Rome, Italy. Father General, Mathew Vattamattam, CMF, recounts his experience on his visit to Mother Trinidad de la Santa Madre Iglesia the Foundress and President of “The Work of the Church”:
On 14th November 2018, I was invited for an encounter with the ninety-year-old Mother Trinidad, the foundress of the “Work of the Church” in her residence in Rome. The Conversation lasted for more than an hour. Though weak in her body, mother has tremendous spiritual energy when she begins to speak of God, Jesus Christ and the Church. Occasionally she would sip water saying that she has the physical ailment that leaves her mouth dry. It is fascinating to see her joy in God and enthusiasm for the Church.
Mother Trinidad was born in Dos Hermanas (Seville), Spain on February 10, 1929. At the age of seventeen, she had a profound experience of the love of God and deep spiritual insight into the Holy Trinity. On March 18, 1959, she received the special vocation from the Lord to start the work of the Church.
During the conversation with Fr. Mathew, mother Trinidad repeated what she recalled vividly the call of the Lord to present the true face of the Church to the world. When the face of the Church is tarnished and her mission in the world is belittled, here is someone who speaks with her radiant face that the true face of the Church, the spouse of Christ, is beautiful and luminous. The world deserves to see that face.
The Work of the Church, an Ecclesial Institution under Pontifical Law, is one of the new forms of consecrated life. There are men, women and lay consecrated people in this institute. The Institute is grateful to Fr. Torres CMF, who helped the process of its canonical approval. Some of the members of the Institute remembers Claretian Cardinal Arcadio Larraona who advised about accepting members with an advice, “Keep a narrow door to enter in, and a wide door to go out”, if you want the Institute to flourish.
Fr. Mathew recalled that the visit was a beautiful encounter with person who is flooded with God’s love and endeavors to show the world the true face of the Church. The sons of the Church should unveil to the world the authentic face of the Church by their life and works.
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