Rome, Italy. About twelve years ago, a meeting of missionaries from all continents proposed that the Congregation promote and structure its commitment to proclaiming the Gospel, justice, peace, care for Creation, and transforming the world according to God’s plan around the idea of Solidarity and Mission (SOMI).
Encouraged by the last two General Chapters, SOMI has since united the efforts of many people and communities inspired by the Claretian spirit to work for a world and planet more aligned with God’s will and Gospel values. Through SOMI, situations of injustice, exploitation, and abuse have been denounced, and processes for raising awareness, empowerment, promoting human rights, conflict resolution, and defending the rights of women and minorities have been supported.
All Claretian provinces and delegations, in diverse ways, have sought to foster what the Querida Congregacióncalls a commitment to universal fraternity, justice, peace, and care for our common home, in collaboration with people of various cultures, ethnicities, and religions to transform the world (QC 79).
To counter the widespread trend of accepting indifference, exclusion, and injustice as inevitable, the Claretian Missionaries aim to reject any temptation to live a disembodied Christ, a faith, and a missionary life that disregard others and pass by the crosses of so many.
To reinforce this commitment, the Congregation has encouraged a discernment process enriched by voices of men and women from five continents, culminating in these Guidelines ratified by the General Government of the Congregation.
Nothing human is foreign to a Christian. No suffering or effort for good can be alien to Claretian missionaries, whom Pope Francis has invited to embrace closeness, compassion, tenderness, dedication to human rights, and commitment to transforming reality.
The first part of the Guidelines seeks to highlight the relevance of SOMI, a transversal reality that permeates all dimensions of Claretian life and mission (spirituality, formation, economy, community organization, missionary priorities, and styles). The text is enriched with abundant references to Claretian tradition and Church teachings.
The second section describes how Solidarity and Mission is currently structured at the general levels of the Congregation. It explains the roles of the General Mission Procurator, the General Secretariat of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation, the Congregation’s presence at the United Nations, and the interrelation of these Claretian realities. The Guidelines emphasize how numerous initiatives rooted in Claretian contexts work for human development and integral ecology, joining forces with like-minded individuals across continents.
The document highlights the importance of Solidarity and Mission in all Claretian provinces and delegations and offers organizational proposals for SOMI in Major Organisms and continental Conferences.
The rich content of the Guidelines, written to foster dialogue and deeper understanding, has already been studied in two workshops in Asia and will be reviewed in 2025 in a gathering aimed at bringing together representatives from the Claretian regions of Africa. The SOMI General Team is discerning initiatives to help Claretians and their associated communities and initiatives reflect on their commitment to the Gospel and its application to the realities of various groups and societies.
The Claretian Family remains attentive to Pope Francis’ calls, as highlighted in the Jubilee Year motto (Pilgrims of Hope): recovering the sense of universal fraternity, not closing our eyes to rampant poverty depriving millions of a dignified life, and engaging in caring for Creation through concrete actions. It is SOMI’s time; it is time to enhance its lived experience.
Click Here to Download the Document: English, Español, Français
Source: Predo Belderrain, CMF, Prefect of Apostolate
