itinerary which is somehow a provocation. We want to create an
atmosphere apt to let the delegates live a time of renewal, in the way
of common sharing. Only then Christ will help us in our discernment.
This spirit, which we propose to strengthen, must animate our daily
actions, to use a new style, along a not easy way taken for granted".
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